Saying 'Is Not' in Persian: The Power of `nist` (-am, -i, -ast)
nist followed by the appropriate personal ending for the subject.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
To say 'is not' in Persian, use the base 'nist' and add person-specific endings to negate existence or identity.
- For 'I am not', add -am to nist: 'Nistam'.
- For 'You are not', add -i to nist: 'Nisti'.
- For 'He/She/It is not', use 'Nist' alone.
Overview
In Persian, expressing "is not" or "are not" is fundamental for clear communication, yet it employs a unique grammatical structure. Unlike many languages that might simply add a negative particle to the verb "to be," Persian uses a special, entirely distinct verb form: nist (نیست). This verb is the negative counterpart to the positive verb hast (هست), meaning "is" or "exists," and its conjugated forms like ast (است), "is." Understanding nist is critical at the A1 level because it allows you to deny states, identities, and locations, forming the basis of many declarative and interrogative sentences.
For instance, if you need to state این چای نیست (īn chāy nīst), "This is not tea," you directly utilize nist rather than attempting to negate the positive verb form ast (است).
The distinct nature of nist means it does not follow the regular pattern of verb negation in Persian, where a prefix like na- (نَـ) or ne- (نِـ) is typically added to the verb stem. Instead, nist is an example of suppletion, where an unrelated word replaces the expected form in a paradigm. This makes it a foundational element of Persian grammar that learners must internalize early.
Its mastery empowers you to accurately reflect reality, distinguishing what is from what is not in a linguistically correct and natural manner. Without nist, your ability to express disagreement, clarify facts, or simply describe the absence of something remains severely limited.
How This Grammar Works
ne- (نِـ), as seen in نمیروم (nemī-ravam), "I don't go," derived from رفتن (raftan), "to go." However, the verb "to be" (بودن, budan) is an exception. Its present tense positive forms, such as هستم (hastam, "I am") or است (ast, "is"), do not get negated with ne-.nist- (نیستـ).nist- stem and then append the appropriate personal ending.na- or ne- in front of nist, as the negativity is inherent within the stem itself. For example, to say "I am not," you combine nist- with the first-person singular ending -am (ـَم) to form نیستم (nīstam). This concise structure eliminates ambiguity and aligns with native speaker patterns, making nist a powerful and efficient negation tool.Formation Pattern
nist (نیست). To this stem, you attach the same set of personal endings used for regular present tense verbs, with a crucial difference in the third-person singular. Remember that the negative marker na- or ne- is never used with nist itself; the stem inherently carries the negative meaning.
nist (نیست).
nīstam | I am not |
nīstī | You are not (inf.) |
nīst | He/She/It is not |
nīstīm | We are not |
nīstīd | You are not (form.)|
nīstand | They are not |
nist (نیست) requires no ending, making it one of the simplest forms to remember. This form also serves as the default for denying the existence of something, translating to "there is not." For instance, اینجا ماشین نیست (īnjā māshīn nīst), "There is no car here." In spoken and informal Persian, especially in Tehran, the third-person plural nistand (نیستند) is very frequently pronounced and written as nistan (نیستن), omitting the final 'd' sound for fluidity. Similarly, nistīd (نیستید) might occasionally become nistīn (نیستین), particularly in rapid speech.
من دانشجو نیستم. (man dāneshjū nīstam.) – I am not a student.
تو خسته نیستی. (to khaste nīstī.) – You are not tired.
آنها اینجا نیستند. (ānhā īnjā nīstand.) – They are not here.
When To Use It
nist and its conjugated forms whenever you need to deny a state, an identity, a characteristic, a location, or the existence of something in the present tense. It is exclusively for negating the verb "to be." Its versatility makes it indispensable for A1 learners.nist is your tool.هوا خوب نیست.(havā khūb nīst.) – The weather is not good.این کتاب جالب نیست.(īn ketāb jāleb nīst.) – This book is not interesting.
او دکتر نیست.(ū doktor nīst.) – He/She is not a doctor.من ایرانی نیستم.(man īrānī nīstam.) – I am not Iranian.
