فعل عبارتی: 'Cut down on' (کاهش عادات)
cut down on استفاده کنی تا بتونی طبیعی در مورد «کاهش عادتها» یا «مصرف» در انگلیسی صحبت کنی. یادت باشه که on این وسط خیلی مهمه.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'cut down on' to describe reducing the amount or frequency of a habit, expense, or consumption without stopping it entirely.
- Always use 'on' before the object (e.g., 'cut down on sugar').
- It is inseparable; you cannot put the object between the words.
- The verb 'cut' is irregular: cut (present), cut (past), cut (past participle).
مرور کلی
cut down on یکی از اصطلاحات بسیار کاربردی و ظریف در زبان انگلیسی است که برای بیان کاهش تدریجی و آگاهانه در مصرف، عادت یا فعالیت به کار میرود. در زبان فارسی، ما برای این مفهوم از افعالی مانند «کم کردن»، «کاهش دادن» یا «کمتر مصرف کردن» استفاده میکنیم. تفاوت اصلی در این است که در فارسی، ما معمولاً از یک فعل ساده با یک مفعول استفاده میکنیم، اما در انگلیسی، ساختار cut down on یک «فعل عبارتی» است که از سه جزء تشکیل شده است.stop (متوقف کردن) یا quit (ترک کردن) دارد. در حالی که stop به معنای پایان کامل یک عمل است، cut down on به معنای مدیریت و اعتدال است. برای مثال، اگر به یک دوست بگویید I stopped coffee یعنی دیگر قهوه نمیخورید، اما اگر بگویید I am cutting down on coffee یعنی مصرف خود را محدود کردهاید.cut down on یک فعل عبارتی گذرا (transitive) است؛ یعنی همیشه به یک مفعول نیاز دارد. در دستور زبان فارسی، ما ساختار «فعل + حرف اضافه + مفعول» را داریم، اما در انگلیسی، این «حرف اضافه» (preposition) بخشی از ساختار فعل است. کلمه cut به معنای بریدن است، down جهت کاهش را نشان میدهد و on نقش اتصال به هدف (مفعول) را ایفا میکند.on باید حتماً حضور داشته باشد. اگر on را حذف کنید، جمله معنای کاملاً متفاوتی پیدا میکند (مثلاً cut down a tree به معنای قطع کردن درخت است). بنابراین، این عبارت برای فعالیتهای قابل اندازهگیری یا تکرارپذیر به کار میرود.Subject + cut (tense) + down + on + ObjectI need to cut down on sugar.(من باید مصرف شکر را کم کنم.)She has been cutting down on her screen time.(او مدتی است که زمان استفاده از گوشی را کم کرده است.)
- 1سلامت و سبک زندگی: وقتی میخواهید درباره کاهش مصرف مواد مضر صحبت کنید. مثلاً در یک چایخونه در تهران، اگر کسی از شما پرسید چرا قند برنمیدارید، میتوانید بگویید:
I'm trying to cut down on sugar. - 2مدیریت مالی: در محیط کار یا هنگام برنامهریزی برای هزینههای خانواده، برای کاهش مخارج غیرضروری.
We need to cut down on our office expenses. - 3بهرهوری: برای کاهش کارهایی که وقت شما را تلف میکنند.
I am cutting down on social media to focus on my thesis.
- 1حذف حرف اضافه
on: این رایجترین اشتباه فارسیزبانان است. به دلیل اینکه در فارسی «کم کردنِ شکر» مستقیم است، زبانآموز میگویدI want to cut down sugar. این جمله از نظر انگلیسیزبانان ناقص است و معنای «بریدن شکر» (مثلاً با چاقو!) را میدهد. - 2اشتباه گرفتن با
cut down: همانطور که گفته شد،cut downبه تنهایی به معنای قطع کردن درخت یا کاهش تعداد است. اگر بگوییدI cut down my coffeeشنونده فکر میکند شما فیزیکاً قهوه را قطع کردهاید، نه اینکه مصرف آن را کم کرده باشید. - 3استفاده برای مفاهیم انتزاعی: فارسیزبانان گاهی سعی میکنند این عبارت را برای مفاهیمی مثل «غم» یا «عشق» به کار ببرند (مثلاً
cut down on sadness). این نادرست است چون غم چیزی نیست که بتوانید «مقدار» مصرف آن را کم کنید. این عبارت فقط برای «مصرف» یا «فعالیت تکرارپذیر» است.
