A1 Sentence Structure 10 min read Easy

The Invisible Glue: Linking Words with Ezafe (-e)

The Ezafe is the spoken '-e' or '-ye' suffix that links nouns to adjectives (noun-first order!) or possessors.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

The Ezafe (-e) is a short sound that connects a noun to its modifier or owner like glue.

  • Add -e after a noun to link it to an adjective: 'Ketab-e bozorg' (Big book).
  • Add -e after a noun to show possession: 'Ketab-e Ali' (Ali's book).
  • If the word ends in a vowel (a, o), add -ye instead of -e: 'Khane-ye man' (My house).
Noun + (-e) + Adjective/Possessor

Overview

Persian sentence structure often relies on a subtle yet fundamental grammatical element known as the Ezafe (اضافه). This term, derived from Arabic, literally means “addition” or “annexation,” precisely describing its function: it connects a head noun to a subsequent modifier. Unlike English, which employs prepositions like “of” (e.g., “the city of Tehran”) or fixed word order (e.g., “red car”), Persian uses the Ezafe to establish these relationships.

It acts as an invisible link, primarily a short vowel sound, creating cohesive phrases without explicit conjunctions.

The Ezafe is crucial for expressing possession, describing nouns with adjectives, and forming compound nouns. For learners, understanding and correctly applying the Ezafe is paramount, as its omission or misplacement leads to phrases that are grammatically incorrect, difficult to understand, or entirely nonsensical to a native speaker. It is the linguistic “glue” that binds elements within nominal phrases, shaping the very rhythm and clarity of spoken and written Persian.

How This Grammar Works

At its core, the Ezafe marks a dependency relationship: the word preceding the Ezafe (the maddox or “annexed” word) is linked to the word following it (the annexee or “annexing” word). The maddox is typically a noun, and the annexee can be another noun (for possession or compound nouns) or an adjective (for description). This linking mechanism is pervasive, affecting nearly every nominal phrase you will encounter.
Phonetically, the Ezafe is most commonly a short ِ (kasre) vowel sound, pronounced like the ‘e’ in ‘pet’. For reasons of phonetic flow, this sound sometimes becomes ـِی (-ye) when the preceding word ends in certain vowels. This slight variation ensures that the words glide together smoothly, avoiding awkward vowel-on-vowel collisions.
While universally present in spoken Persian, the Ezafe is often unwritten in standard Persian script, especially the simple ِ form. This invisibility in writing but audibility in speech is a significant challenge for beginners, necessitating a deep understanding of its function and context.
Consider the phrase ماشین قرمز (mashin-e qermez). Here, ماشین (mashin, car) is the head noun, قرمز (qermez, red) is the adjective, and the invisible Ezafe ِ (-e) links them. The Ezafe dictates that قرمز is modifying ماشین.
Similarly, in کتاب علی (ketâb-e Ali, Ali's book), کتاب (ketâb, book) is linked to علی (Ali, Ali) via the Ezafe, indicating possession. Mastering the Ezafe means learning to correctly infer and pronounce this link, even when it is not explicitly written.

