Most Persian Verbs Aren’t Really Verbs
About six months into teaching Persian, I noticed a pattern. My students kept trying to memorize individual Farsi verbs like separate vocabulary items. one at a time, brute force, flashcard after flashcard. And they were struggling. Not because they were bad at memorizing, but because nobody had told them the shortcut.
This guide is part of our Complete Persian Grammar series.
Here it is: roughly 80% of Farsi compound verbs are just a noun or adjective glued to one of about seven “light” verbs (the Persian compound verb system is built on this pattern). Learn those seven verbs and you can construct. or at least guess. hundreds of verbs on the spot. This isn’t an exaggeration. It’s how Persian actually works.
Think about it this way. English has “to work,” “to think,” “to clean”. three totally different verbs with different conjugations. Persian? Kâr kardan (to work), fekr kardan (to think), tamiz kardan (to clean). Same light verb. kardan (to do/make). three times. Change the noun in front and you’ve got a new verb. That’s the entire system.
If you’re new to Farsi grammar, start with my beginner’s guide and verb conjugation overview first. What we’re covering here builds directly on those foundations.
What Exactly Is a Compound Verb in Farsi?
A compound verb (fe’l-e morakkab, فعل مرکب) has two parts: a non-verbal element (noun, adjective, or adverb) plus a light verb. The non-verbal part carries the meaning. The light verb carries the grammar. tense, person, mood.
Gush dâdan (گوش دادن) = to listen. Gush = ear. Dâdan = to give. Literally: “to give ear.” You conjugate dâdan — try it on Jahanshiri’s Persian verb conjugator: gush midam (I listen), gush dâdam (I listened), gush bedeh (listen!). The “gush” part never changes.
This is fundamentally different from how English or French or German build verbs. UT Austin’s Persian reference covers this distinction well. Once you internalize this pattern, your understanding of Farsi sentence structure shifts dramatically. because now you’re not searching for a mystery verb. You’re combining known pieces.
Kardan (کردن). To Do/Make: The Most Versatile Light Verb
Kardan is the workhorse. If you had to pick one light verb to learn first, this is it. Pair almost any noun or adjective with kardan and you probably have a real verb.
Kâr kardan (کار کردن) = to work (kâr = work)
Fekr kardan (فکر کردن) = to think (fekr = thought)
Tamiz kardan (تمیز کردن) = to clean (tamiz = clean)
Shoru’ kardan (شروع کردن) = to start (shoru’ = beginning)
Emtehân kardan (امتحان کردن) = to try/test (emtehân = exam/test)
Dâ’vat kardan (دعوت کردن) = to invite (dâ’vat = invitation)
Qabul kardan (قبول کردن) = to accept (qabul = acceptance)
Tâmâshâ kardan (تماشا کردن) = to watch (tâmâshâ = spectacle/watching)
See the logic? Every noun or adjective in front of kardan turns into an action. Cleaning → to clean. Thought → to think. Invitation → to invite.
In spoken Tehrani Persian, kardan often gets shortened. “Kâr mikonam” (I work) becomes “kâr mikonam”. actually this one stays pretty intact. But “fekr mikonam” (I think) in fast speech sounds like “fekr konam” or even “fekonam” when the speaker’s flying. Understanding these compressions matters for listening comprehension.
Shodan (شدن). To Become: Kardan’s Passive Twin
If kardan is “to actively do,” shodan is “to passively become.” They’re mirror images. Often the same noun pairs with both, creating an active/passive pair.
Shoru’ shodan (شروع شدن) = to start/begin (intransitive. “the movie started”)
Tamâm shodan (تمام شدن) = to finish/end (the food ran out)
Kharâb shodan (خراب شدن) = to break down (kharâb = broken/ruined)
Gom shodan (گم شدن) = to get lost (gom = lost)
Âshena shodan (آشنا شدن) = to become acquainted (âshena = familiar)
Âmâde shodan (آماده شدن) = to get ready (âmâde = ready)
Asabâni shodan (عصبانی شدن) = to get angry (asabâni = angry)
The active/passive pairing: shoru’ kardan = to start something. Shoru’ shodan = something starts on its own. Kharâb kardan = to break something. Kharâb shodan = something breaks. Tamiz kardan = to clean. Tamiz shodan = to become clean. This kardan/shodan mirroring is one of Persian’s most elegant features.
Shodan also literally means “to become” in isolation. Doktor shodan = to become a doctor. Pir shodan = to get old (pir = old). Khaste shodan = to get tired (khaste = tired). Anytime something changes state, shodan is your verb.
Zadan (زدن). To Hit/Strike: More Versatile Than You’d Guess
Zadan literally means “to hit,” but as a light verb it covers an enormous range of actions. most of which have nothing to do with hitting.
