The Ezafa is a special construction in Dari. English has no equivalent construction. Ezafa is an Arabic word that means "addition."
The Ezafa construction links nouns, pronouns, and adjectives to a noun or other parts of speech that they qualify. It consists of the insertion of the sound -e- (-ye- after a vowel) between the two words. This sound -e- (-ye- after a vowel) is only pronounced, but is not written.
"my pen" قلم من qhalam-e man
"teacher's table" میز استاد miiz-e ostaad
"red color" رنگ سرخ rang-e sorkh
The Ezafa link can never be separated from the word in speech.
The Ezafa never carries the stress.
If the noun to which the Ezafa is added ends in the ه or in ی, the semi-vowel y is inserted for pronunciation between the final ه or ی and the e of the Ezafa; however, it is not represented in writing.
"good boy" بچه خوب bachcha-ye khub
"fair judge" قاضی عادل qaazi-ye aadel
The sign Hamza is sometimes written over the ه or ی to represent the Ezafa but is usually omitted:
"our home" خانۀ ما
but
"friend's letter" نامه دوست
When the Ezafa is added to words ending in ا and و, the Ezafa is written as ی and in pronunciation the semi-vowel y is inserted between the final ا or و of the word and the e of the Ezafa:
"the leaves of the tree" barghaa-ye derakht برگهای درخت
"flower scent" bu-ye gol بوی گل
See Also: