Persian, also known as Farsi, is a beautiful, rich language with a straightforward yet fascinating verb conjugation system. Whether you are a language enthusiast or learning Farsi for practical reasons, mastering Persian verb conjugation is essential. 

This guide will help you understand the structure of Persian verbs, their tenses, and how they adapt to different pronouns, making it easier for you to communicate fluently.

Introduction to Persian Verb Conjugation

In Persian, verbs are the backbone of sentences, just like in any other language. They provide crucial information about time, mood, and action. Conjugating verbs in Persian follows a logical system with regular patterns that make learning manageable. While irregular verbs exist, they are far fewer compared to English or other languages.

One key feature of Persian is its simplicity in verb forms. Unlike English, which has numerous auxiliary verbs, Persian relies on prefixes and suffixes to modify verbs.

Understanding Essential Persian Verbs

Persian verbs consist of two parts:

1. • The root (stem) – Contains the core meaning of the verb.

1. • The endings (conjugations) – Indicate tense, mood, and person.

For instance, in the verb raftan (to go):

• • The root is raft (meaning “go”).

• • The suffix -an indicates that it is the infinitive form.

Types of Persian Verbs

Persian verbs can be divided into two categories:

1. • Regular Verbs – Follow predictable conjugation patterns.

1. • Irregular Verbs – Deviate from standard rules but are still easy to memorize due to their frequency of use.

Examples:

• • Regular verb: kardan (to do).

• • Irregular verb: budan (to be).

Key Tenses in Persian Verb Conjugation

1. Present Simple Tense

The present tense in Persian is created by combining the present stem with personal endings. To form the present stem, remove the infinitive ending “-an” and attach the appropriate suffix.

Example: Kardan (to do)

Pronoun	Verb Form	Translation
Man	mikonam	I do
To	mikoni	You do
U	mikonad	He/She does
Ma	mikonim	We do
Shoma	mikonid	You do (pl)
Anha	mikonand	They do

The prefix mi- marks the present tense.

2. Past Simple Tense

For the past tense, use the past stem (removing “-an” from the infinitive) and attach personal endings.

Example: Kardan (to do)

Pronoun	Verb Form	Translation
Man	kardam	I did
To	kardi	You did
U	kard	He/She did
Ma	kardim	We did
Shoma	kardid	You did (pl)
Anha	kardand	They did

3. Future Tense

The future tense is formed by combining the conjugated form of the verb khah (to want) with the infinitive.

Example: Kardan (to do)

Pronoun	Verb Form	Translation
Man	khaham kard	I will do
To	khahi kard	You will do
U	khahad kard	He/She will do
Ma	khahim kard	We will do
Shoma	khahid kard	You will do (pl)
Anha	khahand kard	They will do

Advanced Tenses in Persian

Present Continuous Tense

To express ongoing actions, Persian uses the prefix mi- with the present stem. The context determines whether the action is habitual or ongoing.

Example: Midanam ke miayi.
Translation: “I know you are coming.”

Past Continuous Tense

The past continuous is formed with the prefix mi- and the past stem.

Example: Mikardam.
Translation: “I was doing.”

Perfect Tenses

Perfect tenses express actions completed in the past but with relevance to the present or another time.

• • Present Perfect: Combine the past participle with the present tense of budan (to be).
    Example: Kardeh am (I have done).

• • Past Perfect: Replace the present tense of budan with the past tense.
    Example: Kardeh budam (I had done).