علی در خانه نیست.(Alī dar khāne nīst.) – Ali is not at home.کلید روی میز نیست.(kelīd rū-ye mīz nīst.) – The key is not on the table.
nist (نیست) is used to express non-existence, often translating to "there isn't" or "there are no."پول نیست.(pūl nīst.) – There is no money. (Literally: Money is not.)اینجا کسی نیست.(īnjā kasī nīst.) – There is no one here.
nist can also be used in short responses or to express disagreement. For example, if someone asks کتابت اینجا است؟ (ketābat īnjā ast?), "Is your book here?" a simple نیست (nīst), "It isn't," is a natural and complete response.nist means it permeates daily conversation, allowing you to establish facts and set boundaries. It is the direct equivalent of "am not," "is not," and "are not" in English for present tense contexts.When Not To Use It
nist is as crucial as knowing when to use it, preventing common errors for A1 learners. Nist is exclusively for negating the present tense of the verb "to be." Do not apply it to other verbs or tenses.Nist is not used to negate action verbs like "to go," "to eat," "to speak," or "to do." For these verbs, Persian uses the standard negative prefixes na- or ne- appended to the verb stem.- Incorrect:
من نمیخورم نیستم.(Attempting to say "I don't eat.") - Correct:
من نمیخورم.(man nemī-khoram.) – I don't eat. (Fromخوردن,khordan, "to eat," withne-prefix)
- Incorrect:
او کار نمیکند نیست.(Attempting to say "He doesn't work.") - Correct:
او کار نمیکند.(ū kār nemī-konad.) – He doesn't work. (Fromکردن,kardan, "to do," withne-prefix)
داشتن, dāshtan): The verb "to have" has its own distinct negation pattern, using na- before the verb stem dār-.- Incorrect:
من ماشین نیستم.(Attempting to say "I don't have a car." This literally means "I am not a car.") - Correct:
من ماشین ندارم.(man māshīn nadāram.) – I don't have a car. (Fromداشتن,dāshtan, "to have," withna-prefix)
بودن, budan): Nist is strictly present tense. For "was not" or "were not," Persian uses nabūd (نبود) and its conjugated forms, which do follow the na- prefix pattern applied to the past stem būd-.- Incorrect:
او دیروز اینجا نیست.(Attempting to say "He was not here yesterday.") - Correct:
او دیروز اینجا نبود.(ū dīrūz īnjā nabūd.) – He was not here yesterday.
nist can mean "it isn't" as a short answer, the general standalone word for "no" is na (نَه). Do not use nist in isolation when na is sufficient and more appropriate for a simple negative response.- If someone asks:
چای میخوری؟(chāy mī-khorī?), "Do you drink tea?" - Correct:
نَه.(na.) – No. - Incorrect:
نیست.(This would sound like "It isn't" rather than a direct "no.")
nist is applied accurately, making your Persian sound more natural and avoiding fundamental grammatical errors.Common Mistakes
nist. These errors typically stem from trying to apply English grammatical logic or overgeneralizing other Persian negation patterns. Understanding these common mistakes, and more importantly, why they occur, will help you avoid them.na or ne with nist: The most prevalent error is attempting to prefix na- or ne- to nist, resulting in constructions like نانیستم (nā nīstam) or نمینیستم (nemī nīstam). This is incorrect because nist already contains the negation within its stem. Its meaning is inherently "is not." Adding another negative prefix is redundant and grammatically nonsensical, akin to saying "I not am not" in English.- Incorrect:
من ناخسته هستم.(Trying to say "I am not tired.") - Correct:
من خسته نیستم.(man khaste nīstam.) – I am not tired.
nist itself is the third-person singular form, learners often generalize this and omit endings for other persons, leading to phrases like من نِست (man nist) instead of من نیستم (man nīstam). This is comparable to saying "I is not" in English. The personal endings are crucial for indicating the subject.- Incorrect:
ما اینجا نیست.(Trying to say "We are not here.") - Correct:
ما اینجا نیستیم.(mā īnjā nīstīm.) – We are not here.
nist with na (standalone 'no'): As discussed, na is the direct equivalent of "no" as an interjection. Nist means "it is not" or "there isn't." Using nist as a general "no" can sound unnatural or ambiguous.- If asked,
قهوه مینوشید؟(ghahve mī-nūshīd?), "Do you drink coffee?" - Incorrect:
نیست. - Correct:
نَه.(na.) – No.
nist to Past Tense: Nist is strictly present tense. Trying to use it for past negation, like دیروز اینجا نیستم (dīrūz īnjā nīstam) for "I was not here yesterday," is a significant temporal error. Persian has a separate verb form for past tense negation of "to be," which is nabūd (نبود) and its conjugations.- Incorrect:
کتاب روی میز نیست دیروز. - Correct:
کتاب روی میز نبود دیروز.(ketāb rū-ye mīz nabūd dīrūz.) – The book was not on the table yesterday.
