How to Conjugate Persian Verbs

Verb Conjugation is the process of changing the verbs based on who is doing the action and when.

In English we add -ed to regular verbs for the past tense: “I work”  becomes “I worked.” We also add -s or -es to in the singular third person: “I run,” becomes “she runs.”, “I go” becomes “she goes”.

In Persian conjugating verbs follow regular patterns according to three factors:

1. Person – verb conjugations are different depending on the pronoun (the person who is doing the action), i.e. depending on whether I, you, he (or she), etc.
2. Number – singular (for one person) or plural (for more than one person) – thus conjugations different depending on if it is او (u) – ‘he/she’ or آنها (ānhā) – ‘they’;
3. Tense – in Persian, we have present (e.g. “mibinam”  می بینم– “I see”), past (e.g. “goftam” گفتم – “I said”), and future (e.g. “khaaham raft” – “I will go”).

To conjugate a verb, you need to use verbal endings for each pronoun.

Verbal Endings

There are five past Verbal Endings for six personal pronouns (for third person, there is no verbal ending):

م – ی – …- یم – ید – ند

م	/man/	من
ی	/to/	تو
–	/u/	او
یم	/mâ/	ما
ید	/shomâ/	شما
ند	/ânhâ/ – / ishan/	آنها – ایشان

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To conjugate a Persian verb, we need to find the present stem (for present verbs) or past stem (for past verbs). The past stem always obtains easily by removing the last letter ن (nun) from the infinitive:

For example, the past stem of the verb خوردن (“khordan” means “to eat”) is خورد

Past stem called “سِتاکِ گُذَشتِه” /setâke gozashte/ is used in shaping different forms of verbs including simple past.

Let’s review some verbs and their past stems.

مَصدر	مَعنی	سِتاکِ گذشته
infinitive	meaning	Past Stem
دیدَن	To see	دید
گُفتَن	To say	گُفت
نِوِشتَن	To write	نِوِشت
رَفتَن	To go	رَفت
آمَدَن	To come	آمَد

Now, let’s conjugate simple past of easy verb like “to be”. You just need to find the past stem of the verb which is “بود” and then add verbal endings.

Simple past of “to be”

Persian	Pronunciation	English
بودَم	/budam/	I was
بودی	/budi/	You were (singular)
بود	/bud/	He / She was
بودیم	/budim/	We were
بودید	/budid/	You were
بودَند	/budand/	They were

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Examples:

Persian	Pronunciation	English
مَن دیروز مَریض بودَم	/man diruz mariz budam/	I was sick yesterday.
تو دانِشجو بودی	/to dâneshju budi/	You were a student.
او اُستاد بود	/u ostâd bud/	S/he was a teacher.
ما دَر کِلاس بودیم	/mâ dark elâs budim/	We were in the classroom.
شُما دَر دانِشگاه بودید	/shomâ dar dâneshgâh budid/	You were in the university.
آنها دَر خانِه بودَند	/ânhâ dar khâne budand/	They were at home.

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For present verbs, there are six Verbal Endings for six personal pronouns:

Present Verbal Endings	Pronunciation	Personal pronouns
م	/man/	مَن
ی	/to/	تو
د	/u/	او
یم	/mâ/	ما
ید	/shomâ/	شما
ند	/ânhâ/ – / ishan/	آنها – ایشان

The present stem of Persian verbs follows no pattern and you have to learn it. For example, the present stem of the verb “دیدن”, “to see”, is “بین”, the present stem of the verb “شنیدن”, “to hear”, is “شنو”.

Let’s review simple present of an easy verb like “to have”. The infinitive “to have” is “داشتن” in Persian and the present stem is “دار”. Just add the verbal endings to “دار”.

Simple Present of “to have”

دار +  (م، ی، د، یم، ید، ند)

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دارَم	/dâram/		I have
داری	/dâri/		You (singular)have
دارَد	/dârad/		She/he has
داریم	/dârim/		We have
دارید	/dârid/		You (Plural) have
دارَند	/dârand/		They have

In Present and Past progressive tense (e.g. “I am going” or “I was going”), every indicative verb is accompanied by the prepositional particle می.
For example, the verb “to go” is “رفتن” in Persian. The present stem of the verb is “رو”. To make a Present Progressive, add “می” to the beginning of the present stem and add the verbal endings.

می + رو + م = می روم

“می روم”, “miravam” means “I am going.

Present Progressive حالِ اِخباری

می + سِتاکِ حال + شِناسِه های حال: می روم، می ­روی، می ­رود، می ­رویم، می­ روید، می ­روند

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Examples:

Persian	Pronunciation	English
می + گوی + م = می گویَم	/miguyam/	I am saying.
می + رو + د = می رَوَد	/miravad/	S/he is going.
می + خند + یم = می خَندیم	/mikhandim/	We are laughing.

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Examples:

Persian	Pronunciation	English
.مَن به مَدرِسه می رَوَم	/man be madrese miravam/	I am going to school.
.او اینجا زِندِگی می کُنَد	/u injâ zendegi mikonad/	S/he lives here.
.او با سارا می خَندَد	/u bâ sârâ mikhandad/	S/he and Sarah are laughing.