cut down on |Give up | ترک کردن کامل | Give up یعنی صفر کردن، اما cut down on یعنی کاهش دادن |Reduce | کاهش دادن (رسمی) | Reduce یک فعل تککلمهای و آکادمیک است، اما cut down on غیررسمی و رایج در مکالمه |Cut out | حذف کردن | Cut out یعنی حذف کامل یک چیز از زندگی |- 1آیا میتوانم بگویم
I cutted down on؟ خیر، فعلcutبیقاعده است و شکل گذشته آن هم همانcutباقی میماند. - 2آیا این عبارت در محیط کاری رسمی مناسب است؟ در ایمیلهای خیلی رسمی، بهتر است از
reduceاستفاده کنید، اما در جلسات کاری غیررسمی یا گفتگوهای مدیریتی،cut down onبسیار طبیعی و حرفهای است. - 3آیا میتوانم از
cut down onبرای اشیاء استفاده کنم؟ خیر، شما نمیتوانید مصرفِ «یک صندلی» را کم کنید؛ مگر اینکه منظورتان «خریدن» آن صندلی باشد. همیشه باید مفعول شما یک «عمل» یا «ماده مصرفی» باشد.
2. Negative Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction |
|---|---|
|
do not cut down on
|
don't cut down on
|
|
does not cut down on
|
doesn't cut down on
|
|
did not cut down on
|
didn't cut down on
|
|
have not cut down on
|
haven't cut down on
|
Conjugation of 'Cut down on'
| Tense | Subject | Form |
|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
I/You/We/They
|
cut down on
|
|
Present Simple
|
He/She/It
|
cuts down on
|
|
Past Simple
|
All subjects
|
cut down on
|
|
Present Continuous
|
I
|
am cutting down on
|
|
Present Continuous
|
He/She/It
|
is cutting down on
|
|
Present Continuous
|
You/We/They
|
are cutting down on
|
|
Present Perfect
|
I/You/We/They
|
have cut down on
|
|
Future (Will)
|
All subjects
|
will cut down on
|
|
Gerund
|
N/A
|
cutting down on
|
Meanings
To consume or do less of something, typically for health, financial, or environmental reasons.
Health & Diet
Reducing intake of food, drink, or substances.
“The doctor told him to cut down on red meat.”
“She's cutting down on salt to lower her blood pressure.”
Financial/Budgetary
Reducing expenditures or the use of resources.
“We need to cut down on our monthly subscriptions.”
“The company is cutting down on travel expenses this year.”
Environmental/Abstract
Reducing waste, emissions, or time spent on activities.
“We must cut down on our carbon footprint.”
“I'm trying to cut down on the time I spend on social media.”
Reference Table
| مورد استفاده | نوع مفعول | زمان فعل | مثال |
|---|---|---|---|
|
سلامت و رژیم غذایی
|
اسم
|
حال ساده
|
I need to cut down on sugar.
|
|
سلامت و رژیم غذایی
|
فعل مصدر (Gerund)
|
حال استمراری
|
She's cutting down on eating fast food.
|
|
مالی و هزینهها
|
اسم
|
گذشته ساده
|
We cut down on subscriptions last month.
|
|
مدیریت زمان
|
فعل مصدر (Gerund)
|
حال کامل
|
He has cut down on watching TV.
|
|
تلاشهای محیط زیستی
|
اسم
|
حال ساده
|
They are trying to cut down on plastic.
|
|
عادتهای عمومی
|
اسم
|
آینده
|
You will need to cut down on distractions.
|
طیف رسمیت
It is advisable to reduce one's intake of refined sugars. (Dietary advice)
I'm trying to cut down on sugar. (Dietary advice)
I'm cutting back on the sweet stuff. (Dietary advice)
I'm ditching the sugar high. (Dietary advice)
مثالها بر اساس سطح
I cut down on sweets.
I eat fewer sweets.
He cuts down on soda.
He drinks less soda.
Do you cut down on salt?
Do you eat less salt?
We cut down on TV.
We watch less TV.
I am trying to cut down on chocolate.
I am attempting to eat less chocolate.
She cut down on coffee last week.
She reduced her coffee intake last week.
They don't cut down on water.
They do not reduce their water use.
Can you cut down on the noise?
Can you be a bit quieter?
If you want to save money, you should cut down on eating out.
Reducing restaurant visits helps save money.
The government wants to cut down on pollution.
The authorities aim to reduce environmental damage.
I've been cutting down on my screen time lately.
I have been using my phone less recently.
It's hard to cut down on sugar when you love baking.
Reducing sugar is difficult for bakers.
The company had to cut down on travel expenses due to the recession.
Economic downturn forced a reduction in travel costs.
By cutting down on plastic, we can help the oceans.
Reducing plastic usage benefits marine life.
He's finally cutting down on his heavy workload.
He is reducing the amount of work he does.
Have they considered cutting down on their energy consumption?
Have they thought about using less energy?
We need to cut down on the bureaucratic hurdles that delay our projects.
We must reduce the administrative obstacles.
The report suggests cutting down on carbon emissions by 20% by next year.
