Meaning
To move from one place to another.
Cultural Background
When a guest is leaving (raftan), the host will often say 'Khoshamadid' (You were welcome) and insist they stay longer, even if they've been there for hours. This is part of Ta'arof. Before someone 'goes' on a long trip, family members often hold a Quran for the traveler to pass under three times for protection. In Persian poetry, 'raftan' often symbolizes the soul's journey back to the divine or the fleeting nature of life.
The 'Mi' Rule
Always remember the 'mi-' prefix for present tense. Without it, 'ravam' sounds like a formal poem or a command.
Destination First
In Persian, the destination (e.g., school) almost always comes BEFORE the verb 'raftan'.
Meaning
To move from one place to another.
The 'Mi' Rule
Always remember the 'mi-' prefix for present tense. Without it, 'ravam' sounds like a formal poem or a command.
Destination First
In Persian, the destination (e.g., school) almost always comes BEFORE the verb 'raftan'.
Spoken vs Written
If you want to sound like a local, say 'miram' instead of 'mi-ravam'. It immediately boosts your fluency credit!
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct present tense form of 'raftan' for 'I'.
من به کتابخانه ______.
The present tense for 'I' (man) uses the prefix 'mi-', the stem 'rav-', and the ending '-am'.
Which sentence means 'They went to the park'?
Select the correct past tense sentence.
'Raftand' is the third-person plural past tense form.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You want to tell your friend 'Let's go!'.
'Biyā beravim' is the standard way to say 'Come, let's go'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: سارا کجاست؟ (Where is Sara?) B: او به بازار ______.
Since we are talking about Sara (she), we use the third-person singular past tense 'raft'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Raftan vs. Amadan
Common Collocations
Travel
- • به سفر رفتن
- • به خارج رفتن
Daily
- • به خانه رفتن
- • به خرید رفتن
Practice Bank
4 exercisesمن به کتابخانه ______.
The present tense for 'I' (man) uses the prefix 'mi-', the stem 'rav-', and the ending '-am'.
Select the correct past tense sentence.
'Raftand' is the third-person plural past tense form.
You want to tell your friend 'Let's go!'.
'Biyā beravim' is the standard way to say 'Come, let's go'.
A: سارا کجاست؟ (Where is Sara?) B: او به بازار ______.
Since we are talking about Sara (she), we use the third-person singular past tense 'raft'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
6 questionsThis is due to historical linguistic changes where the past and present stems evolved from different forms of the same root. It's one of the few irregular stems you must memorize.
Yes, 'raftan' or 'az donyā raftan' (going from the world) is a common and polite euphemism for death.
In formal writing, yes. In casual speech, it is often dropped: 'Miram khoone' (I'm going home) instead of 'Be khoone miram'.
Use the auxiliary 'dāram': 'Dāram miram'.
'Raftan' is simply 'to go', while 'tark kardan' means 'to leave' or 'to abandon' a place or person.
Yes, you can say 'the bus goes' (otoboos miravad) just like in English.
Related Phrases
بیرون رفتن
specialized formTo go out / To exit
بالا رفتن
specialized formTo go up / To increase
از دست رفتن
synonymTo be lost / To pass away
پیش رفتن
builds onTo move forward / To progress
