SPEAK PERSIAN FLUENTLY

FORGET YOUR FEARS

Despite what you have heard, Persian grammar is actually quite easy to learn! This Grammar Section is designed to make learning the rules as quick as possible so you can start building your own sentences. Unlike other courses we want you to familiarise with the most important rules to speak Persian immediately from today.

We use the Zagreb Method for teaching grammar. Instead of presenting grammar as abstract rules, we integrates it directly into real-life communication and scenarios. Our students are introduced to grammar through dialogues and situational context that reflect everyday interactions. The method also incorporates repetition and variation, gradually increasing the complexity of sentences to help learners internalize grammatical patterns naturally.

The sections below cover everything you need to know from basic sentence construction and verb conjugations to more complex topics like noun cases, gender agreements, together with practical examples to help you understand and memorise the Persian grammar rules. Be sure to learn the core 2000 Persian vocabulary first so you can follow the examples more easily.

Click on the titles below to reach the section you are interested in or simply start learning from the beginning.

• Alphabet

• Nouns

• Adjectives

• Pronouns

• Prepositions

• Adverbs

• Present Tense

• Past Tense

• Future Tense

• Imperative

• Passive

• Negation

• Word Order

• Questions

• Relative Clauses

Persian Alphabet

The Persian alphabet is a modified version of the Arabic script, with four additional letters to accommodate Persian phonetics. It consists of 32 letters, written from right to left. While Persian uses the Arabic script, its pronunciation and some letter uses differ significantly from Arabic.

The Structure of the Persian Alphabet

Each letter in the Persian alphabet can have up to four different forms, depending on its position in a word:

• Isolated (when standing alone)

• Initial (when at the beginning of a word)

• Medial (when in the middle of a word)

• Final (when at the end of a word)

Some letters always connect to the next letter, while others do not. This affects how words appear in writing.

Additional Letters in Persian

Persian adds four letters not found in Arabic:

• پ (p) as in پنجره (panjareh, "window")

• چ (ch) as in چای (châi, "tea")

• ژ (zh) as in مژده (mozhdeh, "good news")

• گ (g) as in گل (gol, "flower")

These sounds do not exist in Arabic, making Persian pronunciation distinct.

Vowels in Persian

Persian has both short vowels and long vowels.

Short vowels:

• َ (a) as in کتاب (ketâb, "book")

• ِ (e) as in مثل (mesl, "like")

• ُ (o) as in گل (gol, "flower")

These are usually not written in standard Persian texts, which means learners must infer the correct pronunciation from context.

Long vowels:

• ا (â) as in مادر (mâdar, "mother")

• و (u) as in نور (nur, "light")

• ی (i) as in سیب (sib, "apple")

Long vowels are written, which helps with reading comprehension.

Consonants in Persian

Persian has 23 consonant letters, many of which resemble Arabic but may be pronounced differently. Some key consonants include:

• ب (b) as in باران (bârân, "rain")

• د (d) as in دوست (dust, "friend")

• ر (r) as in راه (râh, "road")

• م (m) as in ماه (mâh, "moon")

Several letters represent the same sound but are written differently due to their Arabic origin:

• ز, ذ, ض, and ظ all represent the sound (z), but they are used based on Arabic spelling rules.

• س, ص both represent (s).

Native Persian words primarily use ز and س, while the others appear in words borrowed from Arabic.

The Special Role of the Letter ‘ه’

The letter ه (h) is unique because it can appear at the end of words in two different ways:

• As a pronounced ‘h’, as in ماه (mâh, "moon").

• As a silent ending that affects pronunciation, as in خانه (khâne, "house").

When ه appears at the end of a noun, it often indicates a final silent "e" sound, which is crucial for proper pronunciation.

Silent and Semi-Silent Letters

Some letters in Persian may appear in words but are not always pronounced.

• و (v or u) is sometimes silent in Arabic loanwords:

  • اول (avval, "first")

  • مولانا (molânâ, "Rumi")

• ء (hamzeh, glottal stop) appears in some compound words but does not have an independent sound:

  • مسئله (mas’aleh, "issue")

Writing and Connecting Letters

Most Persian letters connect to the letters before and after them. However, some non-connecting letters break the flow of writing:

• ا (â), د (d), ذ (z), ر (r), ز (z), ژ (zh), و (v/u) do not connect to the following letter.

For example, in باد (bâd, "wind"), ب and ا connect, but د does not connect to ا.

Persian Numerals

Persian uses a number system similar to Arabic but with slightly different forms for some digits:

• ۰ ۱ ۲ ۳ ۴ ۵ ۶ ۷ ۸ ۹

Example: ۱۳۴۷ (hezâr-o-se sad-o chehel-o haft), meaning "1347" in the Persian calendar.

Differences Between Persian and Arabic Script Usage

Although Persian and Arabic share the same writing system, there are differences in usage:

• Tashkeel (diacritics) are rarely used in Persian. Arabic script often includes fatha, kasra, and damma to mark vowels, but Persian omits these in everyday writing.

• Persian allows more flexibility in spelling loanwords. Unlike Arabic, Persian adopts foreign words more freely and modifies them phonetically.

• The Persian pronunciation of Arabic letters differs. For example, ق (q) is pronounced as a hard g in many Persian dialects, whereas it is a deep q sound in Arabic.

Persian Nouns

Unlike many Indo-European languages, Persian does not have grammatical gender. Nouns do not change based on masculine or feminine distinctions. For example:

• man مرد (mard)

• woman زن (zan)

• child کودک (kudak)

There is no need to modify adjectives or verbs based on gender, which makes Persian easier to learn in this aspect.

Number: Singular and Plural

Persian distinguishes between singular and plural nouns. The plural is usually formed by adding ها (-hâ) or ان (-ân) to the singular form.

• book کتاب (ketâb) → books کتاب‌ها (ketâbhâ)

• student دانشجو (dâneshju) → students دانشجویان (dâneshju-yân)

ها (-hâ) is the most common plural suffix and can be used with almost all nouns, while ان (-ân) is used mainly with animate beings and some formal words.

Some words have irregular plural forms, often borrowed from Arabic:

• city شهر (shahr) → cities شهرها (shahrhâ) or شهرها (shohoor)

• friend دوست (dust) → friends دوستان (dustân)

Definiteness and Indefiniteness

Persian does not have definite articles like “the” in English. A noun is understood as definite through context or by using demonstrative adjectives like این (in, "this") or آن (ân, "that").

• book کتاب (ketâb) → the book (understood from context)

• this book این کتاب (in ketâb)

• that book آن کتاب (ân ketâb)

For indefiniteness, the word یک (yek, "one") can be used, though it is not always necessary:

• a book کتاب (ketâb) or یک کتاب (yek ketâb)

Possession: The Ezâfe Construction

Possession in Persian is expressed through the ezâfe construction, which links nouns to possessors or adjectives. It is indicated by the unstressed vowel -e (or -ye after vowels).

• Ali’s book کتاب علی (ketâb-e Ali)

• the house’s door در خانه (dar-e khâne)

• the beautiful city شهر زیبای (shahr-e zibâ)

When the first noun ends in a vowel, -ye is used:

• my mother’s friend دوست مادر من (dust-e mâdar-e man)

Pronouns can also indicate possession:

• my book کتاب من (ketâb-e man)

• your house خانه تو (khâne-ye to)

• his/her pen خودکار او (khodkâr-e u)

Demonstratives

Demonstrative pronouns modify nouns without any additional marking. The most common ones are:

• this این (in)

• that آن (ân)

• these این‌ها (in-hâ)

• those آن‌ها (ân-hâ)

Examples:

• this man این مرد (in mard)

• that house آن خانه (ân khâne)

• these children این بچه‌ها (in bachchehâ)

Compound Nouns

Persian often forms compound nouns by joining two words with the ezâfe construction or by simply placing them together.

• university student دانشجوی دانشگاه (dâneshju-ye dâneshgâh)

• railway station ایستگاه راه‌آهن (istgâh-e râh-âhan)

• police officer افسر پلیس (afsare polis)

Abstract Nouns

Abstract nouns in Persian are often formed using suffixes like ی (-i), یت (-yat), and گی (-gi).

