This page will delve into the conjugation of light verbs in the Persian language in order to make compound verbs. Light verbs use auxiliary verbs, resulting in many of them having irregular stems, which means you will have to memorize the present stem for these sorts of verbs. A large share of verbs in Persian are light verbs, and therefore these are arguably the most commonly used terms in the Persian language in terms of frequency.

Conjugating Light Verbs

Light verbs are different than that of a usual verb that we learned in the previous three lessons. Light verbs are always supplied with a noun before it, meaning the noun is never conjugated. Kardan (کردن) is the most common example of this, as you can put virtually any noun prior to it and make it a valid compound verb.

Kardan (کردن), "to do"

Kardan (کردن) is the most commonly used light verb in Persian and is incredibly versatile and flexible. It literally means "to do" and can be paired with any noun. For example, the word kār (کار) meaning "work" can be made into a proper verb ("to work") by adding kardan (کردن) after it, making kār kardan (کار کردن).

Kardan (کردن) is the infinitive and can be easily conjugated in the past tense and the future tense as we saw in the previous two lessons. In order to conjugate in the present tense, use the present stem kon (کن) and conjugate from there.

For instance, if one wished to conjugate kardan (کردن) to the present first-person, it would be mikonam (می‌کنم).

Examples of kardan (کردن) compound verbs include:

• sohbat kardan (صحبت کردن) "to converse, speak"

• fekr kardan (فکر کردن) "to think" 

• komak kardan (کمک کردن) "to help"

• etc

Zadan (زدن), "to hit"

Zadan (زدن) is a commonly used light verb in Persian and generally used when the action in question has an active or immediate sense to it. It literally means "to hit" and can be paired with many nouns. For example, the word faryād (فریاد) meaning "shout" can be made into a proper verb ("to shout") by adding zadan (زدن) after it, making faryād zadan (فریاد زدن).

Zadan (زدن) is the infinitive and can be easily conjugated in the past tense and the future tense as we saw in the previous two lessons. In order to conjugate in the present tense, use the present stem zan (زن) and conjugate from there.

For instance, if one wished to conjugate zadan (زدن) to the present first-person, it would be mizanam (می‌زنم).

Examples of zadan (زدن) compound verbs include:

• harf zadan (حرف زدن) "to talk"

• zang zadan (زنگ زدن) "to call" 

• mesvāk zadan (مسواک زدن) "to brush one's teeth"

• etc

Dādan (دادن), "to give"

Dādan (دادن) is a commonly used light verb in Persian and, as the name suggests, used in verbs when the noun is given/provided. It literally means "to give" and can be paired with many nouns. For example, the word javāb (جواب) meaning "answer" can be made into a proper verb ("to answer") by adding dadan (دادن) after it, making javāb dādan (جواب دادن).

Dādan (دادن) is the infinitive and can be easily conjugated in the past tense and the future tense as we saw in the previous two lessons. In order to conjugate in the present tense, use the present stem deh (ده) and conjugate from there.

For instance, if one wished to conjugate dādan (دادن) to the present first-person, it would be mideham (می‌دهم).

Examples of dādan (دادن) compound verbs include:

• ejāze dādan (اجازه دادن) "to give permission" 

• ra'y dādan (رأی دادن) "to vote"

• etc

Shodan (شدن), "to become/happen"

Shodan (شدن) is a unique light verb in Persian in the sense that it used for referring to changes of state or passive actions. It literally means "to become/happen" and can be paired with many nouns. For example, the word tamām (تمام) meaning "completion" can be made into a proper verb ("to complete/finish") by adding shodan (شدن) after it, making tamām shodan (تمام شدن).

Shodan (شدن) is the infinitive and can be easily conjugated in the past tense and the future tense as we saw in the previous two lessons. In order to conjugate in the present tense, use the present stem shav (شو) and conjugate from there.

For instance, if one wished to conjugate shodan (شدن) to the present first-person, it would be mishavam (می‌شوم).

Examples of shodan (شدن) compound verbs include:

• khaste shodan (خسته شدن) "to become tired"

• āghāz shodan (آغاز شدن) "to begin" 

• rad shodan (رد شدن) "to be rejected"

• etc

Dāshtan (داشتن), "to have"

Dāshtan (داشتن) is a commonly used light verb in Persian and, as the name suggests, used in verbs when the noun is possessed/owned by someone/something. It literally means "to have" and can be paired with many nouns. For example, the word vaght (وقت) meaning "time" can be made into a proper verb ("to have time") by adding dāshtan (داشتن) after it, making vaght dāshtan (وقت داشتن).

Dāshtan (داشتن) is the infinitive and can be easily conjugated in the past tense and the future tense as we saw in the previous two lessons. In order to conjugate in the present tense, use the present stem dār (دار) and conjugate from there.

For instance, if one wished to conjugate dāshtan (داشتن) to the present first-person, it would be daram (دارم). (Note that this is one of the very few times mi- (-می) is not added to the beginning of the verb for this particular conjugation.)

Examples of dāshtan (داشتن) compound verbs include:

• hosele dāshtan (حوصله داشتن) "to be in the mood"

• 'alāghe dāshtan (علاقه داشتن) "to be interested" 

• e'temād dāshtan (اعتماد داشتن) "to trust"

• etc

Gereftan (گرفتن), "to get"

Gereftan (گرفتن) is a commonly used light verb in Persian and, as the name suggests, used in verbs when the noun is obtained by an individual. It literally means "to get" and can be paired with many nouns. For example, the word 'aks (عکس) meaning "photograph" can be made into a proper verb ("to take a photo") by adding gereftan (گرفتن) after it, making 'aks gereftan (عکس گرفتن).

Gereftan (گرفتن) is the infinitive and can be easily conjugated in the past tense and the future tense as we saw in the previous two lessons. In order to conjugate in the present tense, use the present stem gir (گیر) and conjugate from there.

For instance, if one wished to conjugate gereftan (گرفتن) to the present first-person, it would be migiram (می‌گیرم). 

Examples of gereftan (گرفتن) compound verbs include:

• pul gereftan (پول گرفتن) "to get money"

• tasmim gereftan (تصمیم گرفتن) "to decide" 

• režim gereftan (رژیم گرفتن) "to go on a diet"

• etc

Usage

While other light verbs do exist and are used occasionally, these are the main light verbs you are most likely to encounter and should be familiarized with. Once you master light verbs, you acquire the ability to be familiarized with the grand majority of verbs in Persian.