Word
جاسوس نمیتوانست رازها را افشا نکند.
Meaning
The spy couldn't not expose the secrets.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of جاسوس نمیتوانست رازها را افشا نکند.
راrâ
definite direct object marker
توانستنtavânestan
to be able to
رازrâz
secret
جاسوسjâsus
spy
Questions & Answers about جاسوس نمیتوانست رازها را افشا نکند.
How does the double negation in نمیتوانست ... نکند create a strong affirmation?
This structure pairs a negative modal verb, نمیتوانست (could not), with a negative subjunctive main verb, نکند (not do). Literally meaning 'could not not expose', this double negative expresses absolute certainty or obligation. It means the spy had absolutely no choice but to expose the secrets.
Why does the past tense modal verb نمیتوانست take the continuous می (mi-) prefix?
The verb توانستن (to be able to) acts uniquely in Farsi. When talking about past ability ('could' or 'was able to'), it almost always takes the imperfective prefix می, even if the action happened only once. The negative prefix نـ (ne-) is simply added directly to the front.
Why is the negative verb نکند (na-konad) in the subjunctive mood?
Whenever a main verb follows a modal verb like توانستن, it must be in the subjunctive mood. Usually, the subjunctive uses the بـ (be-) prefix. But when the subjunctive verb is negative, the negative prefix نـ (na-) completely replaces the بـ prefix.
With the compound verb افشا کردن (to expose), why does the negative prefix go on the second word?
In Farsi compound verbs, all verb prefixes—like the negative نـ (na-), the subjunctive بـ (be-), or the continuous می (mi-)—must attach to the 'light verb' part (here, کردن). The non-verb part () remains unchanged, resulting in .