Word Order Rules

The Ezafe directly dictates Persian word order within nominal phrases, which often reverses the pattern found in English. In English, modifiers typically precede the noun they describe (e.g., “beautiful house”). In Persian, the head noun always comes first, followed by the Ezafe, and then the modifier.
This fundamental difference is a primary source of error for English-speaking learners.
There are two main Ezafe-driven word order patterns at an A1 level:
  1. 1Noun + Ezafe + Adjective: This is the structure for describing a noun. The noun is stated first, followed by the Ezafe, and then the adjective that modifies it.
  • دانشجو خوب (dânešju-ye khub) – literally “student-of good,” meaning “good student.”
  • شهر بزرگ (šahr-e bozorg) – literally “city-of big,” meaning “big city.”
  • لباس زیبا (lebâs-e zibâ) – literally “dress-of beautiful,” meaning “beautiful dress.”
  1. 1Possessed Noun + Ezafe + Possessor: This pattern establishes possession. The item being possessed (the head noun) comes first, followed by the Ezafe, and then the possessor.
  • کتاب علی (ketâb-e Ali) – literally “book-of Ali,” meaning “Ali’s book.”
  • خانه پدرم (khâne-ye pedaram) – literally “house-of my father,” meaning “my father’s house.”
  • ماشین من (mashin-e man) – literally “car-of me,” meaning “my car.”
It is crucial to internalize that the Ezafe establishes a left-to-right dependency: the word on the left is modified or possessed by the word on the right. When multiple modifiers apply to a single noun, they are chained together, each connected by an Ezafe. For example, “my new Persian book” becomes کتاب فارسی جدید من (ketâb-e Fârsi-ye jadid-e man), literally “book-of Persian-of new-of me.” Each ـه or ـی links the preceding component to the subsequent one, always maintaining the head noun at the far left of the chain.
Here’s a comparative table:
| Relationship | English Word Order | Persian Word Order | Example (English) | Example (Persian) | Transliteration |
| :----------------- | :------------------------- | :--------------------------------- | :---------------- | :------------------------ | :------------------------ |
| Noun-Adjective | Adjective + Noun | Noun + Ezafe + Adjective | Beautiful house | خانه زیبا | khâne-ye zibâ |
| Possession | Possessor + ’s + Possessed | Possessed Noun + Ezafe + Possessor | Ali’s book | کتاب علی | ketâb-e Ali |
| Compound Noun | Modifier + Noun | Noun + Ezafe + Noun Modifier | Persian language | زبان فارسی | zabân-e Fârsi |

Formation Pattern

1
The Ezafe's phonetic form adapts based on the final letter of the word it follows, ensuring smooth pronunciation. While its function remains constant, its sound (and sometimes written representation) changes to maintain euphony. Understanding these three primary patterns is essential for correct pronunciation.
2
After Consonants: If the first word in the Ezafe construction ends in any consonant, the Ezafe is pronounced as a short ِ (kasre) vowel sound. This is the most common and default form. It is almost never written in standard Persian text, but its pronunciation is mandatory.
3
مرد (mard, man) + خوب (khub, good) = مرد خوب (mard-e khub) – good man.
4
شهر (šahr, city) + تهران (Tehrân, Tehran) = شهر تهران (šahr-e Tehrân) – the city of Tehran.
5
کتاب (ketâb, book) + من (man, me) = کتاب من (ketâb-e man) – my book.
6
After Long Vowels (ـا / â and ـو / u): When the preceding word ends in the long vowels ـا (â) or ـو (u/oo), the Ezafe takes the form of ی (-ye). This y sound acts as a glide, separating the two vowels and preventing an awkward hiatus. In formal written Persian, and sometimes even in informal contexts to avoid ambiguity, this ی is often written.
7
آقا (âqâ, gentleman) + بزرگ (bozorg, big) = آقا ی بزرگ (âqâ-ye bozorg) – big gentleman.
8
دانشجو (dânešju, student) + ایرانی (Irâni, Iranian) = دانشجو ی ایرانی (dânešju-ye Irâni) – Iranian student.
9
مو (mu, hair) + مشکی (meški, black) = مو ی مشکی (mu-ye meški) – black hair.
10
After Silent ه (-e, h): Many Persian words end in an unpronounced ه (heh), which often represents a short a or e sound (e.g., خانه khâne, house; نامه nâme, letter). When such a word is followed by an Ezafe, the Ezafe also takes the ی (-ye) form. In formal written Persian, this is often represented as ـه‌ی (hamza + ی), though in casual writing or typing, ی is more common, and sometimes even nothing is written, relying on context.
11
خانه (khâne, house) + زیبا (zibâ, beautiful) = خانه‌ی زیبا (khâne-ye zibâ) – beautiful house.
12
نامه (nâme, letter) + شما (šomâ, you) = نامه‌ی شما (nâme-ye šomâ) – your letter.
13
کوزه (kuze, pot) + شکسته (šekaste, broken) = کوزه‌ی شکسته (kuze-ye šekaste) – broken pot.
14
Summary of Ezafe Formation:
15
| Ending of First Word | Ezafe Form (Sound) | Common Written Form (if any) | Example (Persian Script) | Transliteration | English Meaning |
16
| :------------------- | :----------------- | :--------------------------- | :----------------------- | :------------------------ | :-------------------- |
17
| Consonant | ِ (-e) | (unwritten) | کتاب من | ketâb-e man | my book |
18
| ا (â) | ی (-ye) | ی | آقا ی محترم | âqâ-ye mohtaram | respected gentleman |
19
| و (u/oo) | ی (-ye) | ی | دانشجو ی جدید | dânešju-ye jadid | new student |
20
| Silent ه | ی (-ye) | ه‌ی / ی | خانه‌ی بزرگ | khâne-ye bozorg | big house |