nist for "don't have": This is a direct transfer error from English. "I don't have" is ندارم (nadāram) in Persian, using the negated form of داشتن (dāshtan, "to have"). Using nist here changes the meaning entirely.- Incorrect:
من خواهر نیستم.(This means "I am not a sister," not "I don't have a sister.") - Correct:
من خواهر ندارم.(man khāhar nadāram.) – I don't have a sister.
nist from other negation patterns and understanding its specific function for the present tense "to be," you can avoid these common pitfalls and develop more accurate Persian.Real Conversations
In authentic Persian interactions, nist is pervasive. It appears in casual chats, formal discussions, and even in digital communication, often reflecting colloquial nuances. Its ability to deny or correct information makes it a cornerstone of conversational flow. Here's how you might encounter nist in various real-world contexts:
1. Everyday Spoken Persian:
- هوا سرد نیست. (havā sard nīst.) – The weather isn't cold. (A simple observation.)
- این قهوه گرم نیست، سرد است. (īn ghahve garm nīst, sard ast.) – This coffee isn't hot, it's cold. (Correcting a perceived state.)
- فاطمه امروز سر کار نیست. (Fāteme emrūz sar-e kār nīst.) – Fatemeh isn't at work today. (Explaining someone's absence.)
2. Informal and Texting (often omitting 'd' in 3rd plural): The fluidity of spoken Persian often leads to dropped consonants, especially the final d in nistand (نیستند).
- بچه ها خسته نیستن. (bache-hā khaste nīstan.) – The kids aren't tired. (Colloquial nistan instead of nistand)
- اونا هنوز حاضر نیستن. (ūnā hanūz hāzer nīstan.) – They aren't ready yet. (Common in text messages: nisTn or nistan)
3. Setting Expectations or Boundaries: Nist is vital for clearly stating what is or isn't possible, available, or acceptable.
- متأسفانه این اندازه موجود نیست. (mota'assefāne īn andāze mowjūd nīst.) – Unfortunately, this size is not available. (In a shop.)
- من مسئول این کار نیستم. (man mas'ūl-e īn kār nīstam.) – I am not responsible for this task. (Setting a boundary.)
4. Expressing Disagreement or Correction: When someone states something incorrect, nist provides the immediate linguistic tool for correction.
- نه، این درست نیست. (na, īn dorost nīst.) – No, this is not correct. (A direct contradiction.)
- اون ماشین من نیست. (ūn māshīn-e man nīst.) – That's not my car. (Clarifying ownership.)
5. Cultural Nuance: Bad nist (بد نیست): A very common and culturally interesting phrase is بد نیست (bad nīst), literally "it is not bad." This phrase often means "it's okay" or "it's not great, but acceptable," rather than a strong positive. It is a subtle way to give a neutral or slightly positive assessment without being overly enthusiastic.
- غذا چطور بود؟ بد نبود. (ghazā chetor būd? bad nabūd.) – How was the food? It wasn't bad. (Neutral positive.)
Observing and imitating these natural usages will enhance your fluency and comprehension, moving you beyond textbook examples to genuine communicative competence.
Progressive Practice
To effectively internalize nist and its conjugations, integrate it into your regular practice. Start with simple sentences and gradually introduce more complex scenarios. The goal is to make the correct usage automatic.
1. Focused Memorization and Recall:
- Flashcards: Create flashcards for each nist conjugation (e.g., نیستم on one side, "I am not" on the other). Include a simple example sentence on the "I am not" side. Practice recalling both the Persian and the English meaning.
- Conjugation Drills: Regularly recite the full conjugation table: nistam, nīstī, nīst, nīstīm, nīstīd, nīstand. Focus on the subtle differences in endings and pronunciation.
2. Constructing Simple Sentences: Begin by negating basic statements about yourself, objects, or locations.
- Self-Identity: من معلم نیستم. (man mo'allem nīstam.) – I am not a teacher.
- Object Attributes: این میز بزرگ نیست. (īn mīz bozorg nīst.) – This table is not big.
- Location: شما در تهران نیستید. (shomā dar Tehrān nīstīd.) – You are not in Tehran.
3. Answering Questions Negatively: Practice responding to simple "yes/no" questions using nist forms. This trains you to spontaneously use the correct negation.
