Q: Why does the second verb کنم not have the می prefix like it usually does?

Because it follows میخواهم (I want). In Farsi, when you express wanting to do an action, the second verb must be in the subjunctive form. Instead of the regular present tense میکنم (mi-konam), the subjunctive drops the می (mi-) prefix.

Q: We previously learned to say "I am hungry" by just attaching a suffix, like گرسنهام. Why does this sentence use the full word هستم?

Both are completely correct! Saying گرسنهام (gorosneh-am) is very common in spoken, casual Farsi. Using the full verb هستم (hastam) as a separate word is just slightly more formal, or it can add a little bit of emphasis to the fact that you truly are hungry right now.

Question 1

Why does the second verb کنم not have the می‌ prefix like it usually does?

Accepted Answer

Because it follows می‌خواهم (I want). In Farsi, when you express wanting to do an action, the second verb must be in the subjunctive form. Instead of the regular present tense می‌کنم (mi-konam), the subjunctive drops the می‌ (mi-) prefix.

Question 2

I learned that the subjunctive usually adds a بـ (be-) prefix to the verb. Why isn't it درست بکنم?

Accepted Answer

درست کردن (dorost kardan - to make/prepare) is a compound verb, meaning it is made of an adjective plus the helper verb کردن (kardan - to do). While you will occasionally hear بکنم (bekonam), Farsi speakers almost always drop the بـ (be-) prefix for کردن in compound verbs. So, درست کنم (dorost konam) is the most natural choice.

Question 3

Why do both verbs end in ـم (-am)?

Accepted Answer

Unlike English, which uses an infinitive ("I want to make"), Farsi conjugates both verbs to match the subject. You are literally saying "I want that I make". Because the subject is من (man - I), both می‌خواهم (mi-khâham) and کنم (konam) take the first-person singular ending ـم (-am).

Question 4

We previously learned to say "I am hungry" by just attaching a suffix, like گرسنه‌ام. Why does this sentence use the full word هستم?

Accepted Answer

Both are completely correct! Saying گرسنه‌ام (gorosneh-am) is very common in spoken, casual Farsi. Using the full verb هستم (hastam) as a separate word is just slightly more formal, or it can add a little bit of emphasis to the fact that you truly are hungry right now.

من گرسنه هستم و می‌خواهم شام درست کنم.

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