Every Persian sentence you build follows one rule: Subject-Object-Verb. The verb goes at the end. Always. If you can internalize this, you’ll stop translating from English word-by-word and start thinking in Farsi. These 30 exercises will drill SOV order into your brain until it becomes automatic.
I’m giving you scrambled words. Your job: rearrange them into correct Persian sentences. We start simple. three words. and by the end you’ll be handling 8+ word sentences with time expressions, adjectives, and adverbs.
If you need a refresher on how Persian sentence structure works before jumping in, read my complete guide to Farsi sentence structure first. Otherwise, let’s get to work.
How Persian Word Order Works (Quick Review)
English says: "I eat rice.". Subject-Verb-Object (SVO).
Persian says: من برنج میخورم. man berenj mikhoram. "I rice eat". Subject-Object-Verb (SOV).
The verb always lands at the end. Everything else. adjectives, adverbs, time words. slots in between the subject and verb. Adjectives follow the noun they describe (connected by ezafe). Time expressions usually go at the beginning or right after the subject.
Here’s the pattern:
(Time) + Subject + (Object/Adverb/Adjective phrases) + Verb
Got it? Good. Grab a pen or open a notes app. Write your answers before checking the key.
Section 1: Three-Word Sentences (Exercises 1–10)
These are the building blocks. Subject + Object + Verb. No extras.
Exercise 1: Rearrange: میخورم / من / نان. mikhoram / man / nân
(eat / I / bread)
Exercise 2: Rearrange: دارد / او / کتاب. dârad / u / ketâb
(has / he-she / book)
Exercise 3: Rearrange: میروم / من / خانه. miravam / man / khâne
(go / I / home)
Exercise 4: Rearrange: میخواند / علی / روزنامه. mikhânad / Ali / ruznâme
(reads / Ali / newspaper)
Exercise 5: Rearrange: دوست دارم / من / چای. dust dâram / man / châi
(like / I / tea)
Exercise 6: Rearrange: مینویسد / مریم / نامه. minevisad / Maryam / nâme
(writes / Maryam / letter)
Exercise 7: Rearrange: میبینم / من / او. mibinam / man / u
(see / I / him-her)
Exercise 8: Rearrange: میشناسد / او / مرا. mishenâsad / u / marâ
(knows / he-she / me)
Exercise 9: Rearrange: میپزد / مادرم / غذا. mipazad / mâdaram / ghazâ
(cooks / my mother / food)
Exercise 10: Rearrange: یاد میگیرد / بچه / فارسی. yâd migirad / bachche / fârsi
(learns / child / Farsi)
Answer Key: Exercises 1–10
| # | Formal (ketâbi) | Spoken (Tehrani) | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | من نان میخورم. man nân mikhoram | من نون میخورم. man nun mikhoram | I eat bread. |
| 2 | او کتاب دارد. u ketâb dârad | اون کتاب داره. un ketâb dâre | He/She has a book. |
| 3 | من خانه میروم. man khâne miravam | من خونه میرم. man khune miram | I go home. |
| 4 | علی روزنامه میخواند. Ali ruznâme mikhânad | علی روزنامه میخونه. Ali ruznâme mikhune | Ali reads the newspaper. |
| 5 | من چای دوست دارم. man châi dust dâram | من چایی دوست دارم. man châyi dust dâram | I like tea. |
| 6 | مریم نامه مینویسد. Maryam nâme minevisad | مریم نامه مینویسه. Maryam nâme minevise | Maryam writes a letter. |
| 7 | من او را میبینم. man u râ mibinam | من اونو میبینم. man uno mibinam | I see him/her. |
| 8 | او مرا میشناسد. u marâ mishenâsad | اون منو میشناسه. un mano mishenâse | He/She knows me. |
| 9 | مادرم غذا میپزد. mâdaram ghazâ mipazad | مادرم غذا میپزه. mâdaram ghazâ mipaze | My mother cooks food. |
| 10 | بچه فارسی یاد میگیرد. bachche fârsi yâd migirad | بچه فارسی یاد میگیره. bachche fârsi yâd migire | The child learns Farsi. |
Section 2: Four- and Five-Word Sentences (Exercises 11–20)
Now we add adjectives, adverbs, and simple time markers. Remember: adjectives come after the noun (with ezafe), and time expressions go at the start.
