Breakdown of جناب وزیر، شما دیروز چه فرمودید؟
شما
you (plural)
چهche
what
دیروزdirooz
yesterday
وزیرvazir
minister
Questions & Answers about جناب وزیر، شما دیروز چه فرمودید؟
Why does the sentence use the plural pronoun shomâ and the plural verb ending -id for just one minister?
This is the deferential address you are learning in this lesson. When speaking to someone of higher status or a respected stranger, you use the second-person plural pronoun shomâ and its corresponding verb ending -id to show respect to a single person.
Why is the verb farmudid used here instead of goftid for what someone said?
The verb farmudan literally means to command, but in formal Farsi, it is used as a highly polite substitute for goftan (to say). When speaking to a respected figure, using farmudid elevates your speech, showing that you treat their words with high esteem.
Why is there an ezâfe linking vowel in jenâb-e vazir?
The deferential title jenâb acts like a noun that modifies the person's position. The ezâfe linking vowel is needed to connect the title to the specific role, translating roughly to His Excellency the Minister or simply Mr. Minister.
Since Farsi often drops subject pronouns, is it necessary to include shomâ in this sentence?
Grammatically, no; the verb farmudid already shows exactly who you are talking to. However, deliberately including shomâ in formal contexts often adds a slight touch of extra respect or clarifies focus, which helps soften the directness of a question.