• humanity انسانیت (ensâniyat)

• freedom آزادی (âzâdi)

• happiness خوشبختی (khoshbakhti)

Countable vs. Uncountable Nouns

Like in English, Persian has countable and uncountable nouns. Uncountable nouns often require a measure word when being counted.

• some water کمی آب (kami âb)

• a glass of milk یک لیوان شیر (yek livân shir)

• two loaves of bread دو قرص نان (do qors nân)

Foreign Loanwords in Persian Nouns

Persian has borrowed many words from Arabic, French, and English. Arabic loanwords often retain their original plural form:

• letter نامه (nâme) (Persian) vs. مکتوب (maktub) (Arabic origin)

• university دانشگاه (dâneshgâh) (Persian) vs. جامعه (jâme’a) (Arabic origin)

Many French and English words are used in modern Persian:

• television تلویزیون (televizion)

• telephone تلفن (telefon)

• computer کامپیوتر (kâmpiuter)

Persian Adjectives

Adjectives in Persian function similarly to English adjectives, as they describe or modify nouns. However, unlike in many Indo-European languages, Persian adjectives do not change for gender, case, or number. This makes them relatively easy to learn.

Position of Adjectives

In Persian, adjectives always follow the noun they modify and are connected using the ezâfe construction (-e or -ye).

• a beautiful city شهر زیبا (shahr-e zibâ)

• a tall man مرد قدبلند (mard-e qadboland)

• a new book کتاب جدید (ketâb-e jadid)

If the noun ends in a vowel, -ye is used instead of -e:

• an interesting story داستان جالب (dâstân-e jâleb)

Multiple Adjectives

When more than one adjective describes a noun, each adjective is connected to the noun with ezâfe:

• a long and beautiful river رودخانه بلند و زیبا (rudkhâne-ye boland va zibâ)

• a new and important project پروژه جدید و مهم (prozhe-ye jadid va mohem)

If the adjectives are directly coordinated (e.g., "big and strong"), va (and) is used between them:

• a big and strong man مرد بزرگ و قوی (mard-e bozorg va ghavi)

Comparative Adjectives

Comparative adjectives are formed by adding تر (-tar) to the base adjective. There is no need for "than" (like in English); instead, the second element follows directly.

• bigger بزرگ‌تر (bozorg-tar)

• smaller کوچک‌تر (kuchak-tar)

• more expensive گران‌تر (gerân-tar)

Examples in sentences:

• This house is bigger than that one. این خانه از آن خانه بزرگ‌تر است. (in khâne az ân khâne bozorg-tar ast.)

• Today is colder than yesterday. امروز از دیروز سردتر است. (emruz az diruz sard-tar ast.)

Superlative Adjectives

Superlatives are formed by adding ترین (-tarin) to the adjective, meaning "the most" or "the -est".

• the biggest بزرگ‌ترین (bozorg-tarin)

• the smallest کوچک‌ترین (kuchak-tarin)

• the most beautiful زیباترین (zibâ-tarin)

Examples in sentences:

• This book is the most interesting. این کتاب جالب‌ترین است. (in ketâb jâleb-tarin ast.)

• He is the tallest student. او بلندترین دانشجو است. (u boland-tarin dâneshju ast.)

Sometimes, از همه (az hame, "of all") is used to emphasize the superlative:

• He is the smartest of all. او از همه باهوش‌تر است. (u az hame bâhush-tar ast.)

Intensifiers with Adjectives

Persian has various words to strengthen adjectives, similar to "very" or "too" in English. Some common intensifiers include:

• خیلی (kheyli) – very

• بسیار (besyâr) – extremely

• زیاد (ziyâd) – a lot

• کم (kam) – a little

Examples:

• very beautiful خیلی زیبا (kheyli zibâ)

• extremely expensive بسیار گران (besyâr gerân)

• a little cold کم سرد (kam sard)

Negative Adjectives

Negative adjectives are often formed using the prefix نا (nâ-) or بی (bi-, meaning "without").

• unhappy ناراحت (nârâhat)

• impatient بی‌صبر (bi-sabr)

• unimportant نامهم (nâ-mohem)

Examples in sentences:

• He is very impatient. او خیلی بی‌صبر است. (u kheyli bi-sabr ast.)

• This issue is unimportant. این موضوع نامهم است. (in mozoo nâ-mohem ast.)

Adjectives as Nouns

Many adjectives can function as nouns when used with ezâfe or possessive pronouns.

• the poor فقیران (faqiran)

• the rich ثروتمندان (servatmandân)

• the wise دانایان (dânâyân)

Examples in sentences:

• The rich should help the poor. ثروتمندان باید به فقیران کمک کنند. (servatmandân bâyad be faqiran komak konand.)

Adjective Derivation from Nouns

Many Persian adjectives are formed by adding suffixes to nouns:

• -ی (-i) → relating to

  • national ملی (melli) (from ملت mellat, "nation")

  • historical تاریخی (târikh-i) (from تاریخ târikh, "history")

• -انه (-âne) → characteristic of

  • childish کودکانه (kudakâne) (from کودک kudak, "child")

  • heroic قهرمانانه (qahramânâne) (from قهرمان qahramân, "hero")

Examples in sentences:

• This is a historical building. این ساختمان تاریخی است. (in sâkhtemân târikh-i ast.)

• His behavior was childish. رفتارش کودکانه بود. (raftâresh kudakâne bud.)

Loanwords and Foreign Adjectives

Persian has borrowed many adjectives from Arabic, French, and English.

• important مهم (mohem) (Arabic)

• modern مدرن (modern) (French)

• fantastic فوق‌العاده (foq-ol-âdeh) (French/Arabic)

Examples in sentences:

• This is a modern design. این یک طراحی مدرن است. (in yek tarâhi-ye modern ast.)

• His idea was fantastic. ایده‌اش فوق‌العاده بود. (ide-ash foq-ol-âdeh bud.)

Persian Pronouns

Pronouns in Persian play a crucial role in sentence structure, replacing nouns to avoid repetition and clarify meaning. Persian has several types of pronouns, including personal, possessive, demonstrative, reflexive, indefinite, and interrogative pronouns. Unlike some languages, Persian pronouns do not change based on gender, making them relatively simple in terms of agreement. However, they do inflect based on number (singular/plural) and formality levels.

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns in Persian correspond to the English pronouns I, you, he/she/it, we, you (plural), they. Persian distinguishes between singular and plural forms, and in some cases, between formal and informal usage.

• I من (man)

• You (singular, informal) تو (to)

• You (singular, formal) شما (shomā)

• He / She / It او (u)

• We ما (mā)

• You (plural, formal or informal) شما (shomā)

• They آن‌ها (ānhā) or ایشان (ishān) (more formal)

In formal Persian, شما (shomā) is used as a respectful singular pronoun when addressing someone politely. The plural form ایشان (ishān) is used to show respect when referring to a single person.

Examples:

• I am a student. من دانشجو هستم. (man dāneshju hastam.)

• You are my friend. تو دوست من هستی. (to dust-e man hasti.)

• He is a doctor. او دکتر است. (u doktor ast.)

• We live in Tehran. ما در تهران زندگی می‌کنیم. (mā dar Tehrān zendegi mikonim.)

• They are teachers. آن‌ها معلم هستند. (ānhā mo‘allem hastand.)

Omission of Subject Pronouns

Unlike English, Persian often omits subject pronouns when the verb conjugation makes the subject clear.

• I am tired. خسته‌ام. (khaste-am.) (instead of من خسته هستم. (man khaste hastam.))

• We went to the market. به بازار رفتیم. (be bāzār raftim.)

The subject pronoun is generally used only for emphasis or clarification.

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns in Persian are formed by adding suffixes to the noun or by using مال (māl), which means belonging to. The suffix form is more common in everyday speech.

Suffixes for possession:

• My -م (-am)

• Your (singular, informal) -ت (-at)

• His / Her / Its -ش (-ash)

• Our -مان (-mān)

• Your (plural or formal) -تان (-tān)

• Their -شان (-shān)

Examples (Suffix Form):

• My book کتابم (ketābam)

• Your house خانه‌ات (khāne-at)

• His car ماشینش (māshin-ash)

• Our school مدرسمان (madrese-mān)

• Their teacher معلم‌شان (mo‘allem-shān)

Alternatively, مال (māl) is used for emphasis:

• This book is mine. این کتاب مال من است. (in ketāb māl-e man ast.)