- Q: آیا شما دانشجو هستید؟ (āyā shomā dāneshjū hastīd?) – Are you a student?
- A: نه، دانشجو نیستم. (na, dāneshjū nīstam.) – No, I am not a student.
- Q: اینجا کسی هست؟ (īnjā kasī hast?) – Is anyone here?
- A: نه، کسی نیست. (na, kasī nīst.) – No, no one is here.
4. Differentiating from Other Negations: Crucially, practice scenarios where you need to choose between nist and other negation methods (e.g., na for general "no," nadāram for "I don't have," nemī-ravam for "I don't go," nabūd for "was not").
- Scenario: Someone offers you tea. چای میخوری؟ (chāy mī-khorī?) – Do you drink tea?
- Option 1 (simple refusal): نه. (na.) – No.
- Option 2 (explaining why you can't): نه، تشنه نیستم. (na, teshne nīstam.) – No, I am not thirsty.
- Option 3 (if you don't have tea): نه، چای ندارم. (na, chāy nadāram.) – No, I don't have tea.
5. Journaling or Self-Talk: Use nist creatively in daily journaling or when narrating your day to yourself in Persian. Describe what things are not, what you are not, or where you are not.
Consistent and varied practice will solidify your understanding and make the usage of nist intuitive.
Quick FAQ
nist, providing concise yet comprehensive answers.nist considered formal or informal?Nist itself is a neutral verb form and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. The level of politeness is primarily conveyed through the choice of personal endings (e.g., nīstī for informal "you," nīstīd for formal "you") and by the overall context of the interaction. For instance, using shomā (شما, formal "you") with nīstīd (نیستید) is inherently more formal than to (تو, informal "you") with nīstī (نیستی).man (من, I) or to (تو, you) with nist?nist already indicates the subject. For example, نیستم (nīstam) inherently means "I am not," making من نیستم (man nīstam) grammatically correct but often redundant in conversation. Omitting pronouns makes your Persian sound more natural and fluent.nist (نیست), directly. It functions universally for singular and plural non-existence. For example, آب نیست. (āb nīst.) means "There is no water" (or "Water is not"), and مغازه باز نیست. (maghāze bāz nīst.) means "The shop is not open."nist be used for questions like "Am I not?" or "Isn't it?"نیستم؟ (nīstam?) means "Am I not?" and نیست؟ (nīst?) means "Isn't it?" or "Is it not?" The word order remains unchanged.na (نَه) and nist (نیست)?Na (نَه) is a standalone negative interjection, meaning simply "no." It's used as a direct answer to a yes/no question without forming a complete sentence. Nist (نیست), on the other hand, is a conjugated verb form meaning "is not," "am not," or "are not." You use nist to negate the verb "to be" within a sentence. For instance, if asked گشنه هستی؟ (goshne hastī?), "Are you hungry?" you can respond with نه. (na.) for a simple "No," or نه، گشنه نیستم. (na, goshne nīstam.) for "No, I am not hungry."nist have any other meanings?nist or nīstī (نیستی) can denote "non-existence" or "nothingness." However, for A1 learners and everyday communication, focus solely on its function as "is not" or "are not."nist different from other negative verbs?Nist is unique because it is a suppletive verb, meaning its negative form (nist-) is entirely different from its positive form (hast-/ast). Most other Persian verbs negate by adding a prefix (na- or ne-) to their existing stem (e.g., ravam (روم, I go) becomes nemī-ravam (نمیروم, I don't go)). Nist does not take these prefixes because the negation is inherent in its stem.nist be used with می- (mī-) for continuous actions?mi- (میـ) is the prefix for the present progressive or habitual aspect of action verbs. Nist is a stative verb (describing a state of being) and does not describe actions, therefore it never takes the mi- prefix. For example, you would not say من می نیستم. (man mī nīstam).nist?na (no) with a positive form of "to be," such as من نا هستم (man nā hastam). This construction is grammatically incorrect and does not exist in Persian. Always remember to use the nist- stem directly for negating "to be."nīst and nīstī in colloquial Persian?nistand (نیستند) frequently becomes nistan (نیستن) by dropping the final d in spoken and informal written Persian, the distinction between nīst (third-person singular) and nīstī (second-person singular informal) is maintained. The endings for ī (-ī) and am (-am) are stable and rarely dropped in a way that changes the meaning or person. So, nīst remains distinct from nīstī.nist and confidently apply it in their Persian communication.2. Conjugation of 'Nist' (Negative Copula)
| Person | Pronoun | Suffix | Full Form |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1st Sing
|
Man
|
-am
|
Nistam
|
|
2nd Sing
|
To
|
-i
|
Nisti
|
|
3rd Sing
|
Ou
|
-
|
Nist
|
|
1st Plur
|
Ma
|
-im
|
Nistim
|
|
2nd Plur
|
Shoma
|
-id
|
Nistid
|
|
3rd Plur
|
Anha
|
-and
|
Nistand
|
Colloquial Short Forms
| Formal | Informal (Spoken) |
|---|---|
|
Nistam
|
Nistam
|
|
Nisti
|
Nisi
|
|
Nist
|
Nist
|
|
Nistim
|
Nistim
|
|
Nistid
|
Nistin
|
|
Nistand
|
Nistan
|
Meanings
The negative form of the Persian verb 'to be' (boodan). It is used to negate identity, location, or state.
