Persian 'Whoever' & 'Whatever' Clauses (Har ke / Har che)
Har with question words and the subjunctive mood to create powerful, non-specific relative clauses that cover all possibilities.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'Har ke' (whoever) and 'Har che' (whatever) to create indefinite relative clauses that apply to any person or thing.
- Use 'Har ke' + verb for people: 'Har ke mi-ayad' (Whoever comes).
- Use 'Har che' + verb for things: 'Har che mi-guye' (Whatever he says).
- These clauses function as the subject or object of the main sentence.
Overview
Persian non-specific relative clauses, formed primarily with har (هر) meaning "every" or "any," are a cornerstone of advanced sentence construction. These structures enable you to generalize, express universal applicability, or articulate hypothetical conditions concerning persons, things, places, or times without specifying them directly. At the C1 level, mastery of har ke (whoever) and har che (whatever) moves beyond simple translation to nuanced expression, allowing for abstract thought and complex conditional logic, much like indefinite relative pronouns in English.
These constructions are ubiquitous in Persian, appearing in classical poetry, philosophical texts, everyday idioms, and contemporary media. They are not merely grammatical curiosities but fundamental tools for conveying broad statements, universal truths, and situations where the identity of the actor or object is unknown or irrelevant. Understanding the 'why' behind these structures—their function in expressing indefiniteness and conditionality—is key to truly integrating them into your active Persian vocabulary.
How This Grammar Works
har. This creates an indefinite or non-specific reference, turning a question into a broad statement. The phrase har (هر), which typically means 'every' or 'any,' acts as a universal quantifier, applying the subsequent noun or interrogative to all possible instances.ke (که) on its own can function as a relative pronoun ('who,' 'which,' 'that'). However, when combined with har, as in har kas ke (هر کس که), it transforms into 'whoever' or 'anyone who.' This signifies that the action or state described applies to any individual fitting the description. The indefinite nature of these clauses often triggers the use of the subjunctive mood in the dependent verb, indicating potentiality, hypothesis, or a non-factual event.comes refers to a hypothetical future arrival, not a specific person currently arriving. The har ke structure inherently sets up a conditional relationship: If anyone comes, then they are welcome. This grammatical mechanism allows Persian speakers to compress complex 'if-then' conditional statements into more elegant, single-clause structures.har as a universal quantifier, the relative pronoun ke, and the verb's mood is what empowers these clauses to convey sophisticated meanings of indefiniteness, condition, and concession.Har kas ke bekhâhad, mitavânad beyâyad. (هر کس که بخواهد، میتواند بیاید.) — Whoever wants (to), can come.
Har che beguyî, bâvar nemikonam. (هر چه بگویی، باور نمیکنم.) — Whatever you say, I won't believe it.
Har kojâ ke beravî, yâdam hastî. (هر کجا که بروی، یادم هستی.) — Wherever you go, you are in my thoughts/I remember you.
Word Order Rules
Har + [Indefinite Pronoun/Question Word/Noun] + ke (Optional, but common) + [Dependent Clause (Verb in Subjunctive/Indicative)] + [Main Clause]ke (که) acts as a crucial connector, linking the indefinite phrase to its verb. While often omissible in informal spoken Persian, its presence clarifies the clause's boundaries in writing and formal speech.- Initial Position: The
harphrase typically initiates the sentence or a complex sentence's first clause. This establishes the universal scope upfront.
Har dâneshjuyî ke dars bekhânad, movaffaq khâhad shod. (هر دانشجویی که درس بخواند، موفق خواهد شد.) — Whoever studies will succeed.
- The Connector
ke: It generally follows theharphrase immediately. Its function is to introduce the verb that describes the action or state of the indefinite subject/object.
Har vaqt ke nâmeh beresad, to râ khabar khâham kard. (هر وقت که نامه برسد، تو را خبر خواهم کرد.) — Whenever the letter arrives, I will inform you.
- Object Marker
râ(را): If theharphrase functions as the direct object of the verb in its own dependent clause,râmust be inserted directly beforeke. This is a critical marker for clarity, preventing ambiguity.
