Breakdown of شما کی به فرودگاه تشریف میبرید؟
شما
you (plural)
بهbe
to
کیkey
when
فرودگاهforudgâh
airport
تشریف بردنtashrif bordan
to go (deferential)
Questions & Answers about شما کی به فرودگاه تشریف میبرید؟
Since شما and the verb میبرید are plural, how do we know this sentence is asking just one person?
In Persian's T-V system, the plural pronoun شما (you) and its matching 2nd-person plural verb ending (-ید) are used to address a single person respectfully. You rely entirely on context to know if the speaker is addressing one esteemed person or an actual group of people.
Why does this sentence use تشریف میبرید instead of the standard verb for going, میروید?
تشریف میبرید is a deferential compound verb used to show high respect. تشریف relates to honor or presence, and بردن means to take, so it literally means to 'take your honorable presence'. Using this elevates the politeness far beyond just using the formal pronoun شما.
If someone asks me this question, can I reply by saying 'I am going' using a first-person form of تشریف بردن?
Never! Deferential verbs are strictly for elevating the person you are talking to or about. Using them for yourself sounds incredibly arrogant. To answer about your own actions, you must drop back down to the standard verb رفتن (to go) and say من میروم.
Could I use تشریف میآورید in this sentence instead?
No, because that changes the direction from 'going' to 'coming'. تشریف آوردن (bringing presence) is the polite substitute for coming. Since the person is traveling away to the airport, you need تشریف بردن (taking presence), which is the polite substitute for going.
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