• Is this car yours? آیا این ماشین مال تو است؟ (āyā in māshin māl-e to ast?)

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns in Persian correspond to this, that, these, those in English.

• This این (in)

• That آن (ān)

• These این‌ها (inhā)

• Those آن‌ها (ānhā)

Examples:

• This is my house. این خانه‌ی من است. (in khāne-ye man ast.)

• That is your book. آن کتاب تو است. (ān ketāb-e to ast.)

• These are good students. این‌ها دانشجویان خوبی هستند. (inhā dāneshju-yān-e khubi hastand.)

• Those are my friends. آن‌ها دوستان من هستند. (ānhā dustān-e man hastand.)

Reflexive Pronouns

Persian reflexive pronouns emphasize that the subject of the sentence is also the object. The main reflexive pronoun is خود (khod), meaning oneself. It can be combined with personal pronouns for clarity.

Examples:

• I saw myself in the mirror. خودم را در آینه دیدم. (khodam rā dar āyene didam.)

• He blamed himself. او خودش را سرزنش کرد. (u khodash rā sarzanesh kard.)

• They built this house themselves. آن‌ها خودشان این خانه را ساختند. (ānhā khodashān in khāne rā sākh-tand.)

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns are used to refer to unspecified people or things. Common Persian indefinite pronouns include:

• Someone کسی (kasi)

• Something چیزی (chizi)

• Nobody هیچ‌کس (hichkas)

• Nothing هیچ‌چیز (hichchiz)

• Some بعضی (ba‘zi)

Examples:

• Someone called you. کسی به تو زنگ زد. (kasi be to zang zad.)

• I saw something in the garden. چیزی در باغ دیدم. (chizi dar bāgh didam.)

• Nobody was at home. هیچ‌کس در خانه نبود. (hichkas dar khāne nabud.)

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions in Persian.

• Who کی / چه کسی (ki / che kasi)

• What چی / چه (chi / che)

• Where کجا (kojā)

• When کی (key)

• Why چرا (cherā)

• How چطور / چگونه (chetowr / chegune)

Examples:

• Who is that person? او چه کسی است؟ (u che kasi ast?)

• What do you want? چه می‌خواهی؟ (che mikhāhi?)

• Where are you going? کجا می‌روی؟ (kojā miravi?)

Persian Prepositions

Prepositions in Persian (حروف اضافه, horuf-e ezâfe) are words that indicate relationships between nouns, pronouns, and other words in a sentence. They function similarly to English prepositions and are essential for constructing meaningful phrases.

Basic Characteristics of Persian Prepositions

• Persian prepositions precede the noun or pronoun they relate to, just like in English.

• Unlike some languages, Persian prepositions do not change form based on gender, number, or case.

• Some prepositions can combine with other words to form compound prepositions.

Common Persian Prepositions

Here are some of the most frequently used prepositions in Persian, along with their meanings and examples.

a) Location and Direction

• in در (dar)

  • in the house در خانه (dar khâne)

  • in the city در شهر (dar shahr)

• on / over روی (ru-ye)

  • on the table روی میز (ru-ye miz)

  • on the book روی کتاب (ru-ye ketâb)

• under / beneath زیر (zir)

  • under the chair زیر صندلی (zir-e sandali)

  • under the sky زیر آسمان (zir-e âsemân)

• behind پشت (posht)

  • behind the door پشت در (posht-e dar)

  • behind the building پشت ساختمان (posht-e sâkhtemân)

• in front of جلوی (jelow-ye)

  • in front of the car جلوی ماشین (jelow-ye mâshin)

  • in front of the school جلوی مدرسه (jelow-ye madreseh)

• next to / beside کنار (kenâr)

  • next to the window کنار پنجره (kenâr-e panjareh)

  • beside the river کنار رودخانه (kenâr-e rudkhâne)

• between / among بین (beyn)

  • between the two books بین دو کتاب (beyn-e do ketâb)

  • among the people بین مردم (beyn-e mardom)

• above بالای (bâlâ-ye)

  • above the clouds بالای ابرها (bâlâ-ye abrhâ)

  • above my head بالای سر من (bâlâ-ye sar-e man)

• below پایین (pâin)

  • below the mountain پایین کوه (pâin-e kuh)

  • below the balcony پایین بالکن (pâin-e bâlkon)

b) Time

• at / in در (dar)

  • at night در شب (dar shab)

  • in winter در زمستان (dar zemestân)

• on در / روز (dar / ruz-e)

  • on Monday روز دوشنبه (ruz-e doshanbe)

  • on my birthday در روز تولدم (dar ruz-e tavallodam)

• before قبل از (qabl az)

  • before the meeting قبل از جلسه (qabl az jalaseh)

  • before 8 o’clock قبل از ساعت هشت (qabl az sâ’at-e hasht)

• after بعد از (ba’d az)

  • after work بعد از کار (ba’d az kâr)

  • after dinner بعد از شام (ba’d az shâm)

• until / up to تا (tâ)

  • until tomorrow تا فردا (tâ fardâ)

  • up to 10 o’clock تا ساعت ده (tâ sâ’at-e dah)

c) Cause and Purpose

• because of به خاطر (be khâter-e)

  • because of you به خاطر تو (be khâter-e to)

  • because of the rain به خاطر باران (be khâter-e bârân)

• for برای (barâ-ye)

  • for my friend برای دوستم (barâ-ye dustam)

  • for traveling برای سفر (barâ-ye safar)

• due to / because of به دلیل (be dalil-e)

  • due to the accident به دلیل تصادف (be dalil-e tasâdof)

  • due to his absence به دلیل غیبت او (be dalil-e gheibat-e u)

d) Means and Manner

• with با (bâ)

  • with my mother با مادرم (bâ mâdaram)

  • with a pen با خودکار (bâ khodkâr)

• without بدون (bedun-e)

  • without money بدون پول (bedun-e pul)

  • without hesitation بدون تردید (bedun-e tardid)

• by / via از طریق (az tariq-e)

  • by email از طریق ایمیل (az tariq-e email)

  • via the internet از طریق اینترنت (az tariq-e internet)

e) Comparison

• like / similar to مثل (mesl)

  • like a bird مثل پرنده (mesl-e parandeh)

  • similar to me مثل من (mesl-e man)

• different from متفاوت از (motaâfet az)

  • different from his idea متفاوت از نظر او (motaâfet az nazar-e u)

  • different from yesterday متفاوت از دیروز (motaâfet az diruz)

f) Possession and Origin

• of / from از (az)

  • from Iran از ایران (az irân)

  • of great value از ارزش زیاد (az arzesh-e ziyâd)

• belonging to مال (mâl-e)

  • my book کتاب مال من (ketâb mâl-e man)

  • their house خانه مال آنها (khâne mâl-e ânhâ)

Compound Prepositions

Some prepositions in Persian are formed by combining words.

• in the middle of در وسطِ (dar vasat-e)

• in the presence of در حضورِ (dar hozur-e)

• in spite of با وجودِ (bâ vojud-e)

• instead of به جایِ (be jâ-ye)

Prepositions with Pronouns

When prepositions are followed by pronouns, possessive suffixes or personal pronouns are used:

• with me با من (bâ man)

• for you برای تو (barâ-ye to)

• from him از او (az u)

Persian Adverbs

Adverbs (قید, qeid) in Persian function similarly to their English counterparts, modifying verbs, adjectives, and even other adverbs. They provide additional details about time, manner, place, frequency, degree, and certainty. Unlike adjectives, Persian adverbs do not change based on gender or number, making them easier to use in sentences.

Types of Adverbs in Persian

Adverbs of Manner (How?)

Adverbs of manner describe how an action is performed. In Persian, many adverbs of manner are formed by adding the suffix -انه (-âne) to adjectives.

• beautifully زیبایانه (zibâ-yâne)

• wisely عاقلانه (âqelâne)

• quickly سریعاً (sari’an)

Some common adverbs of manner include:

• well خوب (khub)

  • He speaks well. او خوب صحبت می‌کند. (u khub sohbat mikonad.)

• slowly آهسته (âheste)

  • Walk slowly. آهسته راه برو. (âheste râh boro.)

• carefully با دقت (bâ deqqat)

  • Listen carefully. با دقت گوش بده. (bâ deqqat gush bede.)

