A1 Verb System 16 min read Easy

Persian Present Verb Endings: I do, You do (-am, -i, -ad)

Master the six personal verb endings (-am, -i, -ad, -im, -id, -and) to speak in the present tense without needing subject pronouns.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

To conjugate Persian verbs in the present, add -am, -i, or -ad to the present stem.

  • First person (I): Add -am to the stem (e.g., man miravam).
  • Second person (You): Add -i to the stem (e.g., to miravi).
  • Third person (He/She/It): Add -ad to the stem (e.g., u miravad).
Stem + (-am / -i / -ad) = Present Tense Verb

Overview

Welcome to a foundational element of Persian grammar: the present verb endings. These small suffixes, attached directly to the verb stem, are your key to expressing actions happening now, habitually, or in the near future. Unlike English, where you almost always need a separate subject pronoun like "I" or "you," Persian verbs carry this information within themselves.

This characteristic makes Persian a pro-drop language, meaning pronouns are frequently omitted because the verb ending unambiguously indicates the subject. Mastering these endings is an essential first step for any beginner, as they are ubiquitous in daily communication.

At the A1 level, understanding these endings allows you to construct basic sentences about your life, habits, and immediate plans. For instance, if you want to say “I am eating” or “I eat,” the Persian verb will integrate the “I” directly into its structure. This efficiency is a hallmark of Persian, and while initially different from English, it quickly becomes intuitive.

You will find that these same endings form the basis for several other verb moods and tenses you'll encounter later, making this lesson a crucial building block.

How This Grammar Works

Persian verbs, particularly in the present tense, are structured in a highly logical and consistent manner, even though some of their constituent parts can be irregular. The core idea is that a verb's form signals not only the action but also who is performing it. This eliminates the need for explicit subject pronouns in most contexts, contributing to the natural flow and conciseness of the language.
Imagine a single word conveying a complete action and its actor—that's the power of these endings.
To understand the mechanics, visualize the present tense verb as a composite structure, typically involving three main components: a prefix, a stem, and a personal ending. Each part plays a distinct role in conveying meaning. The prefix sets the temporal context, indicating an ongoing or habitual action.
The stem carries the fundamental meaning of the verb, its lexical core. Finally, the personal ending acts as the grammatical anchor, identifying the grammatical person and number of the subject (e.g., first person singular “I,” second person plural “you”).
For example, consider the verb raftan (رفتن - to go). Its present stem is rav- (رو). To say “I go,” you combine the present prefix mi- (می), the present stem rav- (رو), and the first person singular ending -am (ـَم).
The result is miravam (می‌روم). The ending -am explicitly marks the subject as “I,” making man (من - I) often redundant. This inherent subject information within the verb form is what defines Persian as a pro-drop language, mirroring similar structures found in languages like Spanish or Arabic.
Therefore, while man miravam (من می‌روم - I go) is grammatically correct, native speakers more commonly use miravam alone, particularly in informal settings.
This grammatical characteristic is not merely a matter of brevity; it reflects a deep structural principle of the language. The robust inflectional system of Persian verbs provides ample information, making external pronouns less critical for sentence clarity. This contrasts sharply with languages like English, where omitting the subject pronoun would typically render a sentence ungrammatical or ambiguous (e.g., “Goes to the store” is incomplete without a subject).
In Persian, the ending serves as a powerful deictic marker, pointing directly to the actor without further adornment.