When To Use It

The Ezafe’s primary role is to establish a grammatical connection between a head noun and its subsequent modifier. You will encounter and use the Ezafe in several core grammatical situations, forming the backbone of Persian nominal phrases.
  1. 1Noun-Adjective Phrases (Description): This is one of the most frequent uses. The Ezafe links a noun to an adjective that describes it. Remember the word order: Noun + Ezafe + Adjective.
  • غذای خوشمزه (ghazâ-ye khoshmaze) – delicious food (lit. food-of delicious).
  • گل زیبا (gol-e zibâ) – beautiful flower (lit. flower-of beautiful).
  • هوای سرد (havâ-ye sard) – cold weather (lit. weather-of cold).
  1. 1Possessive Phrases (Possession): The Ezafe indicates that a noun belongs to or is associated with another noun or pronoun. The structure is Possessed Noun + Ezafe + Possessor.
  • مداد رضا (medâd-e Rezâ) – Reza’s pencil (lit. pencil-of Reza).
  • خواهر من (khâhar-e man) – my sister (lit. sister-of me).
  • کشور ایران (kešvar-e Irân) – the country of Iran (lit. country-of Iran).
  1. 1Compound Nouns (Specification/Classification): When one noun specifies or classifies another, an Ezafe link is formed. This is akin to compound nouns in English (e.g., “tea cup”), but with the Persian word order and Ezafe.
  • چای سبز (čây-e sabz) – green tea (lit. tea-of green, where سبز sabz functions here as a classifier not just a descriptive adjective).
  • زبان فارسی (zabân-e Fârsi) – Persian language (lit. language-of Persian).
  • کلاس درس (kelâs-e dars) – classroom (lit. class-of lesson).
  1. 1Chained Ezafe Phrases: A single head noun can have multiple modifiers, each connected by an Ezafe. The Ezafe links each successive word in the chain to the one immediately preceding it, always referring back to the initial head noun.
  • دوست خوب من (dust-e khub-e man) – my good friend (lit. friend-of good-of me).
  • ماشین جدید پدرم (mashin-e jadid-e pedaram) – my father’s new car (lit. car-of new-of my father).
  • کتاب قدیمی زبان فارسی (ketâb-e qadimi-ye zabân-e Fârsi) – the old Persian language book (lit. book-of old-of language-of Persian).
In all these cases, the Ezafe creates a tight-knit semantic unit. It tells you immediately how words relate to each other, forming coherent and meaningful phrases that are the building blocks of more complex sentences.

