Grammar Notes

Farsi Script Basics

مبانی خط فارسی Chapter 1

Farsi (Persian) uses a modified Arabic script written right-to-left (RTL). The alphabet consists of 32 letters. Unlike English, most letters connect to adjacent letters, changing form based on position (initial, medial, final, or standalone).

Direction: Farsi is written and read right-to-left (RTL)

Letters: 32 letters in the Farsi alphabet, based on Arabic with 4 extra letters: پ (pe), چ (che), ژ (zhe), گ (gaf)

Vowels: Short vowels (a, e, o) are usually not written; long vowels (â, i, u) are represented by letters

Connection: Most letters connect to the following letter; some letters (و, ز, ر, ذ, د, ا) do not connect to the left

Ezafe Construction

اضافه Chapter 1

The Ezafe (اضافه) is one of the most important grammatical features in Farsi. It connects two words (nouns, adjectives, proper nouns) using an unstressed '-e' or '-ye' sound, similar to 'of' in English but in reverse order.

Noun + Noun: کتاب معلم (ketâb-e mo'allem) = the teacher's book (book of teacher)

Noun + Adjective: خانه بزرگ (khâne-ye bozorg) = big house

Chain Ezafe: قانون اساسی کشور (qânun-e asâsi-ye keshvar) = the constitution of the country

Rule: After consonants use '-e'; after vowels use '-ye'

Verb Conjugation Basics

صرف فعل Chapter 1

Farsi verbs are conjugated based on the subject. The verb stem changes between present and past tense. Conjugation endings are added to the stem.

Present stem: رفتن (raftan = to go) → رو (rav)

Past stem: رفتن (raftan = to go) → رفت (raft)

I go: می‌روم (miram)

You go: می‌روی (miri)

He/She goes: می‌رود (mirad)

We go: می‌رویم (mirim)

Plural Forms

جمع‌ها Chapter 2

Farsi has two main ways to form plurals: the suffix -hâ (ها) for most nouns, and -ân (ان) for animate nouns (people/animals).

-hâ suffix: کتاب → کتاب‌ها (ketâb → ketâb-hâ = books)

-ân suffix: مرد → مردان (mard → mardân = men)

Animate example: زن → زنان (zan → zanân = women)

Arabic plurals: Some borrowed Arabic words keep their Arabic plural form

Political & Legal Vocabulary Patterns

الگوهای واژگان سیاسی و حقوقی Chapter 3

Farsi political vocabulary often uses compound constructions with key root words. Understanding these patterns helps you build vocabulary rapidly.

قانون (qânun): law → قانون‌گذاری (legislation), قانون اساسی (constitution), قانونی (legal)

حقوق (hoquq): rights → حقوق بشر (human rights), حقوقی (legal/juridical)

دولت (dowlat): government/state → دولتی (governmental), نهادهای دولتی (governmental institutions)

ملی (melli): national → امنیت ملی (national security), منافع ملی (national interests)