Subject-Verb Agreement with Collective Nouns
In Persian, when a subject is a collective noun representing a group of people, the verb takes the third-person plural form. Even though the noun lacks a plural suffix (like ـها), the verb reflects the multiple individuals acting together.
Common collective nouns include:
- مردم (people)
- گروه (group)
- جمعیت (crowd)
- تیم (team)
- دسته (band/group)
Notice how these singular subjects pair with verbs ending in the plural ـند suffix:
| The group started simultaneously. | گروه همزمان شروع کردند.goruh hamzamân shoru' kardand. |
| The people became motionless all at once. | مردم یکباره بیحرکت شدند.mardom yekbâre bi-harekat shodand. |
This rule is perfect for describing coordinated group actions, such as the sudden, synchronized movements of a flash mob:
| The crowd stood motionless simultaneously. | جمعیت همزمان بیحرکت ایستادند.jam'iyyat ham-zamân bi-harekat istâdand. |
| The group sings and dances in unison. | گروه یکصدا آواز میخوانند و میرقصند.goruh yek-sedâ âvâz mikhânand va miraghsand. |
| The group scattered all at once. | دسته یکباره پراکنده شدند.daste yekbâre parâkande shodand. |
This agreement applies across all tenses and verb types, including compound verbs:
| The crowd has attracted the attention of the passersby. | جمعیت توجه رهگذران را جلب کردهاند.jam'iyyat tavajjoh-e rahgozarân râ jalb karde-and. |
| The team looked at each other and dispersed. | تیم به یکدیگر نگاه کرده و متفرق شدند.tim be yekdigar negâh karde va motefarreq shodand. |
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