Common Mistakes

Beginners frequently stumble with the Ezafe due to its abstract nature (often unwritten) and the fundamental difference in word order compared to English. Awareness of these common pitfalls is the first step toward correcting them.
  1. 1Incorrect Word Order (English Transfer): The most prevalent mistake is directly translating English word order, placing the modifier before the noun. This produces ungrammatical phrases that sound alien to native speakers.
  • Incorrect: قرمز ماشین (qermez mashin) – for “red car.”
  • Correct: ماشین قرمز (mashin-e qermez).
  • Incorrect: علی کتاب (Ali ketâb) – for “Ali’s book.”
  • Correct: کتاب علی (ketâb-e Ali).
Always remember the Persian rule: Noun (or possessed item) first, then Ezafe, then modifier (or possessor).
  1. 1Omitting the Ezafe Sound: Because the Ezafe is often unwritten, learners sometimes forget to pronounce it. This omission creates disjointed phrases that lack grammatical cohesion, sounding like a list of unrelated words rather than a single unit.
  • Incorrect: کتاب علی (ketâb Ali) – sounds like “book, Ali” (two separate entities).
  • Correct: کتابِ علی (ketâb-e Ali) – “Ali’s book.” The ِ sound is essential.
  1. 1Misapplying Ezafe with Verbs or Prepositions: The Ezafe exclusively links nouns to their modifiers or other nouns. It does not connect verbs to other words or function as an independent preposition. You will never find an Ezafe directly after a verb.
  • Incorrect: رفتِ خانه (raft-e khâne) – for “went home.” Verbs do not take Ezafe.
  • Correct: به خانه رفت (be khâne raft) – “went home” (using the preposition به).
Similarly, the Ezafe does not function as an equivalent for prepositions like “with” (با, bâ) or “for” (برای, barâye). It denotes relationship within a nominal phrase, not prepositional function.
  1. 1Over-Writing the Ezafe: While Ezafe ی (-ye) is sometimes written, and ه‌ی is formal for silent ه endings, the short ِ (-e) Ezafe is almost never written in casual or standard text. Attempting to write every Ezafe with a short ِ (kasre) diacritic mark is unconventional and unnecessary, typically only found in pedagogical materials for learners or highly specialized linguistic texts.
  • Avoid: کتابِ خوبی – Writing the ِ kasre when not in a learning context.
  • Standard: کتاب خوب (ketâb-e khub).
  1. 1Confusing Ezafe with Possessive Suffixes: While both express possession, they are distinct constructions. کتاب من (ketâb-e man, my book) uses the Ezafe, whereas کتابم (ketâbam, my book) uses a possessive suffix. The choice depends on context, emphasis, and what else is modifying the noun (see 'Contrast With Similar Patterns'). Misunderstanding when to use which can lead to awkward or less natural phrasing.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

Persian has other grammatical features that can, at first glance, appear similar to the Ezafe but serve distinct functions. Differentiating these is crucial for accurate and idiomatic expression.

1. Ezafe (ِ / ـی) vs. Indefinite Suffix (ـی): This is a critical distinction for A1 learners, as both can involve the ـی character.

The Ezafe ِ (-e) or ـی (-ye) links a noun to a subsequent modifier (another noun or an adjective), forming a definite or indefinite phrase depending on context. It indicates relationship.
کتاب خوب (ketâb-e khub) – the good book (definite implied).
خانه‌ی من (khâne-ye man) – my house.
The Indefinite Suffix ـی (-i) is attached directly to a noun to mean “a/an” or “some.” It indicates indefiniteness and does not link to a subsequent word (unless the indefinite noun itself is then linked via Ezafe to another modifier).
کتابی (ketâbi) – a book.
خانه‌ای (khânei) – a house.

If you want to say

Ezafe Attachment Rules

Noun Ending Connector Example Result
Consonant
-e
Ketab
Ketab-e
Vowel (a/o)
-ye
Khane
Khane-ye
Vowel (i/u)
-ye
Abi
Abi-ye

Meanings

The Ezafe is a grammatical particle used to link a noun to a following adjective, possessor, or noun complement.

1

Adjectival Link

Connecting a noun to its adjective.

“دوستِ خوب (Doost-e khoob - Good friend)”

“گلِ زیبا (Gol-e ziba - Beautiful flower)”

2

Possessive Link

Showing ownership.