Adverbs of Time (When?)

Adverbs of time indicate when an action happens.

• now الان (alân)

  • I am busy now. الان مشغولم. (alân mashghulam.)

• today امروز (emruz)

  • Today is sunny. امروز هوا آفتابی است. (emruz havâ âftâbi ast.)

• yesterday دیروز (diruz)

  • He came yesterday. او دیروز آمد. (u diruz âmad.)

• tomorrow فردا (fardâ)

  • We will leave tomorrow. ما فردا می‌رویم. (mâ fardâ miravim.)

• always همیشه (hamishe)

  • She always arrives on time. او همیشه سر وقت می‌آید. (u hamishe sar-e vaqt miâyad.)

• sometimes گاهی (gâhi)

  • I sometimes read books. من گاهی کتاب می‌خوانم. (man gâhi ketâb mikhânam.)

Adverbs of Place (Where?)

Adverbs of place describe where something happens.

• here اینجا (injâ)

  • Stay here. اینجا بمان. (injâ bemân.)

• there آنجا (ânjâ)

  • He is sitting there. او آنجا نشسته است. (u ânjâ neshaste ast.)

• inside داخل (dâkhel)

  • Come inside. داخل بیا. (dâkhel biâ.)

• outside بیرون (birun)

  • The children are playing outside. بچه‌ها بیرون بازی می‌کنند. (bachchehâ birun bâzi mikonand.)

• up / above بالا (bâlâ)

  • Look up. بالا نگاه کن. (bâlâ negâh kon.)

• down / below پایین (pâin)

  • Put it down. آن را پایین بگذار. (ân râ pâin bogzâr.)

Adverbs of Frequency (How often?)

Adverbs of frequency express how often an action occurs.

• always همیشه (hamishe)

• often اغلب (aghlab)

• usually معمولاً (ma’mulan)

• sometimes گاهی اوقات (gâhi oghât)

• rarely به ندرت (be nodrat)

• never هرگز (hargez)

Examples:

• He always arrives early. او همیشه زود می‌رسد. (u hamishe zud miresad.)

• I rarely watch TV. من به ندرت تلویزیون می‌بینم. (man be nodrat televizion mibinam.)

• They never lie. آنها هرگز دروغ نمی‌گویند. (ânhâ hargez dorugh nemiguyand.)

Adverbs of Degree (How much?)

Adverbs of degree describe the intensity or extent of an action or adjective.

• very خیلی (kheyli)

  • He is very kind. او خیلی مهربان است. (u kheyli mehrabân ast.)

• too بیش از حد (bish az had)

  • It is too expensive. این بیش از حد گران است. (in bish az had gerân ast.)

• enough کافی (kâfi)

  • It’s warm enough. هوا کافی گرم است. (havâ kâfi garm ast.)

• a little کمی (kami)

  • I am a little tired. من کمی خسته‌ام. (man kami khaste-am.)

Adverbs of Certainty (How sure?)

These adverbs indicate the speaker’s level of certainty.

• certainly قطعاً (qat’an)

• surely مطمئناً (motma’enan)

• probably احتمالاً (ehtemâlan)

• maybe شاید (shâyad)

Examples:

• He will certainly come. او قطعاً خواهد آمد. (u qat’an khâhad âmad.)

• Maybe it will rain. شاید باران ببارد. (shâyad bârân bebarad.)

Formation of Adverbs in Persian

Using -انه (-âne) to Form Adverbs

As mentioned earlier, many Persian adverbs of manner are derived from adjectives by adding -انه (-âne).

• polite مودب (mo’addab) → politely مودبانه (mo’addabâne)

• happy خوشحال (khoshhâl) → happily خوشحالانه (khoshhâlâne)

Using Prepositional Phrases

In many cases, Persian adverbs are formed using prepositional phrases, especially for manner or means.

• with speed با سرعت (bâ sor’at) → quickly

• with care با دقت (bâ deqqat) → carefully

• with joy با خوشحالی (bâ khoshhâli) → joyfully

Position of Adverbs in Sentences

Persian adverbs are quite flexible in placement. However, they usually come before the verb in a sentence.

• I quickly ate dinner. من سریع شام خوردم. (man sari’ shâm khordam.)

• She always studies at night. او همیشه شب‌ها درس می‌خواند. (u hamishe shabhâ dars mikhânad.)

Adverbs of time, place, and manner can also appear at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis:

• Yesterday, we went to the park. دیروز ما به پارک رفتیم. (diruz mâ be pârk raftim.)

Present Tense in Persian

The present tense in Persian is one of the most fundamental aspects of the language. It is used to express actions that happen regularly, general truths, and actions occurring at the present moment. Persian verbs in the present tense are formed using a present stem, a prefix, and personal endings that indicate the subject.

Structure of the Present Tense in Persian

A Persian verb in the present tense consists of three main parts:

1. The prefix "می-" (mi-) – This indicates the present tense.

2. The present stem – The base form of the verb, which is usually derived from the infinitive.

3. The personal ending – This changes based on the subject.

Example with the verb to write (نوشتن, neveshtan):

• I write من می‌نویسم (man minevisam)

• You write تو می‌نویسی (to minevisi)

• He/she writes او می‌نویسد (u minevisad)

Conjugation of Regular Verbs in the Present Tense

Regular verbs follow a predictable pattern. The present stem is obtained by removing -ن (-an) from the end of the past stem and sometimes modifying the root.

Here is how a regular verb is conjugated in the present tense:

Example: "To go" (رفتن, raftan) – Present Stem: رو (rav)

• I go من می‌روم (man miravam)

• You go (singular) تو می‌روی (to miravi)

• He/she/it goes او می‌رود (u miravad)

• We go ما می‌رویم (mâ miravim)

• You go (plural/formal) شما می‌روید (shomâ miravid)

• They go آنها می‌روند (ânhâ miravand)

Conjugation of Common Verbs in the Present Tense

a) "To eat" (خوردن, khordan) – Present Stem: خور (khor)

• I eat من می‌خورم (man mikhoram)

• You eat تو می‌خوری (to mikhori)

• He/she eats او می‌خورد (u mikhorad)

• We eat ما می‌خوریم (mâ mikhorim)

• You eat (plural/formal) شما می‌خورید (shomâ mikhorid)

• They eat آنها می‌خورند (ânhâ mikhorand)

b) "To see" (دیدن, didan) – Present Stem: بین (bin)

• I see من می‌بینم (man mibinam)

• You see تو می‌بینی (to mibini)

• He/she sees او می‌بیند (u mibinad)

• We see ما می‌بینیم (mâ mibinim)

• You see (plural/formal) شما می‌بینید (shomâ mibinid)

• They see آنها می‌بینند (ânhâ mibinand)

c) "To say" (گفتن, goftan) – Present Stem: گو (gu)

• I say من می‌گویم (man migu-yam)

• You say تو می‌گویی (to migu-yi)

• He/she says او می‌گوید (u migu-yad)

• We say ما می‌گوییم (mâ migu-yim)

• You say (plural/formal) شما می‌گویید (shomâ migu-yid)

• They say آنها می‌گویند (ânhâ migu-yand)

Negative Form of the Present Tense

To make a verb negative in the present tense, the prefix نـ (na-) is added before می- (mi-).

Examples:

• I don’t go من نمی‌روم (man nemiravam)

• You don’t eat تو نمی‌خوری (to nemikhori)

• He/she doesn’t see او نمی‌بیند (u nemibinad)

For emphasis, "هرگز" (hargez, "never") or "اصلاً" (aslan, "at all") can be added:

• I never go. من هرگز نمی‌روم. (man hargez nemiravam.)

The Use of the Present Tense in Different Contexts

a) Actions Happening Now

The present tense is used for actions that are happening at the moment of speaking.

• I am studying now. من الان دارم درس می‌خوانم. (man alân dâram dars mikhânam.)

In informal speech, دارم (dâram, "I am") is sometimes added before the verb to emphasize continuity:

• She is writing. او دارد می‌نویسد. (u dârad minevisad.)

b) Habitual Actions

The present tense is used to describe habits or routines.

• He drinks tea every morning. او هر صبح چای می‌نوشد. (u har sobh châi minushad.)

• We go to work every day. ما هر روز به کار می‌رویم. (mâ har ruz be kâr miravim.)

c) General Truths

The present tense is used for universal facts.