Formation Pattern

1
Forming the present tense in Persian involves a systematic process of combining a prefix, the present stem of a verb, and one of six personal endings. This pattern applies to almost all regular and many irregular verbs, making it a cornerstone of your A1 understanding. The critical step is correctly identifying the present stem, which often requires memorization, as it is not always predictable from the infinitive form.
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Let's break down the formation into clear, actionable steps:
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Identify the Present Stem: This is the most crucial and sometimes challenging step for learners. Unlike the past stem (which is easily derived by dropping -an from the infinitive), the present stem often bears little resemblance to the infinitive form. For instance, the infinitive raftan (رفتن - to go) has a present stem of rav- (رو), and neveshtan (نوشتن - to write) has nevis- (نویس). These stems must be learned alongside each new verb. A good dictionary or verb conjugation resource will always provide both the infinitive and the present stem.
4
Add the Present Prefix mi- (می): This prefix is almost universally attached to the beginning of the present stem to form the continuous or habitual aspect. It signifies that the action is ongoing, habitual, or scheduled for the near future. It is a fundamental marker of the present indicative tense.
5
Example: For the stem nevis- (نویس), you get mi-nevis- (می‌نویس).
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Attach the Personal Ending: Based on the subject of the verb, you append one of the six personal endings. These endings uniquely identify the person (first, second, third) and number (singular, plural) of the subject. These suffixes are consistent across nearly all verbs.
7
Here is a comprehensive table of the present tense personal endings, along with their corresponding pronouns, to be attached after the mi- prefix and present stem:
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| Subject Pronoun (Optional) | English | Personal Ending (Formal) | Personal Ending (Spoken) | Example with neveshtan (نوشتن - to write), stem nevis- (نویس) |
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| :------------------------- | :------ | :----------------------- | :----------------------- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
10
| من (man) | I | ـَم (-am) | ـَم (-am) | می‌نویسم (minevisam) - I write / I am writing |
11
| تو (to) | You (sg. informal) | ـی (-i) | ـی (-i) | می‌نویسی (minevisi) - You write / You are writing |
12
| او / آن (u / ān) | He / She / It | ـَد (-ad) | ـه (-e) | می‌نویسد (minevisad) / می‌نویسه (minevise) - He/She/It writes / is writing |
13
| ما (mā) | We | ـیم (-im) | ـیم (-im) | می‌نویسیم (minevisim) - We write / We are writing |
14
| شما (shomā) | You (pl. / formal) | ـید (-id) | ـید (-id) | می‌نویسید (minevisid) - You write / You are writing |
15
| آن‌ها (ānhā) | They | ـَند (-and) | ـَن (-an) | می‌نویسند (minevisand) / می‌نویسن (minevisan) - They write / They are writing |
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Let's apply this to another common verb, khordan (خوردن - to eat/drink), with the present stem khor- (خور):
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I eat/drink: mi-khor-am → می‌خورم (mikhoram)
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You (sg.) eat/drink: mi-khor-i → می‌خوری (mikhori)
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He/She/It eats/drinks: mi-khor-ad → می‌خورد (mikhorad) (Formal) / می‌خوره (mikhore) (Spoken)
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We eat/drink: mi-khor-im → می‌خوریم (mikhorim)
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You (pl./formal) eat/drink: mi-khor-id → می‌خورید (mikhorid)
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They eat/drink: mi-khor-and → می‌خورند (mikhorand) (Formal) / می‌خورن (mikhoran) (Spoken)
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Special Case: Stems ending in vowels. If a present stem ends in a vowel, a glide (usually ـی /y/) is often inserted between the stem and the ending to facilitate pronunciation. This phenomenon is called hiatus resolution and makes the word flow more smoothly.
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Consider āmādan (آمدن - to come), present stem ā- (آ). Without a glide, mi-ā-am (می‌آَم) would be awkward. So, it becomes mi-ā-yam (می‌آیم - I come).
25
Similarly for goftan (گفتن - to say), present stem gu- (گو). mi-gu-yam (می‌گویم - I say).
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This glide is most common with the first and second person singular endings (-am, -i) and sometimes with third person singular (-ad), although the third person often drops the glide in formal speech or adjusts the vowel. For A1 learners, focusing on the y glide for vowel-ending stems in -am and -i is sufficient.