Har + Noun + râ + ke | Har ketâbî râ ke khândam, jâleb bud. (هر کتابی را که خواندم، جالب بود.) | Whatever book I read, it was interesting. |Har kas + râ + ke (obj.) | Har kas-î râ ke didam, shenâkhtam. (هر کسی را که دیدم، شناختم.) | Whomever I saw, I recognized. |Har kas ke didam, shenâkhtam. (Ambiguous: Whomever saw me or Whomever I saw?)Har kas-î râ ke didam, shenâkhtam. (هر کسی را که دیدم، شناختم.) (Clearly: Whomever I saw, I recognized.)- Resumptive Pronouns: While not always mandatory, a resumptive pronoun in the main clause (e.g.,
uاو,ânآن,ashاش) can enhance clarity and stylistic balance, especially in longer or more formal sentences, referring back to the indefinite subject or object of theharclause.
Har kas ke bekhâhad, u mitavânad beyâyad. (هر کس که بخواهد، او میتواند بیاید.) — Whoever wants to, s/he can come.
Formation Pattern
har, a non-specific reference, a connective, and a carefully chosen verb mood. This section breaks down the process, providing tables for clarity.
har combined with an interrogative word or an indefinite noun, creating the universal quantifier.
Har kas ke (هر کس که) | Any person who | Whoever, anyone who | For people, singular or plural. ki (کی) in informal. |
Har che ke (هر چه که) | Any thing that | Whatever, anything that | For things, actions, concepts. chi (چی) in informal. |
Har kojâ ke (هر کجا که) | Any place that | Wherever, any place where | For locations. |
Har vaqt ke (هر وقت که) | Any time that | Whenever, any time when | For temporal references. |
Har tor ke (هر طور که) | Any way that | However, any way how | For manner or method. |
Har qadr ke (هر قدر که) | Any amount that | However much/many | For quantity. |
Har kudâm ke (هر کدام که) | Any one of them that | Whichever, any one which | For choice from a set. |
Har kas ke dars bekhânad, pas khâhad shod. (هر کس که درس بخواند، پس خواهد شد.) — Whoever studies, will pass.
Har che barâye to bexaram, doost dârî. (هر چه برای تو بخرم، دوست داری.) — Whatever I buy for you, you like it.
ke (که):
ke (که) can be omitted in informal spoken contexts. Its presence formally marks the beginning of the dependent clause.
Har kas ke biâyad… (هر کس که بیاید…) — Whoever comes…
Har ki biâd… (هر کی بیاد…) — Whoever comes…
har clauses, signifying indefiniteness, potentiality, future hypothetical events, wishes, or commands. This is used when the
Formation Table
| Particle | Target | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Har ke
|
Person
|
Subject
|
Har ke mi-ayad
|
|
Har ke ra
|
Person
|
Object
|
Har ke ra didam
|
|
Har che
|
Thing
|
Subject/Object
|
Har che gofti
|
Common Variations
| Full | Shortened |
|---|---|
|
Har kasi ke
|
Har ke
|
|
Har chizi ke
|
Har che
|
Meanings
These constructions function as universal quantifiers, indicating that the action applies to any individual or object meeting the criteria.
Universal Subject
Whoever/Whatever acts as the subject.
“هر که این را گفت، اشتباه کرد.”
“هر چه اتفاق افتاد، گذشت.”
Universal Object
Whoever/Whatever acts as the object of a verb.
“هر که را دیدی، سلام کن.”
“هر چه میخواهی بخر.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Har ke + Verb
|
Har ke mi-ayad
|
|
Object
|
Har ke ra + Verb
|
Har ke ra didam
|
|
Thing
|
Har che + Verb
|
Har che mi-khahi
|
|
Negative
|
Har ke + Negative Verb
|
Har ke na-ayad
|
Formality Spectrum
هر کس که میآید، مورد استقبال است. (Social)
هر که میآید، خوشآمد است. (Social)
هر کی میاد، خوش اومده. (Social)
هر کی اومد، دمش گرم. (Social)
Indefinite Relative Map
People
- Har ke Whoever
Things
- Har che Whatever
Examples by Level
هر که میآید، دوست من است.
Whoever comes is my friend.