Negating Identity
Stating that someone or something is not a specific thing.
“او معلم نیست (He is not a teacher)”
“ما ایرانی نیستیم (We are not Iranian)”
Negating State/Quality
Stating that something does not have a specific quality.
“هوا سرد نیست (The weather is not cold)”
“غذا خوب نیست (The food is not good)”
Negating Existence
Stating that something does not exist in a place.
“او اینجا نیست (He is not here)”
“پول کافی نیست (There is not enough money)”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subject + Noun + -am
|
Man daneshju-am
|
|
Negative
|
Subject + Noun + Nistam
|
Man daneshju nistam
|
|
Question
|
Subject + Noun + Nist + ? (intonation)
|
Ou nist?
|
|
Short Answer
|
Nistam / Nist
|
Nistam
|
|
Plural Neg
|
Subject + Noun + Nistand
|
Anha nistand
|
|
Adjective Neg
|
Subject + Adj + Nist
|
Hava sard nist
|
Formality Spectrum
من دانشجو نیستم. (General)
دانشجو نیستم. (General)
دانشجو نیستم. (General)
دانشجو نیستم (no change, but tone is casual). (General)
The Nist Family Tree
Singular
- Nistam I am not
- Nisti You are not
- Nist He/She is not
Plural
- Nistim We are not
- Nistid You are not
- Nistand They are not
Examples by Level
من دانشجو نیستم
I am not a student
او اینجا نیست
He is not here
این خوب نیست
This is not good
ما خسته نیستیم
We are not tired
شما معلم نیستید
You are not a teacher
آنها در خانه نیستند
They are not at home
این ماشین گران نیست
This car is not expensive
هوا امروز سرد نیست
The weather is not cold today
اگر او آماده نیست، ما میرویم
If he is not ready, we will go
این راه حل منطقی نیست
This solution is not logical
من مطمئن نیستم که او بیاید
I am not sure that he will come
این قانون عادلانه نیست
This law is not fair
این مسئله آنقدر که فکر میکنی ساده نیست
This issue is not as simple as you think
او به هیچ وجه راضی نیست
He is not satisfied at all
اینکه او نیامده، عجیب نیست
It is not strange that he hasn't come
هیچکس در این مورد مقصر نیست
No one is guilty in this matter
این ادعا با واقعیت همخوانی ندارد و منطقی نیست
This claim does not align with reality and is not logical
اگرچه او تلاش کرد، نتیجه مطلوب نیست
Although he tried, the result is not desirable
این رویکرد در شرایط فعلی کارآمد نیست
This approach is not efficient in the current situation
هیچ شواهدی مبنی بر اینکه او دروغ میگوید، نیست
There is no evidence that he is lying
این پدیده در متون کهن به ندرت دیده میشود و رایج نیست
This phenomenon is rarely seen in ancient texts and is not common
آنچه او میگوید، با اصول اخلاقی سازگار نیست
What he says is not compatible with ethical principles
در این بافتار، این واژه مناسب نیست
In this context, this word is not appropriate
این استدلال، هرچند پیچیده، قانعکننده نیست
This argument, although complex, is not convincing
Easily Confused
Learners mix up present and past negation.
Using 'na' as a verb.
Using singular for plural.