The document proposes a 20% reduction in CO2.
I've decided to cut down on social commitments to focus on my thesis.
I am reducing my social life for my studies.
The city is cutting down on traffic congestion by improving public transit.
Better transport is reducing road jams.
The CEO's primary objective was to cut down on operational redundancies across all departments.
The goal was to eliminate unnecessary repeated tasks.
To mitigate the risk of burnout, she had to drastically cut down on her extracurricular obligations.
She reduced outside duties to avoid exhaustion.
The treaty aims to cut down on the proliferation of short-lived climate pollutants.
The agreement targets the reduction of specific pollutants.
He argued that cutting down on state intervention would stimulate market growth.
He claimed less government involvement would help the economy.
بهراحتی اشتباه گرفته میشود
Learners use 'cut down on' for trees or 'cut down' for habits.
They are almost identical in meaning.
Learners use 'cut down on' when they mean they stopped completely.
اشتباهات رایج
I cut down sugar.
I cut down on sugar.
He cutted down on salt.
He cut down on salt.
I cut down on to eat cake.
I cut down on eating cake.
She cuts on sugar.
She cuts down on sugar.
I'm cutting down on the smoke.
I'm cutting down on smoking.
They cut down on their spendings.
They cut down on their spending.
Did you cutted down on coffee?
Did you cut down on coffee?
I cut sugar down on.
I cut down on sugar.
We need to cut down on the costs of living.
We need to cut down on the cost of living.
I'm cutting down on to use my car.
I'm cutting down on using my car.
The company cut down on its personnel.
The company cut down on its staff / reduced its personnel.
We must cut down on the tree.
We must cut down the tree.
He is cutting down on his commitments' amount.
He is cutting down on his commitments.
The policy aims to cut down on the poverty.
The policy aims to cut down on poverty.
الگوهای جملهسازی
I'm trying to cut down on ___.
The best way to cut down on ___ is to ___.
Unless we cut down on ___, we will face ___.
It is imperative that the company cuts down on ___ to ensure ___.
Real World Usage
You really need to cut down on saturated fats.
We must cut down on operational waste to stay competitive.
I'm cutting down on coffee, so no Starbucks for me today!
Cutting down on meat consumption is the best way to help the planet.
In my last role, I cut down on processing time by 15%.
Day 5 of cutting down on screen time! Feeling great.
یادت نره 'on' رو!
cut down on کلمه on رو یادت بره، ولی این کار معنی رو کاملاً عوض میکنه. فکر کن on مثل قفل کردن روی عادتیه که میخوای کمش کنی، یه جور هدفگیری: I need to cut down on sugary drinks.
نه برای کارهای یه بار مصرف!
Cut down on مخصوص عادتها یا چیزاییه که به طور منظم انجام یا مصرف میکنی. برای یه اتفاق یه بار مصرف یا یه کار غیرقابل برگشت ازش استفاده نکن، خیلی عجیب غریب میشه: "I can't cut down on that single mistake."با دلیل ترکیبش کن!
cut down on میکنی، معمولاً طبیعیتره که دلیلش رو هم بگی. مثلاً، برای اینکه بگی چرا قهوه کمتر میخوری: "I'm cutting down on coffee to sleep better."یه راه مؤدبانه برای رد کردن!
فعل مصدر (gerund) یا اسم!
on میتونی از اسم (مثلاً sweets) یا از gerund (مثلاً eating sweets) استفاده کنی. هر دو کاملاً درست و رایج هستن: I need to cut down on drinking soda.
Smart Tips
Use 'cut down on' to explain your dietary choices to the waiter.
Use 'cut down on' to sound constructive rather than negative.
Remember that 'on' is a preposition, and prepositions love gerunds!
Ask yourself: 'Am I naming the thing I'm reducing?' If yes, use 'on'.
تلفظ
Linking
The 'n' in 'down' often links to the 'o' in 'on'.
Stress
The primary stress is usually on the verb 'cut', but 'down' also receives significant stress.
Falling intonation
I need to cut down on ↘ sugar.
A definitive statement about a habit.
حفظ کنید
روش یادسپاری
Think of 'Cut Down On' as 'Cutting the size Down of what's On your plate.'
تداعی تصویری
Imagine a pair of scissors trimming the edges of a large habit (like a giant coffee cup) until it is a smaller, manageable size. You aren't throwing the cup away; you're just making it smaller.
Rhyme
To be healthy and stay strong, cut down on what is wrong.
Story
A man named Bill loved 10 donuts a day. His doctor said, 'Don't stop entirely, but cut down on them.' Now Bill eats 2 donuts and feels much better.
شبکه واژگان
چالش
Write down three things you are currently trying to cut down on in your own life using the present continuous form.
نکات فرهنگی
Very common in the UK when discussing 'vices' like tea, biscuits, or alcohol.
