Negative Simple Past
To make a simple past tense verb negative, attach the prefix نـ to the beginning of the conjugated verb.
For example, خریدم (I bought) becomes نخریدم (I did not buy):
| I did not buy anything yesterday. | من دیروز هیچچیز نخریدم.man dirooz hich chiz nakharidam. |
(This sentence also uses هیچچیز — "nothing". With a word like this, Farsi requires the verb to be negative as well; the Double Negatives section at the end of this lesson explains the rule.)
Negative Compound Verbs
Most verbs in Farsi are compound verbs. To make a compound verb negative, attach the نـ prefix only to the base verb. The first part of the compound stays exactly the same.
| The manager didn't explain the reason. | مدیر دلیل را توضیح نداد.modir dalil râ towzih nadâd |
| We did not choose that big house. | ما آن خانهی بزرگ را انتخاب نکردیم.mâ ân khâne-ye bozorg râ entekhâb nakardim. |
| I didn't use your computer. | من از کامپیوتر تو استفاده نکردم.man az kâmpyuter to estefâde nakardam. |
Verbs Starting with a Vowel
When the base verb starts with ا, a ی is inserted between the prefix and the verb stem to make it easier to pronounce.
For example, in the compound verb اتفاق افتادن (to happen), the base verb افتاد becomes نیفتاد:
| That problem didn't happen here. | آن مشکل اینجا اتفاق نیفتاد.ân moshkel injâ ettefâgh nayoftâd. |
Double Negatives
Unlike in English, double negatives are required in Farsi. When you use negative words like هیچکس (nobody) or هیچچیز (nothing), the verb must also be negative.
| Nobody believed the reason. | هیچکس دلیل را باور نکرد.hich-kas dalil râ bâvar nakard. |
| I didn't notice anything. | من متوجه هیچچیز نشدم.man motevajjeh hich chiz nashodam. |
| I didn't lie, but nobody believed it. | من دروغ نگفتم، اما هیچکس باور نکرد.man doroogh nagoftam, ammâ hich-kas bâvar nakard. |