Irregular verbs and their classification
In Old Persian, verbs had various stems being made from the same root according to certain rules. For example, by adding «-a» to the root «bar» (bordan, to take), we get the present stem «bara» and by converting the root to its weak form «br» and adding «-ta», we get the past stem «brta». The relation between the root and the stems has been lost in the transition of Persian to Middle Persian (and consequently, New Persian) and these rules are no longer intelligible.
Regarding conjugation of New Persian, there are only two stems: past and present. The past stem of a verb is obtained by removing «-an» from the infinitive: bordan → bord. The present stem of verbs follow no global pattern and have to be learned. To facilitate learning, we can classify verbs into groups in which the present stem follows a certain pattern. However, there still remains some exceptions in most groups.
Regular verbs
Historically, there are some suffixes for making new verbs:
- -idan: for making verbs from nouns, present stems… Ex. bus (kiss) → busidan (to kiss), jang (war) → jangidan (to war), raqs (dance) → raqsidan (to dance)
- -estan: similar to -idan but particularly used in middle Persian. Ex. tavân (ability) → tavânestan (can, to be able)
- The causative form of a verb is also made by first adding «ân» and then the verb-maker suffix «-idan». Ex. xandidan (to laugh) → xand (present stem) → xandân(i)dan (cause to laugh, make one laugh), bâvar (belief) → bâvarân(i)dan (cause to believe, make one believe)
The present stem of constructed verbs is obtained by dropping the verb-maker suffix: busidan → bus, xandânidan → xandân, tavânestan → tavân. However, not all the verbs ending in «-idan» are constructed verbs. There are a few verbs that end in -idan but since they are not constructed verbs, their present stem is different. Ex. didan → bin, šenidan → šenav.
The present stem of regular verbs is obtained by dropping the suffix. All the other verbs — including those few verbs ending in -idan — are therefore considered irregular.
Irregular verbs at a glance
NOTES
- The irregular -idan verbs have been highlighted in the following table
- The «(y)» of stems like «gu(y)» appears when an ending is added to. Ex. gu(y) → begu, miguyad
| Verb | Stem | Verb | Stem | Verb | Stem | Verb | Stem | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| âfaridan | âfarin | dorudan | derav | kâštan | kâr | rostan | ru(y) | |||
| afkandan | afkan | duxtan | duz | keštan | kâr | sâxtan | sâz | |||
| afrâštan | afrâz | engâštan | engâr | koštan | koš | šekâftan | šekâf | |||
| afrâxtan | afrâz | fariftan | farib | kuftan | kub | šekândan | šekân | |||
| afruxtan | afruz | farmudan | farmâ(y) | mândan | mân | šekastan | šekan | |||
| afšândan | afšân | farsudan | farsâ(y) | mordan | mir | šekoftan | šekof | |||
| afzudan | afzâ(y) | ferestâdan | ferest | negâštan | negâr | šenâxtan | šenâs | |||
| âludan | âlâ(y) | fešordan | fešâr | nehâdan | neh | šenidan | šenav | |||
| âmadan | â(y) | foruxtan | foruš | nemudan | nemâ(y) | šenoftan | šenav | |||
| âmixtan | âmiz | gaštan | gard | nešândan | nešân | sepordan | sepâr | |||
| âmuxtan | âmuz | gereftan | gir | nešastan | nešin | šetâftan | šetâb | |||
| andâxtan | andâz | geristan | gery | nevâxtan | nevâz | setordan | setor | |||
| anduxtan | anduz | godâxtan | godâz | neveštan | nevis | setudan | setâ(y) | |||
| angixtan | angiz | goftan | gu(y) | oftâdan | oft | šodan | šav | |||
| ârâstan | ârâ(y) | gomârdan | gomâr | pâludan | pâlâ(y) | šomordan | šomâr | |||
| âšoftan | âšub | gomâštan | gomâr | parâkandan | parâkan | sorudan | sorâ(y) | |||
| âsudan | âsâ(y) | gorixtan | goriz | pardâxtan | pardâz | šostan | šu(y) | |||
| âvixtan | âviz | gosârdan | gosâr | parvardan | parvar | suxtan | suz | |||
| âvordan | âvar | gosastan | gosal | paziroftan | pazir | tâxtan | tâz | |||
| âzmudan | âzmâ(y) | gosixtan | gosal | pažmordan | pažmor | virâstan | virâ(y) | |||
| bâftan | bâf | gostardan | gostar | pendâštan | pendâr | xâstan | xiz | |||
| bastan | band | gošudan | gošâ(y) | peymudan | peymâ(y) | xoftan | xwâb | |||
| baxšudan | baxšâ(y) | gozârdan | gozâr | peyvastan | peyvand | xordan | xor | |||
| bâxtan | bâz | gozaštan | gozar | pirâstan | pirâ(y) | xwândan | xwân | |||
| bordan | bar | gozâštan | gozâr | poxtan | paz | xwâstan | xwâh | |||
| budan | bâš | gozidan | gozin | raftan | rav | yâftan | yâb | |||
| čelândan | čelân | istâdan | ist | rastan | rah | zadan | zan | |||
| čezândan | čezân | jastan | jah | reštan | ris | zâdan | zâ(y) | |||
| čidan | čin | jostan | ju(y) | ridan | rin | zodudan | zodâ(y) | |||
| dâdan | deh | kandan | kan | rixtan | riz | |||||
| dâštan | dâr | kardan | kon | robudan | robâ(y) | |||||
| didan | bin | kâstan | kâh | roftan | rub |
Classification
Verbs in -âštan
The verbs ending in -âštan, change it to -âr
| Conforming | Non-conforming |
|---|---|
|
|
Verbs in -ndan
The verbs ending in -ndan, change it to -n
| Conforming | Non-conforming |
|---|---|
|
none |
Verbs in -udan
The verbs ending in -udan, change it to -â(y).
| Conforming | Non-conforming |
|---|---|
|
|
Verbs in -xtan
The verbs ending in -xtan, change it to -z
| Conforming | Non-conforming |
|---|---|
|
|