هر چه میخواهی بگو.
Say whatever you want.
هر که را دیدی، سلام کن.
Whoever you see, say hello.
هر چه اتفاق افتاده، تمام شده است.
Whatever has happened, it is over.
هر که در این آزمون شرکت کند، باید آماده باشد.
Whoever participates in this exam must be prepared.
هر چه در توان داری به کار بگیر.
Use whatever power you have.
Easily Confused
Learners use them interchangeably.
Har chizi ke is wordy.
Adding ra to things.
Common Mistakes
Ke har mi-ayad
Har ke mi-ayad
Har che ra didam
Har che didam
Har ke chiz
Har che
Har ke-ra
Har ke ra
Har ke man didam
Har ke ra man didam
Har che ke
Har che
Har kas ke
Har ke
Har ke mi-khahad
Har ke mi-khahad
Har che ra
Har che
Har ke-i
Har ke
Har ke-e
Har ke
Har che-ra
Har che
Har ke ra didam
Har ke ra didam
Har che ke gofti
Har che gofti
Sentence Patterns
___ ___ میآید، خوشآمد است.
___ ___ میخواهی بخر.
___ ___ را دیدی، سلام کن.
___ ___ در توان داری انجام بده.
Real World Usage
هر چی گفتی انجام میدم.
هر که این پست رو لایک کنه...
هر که این مهارت را داشته باشد...
هر چه نیاز داری بردار.
هر چه میخواهی سفارش بده.
هر که مرتکب جرم شود...
The 'Ra' Rule
Ta'arof Alert
Don't Translate 'What'
Smart Tips
Use 'Har ke' to sound more professional.
Use 'Har ki' instead of 'Har ke'.
Always check if you need 'ra'.
Use 'Har che' for everything.
Pronunciation
Har
Pronounced like 'har' in 'hard'.
Statement
Har ke mi-ayad, mi-ayad.
Neutral declarative.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Har is 'Every', Ke is 'Who', Che is 'What'. Every-Who and Every-What!
Visual Association
Imagine a giant 'Har' stamp that you put on anyone or anything to make them 'whoever' or 'whatever'.
Rhyme
Har ke is for a person you see, Har che is for a thing to be.
Story
The King said: 'Har ke (whoever) brings me gold, gets a reward. Har che (whatever) they want, I will give.'
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences using Har ke and Har che today.
Cultural Notes
Very common in daily speech.
Used in poetry.
Used in legal documents.
Derived from Old Persian roots for 'every' and 'who/what'.
Conversation Starters
هر که را دوست داری دعوت کن.
هر چه میخواهی بخر.
هر که زودتر برسد، برنده است.
هر چه اتفاق افتاد، گذشت.
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
___ ___ میآید، دوست من است.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
هر چه را دوست داری دعوت کن.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Whoever comes is welcome.
Answer starts with: هر ...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
___ ___ اتفاق افتاد، گذشت.
Which is correct?
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises___ ___ میآید، دوست من است.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
هر چه را دوست داری دعوت کن.
میخواهی / هر / بخر / چه
Whoever comes is welcome.
Har ke
___ ___ اتفاق افتاد، گذشت.
Which is correct?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesهر کس که به اینجا ___، باید کارت شناسایی داشته باشد. (Whoever comes here...)
Match the pairs:
هر چه پیش آید خوش آید
Make the sentence:
___ دوست داشتی بیا.
من نمیدانم چه او گفت.
___ که صبر ندارد، ایمان ندارد. (He who has no patience has no faith.)
What does this mean?
Match context:
هر کتابی ___ که خواندی به من بده.
Order the words:
For a general rule about the future?
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
No, use 'Har che' for things.
Only when the person is a direct object.
It is neutral and used everywhere.
'Har ke' is universal; 'Kasi ke' is specific.
Yes, but they are usually statements.
No, they are invariable.
Yes, it is very common.
No, the rule is very consistent.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Quienquiera
Persian uses a prefix.
Quiconque
French is one word.
Wer auch immer
Persian is more concise.
Dare demo
Persian uses a prefix.
Man-ma
Arabic is more formal.
Renhe
Chinese is not a relative clause.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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