رفتن

رفتن is the foundational motion verb of Persian, traceable to Old Iranian *raft- ("to go, to depart"). Iranian leaving rituals are elaborate: a guest never just says "I'm leaving" without softening it. The standard phrase is "اجازه می‌دید برم؟" (do you give me permission to leave?), and the host responds with "زود رفتی" (you went so soon) even when the guest stayed three hours. The word رفتن sits inside this whole social grammar of leaving. Compound verbs deepen the picture: راه رفتن (to walk) literally fuses "road" and "go," reflecting Persian's habit of building action from physical metaphors. Knowing رفتن unlocks dozens of these compounds.