A2 Nouns & Pronouns 5 min read Fácil

Posesión en Persa: Mi, Tu, Su (-am, -at, -ash)

Attach suffixes for casual talk or use the 'e' bridge for formal clarity to show ownership in Persian.
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Practícalo

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

In Persian, you don't always need a separate word for 'my' or 'your'; just attach a short suffix to the end of the noun.

  • For 'my', add '-am' (م) to the noun: 'ketab-am' (my book).
  • For 'your' (singular), add '-at' (ت) to the noun: 'ketab-at' (your book).
  • For 'his/her/its', add '-ash' (ش) to the noun: 'ketab-ash' (his/her book).
Noun + (م/ت/ش) = Possession

Overview

Resumen
Imagina que estás en una cafetería abarrotada en Teherán...

Possessive Suffixes

Person Suffix Example (Ketab - Book)
1st Sing
-am (م)
Ketab-am
2nd Sing
-at (ت)
Ketab-at
3rd Sing
-ash (ش)
Ketab-ash
1st Plural
-eman (مان)
Ketab-eman
2nd Plural
-etan (تان)
Ketab-etan
3rd Plural
-eshan (شان)
Ketab-eshan

Meanings

These suffixes function as possessive adjectives, indicating ownership or relationship to a person.

1

Possession

Indicating ownership of an object.

“کتابم (My book)”

“دوستت (Your friend)”

Reference Table

Reference table for Posesión en Persa: Mi, Tu, Su (-am, -at, -ash)
Person Suffix (Written/Spoken) Ezāfe Style English Meaning
1st Sing. (I)
-am
Noun + -e man
My
2nd Sing. (You)
-at / -et
Noun + -e to
Your (informal)
3rd Sing. (He/She)
-ash / -esh
Noun + -e u
His / Her / Its
1st Plur. (We)
-emān / -emoon
Noun + -e mā
Our
2nd Plur. (You all)
-etān / -etoon
Noun + -e shomā
Your (formal/plural)
3rd Plur. (They)
-eshān / -eshoon
Noun + -e ānhā
Their

Espectro de formalidad

Formal
Ketab-e man

Ketab-e man (General)

Neutral
Ketabam

Ketabam (General)

Informal
Ketabam

Ketabam (General)

Jerga
Ketabam

Ketabam (General)

Ways to Show Possession

Possession

The Suffix Style

  • -am My
  • -et Your

The Ezāfe Style

  • Noun + -e + man My [Noun]

Written vs. Spoken Suffixes

Written (Formal)
-at (Your) Formal/Poetic
-ash (His/Her) Standard
Spoken (Casual)
-et (Your) Texting/Talking
-esh (His/Her) Daily life

Should I use a 'y' bridge?

1

Does the noun end in a vowel (ā, u, e)?

YES
Add 'y' before Ezāfe (e.g., pā-ye man)
NO
Just add -e (e.g., ketāb-e man)
2

Are you using a suffix instead?

YES
Attach suffix directly (pāyam)
NO ↓

Possession in Different Contexts

📱

Social Media

  • • Instat (Your Insta)
  • • Postam (My post)
  • • Aksesh (His/Her photo)
🏠

At Home

  • • Ghazāmoon (Our food)
  • • Kelidet (Your key)
  • • Otaghesh (His/Her room)
Regístrate gratis para leer la explicación completa

Ejemplos por nivel

1

کتابم

My book

2

دوستت

Your friend

3

ماشینش

His car

4

خانه‌ام

My house

1

برادرم کجاست؟

Where is my brother?

2

این گوشی‌ات است؟

Is this your phone?

3

سگش خیلی بزرگ است.

His dog is very big.

4

مادرم در خانه است.

My mother is at home.

1

این مال من است، نه مال تو.

This is mine, not yours.

2

آیا این کلیدهایش است؟

Are these his keys?

3

دوست‌مان به تهران آمد.

Our friend came to Tehran.

4

نظرشان چیست؟

What is their opinion?

1

کتابم را گم کردم.

I lost my book.

2

او ماشینش را فروخت.

He sold his car.

3

نظرشان برای ما مهم است.

Their opinion is important to us.

4

آیا این همان کیف‌تان است؟

Is this that bag of yours?

1

آنچه در دستش بود، نامه بود.

