Language/Iranian-persian/Grammar/Lesson-14:-Past-tense-of-regular-verbs
Welcome to Unit 7, Lesson 14 of the Complete 0 to A1 Iranian Persian Course. In this lesson, we will focus on the past tense of regular verbs.
Past tense in Iranian Persian
In Persian, the past tense is formed by adding a suffix to the verb stem. For regular verbs, this suffix is "-id" or "-ist" depending on the person and number of the subject.
Here is the pattern for the past tense suffixes:
- -id for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person singular
- -im for 1st person plural
- -idim for 2nd person plural
- -and for 3rd person plural
So, to conjugate a regular verb in the past tense, you simply need to add the appropriate suffix to the verb stem.
For example, let's take the verb "khandidan," which means "to laugh":
- Khandidam (I laughed)
- Khandidi (You laughed)
- Khandid (He/She/It laughed)
- Khandidim (We laughed)
- Khandidid (You (all) laughed)
- Khandidand (They laughed)
Note that the suffix "-id" is used for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person singular, which makes it easier to remember than other languages where the suffixes for each person and number may differ.
Here are some more examples of regular verbs in the past tense:
Iranian Persian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
neveshtidam | neveštidæm | I wrote |
kharidim | χaridim | we bought |
shodid | ʃodid | they became |
khabid | χæbid | you slept |
Exceptions to regular verbs
While most verbs in Persian follow the regular pattern for forming the past tense, there are some verbs that have irregular conjugation. Here are some examples:
- Bordan (to go) - رفتن - raftan
- Kardan (to do) - کردن - kardan
- Khoordan (to eat) - خوردن - khordan
It's important to memorize the past tense forms of these irregular verbs since they do not follow the regular pattern.
Cultural tips
In Iranian culture, it is common to use the past tense when talking about a future plan, especially if it is uncertain or dependent on other factors. This is because the past tense in Persian also has a subjunctive mood, which can express doubt, hesitation, or contingency. For example, instead of saying "I will take the bus to Tehran tomorrow," a native speaker might say "I took the bus to Tehran tomorrow," using the past tense to indicate a possibility instead of a certainty.
Another interesting aspect of Persian grammar is the use of participles. In Persian, participles are formed by adding the suffix "-ande" to the verb stem. Participles can be used to form compound verbs, adjectives, or adverbs, and to express complex actions or states.
Practice
Now it's time to practice what you've learned! Here are some exercises to help you master the past tense of regular verbs:
1. Conjugate the verb "neveshtan" (to write) in the past tense for all persons and numbers. 2. Change the following sentence to the past tense: "Man sa'at hafta daneshgah ra mi boram" (I go to university at 7 o'clock). 3. Create a sentence in the past tense using the verb "raftan" (to go).
Sources
Related Lessons
- Conditional Mood
- Most commonly used Adjective
- Feasible
- Come
- Present Tense
- Lesson 22: Complex sentences and conjunctions
- How to Use Have
- Plural
- Lesson 4: Present tense conjugation of the verb to be
- Future Tense