When To Use It

The Persian present tense, formed with mi- + stem + ending, is remarkably versatile and covers a broad range of temporal and aspectual meanings. For an A1 learner, this simplifies things significantly, as one form handles multiple scenarios that would require different structures in English.
  1. 1Habitual or Repeated Actions: This is the most common use. When you describe routines, customs, or actions that happen regularly, the present tense is your go-to. It signals an action that is part of a pattern.
  • Har ruz qahveh mikhoram. (هر روز قهوه می‌خورم.) - I drink coffee every day. (Literally: Every day coffee I-drink.) This sentence expresses a daily habit.
  • Man dars mikhanam. (من درس می‌خوانم.) - I study. (Literally: I lesson I-read.) This implies a regular activity, not necessarily happening at this precise moment.
  1. 1Actions Happening Right Now (Continuous Present): Unlike English, which uses a separate continuous form (e.g., “I am studying”), Persian uses the exact same present tense form to indicate an action in progress at the moment of speaking. There is no separate equivalent to “-ing” verbs in this context.
  • Alan film mibinam. (الان فیلم می‌بینم.) - I am watching a movie right now. (Literally: Now movie I-see.) The alan (الان - now) explicitly marks the immediate temporality.
  • Man ketāb mikhanam. (من کتاب می‌خوانم.) - I am reading a book. (Literally: I book I-read.) The context, often implied by other words or the situation, clarifies that the action is ongoing.
  1. 1Future Actions (Near Future/Scheduled Events): When talking about definite future plans or scheduled events, especially in informal contexts, the present tense is frequently used. This is similar to how English speakers might say, “I am going to the store tomorrow” instead of “I will go.” The certainty or immediacy of the future event allows for the present tense.
  • Fardā be Tehrān miravam. (فردا به تهران می‌روم.) - Tomorrow I go to Tehran. (Literally: Tomorrow to Tehran I-go.) This expresses a definite plan.
  • Emshab bā doostam shām mikhoram. (امشب با دوستم شام می‌خورم.) - Tonight I eat dinner with my friend. (Literally: Tonight with my-friend dinner I-eat.) A planned evening activity.
  1. 1General Truths and Scientific Facts: For statements that are always true or describe universal phenomena, the present tense is the standard.
  • Āb dar 100 daraje jush mīyāyad. (آب در ۱۰۰ درجه جوش می‌آید.) - Water boils at 100 degrees. (Literally: Water at 100 degrees boil comes.)
  1. 1Historical Present: While more advanced, it's worth noting that the present tense can sometimes be used to describe past events vividly, making them feel immediate to the listener. This is common in storytelling or narratives.
In essence, the Persian present indicative, marked by mi- and the specific personal endings, serves as a versatile workhorse for expressing present, habitual, and near-future realities. Its flexibility means that context often plays a crucial role in disambiguating subtle temporal nuances, but for A1 learners, focusing on these core applications will unlock significant communicative power.

Common Mistakes

Navigating the Persian present tense, especially as an A1 learner, comes with its own set of common pitfalls. Awareness of these will significantly streamline your learning process and help you sound more natural.
  1. 1Confusing Formal and Colloquial Endings: This is arguably the most pervasive error for new learners. Textbooks predominantly teach the formal, written forms (e.g., minevisad - می‌نویسد for he/she writes). However, in everyday spoken Persian, these forms are almost never used. The third person singular -ad (ـَد) becomes -e (ـه), and the third person plural -and (ـَند) becomes -an (ـَن).
  • Mistake: Using miravad (می‌رود) in casual conversation. This sounds highly formal and unnatural, akin to speaking archaic English.
  • Correction: Use mire (میره) for “he/she/it goes” in spoken Persian.
  • Mistake: Using miravand (می‌روند) for “they go.”
  • Correction: Use miran (میرن) in spoken Persian.
  • Why it happens: Learners are initially exposed to written forms and find it challenging to switch due to lack of exposure to spoken nuances. Always strive to learn both forms simultaneously.
  1. 1Using the Past Stem Instead of the Present Stem: Persian verbs have two principal stems: past and present. The present tense always requires the present stem. Many present stems are irregular and must be memorized, leading to confusion when learners try to apply the easier-to-derive past stem.
  • Mistake: For kardan (کردن - to do), the past stem is kard- (کرد). A common error is to form mikardam (می‌کردم) for “I do.”
  • Correction: The present stem for kardan is kon- (کن). Therefore, “I do” is mikonam (می‌کنم). mikardam (می‌کردم) actually means “I was doing” (past continuous), a completely different tense.
  • Why it happens: The past stem is regular (infinitive minus -an), making it tempting to use. Emphasize memorizing present stems from the outset.
  1. 1Redundant Use of Subject Pronouns: While grammatically permissible, explicitly stating the subject pronoun (man, to, u, etc.) in every sentence where the verb ending already specifies the subject is redundant in Persian and sounds unnatural, especially in informal contexts.
  • Mistake: Man man ketāb mikhanam. (من من کتاب می‌خوانم.) - "I I read a book."
  • Correction: Man ketāb mikhanam. (من کتاب می‌خوانم.) is correct but still often simplified to just Ketāb mikhanam. (کتاب می‌خوانم.) if the context is clear.
  • Why it happens: English requires subject pronouns, so learners transfer this rule. Persian’s pro-drop nature makes them optional and often omitted for efficiency.
  1. 1Forgetting the mi- Prefix: The mi- (می) prefix is a non-negotiable component of the present indicative tense (with the exception of a few irregular verbs like dāshtan - داشتن - to have, which we'll discuss in related rules). Omitting it changes the tense or mood entirely.
  • Mistake: Saying ravam (روَم) instead of miravam (می‌روم) for “I go.” ravam is a subjunctive form, meaning “that I go” or “may I go.”
  • Correction: Always include the mi- prefix for the present indicative.
  • Why it happens: Learners might simplify or conflate different verb forms, or misinterpret the role of mi-.
  1. 1Incorrect Vowel Marks or Pronunciation: For A1 learners, accurately placing short vowel marks (fatḥa, kasra, ḍamma) and pronouncing them correctly is vital. Misplacing them can lead to ambiguity or miscommunication.
  • Mistake: Confusing minevisad (می‌نویسد) with minevisod (می‌نویسد) (incorrect vowel for the final ending).
  • Correction: Pay close attention to the specific vowel sounds (a, e, o) associated with each ending.
  • Why it happens: Romanization can obscure the precise sounds, and Persian script often omits short vowels in common writing, making it harder for beginners to discern.
By consciously working through these common errors, you'll develop a more accurate and natural command of Persian present verb endings.