What was in his hand was a letter.

2

خانهٔ پدری‌ام را بازسازی کردیم.

We renovated my father's house.

3

ایده‌شان بسیار خلاقانه بود.

Their idea was very creative.

4

سفرمان به شیراز عالی بود.

Our trip to Shiraz was great.

1

خاطراتش در ذهن‌مان باقی ماند.

His memories remained in our minds.

2

این همان خانه‌ایست که در آن بزرگ شدم.

This is the house where I grew up.

3

تلاش‌شان بی نتیجه ماند.

Their effort remained fruitless.

4

آیا این همان کتابی‌ست که به تو دادم؟

Is this the same book I gave you?

Fácil de confundir

Persian Possession: My, Your, His (-am, -at, -ash) vs Ezafe vs Suffix

Both show possession.

Persian Possession: My, Your, His (-am, -at, -ash) vs Mal-e vs Suffix

Both mean 'my/your'.

Persian Possession: My, Your, His (-am, -at, -ash) vs Plural vs Singular Suffix

Mixing them up.

Errores comunes

✗

Man ketab

✓

Ketabam

Don't use the pronoun 'man' with the suffix.
✗

Ketab-e-am

✓

Ketabam

Don't add Ezafe before the suffix.
✗

Ketab-m

✓

Ketabam

Need the vowel 'a'.
✗

Ketab-ash-am

✓

Ketabam

Only one suffix at a time.
✗

Baba-am

✓

Baba-yam

Need the bridge 'y' after 'a'.
✗

Ketab-am-e

✓

Ketabam

Suffixes don't take Ezafe.
✗

Mal-e-am

✓

Mal-e man

Don't mix structures.
✗

Ketab-ash-ra

✓

Ketabash ra

Suffixes are attached to the noun.
✗

Ketab-eman-e

✓

Ketab-eman

Redundant Ezafe.
✗

Ketab-eshan-ra

✓

Ketabeshan ra

Suffixes are part of the word.
✗

Ketab-ash-e-man

✓

Ketab-e man

Mixing suffix and Ezafe.
✗

Ketab-am-i

✓

Ketab-am

Incorrect suffix usage.
✗

Ketab-ash-am-e

✓

Ketab-ash

Over-suffixing.
✗

Ketab-e-ash

✓

Ketabash

Ezafe is not needed.

Patrones de oraciones

___-am kojast?

___-at ghashang-e.

___-ash ra didam.

___-eman kheili bozorg-e.

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Kujayi? Telefonam khamush-e.

Social Media very common

In mashinam-e!

Job Interview common

Tajrobe-am kheili ziad-e.

Travel common

Kif-am kojast?

Food Delivery occasional

Sefareshat-am kojast?

Classroom very common

Ketab-am ra avardam.

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🎯

The 80/20 Rule

Spend 80% of your time practicing suffixes (-am, -et, -esh). That's what you'll hear in movies and music.
⚠️

No Double Dipping!

Never use the 'e' bridge and a suffix together. It's like saying 'the my book'.
💬

Politeness Counts

When talking to elders, use the plural suffix '-etoon' (your) even for one person. It shows respect!

Smart Tips

Always add 'y' (ye) before the suffix.

Baba-am → Baba-yam

Use 'mal-e' instead of the suffix.

Ketabam-e man → Mal-e man

Drop the 'a' in '-ash' to sound like 'esh'.

Ketab-ash → Ketab-esh

Always attach the suffix to the noun.

Ketab am → Ketabam

Pronunciación

Baba-yam

Vowel bridge

If the noun ends in a vowel, add 'y' (ye) before the suffix.

Question

Ketabam? ↑

Rising pitch at the end indicates a question.

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

Remember 'M-T-Sh' (Matash) like 'My-Thy-She'.

Asociación visual

Imagine a book with a sticky note on the end. The note says 'am' for me, 'at' for you, 'ash' for him.

Rhyme

Add -am to the end, it's my best friend. Add -at to the end, it's your trend.

Story

I hold my book (ketab-am). You take your book (ketab-at). He reads his book (ketab-ash). We are all reading!

Word Web

KetabamMashinatKhaneashMadaremanPedaretanDarseshan

Desafío

Label 5 items in your room using these suffixes in 5 minutes.

