Vaqti ke, ta vaqti ke, ghabl az inke: time as a clause
Time clauses lean on ke, and one small choice matters. Vaqti ke — when — takes the plain verb: vaqti bargh oomad, hame khosh-haal shodim. But ghabl az inke — before — and ta vaqti ke — until — take the wishing shape: ghabl az inke beravi, telefon raa bardaar. Baad az inke — after — is happy with the plain verb. Har vaqt — every time — marks the repeated case; haman vaqt ke — at the very moment; az vaqti ke — since…
How it works
Time clauses lean on ke, and one small choice matters. Vaqti ke — when — takes the plain verb: vaqti bargh oomad, hame khosh-haal shodim. But ghabl az inke — before — and ta vaqti ke — until — take the wishing shape: ghabl az inke beravi, telefon raa bardaar. Baad az inke — after — is happy with the plain verb. Har vaqt — every time — marks the repeated case; haman vaqt ke — at the very moment; az vaqti ke — since the moment when.
Table
| meaning | conjunction | reading | example | the trap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| when | وقتی (که) | vaqti ke | vaqti bargh oomad | not a question |
| until | تا وقتی که | ta vaqti ke | ta vaqti ke beresi | the wishing shape |
| before | قبل از اینکه | ghabl az inke | ghabl az inke beravi | the same — wishing shape |
| after | بعد از اینکه | baad az inke | baad az inke oomad | two words + inke |
| every time | هر وقت | har vaqti | har vaqti biyaay | the repeated case |
| the very moment | همان وقت که | haman vaqti ke | haman vaqti ke zad | the emphasis |
| since when | از وقتی که | az vaqti ke | az vaqti ke oomad | the start of the count |
| until now | تا حالا که | ta haalaa ke | ta haalaa ke khaandam | the result by now |
By example
- وقتی برق آمد, همه خوشحال شدیم.vagti barg âmed, hame khâshhâl shâdim.When the power came, everyone rejoiced.
- قبل از اینکه بروی, تلفن را بردار.ghabl az inke berâi, telefân râ berdâr.Before you go, take the phone.
- بعد از اینکه باران آمد, هوا سرد شد.ba'd az inke bârân âmed, hâvâ sard shâd.After the rain passed, it turned cold.
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Vaqti ke, ta vaqti ke, ghabl az inke: how does it work in Persian?
Time clauses lean on ke, and one small choice matters. Vaqti ke — when — takes the plain verb: vaqti bargh oomad, hame khosh-haal shodim. But ghabl az inke — before — and ta vaqti ke — until — take the wishing shape: ghabl az inke beravi, telefon raa bardaar. Baad az inke — after — is happy with…
What does it look like in a Persian example sentence?
“وقتی برق آمد, همه خوشحال شدیم.” (vagti barg âmed, hame khâshhâl shâdim.) — When the power came, everyone rejoiced. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.