Real Conversations

Understanding how Persian present verb endings function in textbooks is one thing; seeing them in action in real conversations is another. Spoken Persian, particularly among younger generations, often employs simplified or elided forms, especially for the third person. This section will bridge that gap, showing you how these grammar rules manifest in everyday interactions, from casual chats to text messages.

Let's revisit the third person singular and plural endings. In formal, written Persian (the kind you’ll find in classical literature or official documents):

- He/She/It goes: می‌رود (miravad)

- They go: می‌روند (miravand)

However, in nearly all spoken contexts, these transform:

- He/She/It goes: میره (mire)

- They go: میرن (miran)

This simplification is not a grammatical error; it's a natural evolution of spoken language for efficiency and ease of pronunciation. It's crucial for you to internalize these spoken forms to sound natural and comprehend native speakers.

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Example 1

Casual Chat with a Friend (third person singular)
F

Friend A

Sārā chi mikone alan? (سارا چی می‌کنه الان؟) - What is Sara doing now?
F

Friend B

Dāre ketāb mikhune. (داره کتاب می‌خونه.) - She’s reading a book. (Note: dāre + present verb is a common way to emphasize ongoing action in spoken Persian, but the mikhune part uses the spoken present ending for khāndan - خواندن - to read, stem khān- - خوان - with u - او (she) subject.)

Here, mikhune (می‌خونه) is the spoken equivalent of formal mikhānad (می‌خواند). If Friend B said mikhānad, it would sound overly formal, almost robotic, in this casual context.

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Example 2

Discussing Plans (first person plural)
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Colleague A

Emshab barname-tun chiye? (امشب برنامه‌تون چیه؟) - What’s your plan tonight?
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Colleague B

Mā mirim resturān. (ما می‌ریم رستوران.) - We're going to a restaurant.

Here, mirim (می‌ریم) is the spoken form of formal miravim (می‌رویم - We go). While miravim is perfectly understandable, mirim is far more common and expected in everyday conversation. The context of emshab (امشب - tonight) clearly indicates a future plan.