• Water boils at 100 degrees. آب در صد درجه می‌جوشد. (âb dar sad daraje mijushad.)

• The sun rises in the east. خورشید از شرق طلوع می‌کند. (khorshid az sharq tulu’ mikonad.)

d) Future Meaning in the Present Tense

Persian often uses the present tense to talk about the near future.

• We leave tomorrow. ما فردا می‌رویم. (mâ fardâ miravim.)

• He arrives tonight. او امشب می‌آید. (u emshab miâyad.)

For stronger future meaning, the verb خواهند (khâhand, "will") can be used:

• I will go. من خواهم رفت. (man khâham raft.)

Past Tense in Persian

The past tense in Persian is used to describe completed actions, past events, and situations that happened before the present. It is one of the most fundamental tenses in Persian and is relatively simple to form compared to many other languages.

Structure of the Past Tense in Persian

A Persian verb in the simple past tense consists of two main parts:

1. The past stem – This is derived from the infinitive by removing the -ن (-an) ending.

2. Personal endings – These indicate the subject of the verb and are added directly to the past stem.

Example with the verb to write (نوشتن, neveshtan):

• I wrote من نوشتم (man neveshtam)

• You wrote تو نوشتی (to neveshti)

• He/she wrote او نوشت (u nevesht)

Conjugation of Regular Verbs in the Past Tense

Regular verbs in Persian follow a predictable pattern. To conjugate, first remove -ن (-an) from the infinitive, and then add the appropriate personal ending.

Example: "To go" (رفتن, raftan) – Past Stem: رفت (raft)

• I went من رفتم (man raftam)

• You went (singular) تو رفتی (to rafti)

• He/she went او رفت (u raft)

• We went ما رفتیم (mâ raftim)

• You went (plural/formal) شما رفتید (shomâ raftid)

• They went آنها رفتند (ânhâ raftand)

Conjugation of Common Verbs in the Past Tense

a) "To eat" (خوردن, khordan) – Past Stem: خورد (khord)

• I ate من خوردم (man khordam)

• You ate تو خوردی (to khordi)

• He/she ate او خورد (u khord)

• We ate ما خوردیم (mâ khordim)

• You ate (plural/formal) شما خوردید (shomâ khordid)

• They ate آنها خوردند (ânhâ khordand)

b) "To see" (دیدن, didan) – Past Stem: دید (did)

• I saw من دیدم (man didam)

• You saw تو دیدی (to didi)

• He/she saw او دید (u did)

• We saw ما دیدیم (mâ didim)

• You saw (plural/formal) شما دیدید (shomâ didid)

• They saw آنها دیدند (ânhâ didand)

c) "To say" (گفتن, goftan) – Past Stem: گفت (goft)

• I said من گفتم (man goftam)

• You said تو گفتی (to gofti)

• He/she said او گفت (u goft)

• We said ما گفتیم (mâ goftim)

• You said (plural/formal) شما گفتید (shomâ goftid)

• They said آنها گفتند (ânhâ goftand)

Negative Form of the Past Tense

To make a verb negative in the past tense, the prefix نـ (na-) is added to the verb.

Examples:

• I didn’t go من نرفتم (man narraftam)

• You didn’t eat تو نخوردی (to nakhordi)

• He/she didn’t see او ندید (u nadid)

• We didn’t say ما نگفتیم (mâ nagoftim)

For stronger negation, words like هرگز (hargez, "never") or اصلاً (aslan, "at all") can be added:

• I never wrote. من هرگز ننوشتم. (man hargez naneveshtam.)

The Use of the Past Tense in Different Contexts

a) Completed Actions in the Past

The simple past tense is used for actions that happened and were completed in the past.

• He studied Persian. او فارسی خواند. (u fârsi khând.)

• They traveled to Iran. آنها به ایران سفر کردند. (ânhâ be irân safar kardand.)

b) Sequential Actions in the Past

When describing events that happened one after another, the past tense is used for each verb.

• I woke up, ate breakfast, and went to work.
  من بیدار شدم، صبحانه خوردم و به کار رفتم.
  (man bidâr shodam, sobhâne khordam va be kâr raftam.)

c) Habits in the Past

The past tense is also used for habits or repeated actions in the past.

• We used to play football every Friday.
  ما هر جمعه فوتبال بازی می‌کردیم.
  (mâ har jom’e futbâl bâzi mikardim.)

• He always spoke politely.
  او همیشه مؤدبانه صحبت می‌کرد.
  (u hamishe mo’addabâne sohbat mikard.)

d) The Past Tense with Time Expressions

The past tense is often used with time expressions to indicate when an action occurred.

• Yesterday, I met my friend.
  دیروز دوستم را دیدم.
  (diruz dustam râ didam.)

• Last year, we lived in Tehran.
  سال گذشته در تهران زندگی کردیم.
  (sâl-e gozashte dar tehrân zendegi kardim.)

Future Tense in Persian

The present tense in Persian is one of the most fundamental aspects of the language. It is used to express actions that happen regularly, general truths, and actions occurring at the present moment. Persian verbs in the present tense are formed using a present stem, a prefix, and personal endings that indicate the subject.

Structure of the Present Tense in Persian

A Persian verb in the present tense consists of three main parts:

1. The prefix "می-" (mi-) – This indicates the present tense.

2. The present stem – The base form of the verb, which is usually derived from the infinitive.

3. The personal ending – This changes based on the subject.

Example with the verb to write (نوشتن, neveshtan):

• I write من می‌نویسم (man minevisam)

• You write تو می‌نویسی (to minevisi)

• He/she writes او می‌نویسد (u minevisad)

Conjugation of Regular Verbs in the Present Tense

Regular verbs follow a predictable pattern. The present stem is obtained by removing -ن (-an) from the end of the past stem and sometimes modifying the root.

Here is how a regular verb is conjugated in the present tense:

Example: "To go" (رفتن, raftan) – Present Stem: رو (rav)

• I go من می‌روم (man miravam)

• You go (singular) تو می‌روی (to miravi)

• He/she/it goes او می‌رود (u miravad)

• We go ما می‌رویم (mâ miravim)

• You go (plural/formal) شما می‌روید (shomâ miravid)

• They go آنها می‌روند (ânhâ miravand)

Conjugation of Common Verbs in the Present Tense

a) "To eat" (خوردن, khordan) – Present Stem: خور (khor)

• I eat من می‌خورم (man mikhoram)

• You eat تو می‌خوری (to mikhori)

• He/she eats او می‌خورد (u mikhorad)

• We eat ما می‌خوریم (mâ mikhorim)

• You eat (plural/formal) شما می‌خورید (shomâ mikhorid)

• They eat آنها می‌خورند (ânhâ mikhorand)

b) "To see" (دیدن, didan) – Present Stem: بین (bin)

• I see من می‌بینم (man mibinam)

• You see تو می‌بینی (to mibini)

• He/she sees او می‌بیند (u mibinad)

• We see ما می‌بینیم (mâ mibinim)

• You see (plural/formal) شما می‌بینید (shomâ mibinid)

• They see آنها می‌بینند (ânhâ mibinand)

c) "To say" (گفتن, goftan) – Present Stem: گو (gu)

• I say من می‌گویم (man migu-yam)

• You say تو می‌گویی (to migu-yi)

• He/she says او می‌گوید (u migu-yad)

• We say ما می‌گوییم (mâ migu-yim)

• You say (plural/formal) شما می‌گویید (shomâ migu-yid)

• They say آنها می‌گویند (ânhâ migu-yand)

Negative Form of the Present Tense

To make a verb negative in the present tense, the prefix نـ (na-) is added before می- (mi-).

Examples:

• I don’t go من نمی‌روم (man nemiravam)

• You don’t eat تو نمی‌خوری (to nemikhori)

• He/she doesn’t see او نمی‌بیند (u nemibinad)

For emphasis, "هرگز" (hargez, "never") or "اصلاً" (aslan, "at all") can be added:

• I never go. من هرگز نمی‌روم. (man hargez nemiravam.)

The Use of the Present Tense in Different Contexts

a) Actions Happening Now

The present tense is used for actions that are happening at the moment of speaking.

• I am studying now. من الان دارم درس می‌خوانم. (man alân dâram dars mikhânam.)

