Plural Nouns in Persian: Speak Fast Lesson 18 Grammar

How to make Persian nouns plural with -hâ and -ân, spelling and spoken forms, Arabic plurals, numbers with singular nouns, and a quiz.

Plural nouns in Persian

Study notes for this lesson. The Lesson 18 video teaches the plural of nouns. Persian plurals are simple: one ending works for almost every noun, and a second ending is used mainly for people in more formal Persian. The examples below use the bank words from the New Words page.

The ending -hâ: for every noun

Add ها (-hâ) to make any noun plural: things, people, animals and ideas. It is the most common plural in both speech and writing. In careful writing it is separated from the noun with a zero-width non-joiner, so the letters do not join: کارت‌ها, سکه‌ها.

The ending -ân: mostly for people, more formal

Nouns for people (and some animals and plants) can also take ان (-ân). This sounds more formal and is common in writing, news and official language. After a vowel the ending changes its shape.

Spoken plurals: -â

In everyday Tehran speech, -hâ after a consonant is usually pronounced -â: حسابا (hesâbâ), بانکا (bânkâ), کارتا (kârtâ). After a vowel, the h usually stays: سکه‌ها (sekkehâ). In writing, always use ها.

Plurals borrowed from Arabic

Some words from Arabic keep an Arabic plural in standard Persian. You will meet them often in banks and offices, so learn them as vocabulary: مدرک (madrak), "document," plural مدارک (madârek); اطلاعات (ettelâ'ât), "information"; شرایط (sharâyet), "conditions."

Numbers take the singular

After a number, or words like چند (chand, "a few, how many"), the noun stays singular: دو حساب (do hesâb), "two accounts," سه کارمند (se kârmand), "three clerks." In speech people often add تا (tâ) after the number: دو تا فرم (do tâ form), "two forms."

Plurals with ezâfe and râ

The plural ending comes first, then the ezâfe or را: حساب‌های من (hesâbhâ-ye man), "my accounts"; اسکناس‌ها را بشمارید (eskenâshâ râ beshomârid), "count the banknotes."

Examples

Common mistakes

• Using a plural after a number: دو حساب‌ها is wrong; say دو حساب (do hesâb).
• Making the adjective plural: "new banknotes" is اسکناس‌های نو (eskenâshâ-ye no), with the plural only on the noun.
• Using -ân for objects: "forms" is فرم‌ها, not "formân." Use -ân only for people and some living things.
• Forgetting the ezâfe after the plural: "the bank's customers" is مشتری‌های بانک (moshtarihâ-ye bânk).

• Lesson 18: New Words
• Lesson 18: Speaking
• Lesson 18: Reading

Practice

1. Make plural with -hâ: {{کارت}}

   Show answer

   kârthâ کارت‌ها

2. Make plural with -ân: {{مشتری}}

   Show answer

   moshtariyân مشتریان

3. Correct the mistake: {{پنج اسکناس‌ها}}

   Show answer

   panj eskenâs پنج اسکناس

4. How do people usually say {{حساب‌ها}} in spoken Tehran Persian?

   Show answer

   hesâbâ حسابا

5. What is the singular of {{مدارک}}?

   Show answer

   madrak, "document" مدرک

Continue with the rest of the free course: Learn to Speak Persian Fast.