“کتابِ من (Ketab-e man - My book)”

“خانه-یِ علی (Khane-ye Ali - Ali's house)”

3

Noun-Noun Link

Connecting two nouns where one defines the other.

“لیوانِ آب (Livan-e ab - Water glass)”

“درسِ فارسی (Dars-e Farsi - Persian lesson)”

Reference Table

Reference table for The Invisible Glue: Linking Words with Ezafe (-e)
Form Structure Example
Noun + Adj
Noun + -e + Adj
Gol-e ziba
Possession
Noun + -e + Owner
Ketab-e Ali
Noun + Noun
Noun + -e + Noun
Livan-e ab
Vowel Noun
Noun + -ye + Adj
Khane-ye bozorg
Negative
N/A
N/A
Question
Noun + -e + Noun?
Ketab-e ki?
Short Answer
Noun + -e + Owner
Ketab-e man

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Mashin-e doost-e man

Mashin-e doost-e man (General conversation)

Neutral
Mashin-e doostam

Mashin-e doostam (General conversation)

Informal
Mashin-e doostam

Mashin-e doostam (General conversation)

Slang
Mashin-e doostam

Mashin-e doostam (General conversation)

The Ezafe Bridge

Noun

Modifier

  • Ketab-e Book of...

Possessor

  • Ali Ali

Adjective

  • Bozorg Big

Consonant vs Vowel

Consonant
Ketab-e Book of
Vowel
Khane-ye House of

Ezafe Decision Tree

1

Does the noun end in a vowel?

YES
Add -ye
NO
Add -e

Ezafe Uses

🔑

Possession

  • • Ketab-e man
  • • Mashin-e Ali
🎨

Adjectives

  • • Gol-e ziba
  • • Ghahve-ye talkh
🔗

Noun-Noun

  • • Livan-e ab
  • • Dars-e Farsi
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Examples by Level

1

کتابِ من

My book

2

ماشینِ قرمز

Red car

3

خانه-یِ بزرگ

Big house

4

دوستِ خوب

Good friend

1

میزِ چوبیِ من

My wooden table

2

درسِ فارسیِ امروز

Today's Persian lesson

3

گلِ زیبایِ باغچه

The garden's beautiful flower

4

قهوه-یِ تلخِ صبح

Morning's bitter coffee

1

کتابِ جدیدِ دوستِ صمیمیِ من

My close friend's new book

2

برنامه-یِ کاریِ هفته-یِ آینده

Next week's work schedule

3

ماشینِ سریعِ قرمزِ علی

Ali's fast red car

4

نظرِ مثبتِ استادِ دانشگاه

The university professor's positive opinion

1

ساختمانِ بلندِ مرکزِ شهر

The city center's tall building

2

تغییرِ ناگهانیِ دمایِ هوا

The sudden change in air temperature

3

موفقیتِ بزرگِ تیمِ ملی

The national team's great success

4

ارزشِ بالایِ پولِ ملی

The high value of the national currency

1

تجربه-یِ تلخِ شکستِ گذشته

The bitter experience of past failure

2

اهمیتِ حیاتیِ حفظِ محیطِ زیست

The vital importance of environmental protection

3

پیچیدگیِ ساختارِ زبانِ فارسی

The complexity of the Persian language structure

4

تأثیرِ عمیقِ فرهنگِ باستانی

The profound influence of ancient culture

1

شکوهِ بی‌پایانِ معماریِ اصیلِ ایرانی

The endless glory of authentic Iranian architecture

2

فلسفه-یِ وجودیِ انسانِ معاصر

The existential philosophy of contemporary man

3

ظرافتِ کلامِ شاعرِ بزرگ

The elegance of the great poet's speech

4

تضادِ آشکارِ میانِ سنت و مدرنیته

The clear contrast between tradition and modernity

Easily Confused

The Invisible Glue: Linking Words with Ezafe (-e) vs Ezafe vs. Verb 'to be'

Learners think 'e' is always a verb.