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Example 3

Text Message (first person singular & second person singular informal)
U

User

Kojā miri? (کجا می‌ری؟) - Where are you going? (Spoken form of kojā miravi)
R

Response

Miram bāzār. (می‌رم بازار.) - I’m going to the market. (Spoken form of miravam)

Both miri (می‌ری) and miram (می‌رم) illustrate the common elision of the v sound that often occurs in spoken Persian when the stem ends in av- or āy- and is followed by the i or am ending. For A1 learners, it's generally safe to start with the full formal form (e.g., miravam), but be aware that you will hear miram constantly. This phonetic reduction is a natural feature of many languages.

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Cultural Insight

The extensive use of spoken, simplified forms is a key indicator of Tehrani dialect (لهجه‌ی تهرانی - lahje-ye Tehrāni), which serves as the de facto standard for spoken Persian across Iran. While regional accents exist, understanding Tehrani colloquialisms, especially these verb changes, is crucial for effective communication in modern Iran. Learning these nuances is a step towards true fluency and cultural integration, beyond mere grammatical correctness.

Using the present tense for commands (informal): While not strictly part of the present indicative, it's worth noting that the present stem, without mi- and with be- prefix, is used for informal commands. This again highlights the importance of the stem. Boro! (برو!) - Go! (from raftan, stem rav-). Bekon! (بکن!) - Do! (from kardan, stem kon-). While be- often introduces a command, sometimes for very common verbs, even be- is dropped, especially in very casual and direct speech, leaving just the bare stem plus a vowel (boro for be-rav).

Quick FAQ

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions that A1 Persian learners often have about present verb endings.
Q1: Do I really have to memorize present stems for every verb? Is there an easier way?
A: Sadly, yes, in most cases, you absolutely must memorize the present stem for each new verb you learn. There is no fully predictable rule to derive the present stem from the infinitive, as there is for the past stem (which is simply the infinitive minus -an). This is a linguistic reality of Persian.
For example, raftan (رفتن - to go) has the present stem rav- (رو), while didan (دیدن - to see) has bin- (بین), and goftan (گفتن - to say) has gu- (گو). These irregularities are historical remnants and are fundamental to the language. Think of it as a set of unique IDs for each verb's present-tense identity.
Keeping a dedicated vocabulary notebook or using flashcards that always list both the infinitive and the present stem will be immensely helpful. Over time, you will start to recognize patterns and common irregularities, making the task less daunting.
Q2: What's the difference between the verb endings like -am (ـَم) and the possessive endings that also look like -am (ـَم)?
A: This is a fantastic and very common question, highlighting a point of potential confusion. Both verb endings and possessive pronouns (also called pronominal suffixes or enclitics) can appear similar in form, but their grammatical function is entirely distinct.
  • Verb Endings: These attach directly to the verb stem (after the mi- prefix) to indicate the subject of the verb (who is performing the action).
  • Example: mikhoram (می‌خورم) - I eat. Here, -am indicates man (I) is the subject.
  • Possessive Endings: These attach to nouns to indicate possession (who owns something).
  • Example: ketābam (کتابم) - My book. Here, -am indicates possession by man (I).
Don't confuse X with Y: While both use similar phonetic forms like -am or -at, their position in the sentence and the type of word they attach to (verb vs. noun) clearly distinguish them. A verb ending answers

Present Tense Conjugation (Verb: Raftan - To Go)

Person Pronoun Stem Ending Full Verb
1st Sing
Man
rav
-am
miravam
2nd Sing
To
rav
-i
miravi
3rd Sing
U
rav
-ad
miravad

Colloquial Short Forms

Formal Colloquial
miravam
miram
miravi
miri
miravad
mire

Meanings

These endings define the subject of a present tense action in Persian.

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Present Habitual

Actions that happen regularly.

“من کتاب می‌خوانم (I read a book)”

“تو هر روز می‌دوی (You run every day)”

Reference Table

Reference table for Persian Present Verb Endings: I do, You do (-am, -i, -ad)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
mi + stem + ending
miravam
Negative
na + mi + stem + ending
namiravam
Question
aya + mi + stem + ending
aya miravam?
Short Answer
stem + ending
miravam
Negative Answer
na + stem + ending
namiravam

Formality Spectrum

Formal
من می‌روم

من می‌روم (Daily life)

Neutral
من می‌روم

من می‌روم (Daily life)

Informal
من می‌رم

من می‌رم (Daily life)

Slang
دارم می‌رم

دارم می‌رم (Daily life)

Verb Anatomy

Verb

Prefix

  • mi- Present marker

Stem

  • rav Go

Suffix

  • -am I
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Examples by Level

1

من می‌خورم

I eat

2

تو می‌خوانی

You read

3

او می‌رود

He goes

4

من می‌نویسم

I write

1

من نمی‌روم

I do not go

2

آیا تو می‌دانی؟

Do you know?

