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The Verb 'To Be' (Boodan)
A1·BeginnerMaster the most important verb in Farsi, boodan (to be)
Lesson Overview
10 exercises · Level 1
Grammar Explanation
The Verb "To Be" in Farsi
The verb "to be" (boodan) is the most essential verb in Farsi. It conjugates differently in the present tense.
Present Tense Conjugation
| Pronoun | Phonetic | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| man | hastam | I am |
| to | hasti | You are (informal) |
| oo | -e / ast | He/She/It is |
| ma | hastim | We are |
| shoma | hastid | You are (formal/plural) |
| oonaa | -an / hastand | They are |
Negative Form (Nist)
| Pronoun | Phonetic | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| man | nistam | I am not |
| to | nisti | You are not |
| oo | nist | He/She is not |
| ma | nistim | We are not |
| shoma | nistid | You are not (formal) |
| oonaa | nistan | They are not |
Difference: -e/ast vs hast
- "-e" or "ast" = is (describing something)
- "hast" = there is / exists
Examples:
- in ketaab-e → This is a book
- ketaab hast → There is a book
Short Forms (Common in Speech)
| Long form | Short form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| hastam | -am | irani-am = I am Iranian |
| hasti | -i | |
| ast | -e |
Examples
| Phonetic | Translation |
|---|---|
| man khoshhaal-am | I am happy |
| to daaneshjooi | You are a student |
| in ketaab-e | This is a book |
| ma irani hastim | We are Iranian |