The Invisible Glue: Linking Words with Ezafe (-e) vs Ezafe vs. Plural marker

Learners confuse '-ha' with Ezafe.

The Invisible Glue: Linking Words with Ezafe (-e) vs Ezafe vs. Prepositions

Learners think Ezafe is a preposition.

Common Mistakes

✗

Ketab Ali

✓

Ketab-e Ali

Missing the Ezafe connector.
✗

Khane-e man

✓

Khane-ye man

Used -e instead of -ye after a vowel.
✗

Mashin-e-ye

✓

Mashin-e

Added -ye to a consonant-ending word.
✗

Doost-e ast

✓

Doost-e man

Confusing Ezafe with verb 'to be'.
✗

Gol-e-ye ziba

✓

Gol-e ziba

Double marking.
✗

Ketab-e-e Ali

✓

Ketab-e Ali

Redundant Ezafe.
✗

Miz-e bozorg-e

✓

Miz-e bozorg

Adding Ezafe at the end of the phrase.
✗

Ketab-e Ali-e

✓

Ketab-e Ali

Adding Ezafe after the possessor.
✗

Khane-e bozorg

✓

Khane-ye bozorg

Incorrect vowel handling.
✗

Dars-e-ye Farsi

✓

Dars-e Farsi

Incorrect -ye usage.
✗

Ketab-e-ye Ali-e-ye

✓

Ketab-e Ali

Over-complicating the chain.
✗

Mashin-e-ye-ye

✓

Mashin-e

Phonetic error.
✗

Gol-e-ye-ye

✓

Gol-e

Redundancy.
✗

Khane-e-ye

✓

Khane-ye

Incorrect vowel link.

Sentence Patterns

___-e ___

___-e ___

___-e ___

___-e ___ -e ___

Real World Usage

Social Media constant

Ax-e jadid-e man

Texting constant

Khane-ye Ali

Job Interview very common

Tajrobe-ye kari-ye man

Travel common

Bilit-e tehran

Food Delivery common

Ghaza-ye irani

Academic very common

Daneshgah-e tehran

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💡

Listen for the 'e'

When listening to native speakers, try to hear the tiny 'e' sound between words.
⚠️

Don't skip it

Skipping the Ezafe makes your Persian sound unnatural.
🎯

Practice with adjectives

Start by adding adjectives to nouns using Ezafe.
💬

It's the rhythm

The Ezafe is what gives Persian its musical flow.

Smart Tips

Always add -e after the noun before the adjective.

Mashin ghermez → Mashin-e ghermez

Put the owner after the noun with an Ezafe.

Ketab Ali → Ketab-e Ali

Use -ye to make it sound smooth.

Khane-e man → Khane-ye man

Chain them with Ezafe.

Ketab bozorg Ali → Ketab-e bozorg-e Ali

Pronunciation

IPA: /e/

Ezafe Sound

It is a short, unstressed 'e' sound, like the 'e' in 'bed'.

IPA: /je/

Vowel Link

When the noun ends in a vowel, add a 'y' sound to prevent a glottal stop.

Rising

Ketab-e Ali? ↑

Questioning possession.

Falling

Ketab-e Ali. ↓

Stating possession.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Ezafe is the 'E' that connects the 'Tree' (Noun) to the 'Leaf' (Modifier).

Visual Association

Imagine a small, invisible glue bottle labeled '-e' that you squeeze between two blocks (words) to make them stick together.

Rhyme

When the word ends in a sound that's flat, add an 'e' to connect that.

Story

Ali has a book. He wants to say 'Ali's book'. He takes 'Ketab' and 'Ali'. He puts a tiny drop of 'Ezafe' glue between them. Now it is 'Ketab-e Ali'. It stays together forever.

