Where ra stands: the object before the verb
The definite object takes ra and stands before the verb: ketaabesh raa khaand — the book, he read. Oon harfesh raa goft — he said his word. The subject keeps its first place, the verb keeps its last; ra marks the middle. The possessive tail rides on the object: harfet — your word. The indirect one goes with be: be man goft — to me he said. Negation stays inside the verb: nagoft — he did not say; nemigooyad — he does…
How it works
The definite object takes ra and stands before the verb: ketaabesh raa khaand — the book, he read. Oon harfesh raa goft — he said his word. The subject keeps its first place, the verb keeps its last; ra marks the middle. The possessive tail rides on the object: harfet — your word. The indirect one goes with be: be man goft — to me he said. Negation stays inside the verb: nagoft — he did not say; nemigooyad — he does not say. Che shod? — what happened? — leads with the question word, as always.
Table
| what stands where | example | reading |
|---|---|---|
| the subject first | اون حرفش رو گفت | oon harfesh ro goft |
| object + ra before the verb | کتابش را خواند | ketaabesh raa khaand |
| the possessive tail | حرفت | harfet — your word |
| the indirect with be | به من گفت | be man goft |
| negation inside the past | نگفت | nagoft — he did not say |
| negation in the present | نمیگوید | nemigooyad — he does not say |
| the question word first | چی شد؟ | che shod? — what happened? |
| the verb always last | … را نگه داشت | … raa negah daasht |
By example
- قولش را نگه داشت.ghâlesh râ negeh dâsht.His word he kept.
- این صحنه را از یاد نمیبرم.in sahne râ az yod nemi-baram.This scene I do not forget.
- حرفت را به من نگو, به او بگو.harfet râ be man negâ, be u begâ.Do not say it to me, say it to him.
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
Where ra stands: how does it work in Persian?
The definite object takes ra and stands before the verb: ketaabesh raa khaand — the book, he read. Oon harfesh raa goft — he said his word. The subject keeps its first place, the verb keeps its last; ra marks the middle. The possessive tail rides on the object: harfet — your word. The indirect one…
What does it look like in a Persian example sentence?
“قولش را نگه داشت.” (ghâlesh râ negeh dâsht.) — His word he kept. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.