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Negative of Present Progressive:     مَنفیِ حالِ اِخباری

نـِمی + ستاک حال + شناسه های حال: نمی ­روم، نمی ­روی، نمی ­رود، نمی­ رویم، نمی ­روید، نمی ­روند

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Persian	Pronunciation	English
نمی­ گویم	/nemiguyam/	I don’t say
زندگی نمی ­کنیم	/zendegi nemikonim/	We don’t live
نمی ­ینویسد	/neminevisad/	It doesn’t write
نِمی­ شِنَوَم	/nemishenavam/	I don’t hear.
نِگاه نِمی­ کُنَم	/negâh nemikonam/	I don’t see.
بیدار نِمی­ شَوَد	/bidâr nemishavad/	S/he doesn’t wake up.

To conjugate Persian compound verbs (a combination of a verb and noun or adjective), we the stem of the verbal element and the endings are placed at the end of the verbal element of the compound. For example, for the verb “to live”, “زندگی کردن”, you need to find the stem of “کردن” which is “کن” and add “می” to the beginning and use verbal ending. Then: “زندگی می کنم” means “I live”, “زندگی می کنی” means “You live”, etc.

Simple Infinitives

Persian infinitives end with letter “ن”. Simple infinitives have one word:

Englis	Pronunciation	Persian
To become	/shodan/	شُدَن
To see	/didan/	دیدَن
To write	/neveshtan/	نِوِشتَن
To go	/raftan/	رَفتَن
To say	/goftan/	گُفتَن
To hear	/shenidan/	شِنیدَن

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Compound Infinitives

A compound infinitive is a combination of a verb and a noun or adjective.

English	Pronunciation	Persian
To live	/zendegi kardan/	زِندِگی کَردَن
To talk	/goftegu kardan/	گُفتِگو کَردَن
To wake up	/bidâr shodan/	بیدار شُدَن
To fly	/parvâz kardan/	پَرواز کَردَن
To see	/negah kardan/	نِگاه کَردَن
To advise	/pand dâdan/

The following table presents 100 most common Persian verbs and their present and past stems.