In informal speech, دارم (dâram, "I am") is sometimes added before the verb to emphasize continuity:

• She is writing. او دارد می‌نویسد. (u dârad minevisad.)

b) Habitual Actions

The present tense is used to describe habits or routines.

• He drinks tea every morning. او هر صبح چای می‌نوشد. (u har sobh châi minushad.)

• We go to work every day. ما هر روز به کار می‌رویم. (mâ har ruz be kâr miravim.)

c) General Truths

The present tense is used for universal facts.

• Water boils at 100 degrees. آب در صد درجه می‌جوشد. (âb dar sad daraje mijushad.)

• The sun rises in the east. خورشید از شرق طلوع می‌کند. (khorshid az sharq tulu’ mikonad.)

d) Future Meaning in the Present Tense

Persian often uses the present tense to talk about the near future.

• We leave tomorrow. ما فردا می‌رویم. (mâ fardâ miravim.)

• He arrives tonight. او امشب می‌آید. (u emshab miâyad.)

For stronger future meaning, the verb خواهند (khâhand, "will") can be used:

• I will go. من خواهم رفت. (man khâham raft.)

Imperative in Persian

The imperative mood in Persian is used to give commands, make requests, offer suggestions, or give instructions. The imperative form in Persian is usually formed by using the present stem of the verb and adding specific imperative endings. Unlike English, where imperative verbs usually have no subject pronoun, Persian imperatives are explicitly conjugated for different persons.

The imperative structure consists of:

1. The present stem of the verb

2. An imperative prefix (for negatives)

3. A personal suffix (in some cases)

Example with the verb to write (نوشتن, neveshtan):

• Write! بنویس! (benevis!)

• Don’t write! ننویس! (nanavis!)

Conjugation of the Imperative Mood

In Persian, the imperative is most commonly used in the second-person singular and plural (you). However, commands can also be addressed in the first-person plural ("let’s…") and the third-person ("let him/her/them…") using alternative forms.

a) Second-Person Singular (Informal "You")

For the informal "you" (تو, to), the imperative is formed using the present stem with the بـ (be-) prefix (sometimes omitted in casual speech).

• Go! برو! (boro!)

• Eat! بخور! (bokhor!)

• Speak! بگو! (begu!)

• Read! بخوان! (bekhân!)

For negative commands, the prefix نـ (na-) is added before the verb:

• Don’t go! نرو! (naro!)

• Don’t eat! نخور! (nakhor!)

• Don’t speak! نگو! (nagu!)

• Don’t read! نخوان! (nakhân!)

b) Second-Person Plural (Formal "You")

For the plural/formal "you" (شما, shomâ), the suffix ید (-id) is added to the imperative form. This makes the command more polite.

• Go! بروید! (boravid!)

• Eat! بخورید! (bokhorid!)

• Speak! بگویید! (beguyid!)

• Read! بخوانید! (bekhânid!)

For negative commands, نـ (na-) is added before the verb:

• Don’t go! نروید! (naravid!)

• Don’t eat! نخورید! (nakhorid!)

• Don’t speak! نگویید! (naguyid!)

• Don’t read! نخوانید! (nakhânid!)

c) First-Person Plural (Let’s …)

To form "let’s" (suggestions or group commands), the verb is used in the present subjunctive with بـ (be-) and the یم (-im) ending.

• Let’s go! برویم! (boravim!)

• Let’s eat! بخوریم! (bokhorim!)

• Let’s speak! بگوییم! (beguyim!)

• Let’s read! بخوانیم! (bekhânim!)

For negative commands, نـ (na-) is used before the verb:

• Let’s not go! نرویم! (naravim!)

• Let’s not eat! نخوریم! (nakhorim!)

• Let’s not speak! نگوییم! (naguyim!)

• Let’s not read! نخوانیم! (nakhânim!)

d) Third-Person Commands (Let him/her/them …)

For commands directed at third persons, Persian uses the subjunctive with بـ (be-) plus the regular third-person conjugation.

• Let him/her go! بگذار برود! (bezar beravad!)

• Let them eat! بگذارید بخورند! (bezarid bokhorand!)

• Let him/her speak! بگذار بگوید! (bezar beguyad!)

• Let them read! بگذارید بخوانند! (bezarid bekhânand!)

For negative forms, نـ (na-) is used before the verb:

• Don’t let him/her go! نگذار برود! (nagzar beravad!)

• Don’t let them eat! نگذارید بخورند! (nagzarid bokhorand!)

Softening Commands (Politeness in Imperatives)

In Persian, commands can sound too direct, so it is common to soften them using polite expressions:

1. لطفاً (lotfan, "please") – A polite way to make requests.

   • Please sit. لطفاً بنشینید. (lotfan beneshinid.)

   • Please listen. لطفاً گوش دهید. (lotfan gush dahid.)

2. ممکن است …؟ (momken ast …?, "is it possible to…?") – Makes a request more indirect.

   • Can you help me? ممکن است به من کمک کنید؟ (momken ast be man komak konid?)

3. می‌شود …؟ (mishavad …?, "would it be possible to…?") – Another polite way to request something.

   • Would it be possible to explain? می‌شود توضیح دهید؟ (mishavad tozih dahid?)

Common Imperative Verbs in Persian

Here are some commonly used imperative forms:

• Come! بیا! (biâ!)

• Don’t come! نیا! (nayâ!)

• Stay! بمان! (bemân!)

• Don’t stay! نمان! (namân!)

• Give! بده! (bede!)

• Don’t give! نده! (nade!)

• Open! باز کن! (bâz kon!)

• Close! ببند! (beband!)

• Listen! گوش کن! (gush kon!)

• Look! نگاه کن! (negâh kon!)

Negative Commands and Prohibition

To forbid or prohibit an action, the negative imperative is used with نـ (na-).

• Don’t touch! دست نزن! (dast nazan!)

• Don’t be late! دیر نکن! (dir nakon!)

• Don’t forget! فراموش نکن! (farâmush nakon!)

For formal prohibition, Persian sometimes uses نباید (nabâyad, "must not").

• You must not enter. شما نباید وارد شوید. (shomâ nabâyad vâred shavid.)

• He must not speak. او نباید حرف بزند. (u nabâyad harf bezanad.)

Passive in Persian

The passive voice in Persian (مجهول, majhul) is used when the focus is on the action rather than the subject performing the action. In passive sentences, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. The performer of the action (the agent) may be omitted or introduced with the preposition توسط (tavasot-e, "by").

Persian forms the passive voice differently than English. Instead of using auxiliary verbs like "to be", Persian modifies the verb itself by changing it to the passive form.

The basic structure is:

• Past stem of the verb + "ه شد" (-e shod) in the past tense.

• Present stem of the verb + "ه می‌شود" (-e mishavad) in the present tense.

Example with the verb to write (نوشتن, neveshtan):

• The letter was written. نامه نوشته شد. (nâme neveshte shod.)

• The letter is written. نامه نوشته می‌شود. (nâme neveshte mishavad.)

The past participle of the verb (formed by adding -ه to the past stem) is crucial in forming the passive voice.

Conjugation of the Passive Voice

a) Present Passive Conjugation

To form the present passive, use the present participle (past stem + -ه) + می‌شود (mishavad).

Example: to build (ساختن, sâkhtan)

• I am built من ساخته می‌شوم (man sâkhte mishavam)

• You are built تو ساخته می‌شوی (to sâkhte mishavi)

• He/she is built او ساخته می‌شود (u sâkhte mishavad)

• We are built ما ساخته می‌شویم (mâ sâkhte mishavim)

• You are built شما ساخته می‌شوید (shomâ sâkhte mishavid)

• They are built آنها ساخته می‌شوند (ânhâ sâkhte mishavand)

Other examples:

• The road is repaired. جاده تعمیر می‌شود. (jâde ta’mir mishavad.)

• The book is printed. کتاب چاپ می‌شود. (ketâb châp mishavad.)

b) Past Passive Conjugation

To form the past passive, use the past participle (past stem + -ه) + شد (shod).

Example: to write (نوشتن, neveshtan)

• I was written من نوشته شدم (man neveshte shodam)

• You were written تو نوشته شدی (to neveshte shodi)

• He/she was written او نوشته شد (u neveshte shod)

• We were written ما نوشته شدیم (mâ neveshte shodim)

• You were written شما نوشته شدید (shomâ neveshte shodid)

• They were written آنها نوشته شدند (ânhâ neveshte shodand)

Other examples:

• The door was opened. در باز شد. (dar bâz shod.)