3

او نمی‌خوابد

He does not sleep

4

من نمی‌بینم

I do not see

1

او به مدرسه می‌رود

He goes to school

2

من هر روز ورزش می‌کنم

I exercise every day

3

تو چرا نمی‌خندی؟

Why don't you laugh?

4

او کتاب می‌خرد

He buys a book

1

او می‌گوید که می‌آید

He says he is coming

2

من فکر می‌کنم که او می‌داند

I think he knows

3

آیا او می‌فهمد؟

Does he understand?

4

من نمی‌توانم بیایم

I cannot come

1

او می‌پندارد که همه چیز می‌داند

He assumes he knows everything

2

هر کس که می‌بیند، می‌گوید

Whoever sees, says

3

او می‌کوشد تا موفق شود

He strives to succeed

4

من می‌بینم که او می‌خندد

I see that he is laughing

1

او همی‌گوید و همی‌خندد

He is saying and laughing (archaic)

2

چنان می‌نماید که او می‌داند

It appears that he knows

3

او می‌ستاید آنچه را که می‌بیند

He praises what he sees

4

هر که می‌آید، می‌پرسد

Whoever comes, asks

Easily Confused

Persian Present Verb Endings: I do, You do (-am, -i, -ad) vs Past Tense

Learners mix up stems.

Persian Present Verb Endings: I do, You do (-am, -i, -ad) vs Imperative

Both use stems.

Persian Present Verb Endings: I do, You do (-am, -i, -ad) vs Subjunctive

Similar endings.

Common Mistakes

✗

mirav

✓

miravam

Missing the personal ending.
✗

ravam

✓

miravam

Missing the 'mi-' prefix.
✗

miravam-am

✓

miravam

Double ending.
✗

miravad-am

✓

miravam

Wrong person ending.
✗

namirav

✓

namiravam

Missing ending in negative.
✗

mi-na-ravam

✓

namiravam

Wrong prefix order.
✗

aya miravam

✓

aya miravam?

Missing question mark/intonation.
✗

budam

✓

hastam

Using past stem for present.
✗

dadam

✓

midaham

Wrong stem for 'to give'.
✗

mi-raftam

✓

miravam

Using past stem in present.
✗

miravad

✓

mire

Over-formal in casual setting.
✗

mire

✓

miravad

Too informal in academic writing.
✗

hamimiravam

✓

miravam

Archaic usage in modern speech.

Sentence Patterns

من ___ می‌خورم.

تو ___ می‌خوانی.

او ___ می‌نویسد.

آیا تو ___ می‌دانی؟

Real World Usage

Texting constant

کجا می‌ری؟

Social Media very common

دارم می‌نویسم

Job Interview common

من کار می‌کنم

Travel common

من به هتل می‌روم

Food Delivery common

من پیتزا می‌خورم

Classroom very common

من درس می‌خوانم

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💡

Stem focus

Always learn the present stem with the verb.
⚠️

Prefix check

Don't forget 'mi-'.
🎯

Colloquialism

In speech, shorten 'ad' to 'e'.
💬

Formality

Use full forms in writing.

Smart Tips

Always check the stem.

raftam → miravam

Shorten the ending.

miravad → mire

Use full endings.

mire → miravad

Remember 'na-'.

miravam → namiravam

Pronunciation

MI-ravam

Stress

Stress usually falls on the 'mi-' prefix.

Question

miravi? ↑

Rising pitch at the end.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember 'AMI': A for -am, M for -i (wait, no), just remember: AM (I), I (You), AD (He).

Visual Association

Imagine a person pointing at themselves (AM), then at you (I), then at a third person (AD).

Rhyme

For I use AM, for You use I, for He use AD, and don't be shy!

