Level: Beginner-Intermediate | Time: 20-30 min/session | Cost: ~$25 | Best for: Grammar study, self-learners who hate linguistic jargon
Is Easy Persian Grammar a good textbook for learning Farsi grammar? It’s decent for beginners — scoring 6.0/10 in our review. The plain-English explanations make Persian grammar approachable in a way that academic references don’t. But thin exercise sections, no audio, and limited coverage of colloquial forms mean you’ll outgrow it faster than you’d expect from a grammar book. Best used as a companion to a main course, not your only grammar resource. Tested January 2026.
The Verdict: 6/10
| Persian Specificity | 7/10 |
| Real-World Usefulness | 5/10 |
| Value for Money | 7/10 |
| Elyar’s Verdict | 5/10 |
What’s In the Book
Easy Persian Grammar takes the intimidation out of Farsi grammar by using plain English explanations and plenty of examples. It covers verb conjugation, noun phrases, ezafe, prepositions, and basic sentence patterns. The approach is accessible rather than academic, aimed at self-learners without a linguistics background.
What Works
The explanations are genuinely easy to follow. Where John Mace uses linguistic terminology, this book uses everyday language. “The ezafe is like saying ‘of’ between two words” is the kind of shortcut that helps beginners grasp concepts quickly. For learners who bounced off more academic grammar books, this is the antidote.
The price is fair for what you get. At ~$25, it’s cheaper than most Persian grammar references. The examples use both script and transliteration consistently.
The Persian Test: What I Actually Learned
I worked through the first 15 chapters over three weeks, doing every exercise and taking notes. The experience was mixed in a revealing way.
What clicked: the ezafe explanation was the clearest I’ve seen in any resource. “Think of it as an invisible ‘of’ connecting two words” — simple and accurate. The verb conjugation tables are well-organized, and the progressive introduction of tenses (present → past → future → subjunctive) follows a logical order that builds understanding.
What frustrated me: by chapter 10, I was craving audio. I could conjugate دیدن (didan, to see) on paper but had no idea if I was pronouncing it correctly. The exercises felt like busywork — fill in the blank with the correct verb form, match the translation. No production exercises, no sentence building, no conversation scenarios.
The book taught me grammar rules. It did not teach me to use those rules in conversation. That’s a fundamental limitation of any text-only grammar resource, and Easy Persian Grammar doesn’t try to overcome it.
Specific Farsi examples I retained: the difference between را (râ) as a direct object marker (کتاب را خواندم, ketâb râ khândam, “I read the book”) versus its absence in indefinite contexts. The book handles this well. But the compound verb section (فعل مرکب) was too brief — three pages for a topic that deserves thirty.
What Doesn’t Work for Persian Learners
The simplicity that makes it accessible also limits its depth. Complex grammar topics get oversimplified. When you hit the subjunctive mood or compound verb patterns, the explanations feel thin. You’ll understand the concept but not the exceptions and edge cases.
Exercise quality is mediocre. The practice sections feel like afterthoughts rather than carefully designed learning activities. And like many grammar books, there’s no audio component, which means pronunciation remains a blind spot.
Layer 2: Textbook-Specific Breakdown
| Script & Transliteration | 7/10 |
| Grammar Explanations | 7/10 |
| Exercise Quality | 4/10 |
| Register Awareness | 4/10 |
| Durability/Progression | 5/10 |
Easy Persian Grammar vs ZabanYar: Side-by-Side
| Feature | Easy Persian Grammar | ZabanYar |
|---|---|---|
| Grammar approach | Explicit rules + examples | Grammar through sentences + SRS |
| Audio | None | Native speaker recordings |
| Exercises | Basic fill-in-blank | Multiple types with instant feedback |
| Persian alphabet | Not covered | Full 32-letter course |
| Colloquial forms | Minimal | Both registers taught |
| Cost | ~$25 one-time | Free (core features) |
| Format | Physical book / PDF | Mobile app |
Use Easy Persian Grammar when you need a rule explained clearly in English. Use ZabanYar for daily practice that internalizes those rules through repetition. The combination works: read the grammar explanation in the book, then drill it through ZabanYar’s exercises until it’s automatic.
ZabanYar’s limitation: grammar explanations are embedded in context rather than presented as standalone reference lessons. When you need to understand WHY a grammar rule works, the book is better.
For a more comprehensive grammar reference, our Persian grammar hub covers every major topic free online with both registers explained.
Who This Book Is For
Self-learners who want to understand Persian grammar without struggling through academic language. A good companion to a main textbook or app when grammar questions arise. Not a standalone learning resource.
The Verdict
Easy Persian Grammar lives up to its name. The grammar is presented clearly and accessibly. But “easy” and “thorough” are different things. Use it as a grammar companion alongside your main study resource, not as your only grammar reference. When you outgrow it, John Mace’s Persian Grammar picks up where this one stops.
For grammar integrated into daily practice, ZabanYar teaches grammar through sentences, not rules.