• The bridge was destroyed. پل خراب شد. (pol kharâb shod.)

c) Future Passive Conjugation

The future passive is formed using the verb شدن (shodan, "to become") in the future tense + the past participle of the main verb.

Example: to open (باز کردن, bâz kardan)

• I will be opened من باز خواهم شد (man bâz khâham shod)

• You will be opened تو باز خواهی شد (to bâz khâhi shod)

• He/she will be opened او باز خواهد شد (u bâz khâhad shod)

• We will be opened ما باز خواهیم شد (mâ bâz khâhim shod)

• You will be opened شما باز خواهید شد (shomâ bâz khâhid shod)

• They will be opened آنها باز خواهند شد (ânhâ bâz khâhand shod)

Other examples:

• The house will be sold. خانه فروخته خواهد شد. (khâne forukhte khâhad shod.)

• The movie will be released. فیلم منتشر خواهد شد. (film montasher khâhad shod.)

Using "توسط" (tavasot-e) to Indicate the Agent

If it is necessary to mention who performed the action, the preposition توسط (tavasot-e, "by") is used before the subject.

Examples:

• The book was written by the author. کتاب توسط نویسنده نوشته شد. (ketâb tavasot-e nevisande neveshte shod.)

• The project was completed by the engineers. پروژه توسط مهندسان تکمیل شد. (prozhe tavasot-e mohandesân takmil shod.)

However, in Persian, it is common to omit the agent unless it is important to specify who performed the action.

When to Use the Passive Voice in Persian

The passive voice is used when:

1. The agent is unknown or unimportant

   • The documents were lost. مدارک گم شد. (madârek gom shod.)

2. The focus is on the action itself, not who performed it

   • The rules were changed. قوانین تغییر کرد. (qavânin taghir kard.)

3. To sound more formal or impersonal

   • An announcement was made. اطلاعیه اعلام شد. (etelâ’iye e’lâm shod.)

Active vs. Passive Voice in Persian

Persian tends to favor the active voice in daily conversation, while the passive voice is more commonly found in news, academic writing, and formal speech.

Active:

• The teacher corrected the mistakes. معلم اشتباهات را اصلاح کرد. (mo’allem eshtebâhât râ eslâh kard.)

Passive:

• The mistakes were corrected. اشتباهات اصلاح شد. (eshtebâhât eslâh shod.)

Negation in Persian

Negation in Persian is an essential grammatical feature that influences verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and even entire sentences. Understanding how to properly form negative sentences will significantly improve comprehension and communication skills.

Basic Negation with "na-"

The most common way to form negation in Persian is by adding the prefix "na-" (نـ) to verbs. This prefix directly negates the meaning of the verb.

Example:

• I do not go → نمی‌روم (nemiravam)

• He does not know → نمی‌داند (nemidanad)

However, there is a subtle distinction between "na-" and "nemi-", which we will explore further.

Negation of the Present and Future Tenses

In the present tense, the prefix "na-" is attached to the verb stem, but in spoken Persian, it almost always takes the form "nemi-" (نمی‌) before verbs.

Examples:

• I do not eat → نمی‌خورم (nemikhoram)

• They do not come → نمی‌آیند (nemiāyand)

For the future tense, negation is done by placing "na-" before the auxiliary verb خواهـ (khah-):

Examples:

• I will not go → نخواهم رفت (nakhāham raft)

• You will not say → نخواهی گفت (nakhāhi goft)

Negation of the Past Tense

In the past tense, negation is simpler. The prefix "na-" is added before the past stem.

Examples:

• I did not see → ندیدم (nadidam)

• He did not write → ننوشته است (naneweshte ast)

Negation in the Imperative Mood

Negation in commands or prohibitions is formed by using "na-" before the imperative verb.

Examples:

• Do not go! → نرو! (naro!)

• Do not say that! → نگو! (nago!)

If the verb stem starts with a vowel, "na-" remains separate.

Examples:

• Do not come! → نیایید! (nayāyid!)

Negation of Compound Verbs

Persian often uses compound verbs, consisting of a noun or adjective plus a verb. The negation still follows the usual pattern of adding "na-" or "nemi-" to the verb part.

Examples:

• I do not understand → نمی‌فهمم (nemifahmam)

• He does not agree → موافق نیست (movafeq nist)

Double Negation

Persian allows double negation, especially with negative pronouns. Unlike English, where double negatives often cancel each other out, in Persian they reinforce the negation.

Examples:

• I did not see anyone → هیچ‌کس را ندیدم (hichkas rā nadidam)

• Nothing happened → هیچ‌چیز نشد (hich chiz nashod)

Negative Words and Expressions

Persian has several negative words that help form negative sentences without using "na-".

• هیچ‌وقت (hich vaght) – never

• هیچ‌چیز (hich chiz) – nothing

• هیچ‌کس (hich kas) – nobody

• هرگز (hargez) – never (more formal)

Examples:

• I never lie → من هیچ‌وقت دروغ نمی‌گویم (man hich vaght dorugh nemigu yam)

• Nobody knows → هیچ‌کس نمی‌داند (hichkas nemidanad)

Negating Adjectives and Adverbs

Negation in Persian is not limited to verbs. Adjectives and adverbs can also be negated using "na-" or "nist" (نیست).

Examples:

• He is not happy → او خوشحال نیست (u khoshhāl nist)

• It is not possible → ممکن نیست (momken nist)

For negating adverbs, "na-" is used similarly.

Examples:

• It is not good → خوب نیست (khub nist)

• He does not speak quickly → او سریع صحبت نمی‌کند (u sari’ sohbat nemikonad)

Negation in Subjunctive Sentences

When using the subjunctive mood, negation follows the same rules. The negative prefix "na-" appears before the verb.

Examples:

• I hope he does not come → امیدوارم که نیاید (omidvâram ke nayāyad)

• She wants you not to leave → او می‌خواهد که نروی (u mikhāhad ke naravi)

Colloquial Forms of Negation

In casual speech, contractions and simplifications are common. For example:

• نمی‌خوام (nemikhām) instead of نمی‌خواهم (nemikhāham) – I don’t want

• نمی‌تونم (nemitunam) instead of نمی‌توانم (nemitavānam) – I can’t

These contracted forms are widely used in spoken Persian but should be avoided in formal writing.

Word Order in Persian

Persian is a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) language, meaning that the typical sentence structure places the subject first, followed by the object, and finally the verb. However, Persian word order is relatively flexible, and variations can occur for emphasis or poetic effect. Below, we explore the main principles governing word order in Persian.

Basic Sentence Structure

In simple sentences, the subject comes first, followed by the object, and the verb is placed at the end.

She eats an apple. او یک سیب می‌خورد [u yek sib mi-khorad]
Ali reads a book. علی یک کتاب می‌خواند [ali yek ketab mi-khanad]

The verb always appears at the end of the sentence in neutral word order. If an adverb or a prepositional phrase is included, it is usually placed before the verb.

Word Order with Adverbs

Adverbs typically appear before the verb but after the object or complement.

He quickly writes the letter. او نامه را سریع می‌نویسد [u name-ra sari‘ mi-nevisad]
They always drink tea. آن‌ها همیشه چای می‌نوشند [anha hamishe chai mi-nushand]

If the sentence contains multiple adverbs, the typical order is manner, time, and place.

He speaks Persian well here every day. او هر روز اینجا فارسی را خوب صحبت می‌کند [u har ruz inja farsi-ra khub sohbat mi-konad]

Placement of Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional phrases usually appear before the verb and after the object.

I live in Tehran. من در تهران زندگی می‌کنم [man dar tehran zendegi mi-konam]
She works in a hospital. او در بیمارستان کار می‌کند [u dar bimarestan kar mi-konad]

If there are multiple prepositional phrases, the location generally comes first, followed by time.

They study at the library every evening. آن‌ها هر شب در کتابخانه درس می‌خوانند [anha har shab dar ketabkhane dars mi-khanand]

Word Order in Questions

Yes/no questions follow the same word order as statements, with intonation or a question particle indicating the question.

