Question 1

How do you form the "not only... but also" structure in Farsi?

Accepted Answer

You use the paired conjunctions نه تنها (not only) and بلکه (but/rather). The first clause introduces the first action, and بلکه introduces the second. To add the "also" part of the meaning, it is very common to include هم (also/too) or نیز (also - more formal) in the second clause. This is why the second half is بلکه فرار هم کرد.

Question 2

Does the نه in نه تنها make the main verb negative, like the double negations we are studying in this lesson?

Accepted Answer

No, it works a bit differently. Unlike the double negation structures where you attach negative prefixes to the verbs themselves (like نمی‌توانستم نروم), نه here is just an independent particle within the fixed phrase نه تنها (not only). The verbs in this sentence (لو داد and کرد) remain grammatically positive because you are affirming that both of these actions actually happened.

Question 3

Is لو دادن a formal or informal way to say "to betray"?

Accepted Answer

It is highly informal and idiomatic. While a formal word like خیانت کردن translates to "to betray" or "to commit treason," لو دادن specifically means "to rat out," "to expose," or "to spill the beans" about a secret or a person.

Question 4

Why is هم placed right in the middle of the verb فرار کرد?

Accepted Answer

فرار کردن (to escape) is a compound verb. In Farsi, short adverbs and particles like هم (also) or فقط (only) are frequently inserted directly between the non-verbal part (فرار) and the helper verb (کرد). This makes the flow of the sentence sound much more natural than putting هم at the very end of the clause.

جاسوس نه تنها ما را لو داد، بلکه فرار هم کرد.

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