Harf zadan (حرف زدن) = to talk/speak (harf = word/speech)
Zang zadan (زنگ زدن) = to call/ring (zang = bell/ring)
Dast zadan (دست زدن) = to clap / to touch (dast = hand)
Ghâshog zadan (قاشق زدن) = to stir (ghâshog = spoon)
Gol zadan (گل زدن) = to score a goal (gol = goal)
Tir zadan (تیر زدن) = to shoot (tir = bullet/arrow)
Ghad zadan (قد زدن) = to grow tall (ghad = height)
The connection to “hitting” is sometimes visible (dast zadan = to strike with the hand = to clap/touch) and sometimes completely abstract (harf zadan = to strike words? = to talk). Don’t overthink the etymologies. Just learn the combinations.
Zadan has a special superpower in slang. Tehrani Persian uses zadan for eating and drinking casually: ye châyi bezanim? (shall we hit a tea? = shall we have tea?). Ghazâ zadim (we hit food = we ate). This usage is very informal but extremely common.
Using “zadan” (to hit) for eating and drinking. “ye chai bezanim?” (shall we hit a tea?). is very Tehran slang. It signals casual friendship. You’d never say this to an elder or in a formal setting. It’s the compound verb equivalent of switching from shoma to to.
Khordan (خوردن). To Eat/Hit: The Receiving Verb
Khordan literally means “to eat” but as a light verb it means “to receive” or “to experience”. usually something unpleasant.
Ghazâ khordan (غذا خوردن) = to eat food (literal use)
Âb khordan (آب خوردن) = to drink water
Zamin khordan (زمین خوردن) = to fall down (literally “to eat the ground”)
Sarmâ khordan (سرما خوردن) = to catch a cold (literally “to eat cold”)
Gul khordan (گول خوردن) = to be deceived (literally “to eat a trick”)
Tof khordan (توف خوردن) = to get spit on (literally “to eat spit”)
Notice the pattern: khordan as a light verb means receiving the action described by the noun. You “eat” the ground (you fall). You “eat” cold (you catch a cold). You “eat” a trick (you get fooled). It’s vivid, slightly violent imagery. very Persian.
Dâdan (دادن). To Give: The Outward Action Verb
Dâdan means “to give” and as a light verb it implies directing something outward.
Gush dâdan (گوش دادن) = to listen (give ear)
Yâd dâdan (یاد دادن) = to teach (give memory/knowledge)
Neshân dâdan (نشان دادن) = to show (give a sign)
Javâb dâdan (جواب دادن) = to answer (give an answer)
Ejâze dâdan (اجازه دادن) = to allow/permit (give permission)
Dast dâdan (دست دادن) = to shake hands (give hand)
Ghol dâdan (قول دادن) = to promise (give a promise)
Compare with gereftan (to take/get), which is dâdan’s opposite: yâd dâdan = to teach. Yâd gereftan = to learn. Javâb dâdan = to answer. Javâb gereftan = to get an answer. Persian loves these give/take pairs.
Gereftan (گرفتن). To Take/Get: The Inward Action Verb
Gereftan is dâdan’s mirror. where dâdan sends things out, gereftan pulls things in.
Yâd gereftan (یاد گرفتن) = to learn (take into memory)
Tasmim gereftan (تصمیم گرفتن) = to decide (take a decision)
Aks gereftan (عکس گرفتن) = to take a photo (take a picture)
Hâl gereftan (حال گرفتن) = to enjoy / have a good time
Gerye gereftan (گریه گرفتن) = to start crying (crying takes hold of you)
Khâb gereftan = to nap / get some sleep
Gereftan in spoken Persian: “migiram” (I take) often sounds like “migiram”. this one doesn’t compress much. But “gereftam” (I took) in fast Tehrani speech becomes “gereftam” or sometimes “gereftam” with the first vowel nearly swallowed.
Kashidan (کشیدن). To Pull/Draw: The Less Obvious One
Kashidan means “to pull” or “to draw” and it appears in compounds you wouldn’t expect.
Naqqâshi kashidan (نقاشی کشیدن) = to draw/paint
Sigâr kashidan (سیگار کشیدن) = to smoke a cigarette (to pull a cigarette)
Dard kashidan (درد کشیدن) = to suffer pain (to pull pain)
Nafas kashidan (نفس کشیدن) = to breathe (to pull breath)
Âh kashidan (آه کشیدن) = to sigh (to pull a sigh)
Sabr kashidan. to be patient / endure waiting
The “pulling” metaphor works surprisingly well once you see it. Breathing is pulling air. Smoking is pulling from a cigarette. Suffering is pulling pain through yourself. Persian is a deeply metaphorical language, and compound verbs are where that shows most clearly.
How to Guess New Compound Verbs
Here’s where the “hack” part gets real. When you encounter an unfamiliar verb, try decomposing it.
You see: estekhdam kardan (استخدام کردن). You know kardan = to do/make. You look up estekhdam = employment/hiring. So: estekhdam kardan = to hire/employ. Done. No memorization needed. just pattern recognition plus vocabulary.
