User:Samtelson/PersianVocabulary

The following is a list of commonly used words/phrases/constructions in Persian (not ordered by frequency), which I will endeavor to update frequently. Examples are provided for most entries, but not their English transliterations (the words themselves have English transliterations, which will hopefully aid pronunciation in the absence of vowel marks). Verbs are listed in their infinitive forms along with their present stem. Be sure to acquaint yourself with basic pronouns/verbs/prepositions before going through this list.

Note: In the transliteration scheme I use, 'a ' denotes the short-vowel while ' aa ' denotes the long vowel.

Miscellaneous notes

 * را is often pronounced as رو, which itself becomes و when speaking fast (and is often attached to the direct object, rather than following it).
 * The Persian subjunctive is used where English (or even Romance languages like Spanish or French) would use the infinitive. For example: "I try to learn" uses the subjunctive form of the verb "learn".
 * The Persian infinitive is used where English would use the gerund. For example: "I like singing" uses the infinitive form of the verb "sing". In such cases the infinitive can act like a noun and take suffixes/prefixes as well. You could, of course, say "I like to sing" and use the subjunctive of the verb "sing", as noted above.
 * For constructions of the type "(noun phrase) is that...", you use "(noun phrase) + in ast ke..." rather than just "(noun phrase) + ast ke...".
 * The unstressed suffix -i (ی) is added to the noun (or noun phrase) that is modified by the relative clause. This rule is not followed for possessive pronouns (independent or suffixed).
 * Example 1: "in ketāb, ke pānsad safhe dārad, kheyli sakht ast" (this book, which has 500 pages, is very difficult). Here the suffix isn't needed.
 * Example 2: "in ketābi ke pānsad safhe dārad kheyli sakht ast" (this book that has 500 pages is very difficult). Here the suffix is needed since the relative clause modifies the noun.