Forming Formal and Plural Commands
When giving instructions to a group of people, or when addressing a single person respectfully (such as a manager, colleague, or someone you just met), you should use the formal or plural command form.
To build this form, attach the prefix بـ (or ب) to the present stem of the verb, and add the plural suffix ید at the end.
| Infinitive | Present Stem | Formal Command | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| دادن | ده | بدهید | Give! |
| خواندن | خوان | بخوانید | Read! |
| نوشتن | نویس | بنویسید | Write! |
| گذاشتن | گذار | بگذارید | Put! |
Let's look at some examples of these commands in a professional setting. Notice the frequent use of لطفاً (please) to maintain a polite tone.
| Please read the document. | لطفاً سند را بخوانید.lotfan sanad râ bekhânid. |
| Please write a letter to the manager. | لطفاً یک نامه برای مدیر بنویسید.lotfan yek nâme barâye modir benevisid. |
| Give the report to the manager today. | امروز گزارش را به مدیر بدهید.emruz gozâresh râ be modir bedahid. |
| Put the file on the table. | پرونده را روی میز بگذارید.parvande râ ruye miz bogzârid. |
Compound Verbs as Commands
Many Farsi verbs related to office work and technology are compound verbs. These are made by pairing a noun with a "light verb" like کردن (to do) or گرفتن (to take).
When forming a command with a compound verb, only the light verb changes. For verbs ending in کردن, the formal command becomes کنید (the بـ prefix is usually dropped for this specific verb in everyday usage). For گرفتن, it becomes بگیرید.
| Sign here, please. | لطفاً اینجا امضا کنید.lotfan injâ emzâ konid |
| Please print this document. | لطفاً این سند را چاپ کنید.lotfan in sanad râ châp konid. |
| Enter the computer password. | رمز کامپیوتر را وارد کنید.ramz-e kâmpyuter râ vâred konid. |
| Call the manager's phone. | با تلفن مدیر تماس بگیرید.bâ telefon modir tamâs begirid. |
