The suffix -ande (-نده) attaches to the present stem of a verb and creates its agent noun. An agent noun indicates “someone or something that is doing the verb”. It is comparable to English suffix -er (speaker). Sometimes, agent nouns find an extended meaning. For example, âyande literally means “comer” but it actually means “future; next”.
| Verb | Present Stem | Derivation |
|---|---|---|
| آمدن âmadan to come |
آ â |
آینده âyande future |
| بردن bordan to win |
بر bar |
برنده barande winning, winner |
| دیدن didan to see |
بین bin |
بیننده binande viewer; spectator |
| گفتن goftan to say |
گو gu |
گوینده guyande speaker; announcer |
| خزیدن xazidan to creep |
خز xaz |
خزنده xazande reptile |
| خواندن xwândan to read; to sing |
خوان xwân |
خواننده xwânande reader; singer |
| راندن rândan to drive |
ران rân |
راننده rânande driver |
| نمودن nemudan to show; to represent |
نما nemâ |
نماینده nemâyande representative |
| پریدن paridan to fly |
پر par |
پرنده parande bird |
| ساختن sâxtan to make, construct |
ساز sâz |
سازنده sâzande maker; constructive |
| شنیدن šenidan to hear |
شنو šenav |
شنونده šenavande listener; audience |
| شستن šostan to wash |
شوی šuy |
شوینده šuyande washer; detergent |
And now, a Persian proverb which contains the derivations of the verbs جستن (jostan: to seek, search) and یافتن (yâftan: to find):
| جوینده یابنده است juyande yâbande ast Where there's a will, there's a way (Literally: seeker is finder) |
The suffix -ande is often omitted in compound verbs:
| Verb | Present Stem | Derivation |
|---|---|---|
| پاک کردن pâk kardan to clean |
پاک+کن pâk+kon |
پاک‌کننده pâkkonande cleanser |
| شرکت کردن šerkat kardan to participate |
شرکت+کن šerkat+kon |
شرکت‌کننده šerkatkonande participant |
| بازی کردن bâzi kardan to play |
بازی+کن bâzi+kon |
بازیکن bâzikon player |
| دل بردن del bordan to steal one's heart |
دل+بر del+bar |
دلبر delbar sweetheart |