Word Web

Ketab-eDoost-eKhane-yeMashin-eGol-eDars-e

Challenge

Look around your room and name 5 objects using the Ezafe (e.g., 'Miz-e bozorg' - big table).

Cultural Notes

The Ezafe is often pronounced very softly or even dropped in very casual speech.

The Ezafe is strictly maintained and clearly pronounced in all formal settings.

Poets often use the Ezafe to create rhythm and musicality in their verses.

The Ezafe comes from the Old Persian relative pronoun 'hya'.

Conversation Starters

“

Ketab-e ki?

“

Mashin-e ki?

“

Ghaza-ye khoshmaze?

“

Dars-e Farsi-e?

Journal Prompts

Describe your favorite object using Ezafe.
List 5 things that belong to you.
Describe your ideal house.
Write about your daily routine.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the correct Ezafe.

Ketab ___ Ali

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Consonant ending requires -e.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Khane ___ man

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Vowel ending requires -ye.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Mashin Ali

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Needs Ezafe.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Noun + Ezafe + Possessor.
Translate to Persian. Translation

Red car

Answer starts with: a...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Noun + Ezafe + Adjective.
Match the noun to its Ezafe. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Consonant/Vowel rules.
Build a phrase. Sentence Building

Big house

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Vowel + ye.
Which is correct? Multiple Choice

Dars-e Farsi

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Consonant + e.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the correct Ezafe.

Ketab ___ Ali

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Consonant ending requires -e.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Khane ___ man

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Vowel ending requires -ye.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Mashin Ali

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Needs Ezafe.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

man / Ketab / -e

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Noun + Ezafe + Possessor.
Translate to Persian. Translation

Red car

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Noun + Ezafe + Adjective.
Match the noun to its Ezafe. Match Pairs

Ketab, Khane, Gol

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Consonant/Vowel rules.
Build a phrase. Sentence Building

Big house

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Vowel + ye.
Which is correct? Multiple Choice

Dars-e Farsi

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Consonant + e.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Complete the phrase: 'Blue sky' Fill in the Blank

Aseman ___ abi

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: -e
Complete the phrase: 'Beautiful view' Fill in the Blank

Namay ___ ziba

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: -e
Translate: 'Tehran is a big city' Sentence Reorder

Order the words:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tehran shahr-e bozorg ast
Which phrase is correct for 'Fresh apple'? Multiple Choice

Select the right order:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Sib-e taze
Identify the error Error Correction

Darya-e abi (Blue sea)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Darya-ye abi
Match the noun ending to the Ezafe sound Match Pairs

Match correctly:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["Consonant -> -e","Long Vowel (a, u) -> -ye","Silent h -> -ye"]
Add the possessive linker Fill in the Blank

Telefon ___ Sara (Sara's phone)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: -e
Form a chain: 'My friend's car' Sentence Reorder

Arrange words:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mashin -e doost -e man
Translate 'Smart student' Multiple Choice

Select the Persian equivalent:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Daneshjoo-ye bahoosh
Link the noun and adjective Fill in the Blank

Gorbe ___ siah (Black cat)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: -ye

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

In formal writing, yes, often as a small dash. In informal, it is often omitted.

Use '-ye'. For example, 'Khane-ye man'.

No, Ezafe is only for nouns.

No, it is a clitic, a sound attached to a word.

Use it whenever you link a noun to a modifier.

No, they are completely different.

Yes, it is fundamental to the language.

Very few, it is a very consistent rule.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

de

Ezafe is attached to the noun, 'de' is a separate word.

French moderate

de

Ezafe links adjectives, 'de' does not.

German low

Genitive case

Persian is analytical, German is synthetic.

Japanese high

no

Japanese 'no' is a particle, Ezafe is a clitic.

Arabic high

Idafa

Arabic Idafa is a syntactic construction, Persian Ezafe is a clitic.

Chinese moderate

de

Chinese 'de' is a separate particle.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Next
Possessive Suffixes: My, Your, His (-am, -at, -aš)

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