Exercise 11: Rearrange: میخورم / من / بزرگ / سیب. mikhoram / man / bozorg / sib
(eat / I / big / apple)
Exercise 12: Rearrange: امروز / میرود / او / مدرسه. emruz / miravad / u / madrese
(today / goes / he-she / school)
Exercise 13: Rearrange: خوب / فارسی / صحبت میکند / او. khub / fârsi / sohbat mikonad / u
(well / Farsi / speaks / he-she)
Exercise 14: Rearrange: هر روز / میخوانم / من / کتاب. har ruz / mikhânam / man / ketâb
(every day / read / I / book)
Exercise 15: Rearrange: قشنگ / گل / میخرد / مریم. ghashang / gol / mikharad / Maryam
(beautiful / flower / buys / Maryam)
Exercise 16: Rearrange: آهسته / غذا / میخورد / بچه. âheste / ghazâ / mikhorad / bachche
(slowly / food / eats / child)
Exercise 17: Rearrange: دیروز / نامه / نوشتم / من. diruz / nâme / neveshtam / man
(yesterday / letter / wrote / I)
Exercise 18: Rearrange: سرد / آب / میخواهم / من. sard / âb / mikhâham / man
(cold / water / want / I)
Exercise 19: Rearrange: فردا / میآید / دوستم / اینجا. fardâ / miâyad / dustam / injâ
(tomorrow / comes / my friend / here)
Exercise 20: Rearrange: تند / رانندگی میکند / پدرم / خیلی. tond / rânandegi mikonad / pedaram / kheyli
(fast / drives / my father / very)
Answer Key: Exercises 11–20
| # | Formal (ketâbi) | Spoken (Tehrani) | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | من سیب بزرگ میخورم. man sib-e bozorg mikhoram | من سیب گنده میخورم. man sib-e gonde mikhoram | I eat a big apple. |
| 12 | امروز او مدرسه میرود. emruz u madrese miravad | امروز اون مدرسه میره. emruz un madrese mire | Today he/she goes to school. |
| 13 | او فارسی خوب صحبت میکند. u fârsi khub sohbat mikonad | اون فارسی خوب حرف میزنه. un fârsi khub harf mizane | He/She speaks Farsi well. |
| 14 | من هر روز کتاب میخوانم. man har ruz ketâb mikhânam | من هر روز کتاب میخونم. man har ruz ketâb mikhunam | I read a book every day. |
| 15 | مریم گل قشنگ میخرد. Maryam gol-e ghashang mikharad | مریم گل قشنگ میخره. Maryam gol-e ghashang mikhare | Maryam buys a beautiful flower. |
| 16 | بچه آهسته غذا میخورد. bachche âheste ghazâ mikhorad | بچه آروم غذا میخوره. bachche ârum ghazâ mikhore | The child eats food slowly. |
| 17 | من دیروز نامه نوشتم. man diruz nâme neveshtam | من دیروز نامه نوشتم. man diruz nâme neveshtam | I wrote a letter yesterday. |
| 18 | من آب سرد میخواهم. man âb-e sard mikhâham | من آب سرد میخوام. man âb-e sard mikhâm | I want cold water. |
| 19 | فردا دوستم اینجا میآید. fardâ dustam injâ miâyad | فردا دوستم اینجا میاد. fardâ dustam injâ miâd | Tomorrow my friend comes here. |
| 20 | پدرم خیلی تند رانندگی میکند. pedaram kheyli tond rânandegi mikonad | بابام خیلی تند رانندگی میکنه. bâbâm kheyli tond rânandegi mikone | My father drives very fast. |
Section 3: Complex Sentences. 6 to 8+ Words (Exercises 21–30)
Now we’re playing with full sentences: time expressions, adjectives, adverbs, direct objects with را (râ), and prepositional phrases. This is where your SOV muscles really get tested.
Exercise 21: Rearrange: را / کتاب فارسی / من / دیروز / خواندم
râ / ketâb-e fârsi / man / diruz / khândam
(the [marker] / Farsi book / I / yesterday / read)
Exercise 22: Rearrange: با دوستش / هر روز / در پارک / او / قدم میزند
bâ dustash / har ruz / dar pârk / u / ghadam mizanad
(with his friend / every day / in park / he / walks)
Exercise 23: Rearrange: برای مادرش / زیبا / یک هدیه / خرید / علی
barâye mâdarash / zibâ / yek hedye / kharid / Ali
(for his mother / beautiful / a gift / bought / Ali)
Exercise 24: Rearrange: به من / فارسی / معلم / با حوصله / یاد داد
be man / fârsi / mo’alem / bâ howsele / yâd dâd
(to me / Farsi / teacher / patiently / taught)
Exercise 25: Rearrange: در تابستان / میرویم / هر سال / ما / به ایران
dar tâbestân / miravim / har sâl / mâ / be Irân
(in summer / go / every year / we / to Iran)
Exercise 26: Rearrange: امشب / خواهرم / را / فیلم ایرانی / تماشا میکند / آن
emshab / khâharam / râ / film-e irâni / tamâshâ mikonad / ân
(tonight / my sister / [marker] / Iranian movie / watches / that)
Exercise 27: Rearrange: توی آشپزخانه / صبح زود / مادربزرگم / خوشمزه / غذای / میپزد
tuye âshpazkhâne / sobh-e zud / mâdarbozorgam / khoshmaze / ghazâ-ye / mipazad
