The present perfect subjunctive tense describes a completed action in the past that has relevance to present or future (→ perfect aspect) and is based on a hypothetical or subjective attitude rather than the real course of events (→ subjunctive mood). In other grammar references, it is introduced as “past simple subjunctive” or “past subjunctive”. This tense has perfect aspect and is analogous to present perfect indicative. Therefore, it cannot be called “past simple”. Furthermore, it is not the only subjunctive tense in the past and cannot be called “past subjunctive”. Persian’s present perfect subjunctive tense does not have an equivalent in English and has to be be translated with different English tenses depending on the context.
Formation
The present perfect subjunctive tense is formed according to the following pattern:
The conjugation of the auxiliary verb بودن (“budan”; to be) in perfective present subjunctive is as follows:
| 1S | باشم bâšam | 1P | باشیم bâšim |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2S | باشی bâši | 2P | باشید bâšid |
| 3S | باشد bâšad | 3P | باشند bâšand |
Conjugation
Simple verbs
- Verb: رفتن (“raftan”; to go)
- Past participle: رفته (“rafte”; gone)
| 1S | رفته باشم rafte bâšam |
|---|---|
| 2S | رفته باشی rafte bâši |
| 3S | رفته باشد rafte bâšad |
| 1P | رفته باشیم rafte bâšim |
| 2P | رفته باشید rafte bâšid |
| 3P | رفته باشند rafte bâšand |
Compound verbs
- Verb: کار کردن (“kâr kardan”; to work)
- Preverb: کار (“kâr”)
- Past participle: کرده (“karde”)
| 1S | کار کرده باشم kâr karde bâšam |
|---|---|
| 2S | کار کرده باشی kâr karde bâši |
| 3S | کار کرده باشد kâr karde bâšad |
| 1P | کار کرده باشیم kâr karde bâšim |
| 2P | کار کرده باشید kâr karde bâšid |
| 3P | کار کرده باشند kâr karde bâšand |
Negative conjugation
The negative form of the present perfect subjunctive tense is constructed by adding ن (“na-”) before the past participle.
| 1S | نرفته باشم narafte bâšam |
|---|---|
| 2S | نرفته باشی narafte bâši |
| 3S | نرفته باشد narafte bâšad |
| 1P | نرفته باشیم narafte bâšim |
| 2P | نرفته باشید narafte bâšid |
| 3P | نرفته باشند narafte bâšand |
| 1S | کار نکرده باشم kâr nakarde bâšam |
|---|---|
| 2S | کار نکرده باشی kâr nakarde bâši |
| 3S | کار نکرده باشد kâr nakarde bâšad |
| 1P | کار نکرده باشیم kâr nakarde bâšim |
| 2P | کار نکرده باشید kâr nakarde bâšid |
| 3P | کار نکرده باشند kâr nakarde bâšand |
Examples
| فکر نمی‌کنم تو را دیده باشد Fekr nemikonam to râ dide bâšad I don’t think he has seen you |
| فکر نمی‌کنم دوستی داشته باشد Fekr nemikonam dust-i dâšte bâšad I don’t think he has any friends |