The mental algorithm: identify the light verb (it’s always the second part), figure out the noun/adjective (the first part), combine the meanings. This works for verbs you’ve never seen before.
Building your noun vocabulary becomes more valuable than memorizing verbs. If you know the word for “invitation” (dâ’vat), “respect” (ehterâm), “complaint” (shekâyat), and “effort” (talâsh), you can construct: dâ’vat kardan (to invite), ehterâm gozâshtan (to respect. gozâshtan = to place), shekâyat kardan (to complain), talâsh kardan (to try/strive). Building an Anki deck focused on nouns rather than verbs is genuinely a better strategy once you know the light verbs.
When the System Breaks: Irregular Compounds and Exceptions
Not every compound verb is perfectly predictable. Some combinations are idiomatic. the meaning isn’t obvious from the parts.
Hâl kardan (حال کردن) = to enjoy / have a blast. “Hâl” means “state/condition” and “kardan” means “to do.” “To do a state”? Doesn’t translate. It just means to have a great time. You have to learn this one as a unit.
Del khordan. “to eat heart”? It means to eat with gusto, to gorge yourself happily. Del zadan. “to hit heart” means to feel nauseous. Same body part, different light verbs, completely different meanings.
Some light verbs have overlapping territory. Both “zadan” and “kardan” can pair with the same noun but produce different meanings. Harf zadan = to speak. Harf kardan. doesn’t exist as a natural compound. Kâr kardan = to work. Kâr zadan. doesn’t exist either. The pairings aren’t random, but they are fixed. You can’t freely swap light verbs.
About 20% of Persian verbs are simple (non-compound): raftan (to go), âmadan (to come), didan (to see), shenidan (to hear), khordan (to eat, in its literal sense), khâbidan (to sleep). These are high-frequency ancient verbs. They don’t decompose. You memorize them the old-fashioned way. The past tense guide covers their conjugations.
Spoken Persian Simplifies Compounds Even Further
Written: telefon kardan (تلفن کردن) = to phone someone.
Spoken: “tel kardan” or even “tel zadan.”
telefon kardan
تلفن کردن
To telephone someone.
zang zadan
زنگ زدن
To call someone.
Written: mosâferat kardan (مسافرت کردن) = to travel.
Spoken: “safar kardan” or just “safar raftan.”
Tehrani Persian shortens the noun part, swaps light verbs for more colloquial ones, and sometimes drops syllables entirely. Movâzeb bâsh (مواظب باش) = be careful. the compound here uses bâsh (be!) but in rapid speech it becomes “moâzebâsh” as one word.
This is the layer that textbooks miss and that you’ll only pick up through real conversation or immersion. The compound verb structure stays the same, but the surface forms shift. If you understand the underlying pattern, the spoken shortcuts make sense instead of sounding like random noise.
The Seven Light Verbs Cheat Sheet
Kardan (to do/make). active action on something
Shodan (to become). passive change of state
Zadan (to hit). quick or percussive actions, slang for eating/drinking
Khordan (to eat). receiving something, usually unpleasant
Dâdan (to give). directing outward
Gereftan (to take). pulling inward
Kashidan (to pull/draw). sustained or drawn-out actions
Bonus light verbs you’ll encounter: gozâshtan (to put/place. ehterâm gozâshtan = to respect), oftâdan (to fall. ye etefâghi oftâd = something happened), bordan (to carry/take. pish bordan = to advance, lezzat bordan = to enjoy).
Memorize this list. Test yourself by taking any Persian noun you know and trying each light verb with it. Some combinations will exist, some won’t. but the ones that do will often make intuitive sense. That’s the beauty of the system.
See compound verbs in action: daily routine in Farsi shows how these combinations work in everyday life.
Want to see compound verbs in action? The Cook Your Way to Farsi series teaches cooking compounds like ham zadan, sorkh kardan, and dam kardan through real recipes. And in One Scene a Week, Episode 15, you’ll use kitchen verbs in a live cooking scene with a friend.
Build a compound verb: how do you say ‘to decide’ using gereftan (to take)?
Show answer
tasmim gereftan. تصمیم گرفتن (decision + to take = to decide)
What’s the difference between ‘kharab kardan’ and ‘kharab shodan’?
Show answer
kharab kardan = to break something (active). kharab shodan = to break down on its own (passive).
How would you say ‘Shall we have tea?’ using the slang zadan?
Show answer
ye chai bezanim?. یه چایی بزنیم؟ (literally: shall we hit a tea?)
For the full grammar roadmap, head to the Persian Grammar Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are compound verbs in Farsi?
How many light verbs are there in Persian?
What is the difference between kardan and shodan in Farsi?
Can you guess the meaning of new Farsi compound verbs?
What percentage of Persian verbs are compound verbs?
Compound verbs are the single fastest way to expand your Persian. and practicing them out loud is what makes them stick. Work through them with me on Preply and I’ll show you how to build verbs on the fly in real Tehrani conversation.
