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Compound Verbs
A2·ElementaryMost Persian verbs are a word plus a light verb, only the light verb changes
Lesson Overview
12 exercises · Level 2
Grammar Explanation
Compound Verbs
Here's a secret that makes Persian much easier: most verbs aren't single words. They're a noun or adjective + a "light" verb. Only the light verb conjugates, the first part does not take person or tense endings.
The Pattern
noun / adjective + kardan / shodan / daashtan / daadan / zadan / khordan
| Compound | Literal | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| kaar kardan | work do | to work |
| tamiz kardan | clean do | to clean |
| gom shodan | lost become | to get lost |
| doost daashtan | friend have | to like / love |
| sohbat kardan | talk do | to talk |
| fekr kardan | thought do | to think |
| harf zadan | word hit | to speak |
| zang zadan | bell hit | to call (phone) |
| tamasha kardan | watching do | to watch |
| javab daadan | answer give | to answer |
| sarmaa khordan | cold eat | to catch a cold |
| faramoosh kardan | forgotten do | to forget |
| peyda kardan | found do | to find |
| gom kardan | lost do | to lose |
Key Points
- Conjugate only the light verb: "kaar mikonam" (I work), "kaar kardam" (I worked).
- kardan (to do) makes it active; shodan (to become) makes it passive or a change of state. Compare "tamiz kardan" (to clean) with "tamiz shodan" (to get cleaned).
- The negative attaches to the light verb: "kaar nemikonam" = I don't work.
- doost daashtan is the everyday way to say like or love: "doost-et daaram" = I like you.
Examples
| Phonetic | Translation |
|---|---|
| man kaar mikonam | I work |
| doost-et daaram | I like/love you |
| behesh zang zadam | I called him/her |
| farsi harf mizanam | I speak Farsi |
| gom shodam | I got lost |
| sarmaa khordam | I caught a cold |