Top 100 Persian Verbs
Present Stem	Past Stem	English	Pronunciation	Persian Verbs	Row
(آزار) ده	آزار داد	to tease	âzâr dâdan	آزار دادَن	1
آي	آمد	to come	âmadan	آمدَن	2
آموز	آموخت	to learn	âmukhtan	آموختَن	3
آور	آورد	to bring	âvardan	آوردَن	4
(اجاره) ده	اجاره داد	to lease	ejâre dâdan	اِجارِه دادَن	5
(ارائه) ده	ارائه داد	to exhibit	erâ’e dâdan	اِرائِه دادَن	6
افروز	افروخت	to fire	afrukhtan	اَفروختَن	7
افزاي	افزود	to increase	afzudan	اَفزودَن	8
انداز	انداخت	to drop, to throw	andâkhtan	اَنداختَن	9
ايست	ايستاد	to stop, to stand	istâdan	ايستادَن	10
بخش	بخشيد	to grant, to forgive	bakhshidan	بَخشيدَن	11
بردار	برداشت	to take, to pickup	bardâshtan	بَرداشتَن	12
بر	برد	to win, to carry	bordan	بُردَن	13
برگرد	برگشت	to return	bargashtan	بَرگَشتَن	14
بر	بريد	to cut, to chop	boridan	بُريدَن	15
بند	بست	to shut, to tighten	bastan	بَستَن	16
(بهوش) آي	بهوش آمد	to revive	behush âmadan	بِهوش آمَدَن	17
باش	بود	to exist, to stand	budan	بودَن	18
بوس	بوسيد	to kiss	busidan	بوسيدَن	19
بوي	بوييد	to smell	buyidan	بوييدَن	20
پاش	پاشيد	to spray, to pour	pâshidan	پاشيدَن	21
پز	پخت	to cook	pokhtan	پُختَن	22
پذير	پذيرفت	to admit, to accept	paziroftan	پَذيرُفتَن	23
پرداز	پرداخت	to pay	pardâkhtan	پَرداختَن	24
پرس	پرسيد	to ask	porsidan	پُرسيدَن	25
پسند	پسنديد	to choose, to accept	pasandidan	پَسنديدَن	26
پوس	پوسيد	to decay	pusidan	پوسيدَن	27
پوش	پوشيد	to wear	pushidan	پوشيدَن	28
پيچ	پيچيد	to twist, to roll	pichidan	پيچيدَن	29
پيماي	پيمود	to run, to pace	peimudan	پِيمودَن	30
پيوند	پيوست	to join, to connect	peivastan	پِيوَستَن	31
ترسان	ترساند	to threat, to horrify	tarsândan	تَرساندَن	32
ترس	ترسيد	to abhor, to scare	tarsidan	تَرسيدَن	33
جه	جست	to jump, to leap	jostan	جُستَن	34
جنب	جنبيد	to vibrate, to move	jonbidan	جُنبيدَن	35
جوشان	جوشاند	to boil	jushândan	جوشاندَن	36
جوش	جوشيد	to boil	jushidan	جوشيدَن	37
جو	جويد	to chew	javidan	جَويدَن	38
چرخ	چرخيد	to rotate	charkhidan	چَرخیدَن	39
چسبان	چسباند	to stick, to paste	chasbândan	چَسباندَن	40
چسب	چسبيد	to cohere, to cling	chasbidan	چَسبيدَن	41
چش	چشيد	to taste	cheshidan	چِشيدَن	42
چين	چيد	to pickup	chidan	چيدَن	43
حل كن	حل كرد	to solve	hal kardan	حَل كَردَن	44
خر	خريد	to buy, to purchase	kharidan	خَريدَن	45
(خم) شو	خم شد	to bow, to recline	kham shodan	خَم شُدَن	46
(خواب) بين	خواب ديد	to dream	khâb didan	خواب ديدَن	47
خواب	خوابيد	to sleep, to lie	khâbidan	خوابيدَن	48
خواه	خواست	to ask, to desire	khâstan	خواستَن	49
ده	داد	to grant, to give	dâdan	دادَن	50
دار	داشت	to own, to have	dâshtan	داشتَن	51
دان	دانست	to cognize, know	dânestan	دانِستَن	52
دوز	دوخت	to sew	dukhtan	دوختَن	53
دو	دويد	to run	davidan	دَويدَن	54
بين	ديد	to see, to observe	didan	ديدَن	55
ران	راند	to drive	rândan	راندَن	56
رس	رسيد	to arrive	residan	رِسيدَن	57
رقص	رقصيد	to dance	raghsidan	رَقصيدَن	58
رنج	رنجيد	to huff, to miff	ranjidan	رَنجيدَن	59
ريز	ريخت	to shed, to pour	rikhtan	ریختَن	60
زاي	زاييد	to give birth, to bear	zâyidan	زاييدَن	61
زن	زد	to beat, to shoot	zadan	زَدَن	62
ساز	ساخت	to establish, to build	sâkhtan	ساختَن	63
سپر	سپرد	to depute, to entrust	sepordan	سِپُردَن	64
سنج	سنجيد	to evaluate	sanjidan	سَنجيدَن	65
سوز	سوخت	to burn	sukhtan	سوختَن	66
شو	شد	to become	shodan	شُدَن	67
شوي	شست	to wash	shostan	شَستَن	68
شكن	شكست	to break	shekastan	شِكَستَن	69
شمر	شمرد	to count	shemordan	شِمُردَن	70
شناس	شناخت	to identify	shenâkhtan	شِناختَن	71
شنو	شنيد	to hear	shenidan	شِنيدَن	72
غلت	غلتيد	to roll	ghaltidan	غَلتيدَن	73
فرست	فرستاد	to forward, to send	ferestâdan	فِرِستادَن	74
فرماي	فرمود	to bid	farmudan	فَرمودَن	75
فرو بر	فرو برد	to plunge	foru bordan	فُرو بُردَن	76
فروش	فروخت	to sell	forukhtan	فُروختَن	77
فشر	فشرد	to squeeze	feshordan	فِشُردَن	78
فهم	فهميد	to understand	fahmidan	فَهميدَن	79
كار	كاشت	to implant	kâshtan	كاشتَن	80
كن	كرد	to do, to perform	kardan	کَردَن	81
كش	كشت	to kill, to murder	koshtan	كُشتَن	82
كش	كشيد	to pull, to drag	keshidan	كِشيدَن	83
كن	كند	to dig, to peel	kandan	كَندَن	84
كوب	كوبيد	to hammer, to bruise	kubidan	كوبيدَن	85
گذار	گذاشت	to put, to let	gozâshtan	گُذاشتَن	86
گير	گرفت	to take, to hold	gereftan	گِرِفتَن	87
گريز	گريخت	to escape	gorikhtan	گُريختَن	88
گرد	گشت	to roll, to search	gashtan	گَشتَن	89
گو	گفت	to say, to tell	goftan	گُفتَن	90
لرز	لرزيد	to vibrate, to shake	larzidan	لَرزيدَن	91
مان	ماند	to stay, to stand	mândan	ماندَن	92
مير	مرد	to die	mordan	مُردَن	93
نال	ناليد	to complain	nâlidan	ناليدَن	94
نشين	نشست	to sit	neshastan	نِشَستَن	95
(نگاه) کن	نگاه كرد	to see, to look	negâh kardan	نِگاه كَردَن	96
نگهدار	نگهداشت	to hold	negahdâshtan	نِگَهداشتَن	97
نويس	نوشت	to write	neveshtan	نِوِشتَن	98
وز	وزيد	to blow	vazidan	وَزيدَن	99
ياب	يافت	to find, to discover	yâftan	يافتَن	100

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