Language/Dari/Grammar/Basic-Verb-Conjugation
Introduction
Welcome to the third lesson of the "Complete 0 to A1 Dari Course." In this lesson, we will be discussing basic verb conjugation in the present tense. This is an essential aspect of grammar, which will allow you to express yourself better in Dari. We will also be learning about subject-verb agreement.
Verb conjugation is the process of changing the form of a verb to indicate tense, mood, or other grammatical factors such as person, number, and gender. In Dari, verbs are generally regular and follow predictable patterns when conjugated. Therefore, it is relatively easy to learn Dari verb conjugation with some practice.
Present Tense Conjugation
In Dari, the present tense is used to describe actions that are happening now or are generally true. To conjugate regular verbs in the present tense, follow these easy steps:
Step 1: Remove the infinitive ending "-dan" Step 2: Add the appropriate present tense suffixes for subject-verb agreement.
Here are the present tense suffixes:
Person | Suffix |
---|---|
First person singular (I) | -am |
Second person singular (you) | -ee |
Third person singular (he/she/it) | -ad |
First person plural (we) | -em |
Second person plural (you all) | -eed |
Third person plural (they) | -and |
Here are some examples:
Dari | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
khordan | Khore-dan | to eat |
khore-am | Khore-am | I eat |
khore-ee | Khore-ee | you eat |
khore-ad | Khore-ad | he/she/it eats |
khore-em | Khore-em | we eat |
khore-eed | Khore-eed | you all eat |
khore-and | Khore-and | they eat |
As we can see, the present tense of "khordan" follows a regular pattern in Dari.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement is the grammatical rule that states that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number and person. In other words, a singular subject takes a singular verb form, and a plural subject takes a plural verb form. Let's look at a few examples:
Dari | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
man ketab mikhoram | man ke-taab mi-kho-ram | I am eating a book |
tu ketab mikhoee | tu ke-taab mi-kho-ee | You are eating a book |
u ketab mikhorad | u ke-taab mi-kho-rad | He/She is eating a book |
maa ketab mikhorim | maa ke-taab mi-kho-rim | We are eating a book |
shoma ketab mikhoed | shoma ke-taab mi-kho-ed | You all are eating a book |
unha ketab mikhorand | unha ke-taab mi-kho-rand | They are eating a book |
Note that the verb ending changes depending on the subject of the sentence.
Irregular Verbs
Not all verbs in Dari follow the regular pattern of verb conjugation. Some verbs are irregular and have unique conjugation patterns. Here are some examples:
Dari | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
raftan | raftan | to go |
harf zadan | harf za-dan | to speak |
aamadan | aama-dan | to come |
These verbs have unique conjugation patterns that you will need to memorize with practice.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have now learned how to conjugate regular verbs in the present tense in Dari and understand subject-verb agreement. The conjugation of regular verbs in Dari is straightforward, and with some practice, you can master it in no time. Keep exploring and practicing your Dari to become more confident in your language skills.