Learn Farsi: ما واهمه داریم که حضار نیایند. - We have apprehension that the audience might not come.

ما واهمه داریم که حضار نیایند.mâ vâheme dârim ke hozzâr nayâyand.

We have apprehension that the audience might not come.

Breakdown of ما واهمه داریم که حضار نیایند.

audience / attendees (those physically present)

Questions & Answers about ما واهمه داریم که حضار نیایند.

Why is the verb نیایند in the subjunctive mood here?

This sentence uses a complement of apprehension (واهمه داریم که, meaning we have apprehension that). In Farsi, when you express fear or worry about a potential outcome, the verb in the dependent clause must take the subjunctive mood because it describes a hypothetical event rather than a stated fact.

How is the negative subjunctive formed in the word نیایند?

To make a subjunctive verb negative, the usual subjunctive prefix بـ is replaced entirely by the negative prefix نـ. The affirmative subjunctive here would be بیایند (they might come). By swapping the بـ for نـ, we get the negative subjunctive نیایند (they might not come).

The word for audience, حضار, doesn't have a standard Farsi plural ending like -ها or -ان. Why does it take the plural verb نیایند?

حضار is an Arabic broken plural meaning those present or the audience (the singular is حاضر). Because it inherently refers to a group of people, it correctly takes a plural verb in Farsi, even without a regular Persian plural suffix.

Is there a difference in meaning between واهمه داریم and the more common verb می‌ترسیم?

It is mainly a difference in register and nuance. While می‌ترسیم is the everyday verb for we are afraid, واهمه داشتن is slightly more formal and translates closer to having apprehension or having misgivings. Both expressions require the subjunctive mood in the following clause.