Persian دیگر digar places something outside the item, set, or time already under discussion. In یک کتاب دیگر it means “another book”; in کتابهای دیگر it means “other books”; and in دیگر آنجا کار نمیکنم it means “I no longer work there.” Everyday Tehran speech normally pronounces and writes the colloquial form دیگه dige when the surrounding sentence is colloquial.
These meanings share one discourse idea: leave the current choice or state and move beyond it. Noun position and clause polarity tell the listener whether the result is an additional item, a contrastive remainder, or “anymore/no longer.”
Position and meaning map
| Pattern | Example | Typical meaning | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| یک + noun + دیگر | یک فنجان دیگر | another cup / one more cup | neutral |
| plural noun + دیگر | کتابهای دیگر | other books | neutral |
دیگر
| دیگر کشورها | other countries | especially formal/written |
| negative clause + adverbial دیگر | دیگر نمیآیم | I am not coming anymore | neutral standard |
| دیگه | یه چای دیگه | another tea / any more | informal, regional: Tehran |
دیگر is not an article. The یک in یک فنجان دیگر supplies an indefinite single item, while دیگر says that it is additional to one already active in the conversation.
Postnominal دیگر: another or other
After a singular noun introduced by یک, دیگر commonly means “another/one more.” The noun links to دیگر by ezâfe, although consonant-final spelling leaves that vowel invisible.
یک صندلی دیگر کنار پنجره گذاشتیم.
yek sandali-ye digar kenâr-e panjare gozâshtim.
We put another chair beside the window. (neutral standard)
برای مسیر برگشت یک بلیت دیگر لازم دارم.
barâ-ye masir-e bargasht yek bilit-e digar lâzem dâram.
I need another ticket for the return journey. (neutral standard)
With a plural noun, postnominal دیگر picks out other members or types: راههای دیگر “other ways,” روزهای دیگر “other days.” The plural phrase can remain indefinite or become specific through context and را.
راههای دیگر را هم بررسی کردیم.
râh-hâ-ye digar râ ham barrasi kardim.
We examined the other options too. (neutral; a contextually identified set)
در سفرهای دیگر وقت بیشتری داشتیم.
dar safar-hâ-ye digar vaqt-e bishtari dâshtim.
On other trips, we had more time. (neutral standard)
Prenominal دیگر: the rest of a class
Formal and expository Persian also places دیگر before a plural or collective noun: دیگر کشورها “other countries,” دیگر اعضا “the other members.” There is no ezâfe between prenominal دیگر and the noun.
دیگر اعضای گروه تا فردا پاسخ میدهند.
digar a'zâ-ye goruh tâ fardâ pâsokh mi-dahand.
The other members of the group will respond by tomorrow. (formal-neutral)
این روش در دیگر کشورها هم آزمایش شده است.
in ravesh dar digar keshvar-hâ ham âzmâyesh shode ast.
This method has also been tested in other countries. (formal written standard)
Postnominal کشورهای دیگر would be equally grammatical and more conversationally neutral. Prenominal placement often gives written prose a compact, categorizing rhythm. It does not change the noun into a definite phrase by itself.
Adverbial دیگر: no longer and anymore
When دیگر modifies a clause rather than a noun, it marks a boundary from an earlier state. With a negative verb it corresponds to “no longer/not anymore.” It can occur before the subject, before the negative predicate, or in another discourse-appropriate preverbal position.
دیگر در آن شرکت کار نمیکنم.
digar dar ân sherkat kâr nemi-konam.
I no longer work at that company. (neutral standard)
بعد از این اتفاق دیگر به آن راننده اعتماد نکردیم.
ba'd az in ettefâq digar be ân rânande e'temâd nakardim.
After this incident, we no longer trusted that driver. (neutral standard)
Negation supplies the “not anymore” meaning. In an affirmative clause, adverbial دیگر can mean “now/then/further” depending on context: دیگر وقت رفتن است “Now it is time to leave.” Do not translate every token as anymore.
دیگر وقت تصمیمگیری است.
digar vaqt-e tasmim-giri ast.
Now it is time to make a decision. (formal/elevated transition)
Colloquial دیگه
In everyday Tehran speech, دیگه covers the nominal and adverbial uses of standard دیگر. It belongs in an explicitly colloquial sentence; mixing it unmarked into formal prose creates a register clash.
یه چای دیگه میخوای؟
ye chây-e dige mi-khây?
Do you want another tea? (informal, regional: Tehran)
نه، دیگه چای نمیخورم.
na, dige chây nemi-khoram.
