Breakdown of دارو سمی است؛ آن را نخورید، وگرنه میکشدتان.
است
is
شما
you (plural)
آن
that
خوردنkhordan
to eat / to drink
راrâ
definite direct object marker
داروdâru
medicine
کشتنkoshtan
to kill
وگرنهvagarna
otherwise / or else
سمیsammi
toxic / poisonous
Questions & Answers about دارو سمی است؛ آن را نخورید، وگرنه میکشدتان.
Why is the verb after وگرنه in the present indicative (میکشد) instead of the subjunctive or future tense?
The word وگرنه means otherwise or literally and if not. The clause that follows it describes the definite consequence of the condition failing. In Farsi, we usually use the present indicative (like میکشد) to express this guaranteed future result, functioning like a factual statement: otherwise, it kills you.
Can you break down the parts of the word میکشدتان?
It consists of میکشد (it kills) and the enclitic pronoun تان (you, plural or formal). Enclitic pronouns can attach directly to the end of a verb to act as the direct object. It means the exact same thing as شما را میکشد but sounds much more natural and compact in spoken and written Farsi.
I know اگر means if, but what is the exact literal breakdown of وگرنه?
وگرنه is a contraction of three words: و (and) + اگر (if) + نه (not). So literally, it means and if not, which perfectly explains how it sets up a negative conditional consequence.
Why does the sentence use نخورید (don't eat) for medicine? Don't Iranians use a word for take?
In English you take medicine, but Farsi always uses the verb خوردن (to eat/drink) for consuming any kind of medicine, including pills. نخورید is the negative imperative meaning do not consume [it].
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