Negative commands (na-)

Forming Negative Commands

To tell someone not to do something, use the negative imperative. Instead of the positive command prefix بـ, attach the negative prefix نـ to the present stem.

InfinitivePresent StemNegative CommandMeaning
پریدنپرنپرDon't jump!
خندیدنخندنخندDon't laugh!

For informal, singular commands, just use the prefix and the stem with no ending.

Formal and Plural Negative Commands

When addressing a group or speaking formally, add the plural suffix ید to the end.

Negative Commands with Compound Verbs

For compound verbs, the negative prefix نـ attaches only to the action part of the verb, not the noun.

For example, with verbs using کردن (to do), the commands become نکن (informal) and نکنید (formal/plural). With کشیدن (to draw/pull), they become نکش and نکشید.