Chapter 13 of 17 · Explore the Farsi path
Optional reference · Chapter 13 of 17
Read the pieces of an action word
A word like “went” can also tell you who went. Use this reference to find the part that carries the action and the ending that tells you who did it.
≈ 4 min of reading · Practise at your own pace
What’s in this chapter
- Use this chapter when you need to look up part of a verb. You can read the next story without memorising these tables.
- You can get the past stem from the dictionary form. The example below shows how.
- The part used for the present often looks different. You need to learn it with the verb.
- خواهم خورد
khâham khord is a formal written future; conversation usually uses a time word instead. - میخواهم بخورم
mikhâham bokhoram means “I want to eat,” not “I will eat.”
Find the part that means eat, see or go
Each row is one verb. The dictionary form names the action, like “to eat.” Its present and past stems are the pieces you build sentences with.
| Dictionary form | Present stem | Past stem = he / she did it |
|---|---|---|
| خوردن | خور | خورد |
| دیدن | بین | دید |
| رفتن | رو | رفت |
| گفتن | گو | گفت |
| کردن | کن | کرد |
Remove the final n / -an from the dictionary form to get the past stem. The present stem often looks different, so you need to learn it with the verb.
Use the ending to work out who did it
The ending can tell you “I,” “you” or “they” even when that separate word is missing. Add each ending to the past stem and compare the result.
| Ending | With khord- | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ـم | خوردم | I ate |
| ـی | خوردی | you ate |
| no ending | خورد | he / she ate |
| ـیم | خوردیم | we ate |
| ـید | خوردید | you — plural or formal — ate |
| ـند | خوردند | they ate |
Some noun and verb endings look alike. Both tell you about a person, but what they mean depends on what they’re attached to. Keep this table handy when you’re reading.
Look at the start of the verb too
Pieces at the start can help show “not,” a request, or when something happens. Read each example as a whole; these pieces don’t each have one fixed English translation.
| Shape | Example | What it contributes |
|---|---|---|
| می | میخورم | an ongoing, repeated, or ordinary view; future context can make the whole form future |
| نـ / نمی | نمیخورم | negation: not, do not |
| بـ | بخور | an action that is commanded, wanted, or possible; it is not a general translation of English “do” |
| خواهـ | خواهم خورد | future helper: it is a separate word that changes to match I, you, or we; it is not a prefix on eat |
These English hints aren’t exact translations of each piece. Use the whole example. A rule like “be- always means do” won’t work.
A way books say will eat
Formal writing can use a separate helper word for the future. The helper changes for “I” or “we,” while خورد stays the same. Compare that with “want to eat,” which is a different construction.