Story

I (man) am eating (mi-khor-am). You (to) are eating (mi-khor-i). He (u) is eating (mi-khor-ad). We are all eating together.

Word Web

miravammiravimiravadmikhorammikhorimikhorad

Challenge

Conjugate 3 verbs in 5 minutes.

Cultural Notes

In Tehran, the 'ad' ending is almost always 'e'.

Persian present stems derive from Old Iranian present stems.

Conversation Starters

“

What are you doing?

“

Do you eat meat?

“

Does he work here?

“

Why do you think that?

Journal Prompts

Write about your daily routine.
Describe what your friend does.
What do you think about the weather?
Explain your job.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

من ___ (go).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: miravam
1st person singular.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

تو ___ (read).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mikhani
2nd person singular.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

او می‌رو.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: او می‌رود
3rd person needs -ad.
Make negative. Sentence Transformation

من می‌روم.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: من نمی‌روم
Add 'na-'.
Conjugate 'to eat' (khordan). Conjugation Drill

Man...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mikhoram
1st person.
Match. Match Pairs

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: All
Correct mapping.
Build sentence. Sentence Building

Man / miravam / hotel.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Man be hotel miravam.
Correct word order.
True or False? True False Rule

Present tense needs 'mi-'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Essential rule.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

من ___ (go).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: miravam
1st person singular.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

تو ___ (read).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mikhani
2nd person singular.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

او می‌رو.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: او می‌رود
3rd person needs -ad.
Make negative. Sentence Transformation

من می‌روم.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: من نمی‌روم
Add 'na-'.
Conjugate 'to eat' (khordan). Conjugation Drill

Man...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mikhoram
1st person.
Match. Match Pairs

Match person to ending.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: All
Correct mapping.
Build sentence. Sentence Building

Man / miravam / hotel.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Man be hotel miravam.
Correct word order.
True or False? True False Rule

Present tense needs 'mi-'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Essential rule.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

12 exercises
Select the correct ending for 'We' (ما). Fill in the Blank

ما به ایران سفر می‌کـ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ـنیم
Match the pronoun to its correct present tense verb ending. Match Pairs

Match the subjects to their verb endings.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: من -> ـَم, تو -> ـی, او -> ـَد, ما -> ـیم
Put the words in order to say 'I am eating dinner'. Sentence Reorder

Reorder the sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: من شام می‌خورم
Translate 'They work' into formal written Persian. Translation

Translate the sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: آنها کار می‌کنند
How do you politely ask a stranger 'What are you doing?' Multiple Choice

Select the formal version:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: شما چه کار می‌کنید؟
Fix the verb agreement mistake. Error Correction

Find the correct version of 'من هر روز ورزش می‌کند'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: من هر روز ورزش می‌کنم
Complete the casual spoken sentence for 'They come'. Fill in the Blank

اونا فردا می‌یـ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ـان
Translate 'I am watching a movie right now.' Translation

Select the best translation:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: الان فیلم می‌بینم.
Which verb prefix correctly indicates the present tense? Multiple Choice

Choose the present tense verb:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: می‌روم
Reorder the words to ask 'Do you drink tea?' (informal) Sentence Reorder

Construct the sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: آیا تو چای می‌خوری
Choose the correct spoken form for 'You (plural) go'. Fill in the Blank

شما کجا می‌ر___؟

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ـین
Correct the mismatch between pronoun and verb. Error Correction

تو تهران زندگی می‌کنم. ✗

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: تو تهران زندگی می‌کنی.

Score: /12

FAQ (8)

It marks the present tense.

Most verbs are, but some are not.

Use intonation or 'aya'.

People won't understand the subject.

No, past uses different endings.

It is the standard form.

Yes, colloquial forms.

It is irregular.

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

Present Indicative

Persian uses a mandatory prefix.

French moderate

Présent

Persian is more agglutinative.

German moderate

Präsens

Persian prefix usage.

Japanese low

Non-past

Persian is inflectional.

Arabic partial

Mudari

Persian is simpler.

Chinese none

None

Persian conjugates.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
The Verb 'To Be' (Hastan): I am, You are...
Next
The Rebel Verb: 'To Have' in Present Tense (No mi- prefix!)

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