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Verb Stems (Past & Present)
A2Β·ElementaryEvery verb has two stems, the key that unlocks all conjugation
Lesson Overview
12 exercises Β· Level 2
Grammar Explanation
Verb Stems (Past & Present)
Every Persian verb has exactly two stems. Learn them and every tense falls into place, because each tense is built from one stem plus an ending.
Where the Stems Come From
- Past stem = the infinitive minus -an: raftan β raft
- Present stem = irregular, must be learned: raftan β rav / ro
| Infinitive | Past stem | Present stem |
|---|---|---|
| raftan (go) | raft | rav / ro |
| didan (see) | did | bin |
| goftan (say) | goft | goo / g |
| kardan (do) | kard | kon |
| daadan (give) | daad | deh |
| khordan (eat) | khord | khor |
| aamadan (come) | aamad | aa / miaa |
| khaastan (want) | khaast | khaah |
| daashtan (have) | daasht | daar |
| daanestan (know) | daanest | daan |
| tavaanestan (can) | tavaanest | tavaan / toon |
| shodan (become) | shod | shav / sh |
Which Tense Uses Which Stem
| Built from present stem | Built from past stem |
|---|---|
| present (mi + ram) | simple past (raft + am) |
| subjunctive (be + ram) | past continuous |
| imperative (bo + ro) | perfect tenses |
Key Points
- The past stem is completely predictable: drop -an from the infinitive.
- The present stem is not, it's the part you memorise per verb.
- Once you know both stems, you can build every tense in the language.
Examples
| Phonetic | Translation |
|---|---|
| raftan β mi + ram = miram | present stem builds the present |
| raftan β raft + am = raftam | past stem builds the past |
| didan β mi + bin + am = mibinam | I see |