Q: Why do we use خودش instead of just او for "him"?

If we said آن بیمار او را آزار میدهد, it would mean "That patient hurts him" (meaning a completely different person). To show that the patient is doing the action to themselves, we use the reflexive word خود and attach the possessive ending for "his/her" (ـَش), which gives us خودش (himself/herself).

Question 1

Why do we use خودش instead of just او for "him"?

Accepted Answer

If we said آن بیمار او را آزار می‌دهد, it would mean "That patient hurts him" (meaning a completely different person). To show that the patient is doing the action to themselves, we use the reflexive word خود and attach the possessive ending for "his/her" (ـَش), which gives us خودش (himself/herself).

Question 2

Why is the word را placed right after خودش?

Accepted Answer

را is the marker for a specific direct object, showing who or what is receiving the action. Since the patient is hurting himself, خودش is the direct object. Reflexive pronouns pointing back to the subject are always specific, so when they receive the action, they must be followed by را.

Question 3

How does the verb آزار می‌دهد work?

Accepted Answer

It is a compound verb made of two parts: the noun آزار (harm or annoyance) and می‌دهد, which is the third-person present tense of دادن (to give). Literally, the phrase means "gives harm," but in everyday Farsi it simply means "hurts" or "harasses."

Question 4

Is آن acting as a pronoun meaning "he" or "she" here?

Accepted Answer

No, here آن acts as the word "that" because it is placed directly before the noun بیمار (patient). Together, آن بیمار forms the complete subject "that patient." While آن can sometimes act as a standalone pronoun for "it" or "that," it acts as a pointing word when placed directly in front of a noun.

آن بیمار خودش را آزار می‌دهد.

Breakdown of آن بیمار خودش را آزار می‌دهد.

Questions & Answers about آن بیمار خودش را آزار می‌دهد.

Learn آن بیمار خودش را آزار می‌دهد and more in Farsi