Do you like Persian food? تو غذای ایرانی را دوست داری؟ [to ghazaye irani-ra dust dari]
Is she at home? او در خانه است؟ [u dar khane ast]

Wh-questions typically place the question word at the beginning of the sentence, but the main verb still appears at the end.

Where do you live? تو کجا زندگی می‌کنی؟ [to koja zendegi mi-koni]
Why are you late? چرا دیر آمدی؟ [chera dir amadi]

Word Order in Negative Sentences

Negation is formed by placing نـ [na] or نمی‌ [nemi] before the verb. The rest of the sentence structure remains unchanged.

I do not understand. من نمی‌فهمم [man nemi-fahmam]
She does not want tea. او چای نمی‌خواهد [u chai nemi-khahad]

In compound verbs, the negation particle appears before the first element of the verb.

They do not study well. آن‌ها خوب درس نمی‌خوانند [anha khub dars nemi-khanand]

Placement of Direct and Indirect Objects

Persian allows both direct and indirect objects in a sentence. The direct object is typically marked with را [ra] when it is definite, and the indirect object comes before it.

He gave the book to Ali. او کتاب را به علی داد [u ketab-ra be ali dad]
I sent a letter to my friend. من یک نامه به دوستم فرستادم [man yek name be dustam ferestadam]

If the indirect object is emphasized, it can be placed at the beginning of the sentence.

To my friend, I sent a letter. به دوستم یک نامه فرستادم [be dustam yek name ferestadam]

Placement of Adjectives

Adjectives in Persian follow the noun they modify, unlike in English.

A beautiful house یک خانه زیبا [yek khane ziba]
The red car ماشین قرمز [mashin ghermez]

If an adjective phrase includes an intensifier, the intensifier appears before the adjective.

A very beautiful city یک شهر بسیار زیبا [yek shahr besyar ziba]

Word Order in Relative Clauses

Relative clauses are introduced by که [ke] and follow the noun they modify.

The book that I read was interesting. کتابی که خواندم جالب بود [ketabi ke khanadam jaleb bud]
The man who helped me is my friend. مردی که به من کمک کرد دوستم است [mardi ke be man komak kard dustam ast]

When a preposition is needed in the relative clause, it remains in its original position.

The girl I talked to is kind. دختری که با او صحبت کردم مهربان است [dokhtari ke ba u sohbat kardam mehraban ast]

Emphasis and Word Order Variations

Word order in Persian can be altered to emphasize a specific part of the sentence.

I like tea (neutral). من چای را دوست دارم [man chai-ra dust daram]
Tea, I like it! چای را من دوست دارم [chai-ra man dust daram]

This reordering highlights the object as the focal point of the sentence.

Another way to emphasize an element is by using همین [hamin] or فقط [faqat].

Only Ali saw it. فقط علی آن را دید [faqat ali an-ra did]

Questions in Persian

Persian has a straightforward system for forming questions, but learners often have additional questions about how to ask and respond to them. This section explores common topics related to Persian questions, including different ways to ask for clarification, confirm information, and express politeness when questioning someone.

Asking for Clarification

When you do not understand something, there are several ways to ask for clarification in Persian.

What do you mean? منظورت چیست؟ [manzur-at chist]
Can you repeat that? می‌توانی آن را تکرار کنی؟ [mi-tavani an-ra tekrar koni]
What does that mean? یعنی چه؟ [yani che]

The phrase یعنی چه [yani che] is a common way to ask for an explanation of a word or concept.

What does this word mean? این کلمه یعنی چه؟ [in kalame yani che]

For formal situations, a more polite phrasing is used.

Could you please explain? ممکن است توضیح بدهید؟ [momken ast tozih bedehid]

Confirming Information

Sometimes, a question is asked to confirm what has been heard or understood.

Did you really say that? واقعاً این را گفتی؟ [vaqean in-ra gofti]
Are you sure? مطمئنی؟ [motmaen-i]
Is that correct? درست است؟ [dorost ast]

To express surprise, Persian speakers often use a rising intonation with a phrase like جدی؟ [jadi] (Really?).

You are moving to Tehran? تو به تهران می‌روی، جدی؟ [to be tehran mi-ravi jadi]

If someone wants to reconfirm something they have just been told, they can use یعنی [yani] (So, you mean...).

So, you mean we don’t have class tomorrow? یعنی فردا کلاس نداریم؟ [yani farda kelas nadarim]

Asking Someone Else’s Opinion

To ask for someone’s opinion or thoughts about something, several structures can be used.

What do you think? نظر تو چیست؟ [nazar-e to chist]
What’s your opinion on this? نظر تو در مورد این چیست؟ [nazar-e to dar mored-e in chist]
Do you agree? موافقی؟ [movafeq-i]

In formal situations, a more polite version is often preferred.

What is your opinion? نظر شما چیست؟ [nazar-e shoma chist]
Do you have any thoughts on this? آیا نظری دارید؟ [aya nazari darid]

Asking About Preferences

When asking about someone's preferences, Persian uses the verb دوست داشتن [dust dashtan] (to like).

What do you like to eat? چه چیزی دوست داری بخوری؟ [che chizi dust dari bokhori]
Which one do you prefer? کدام را ترجیح می‌دهی؟ [kodam-ra tarjih mi-dehi]
Would you rather stay or go? ترجیح می‌دهی بمانی یا بروی؟ [tarjih mi-dehi bemani ya beravi]

For formal speech, شما [shoma] can replace تو [to] for politeness.

Asking About Ability

To ask whether someone is able to do something, Persian uses می‌توانی [mi-tavani] in informal speech and می‌توانید [mi-tavanid] in formal speech.

Can you help me? می‌توانی به من کمک کنی؟ [mi-tavani be man komak koni]
Can you drive? می‌توانی رانندگی کنی؟ [mi-tavani ranandegi koni]
Are you able to speak Persian? می‌توانی فارسی صحبت کنی؟ [mi-tavani farsi sohbat koni]

Asking About Frequency

To ask how often something happens, Persian uses question words like چند بار [chand bar] (how many times) or هر چند وقت یک بار [har chand vaght yek bar] (how often).

How often do you travel? چند وقت یک بار سفر می‌کنی؟ [chand vaght yek bar safar mi-koni]
How many times have you been here? چند بار اینجا بوده‌ای؟ [chand bar inja bude-i]

If the question is about duration rather than frequency, چقدر [cheqadr] (how long) is used.

How long have you lived here? چقدر اینجا زندگی کرده‌ای؟ [cheqadr inja zendegi karde-i]

Asking About Possession

To ask whether someone owns something, Persian uses the verb داشتن [dashtan] (to have).

Do you have a car? تو ماشین داری؟ [to mashin dari]
Do you own this house? این خانه مال تو است؟ [in khane mal-e to ast]

In formal speech, شما [shoma] replaces تو [to].

Do you have experience in this field? شما در این زمینه تجربه دارید؟ [shoma dar in zamine tajrobe darid]

Asking About Time

To ask about the time of an event, Persian uses کی [kei] (when) or چه ساعتی [che sa'ati] (at what time).

When does the class start? کلاس کی شروع می‌شود؟ [kelas kei shoru‘ mi-shavad]
At what time is the meeting? جلسه چه ساعتی است؟ [jalase che sa‘ati ast]

For asking about the duration of something, چقدر طول می‌کشد [cheqadr tul mi-keshad] is used.

How long does the movie last? فیلم چقدر طول می‌کشد؟ [film cheqadr tul mi-keshad]

Asking About Quantity

To ask how much or how many, چند [chand] is used for countable items, and چقدر [cheqadr] for uncountable amounts.

How many books do you have? چند کتاب داری؟ [chand ketab dari]
How much does it cost? چقدر قیمت دارد؟ [cheqadr qeymat darad]

For emphasis, فقط [faqat] (only) can be added.

Only three? فقط سه تا؟ [faqat se ta]

Asking Politely

To make a question more polite, Persian often uses لطفاً [lotfan] (please) or ممکن است [momken ast] (is it possible).

Could you please help me? ممکن است به من کمک کنید؟ [momken ast be man komak konid]
May I ask a question? می‌توانم یک سوال بپرسم؟ [mi-tavanam yek soal beporsam]

These structures make questions sound more respectful, especially when speaking to elders or in formal situations.

Relative Clauses in Persian

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Relative Clauses in Persian

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