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Imperative (Commands)
A1Β·BeginnerLearn how to give commands and make requests in Farsi
Lesson Overview
12 exercises Β· Level 2
Grammar Explanation
Imperative (Commands) in Farsi
Imperatives are used to give commands or make requests.
Formation
Add prefix "be-" or "bo-" to the verb stem:
If first vowel is "o", use "bo-": khordan (to eat) β stem: khor β bokhor (eat!)
Otherwise use "be-": raftan (to go) β boro (go!) didan (to see) β stem: bin β bebin (look!)
Informal (to) vs Formal (shomaa)
Informal (to):
| Phonetic | Translation |
|---|---|
| bebin | look! |
| bokhor | eat! |
| begoo | say! |
Formal (shomaa), add "-id":
| Phonetic | Translation |
|---|---|
| bebinid | look! (formal) |
| bokhorid | eat! (formal) |
| begid | say! (formal) |
Exceptions
kardan (to do) β kon (not bekon) shodan (to become) β sho (not besho)
These can be used alone without "be-": to kon β you do! to sho β you become!
Negative Imperative
Replace "be-" with "na-":
| Positive | Negative | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| bebin | nabin | don't look! |
| bokhor | nakhor | don't eat! |
| begoo | nagoo | don't say! |
Polite Requests
Use "lotfan" (please) to soften commands: lotfan befarmaayid β please, go ahead lotfan benshinid β please sit down