Often used in the context of 'cutting down on gas' (petrol) or 'cutting down on calories'.
Used globally in business to sound less aggressive than 'slashing' or 'eliminating' costs.
The verb 'cut' comes from Middle English 'cutten'. The phrasal combination 'cut down' appeared in the 14th century meaning to fell trees. The addition of 'on' to mean reduction of consumption developed later, in the 19th century.
شروعکنندههای مکالمه
Is there anything you're trying to cut down on right now?
How can a large city cut down on its carbon footprint?
Do you think it's better to cut down on a bad habit or cut it out completely?
If you had to cut down on one monthly expense, which would it be?
موضوعات نگارش
اشتباهات رایج
Test Yourself
Sarah wants to ___ her social media usage.
Find and fix the mistake:
My New Year's resolution is to cut down snacks.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Estoy intentando reducir mi consumo de café.'
Answer starts with: ["I...
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /5
تمرینهای عملی
8 exercisesI'm trying to cut down ___ caffeine.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
He is cutting down on to smoke.
I am eating less chocolate. (I am...)
You can separate 'cut' and 'down' with the object.
A: Would you like another beer? B: No thanks, I'm ___.
Select the item that does NOT fit.
1. Cut out, 2. Cut down on
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe company needs to ___ waste if it wants to be more sustainable.
We should cut down our expenses.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Translate into English: 'El gobierno está intentando reducir la burocracia.'
Arrange these words into a coherent sentence:
Match the sentence beginnings with their appropriate endings.
If you want to be more productive, you really need to ___ distractions.
They were told to cut down their intake of fats.
Choose the sentence that is correctly phrased:
Translate into English: 'Deberías intentar reducir tu tiempo frente a la pantalla por la noche.'
Rearrange these words to make a grammatically correct sentence:
Match the person's goal with what they are cutting down on.
Score: /12
سوالات متداول (8)
Yes, if the context is clear. For example, if someone offers you a cigarette, you can say `I'm cutting down.` You only need `on` if you name the object.
Both are correct and almost identical. `Cut back on` is slightly more common for financial budgets, while `cut down on` is more common for personal habits like diet.
It is `cut down on`. The verb `cut` does not change in the past tense. Example: `Yesterday, I cut down on my sugar intake.`
No, it is generally used for substances, habits, or expenses. You wouldn't say `I'm cutting down on my friends.` You would use `seeing my friends less.`
Yes, it is perfectly acceptable in business. However, in very formal academic writing, you might prefer `reduce` or `diminish`.
In English, when a one-syllable verb ends in consonant-vowel-consonant (c-u-t), we double the final consonant before adding `-ing`.
No. You must use the gerund: `cut down on drinking`. Prepositions like `on` are followed by nouns or gerunds, not infinitives.
`Cut down` is for physical objects (like trees). `Cut down on` is for abstract amounts or habits.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
reducir / bajar el consumo de
English requires two extra particles (down, on) whereas Spanish is a single verb.
réduire / diminuer
French lacks the 'directional' particle (down).
reduzieren / einschränken
German word order changes in subordinate clauses, unlike English phrasal verbs.
減らす (herasu)
Japanese uses particles like 'wo' for the object, but no equivalent to 'down on'.
يقلل من (yuqallil min)
Arabic does not have a 'down' equivalent in this phrase.
减少 (jiǎnshǎo)
Chinese has no prepositions that function like 'on' in this phrasal verb.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
ویدیوهای مرتبط
Related Grammar Rules
فعل عبارتی "Face up to" (پذیرش واقعیت)
Overview این فعل عبارتی (phrasal verb) دربارهی تغییر ذهنی از اجتناب به پذیرش است. به طور مشخص به پذیرش چیزی اشاره دارد...
حروف اضافه زمان: (in, on, at)
Overview تا حالا شده پیامی بفرستید و بگویید ساعت `in` 5 عصر میرسید و در جواب یک ایموجی گیج بگیرید؟ کلمات کوچک در انگلیس...
فعل عبارتی: Take off (درآوردن و پرواز کردن)
نمای کلی افعال عبارتی یا `Phrasal Verbs` یکی از چالشبرانگیزترین و در عین حال جذابترین بخشهای یادگیری زبان انگلیسی هست...
صبر کن! استفاده از 'Hold on'
### Overview عبارت `Hold on` یکی از پرکاربردترین افعال عبارتی (Phrasal Verbs) در زبان انگلیسی است. اگر بخواهیم دقیقاً م...
آراستن: لباس رسمی و لباسهای نمایشی (Dress up)
### Overview در دنیای زبان انگلیسی، برخی از ترکیبهای کلامی فراتر از معنای تحتاللفظی خود عمل میکنند. عبارت فعلی `dress...
