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".
When the stem ends in a vowel, a -y- is added between the stem and the suffix.
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 (khazidan) to creep |
خز (khaz) |
خزنده (khazande) reptile |
خواندن (khwândan) to read; to sing |
خوان (khwân) |
خواننده (khwânande) 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 (sâkhtan) to make, construct |
ساز (sâz) |
سازنده (sâzande) maker; constructive |
شنیدن (shenidan) to hear |
شنو (shenav) |
شنونده (shenavande) listener; audience |
شستن (shostan) to wash |
شوی (shuy) |
شوینده (shuyande) 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 (sherkat kardan) to participate |
شرکت+کن (sherkat+kon) |
شرکتکننده (sherkatkonande) 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 |