Notas culturales

In spoken Tehrani, the 'a' in '-ash' often sounds like 'esh'.

In formal writing, suffixes are always used.

Poets may separate the suffix for rhythm.

These are enclitic pronouns derived from Old Persian.

Inicios de conversación

“

Ketab-at kojast?

“

Mashin-et che rangi-ye?

“

Doost-at kojast?

“

Nazar-et darbare-ye in film chie?

Temas para diario

Describe your room using 5 items.
Write about your family.
Describe your favorite hobby.
Reflect on your day.

Errores comunes

Incorrect

Correcto

Incorrect

Correcto

Incorrect

Correcto

Incorrect

Correcto

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank with the correct suffix for 'my' (informal).

دوست___ (Doost___) - My friend

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ام (-am)
The suffix for 'my' is '-am'. So 'Doostam' means 'My friend'.
Which sentence correctly says 'His car' using Ezāfe? Opción múltiple

Choose the correct formal possession:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ماشینِ او (Māshin-e u)
In formal Ezāfe, you need the short 'e' sound (Māshin-e) followed by the pronoun 'u' (he/she).
Find and fix the mistake in this sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

این کتابمِ من است. (In ketābam-e man ast.)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: این کتابم است. (In ketābam ast.)
You cannot use both the suffix (-am) and the separate pronoun (man) together. It's either 'ketābam' or 'ketāb-e man'.

Score: /3

Ejercicios de practica

8 exercises
Fill in the suffix for 'my book'.

Ketab___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: am
'-am' is for 'my'.
Which is correct for 'your car'? Opción múltiple

Mashin___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: at
'-at' is for 'your'.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Man ketabam.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ketabam
Don't use 'man' with suffix.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

kojast / ketabam / ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ketabam kojast?
Standard word order.
Translate to Persian. Traducción

His house

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Khaneash
'-ash' is for 'his'.
Conjugate 'Dars' (lesson) for 'my'. Conjugation Drill

Dars___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: am
'-am' is for 'my'.
Match suffix to meaning. Match Pairs

-am, -at, -ash

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: My, Your, His
Standard order.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

My car is here.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mashinam inja-st.
Correct structure.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Translate to Persian using a suffix: 'Your (singular) house' Traducción

Your house

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: خونه‌ات (Khooneat)
Reorder the words to say 'This is my bag.' Sentence Reorder

است / کیفم / این

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: این کیفم است
Match the English to the Persian suffix Match Pairs

Match the following:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Match the following:
Add the correct Ezāfe connector (sound) to 'Parent's house'. Completar huecos

خانه___ پدر (Khāne___ pedar)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ی (-ye)
How do you say 'Their room' in spoken Persian? Opción múltiple

Choose the casual spoken form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: اتاقشون (Otāgh-eshoon)
Correct the mistake: 'Māshinam-e to' (Your car) Error Correction

ماشینمِ تو

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ماشینت (Māshinet)
Translate: 'Where is our car?' (Spoken) Traducción

Where is our car?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ماشینمون کجاست؟ (Māshinemoon kojāst?)
Which one means 'This is mine'? Opción múltiple

Whose is this?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: این مالِ منه. (In māl-e mane.)
Complete the sentence: 'His name is Ali.' Completar huecos

اسم___ علی است. (Esm___ Ali ast.)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ش (-ash)
Reorder to say 'Your (plural) coffee is ready.' Sentence Reorder

آماده است / قهوه‌تون / .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: قهوه‌تون آماده است.

Score: /10

Preguntas frecuentes (8)

No, it's redundant.

Add a 'y' bridge.

Yes, they are standard.

Use '-eman'.

No, both use '-ash'.

Yes, they work the same.

For emphasis or contrast.

Yes, they are standard Persian.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

Regístrate gratis para practicar

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

mi/tu/su

Persian suffixes are attached to the noun.

French moderate

mon/ton/son

Persian suffixes are attached to the noun.

German moderate

mein/dein/sein

Persian suffixes are attached to the noun.

Japanese low

no

Persian suffixes are part of the word.

Arabic high

i/ka/hu

Persian is Indo-European, Arabic is Semitic.

Chinese low

de

Persian suffixes are attached to the noun.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Next
Abreviaturas de verbos en persa hablado: 'miram', 'mikham'

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