Questions & Answers about لطفاً در حیاط دعوا نکنید.
How is the negative command formed in the word نکنید?
It uses the negative prefix نـ (na-) added to the present stem of کردن (to do), which is کن (kon), plus the plural/formal "you" ending ـید (-id). Together, this makes نکنید (nakonid, "do not do").
Why does the sentence use دعوا نکنید (dava nakonid) for "do not fight"?
"To fight" is a compound verb in Farsi: دعوا کردن (dava kardan). It literally means "to do a fight". To make a negative command, you leave the noun دعوا (fight) alone and only change the "do" part into the negative imperative نکنید.
Why does لطفاً (lotfan) end with an "alef" and two little slanted lines?
This word is borrowed from Arabic. Those two little lines are a marker that adds an "an" sound to the end of the word. That is why it is pronounced "lotfan" (please) even though there is no actual letter "n" at the end of the spelling.
Is the command نکنید addressed to one person or a group of people?
It could be either! The ending ـید (-id) is for the plural "you" (shoma). However, Farsi speakers also use this plural form to speak politely to a single person. Since the sentence starts with لطفاً (please), it could be a polite request to one person, or a command to a group of people in the yard.
Learn لطفاً در حیاط دعوا نکنید and more in Farsi
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free