Learn to read Farsi
A short, active path into reading Farsi: learn the Persian script in useful groups, decode words before revealing their pronunciation, follow the verb to the end, and read a small story before opening your first book.
Verb lookup: stems, endings, prefixes, and formal future
- Open this when a verb ending or prefix blocks you; the next story does not require memorising these tables.
- The dictionary form gives you the piece used for past forms.
- The piece used for present forms often looks different and must be learned with the verb.
- خواهم خوردkhâham khord is a formal written future; conversation usually uses a time word instead.
- میخواهم بخورمmikhâham bokhoram means “I want to eat,” not “I will eat.”
The verb piece used for the present can look very different
| Dictionary form | Present stem | Past stem = he / she did it |
|---|---|---|
| خوردنkhordan“to eat” | خورkhor | خوردkhord“ate” |
| دیدنdidan“to see” | بینbin | دیدdid“saw” |
| رفتنraftan“to go” | روrav | رفتraft“went” |
| گفتنgoftan“to say” | گوgu | گفتgoft“said” |
| کردنkardan“to do” | کنkon | کردkard“did” |
The past stem is predictable from the dictionary form: remove the final n / -an. The piece used to build present forms—called the present stem—often changes more sharply and must be learned with the verb.
Add an ending to say who did it
| Ending | With khord- | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ـم-am | خوردمkhordam | I ate |
| ـی-i | خوردیkhordi | you ate |
| no ending | خوردkhord | he / she ate |
| ـیم-im | خوردیمkhordim | we ate |
| ـید-id | خوردیدkhordid | you — plural or formal — ate |
| ـند-and | خوردندkhordand | they ate |
Several noun and verb endings look alike because both sets point to a person. Their job depends on what they attach to. Read for the pattern now; return to the table when a book supplies a real example.
Verb pieces: useful shapes, not exact English prefixes
| Shape | Example | What it contributes |
|---|---|---|
| میmi- | میخورمmikhoram“I eat; I am eating” | an ongoing, repeated, or ordinary view; future context can make the whole form future |
| نـ / نمیna- / nemi- | نمیخورمnemikhoram“I do not eat” · نخورnakhor“do not eat!” | negation: not, do not |
| بـbe- / bo- | بخورbokhor“eat!” · بخورمbokhoram“that I eat; let me eat” | an action that is commanded, wanted, or possible; it is not a general translation of English “do” |
| خواهـkhâh- | خواهم خوردkhâham khord“I will eat” | future helper: it is a separate word that changes to match I, you, or we; it is not a prefix on eat |
The English cues overlap rather than translating each shape exactly. Learn the complete example, not a formula such as “be- always means do.”