No, I'm not drinking any more tea. (informal, regional: Tehran)
The first دیگه is inside یه چای دیگه and adds one more item. The second modifies the negative clause and closes a previous activity. Position and intonation separate the meanings even though the form is identical.
Reference, specificity, and را
Compare three phrases: یک کتاب دیگر “another book,” کتابهای دیگر “other books,” and کتاب دیگر را “the other/contextually relevant book” as a specific object. Persian does not insert a/the before each. یک introduces one additional indefinite, plural ـها forms a set, and را can mark a selected direct object.
یک نسخهی دیگر چاپ میکنیم.
yek noskhe-ye digar châp mi-konim.
We will print another edition. (one additional indefinite edition)
نسخهی دیگر را برای کتابخانه فرستادیم.
noskhe-ye digar râ barâ-ye ketâbkhâne ferestâdim.
We sent the other edition to the library. (specific alternative in context)
را follows the whole noun phrase. It does not attach to دیگر as a translation of English the. See Specificity across یک، ی، and را.
A short planning exchange
برای فردا کار دیگری مانده است؟
barâ-ye fardâ kâr-e digari mânde ast?
Is there any other task left for tomorrow? (careful spoken standard)
نه، دیگر کاری نمانده؛ میتوانیم برویم.
na, digar kâri namânde; mi-tavânim beravim.
No, no work remains anymore; we can leave. (careful spoken standard)
Postnominal دیگری in the question means “another/other one of that kind.” Adverbial دیگر in the answer combines with negation to mean “no longer/anymore.”
Common Mistakes
1. Copying English another as an article stack
❌ دیگر یک کتاب خریدم.
Incorrect for neutral ‘I bought another book’ — use یک کتاب دیگر.
✅ یک کتاب دیگر برای سفر خریدم.
yek ketâb-e digar barâ-ye safar kharidam.
I bought another book for the trip.
2. Omitting ezâfe before postnominal دیگر
❌ راههای دیگر را دیدیم.
râh-hâ digar râ didim
Incorrect reading — plural راهها links to postnominal دیگر through -ye.
✅ راههای دیگری را امتحان کردیم.
râh-hâ-ye digari râ emtehân kardim.
We tried some other approaches.
3. Using affirmative دیگر as though it always meant anymore
❌ دیگر آنجا کار میکنم.
Incorrect for ‘I don't work there anymore’ — that reading requires a negative predicate.
✅ دیگر آنجا کار نمیکنم.
digar ânjâ kâr nemi-konam.
I don't work there anymore.
4. Putting را inside the phrase
❌ نسخهی را دیگر فرستادم.
Incorrect — را follows the completed specific noun phrase.
✅ نسخهی دیگر را صبح فرستادم.
noskhe-ye digar râ sobh ferestâdam.
I sent the other copy this morning.
Key Takeaways
- یک + noun + دیگر adds one more item; the noun links to postnominal دیگر by ezâfe.
- nounهای دیگر is neutral “other nouns,” while prenominal دیگر + plural noun is common in formal writing.
- With a negative predicate, adverbial دیگر means “no longer/not anymore.” Affirmative uses have transition meanings such as “now/then.”
- Colloquial Tehran دیگه preserves these distinctions through position and context.
- یک, plural marking, context, and را distribute reference work; دیگر does not fill an English article slot.
Now practice Farsi
Reading grammar gets you part of the way. The exercises are where it sticks — free, no signup needed.
Start learning Farsi →Related Topics
- Indefiniteness with یک and یA1 — How Persian introduces one or an indefinite referent with یک, suffix ـی, both together, or no article-like marking at all.
- هیچ and Negative PolarityA2 — Use هیچ for no and any readings under negation, in questions, and in other non-assertive environments without confusing it with free-choice هر.
- بعضی and چند for Indefinite QuantityA2 — Distinguish بعضی ‘some’ from چند ‘a few/how many,’ including noun number, partitives with از, and interrogative context.
- Specificity across یک، ی، and راB2 — Understand how Persian یک, indefinite ی, bare nouns, discourse, and object marker را divide indefiniteness from specificity.
- Reduced Function WordsB1 — Map standard یک، اگر، دیگر، چه، برای، در، and روی to their common Tehran conversational forms within coherent spoken sentences.
- Indefinite کسی، چیزی، جاییB2 — Use کسی، چیزی، and جایی for indefinite people, things, and places across affirmative, interrogative, conditional, and negative contexts.