Common Mistakes
Man na daneshju
Man daneshju nistam
Anha nist
Anha nistand
Man nist
Man nistam
Nistam man
Man nistam
In nistam
In nist
Ma nisti
Ma nistim
To nistid
To nisti
Nistam khaste
Khaste nistam
Nistam ke beravam
Nistam ke beravam (Wait, this is a different structure)
Anha nistand inja
Anha inja nistand
Nistam-esh
Nistam (no object pronoun needed)
Nistand-an
Nistand
Nist-e
Nist
Sentence Patterns
من ___ نیستم.
او در ___ نیست.
این ___ نیست.
آنها ___ نیستند.
Real World Usage
من خونه نیستم.
این غذا تند نیست.
من آماده نیستم.
این هتل گران نیست.
این عادلانه نیست!
این سایز مناسب نیست.
Drop the Pronoun
Don't use 'Na'
Listen for the ending
Politeness
Smart Tips
Always put the noun/adjective before the verb.
Use the contracted forms like 'nisi' to sound like a local.
Focus on the subject pronoun; the ending usually matches the pronoun's last letter.
Always use the full 'nistand' instead of 'nistan'.
Pronunciation
Nist
Pronounced like 'neest'.
Statement
Man nistam ↓
Falling intonation for facts.
Question
Ou nist? ↑
Rising intonation for questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember 'Nist' as 'Not-Is'. Just add the person ending to the 'Not-Is' block.
Visual Association
Imagine a 'No' sign (a red circle with a slash) hovering over a person. The sign says 'Nist' and the person is wearing a shirt with their pronoun ending.
Rhyme
For 'I am not', say 'Nistam', for 'You are not', say 'Nisti', it's easy as can be!
Story
Ali is a detective. He looks for clues. He says 'This is not a key' (In kelid nist). 'I am not sure' (Man motmaen nistam). 'They are not here' (Anha inja nistand). He solves the mystery using only 'Nist' forms.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences about things that are NOT in your room right now using 'Nist' or 'Nistand'.
Cultural Notes
In Tehran, 'nistand' often becomes 'nistan' in speech.
In formal writing, always use the full 'nistand'.
In poetry, the word order can be inverted.
Comes from the Middle Persian 'nē ast' (not is).
Conversation Starters
آیا شما معلم هستید؟
آیا هوا سرد است؟
آیا آنها در خانه هستند؟
آیا این کتاب مال شماست؟
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
من دانشجو ___.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
آنها خسته نیست.
نیستم / من / خانه / در
شما ___.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Can 'Nist' be used for past tense?
A: Are you tired? B: No, ___.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesمن دانشجو ___.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
آنها خسته نیست.
نیستم / من / خانه / در
شما ___.
Match: Man, To, Ma
Can 'Nist' be used for past tense?
A: Are you tired? B: No, ___.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesnistam / man / khaste
We are not thirsty.
Match them up!
They are not here (spoken/informal).
شما در خانه ___؟ (Are you not at home? - formal)
این غذا خوشمزه نه هست.
nistand / anha / amade
It is not real.
I am not a student.
او ناراحت ___.
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
Yes, for negating 'to be' in the present tense.
That is a colloquial contraction used in spoken Persian.
No, 'na' is 'no', 'nist' is 'is not'.
You use 'nadaram', not 'nist'.
No, it is neutral and standard.
Use 'nistand'.
Yes, with rising intonation.
Forgetting the person suffix.
Scaffolded Practice
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2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
no es / no está
Persian conjugates the negative verb; Spanish uses a particle.
n'est pas
French uses 'ne...pas'; Persian uses a single word 'nist'.
ist nicht
German uses a separate word; Persian uses a fused form.
dewa arimasen
Japanese is SOV; Persian is SVO.
laysa
Arabic 'laysa' has more complex conjugation.
bù shì
Chinese has no verb conjugation.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Grammar Rules
Which? (kodām?) — Making Choices in Persian
Overview Learning to ask questions effectively is fundamental to communication in any language. In Persian, when you nee...
Negating Perfect & Continuous Tenses (nemi-, na-)
Overview In Persian, negation is typically straightforward: the prefix `na-` (نَـ) attaches to a verb to reverse its me...
"I Don't Have": Negating to have (nadāshtan)
Overview In Persian, expressing the concept of "I don't have" is fundamental for A1 learners. While many verbs follow pr...
Saying 'No' in Present Tense (nemi-)
Overview Mastering negation is fundamental in any language, and in Persian, saying "no" to an action in the present tens...
Asking 'How many/much?' in Persian (chand?)
Overview In Persian, asking about quantities or prices is simplified by a single, versatile word: **`chand` (چند)**. Thi...