(in kitchen / early morning / my grandmother / delicious / food / cooks)
Exercise 28: Rearrange: خیلی سریع / نامههای / را / پدرم / قدیمی / خواند
kheyli sari’ / nâmehâ-ye / râ / pedaram / ghadimi / khând
(very quickly / letters / [marker] / my father / old / read)
Exercise 29: Rearrange: هفته آینده / جدید / زبان / میخواهم / من / یک / یاد بگیرم
hafte-ye âyande / jadid / zabân / mikhâham / man / yek / yâd begiram
(next week / new / language / want / I / a / learn)
Exercise 30: Rearrange: با هواپیما / سال گذشته / ما / رفتیم / برای اولین بار / به شیراز
bâ havâpeymâ / sâl-e gozashte / mâ / raftim / barâye avalin bâr / be Shirâz
(by airplane / last year / we / went / for the first time / to Shiraz)
Answer Key: Exercises 21–30
| # | Formal (ketâbi) | Spoken (Tehrani) | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | من دیروز کتاب فارسی را خواندم. man diruz ketâb-e fârsi râ khândam | من دیروز کتاب فارسیو خوندم. man diruz ketâb-e fârsio khundam | I read the Farsi book yesterday. |
| 22 | او هر روز با دوستش در پارک قدم میزند. u har ruz bâ dustash dar pârk ghadam mizanad | اون هر روز با دوستش تو پارک قدم میزنه. un har ruz bâ dustash tu pârk ghadam mizane | He walks with his friend in the park every day. |
| 23 | علی یک هدیه زیبا برای مادرش خرید. Ali yek hedye-ye zibâ barâye mâdarash kharid | علی یه هدیه قشنگ برای مامانش خرید. Ali ye hedye-ye ghashang barâye mâmânash kharid | Ali bought a beautiful gift for his mother. |
| 24 | معلم با حوصله به من فارسی یاد داد. mo’alem bâ howsele be man fârsi yâd dâd | معلم با حوصله بهم فارسی یاد داد. mo’alem bâ howsele behem fârsi yâd dâd | The teacher patiently taught me Farsi. |
| 25 | ما هر سال در تابستان به ایران میرویم. mâ har sâl dar tâbestân be Irân miravim | ما هر سال تابستون میریم ایران. mâ har sâl tâbestun mirim Irân | We go to Iran every summer. |
| 26 | خواهرم امشب آن فیلم ایرانی را تماشا میکند. khâharam emshab ân film-e irâni râ tamâshâ mikonad | خواهرم امشب اون فیلم ایرانیو تماشا میکنه. khâharam emshab un film-e irâniyo tamâshâ mikone | My sister watches that Iranian movie tonight. |
| 27 | مادربزرگم صبح زود توی آشپزخانه غذای خوشمزه میپزد. mâdarbozorgam sobh-e zud tuye âshpazkhâne ghazâ-ye khoshmaze mipazad | مادربزرگم صبح زود تو آشپزخونه غذای خوشمزه میپزه. mâdarbozorgam sobh-e zud tu âshpazkhune ghazâ-ye khoshmaze mipaze | My grandmother cooks delicious food in the kitchen early morning. |
| 28 | پدرم نامههای قدیمی را خیلی سریع خواند. pedaram nâmehâ-ye ghadimi râ kheyli sari’ khând | بابام نامههای قدیمیو خیلی سریع خوند. bâbâm nâmehâ-ye ghadimio kheyli sari’ khund | My father read the old letters very quickly. |
| 29 | من هفته آینده میخواهم یک زبان جدید یاد بگیرم. man hafte-ye âyande mikhâham yek zabân-e jadid yâd begiram | من هفته دیگه میخوام یه زبون جدید یاد بگیرم. man hafte-ye dige mikhâm ye zabun-e jadid yâd begiram | Next week I want to learn a new language. |
| 30 | ما سال گذشته برای اولین بار با هواپیما به شیراز رفتیم. mâ sâl-e gozashte barâye avalin bâr bâ havâpeymâ be Shirâz raftim | ما سال پیش برا اولین بار با هواپیما رفتیم شیراز. mâ sâl-e pish barâ avalin bâr bâ havâpeymâ raftim Shirâz | Last year we went to Shiraz by airplane for the first time. |
Key Patterns to Remember
After doing all 30 exercises, here’s what should feel natural:
1. Verb always goes last. No matter how long the sentence gets, the conjugated verb sits at the end.
2. Time expressions go first (or second). Words like دیروز (diruz. yesterday), هر روز (har ruz. every day), and فردا (fardâ. tomorrow) usually start the sentence or come right after the subject.
3. Adjectives follow the noun with an ezafe (-e) connection: کتاب بزرگ (ketâb-e bozorg. big book), not "big book."
4. Direct objects with را come before the verb. The specific object + را (râ) sits right before the verb: کتاب را خواندم (ketâb râ khândam. I read the book).
5. Prepositional phrases are flexible but usually go between the subject and object.
For more practice with verbs specifically, try my verb conjugation exercises.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Putting the verb in the middle. English speakers instinctively want to say "I eat bread" (SVO). Fight this. In Persian, it’s always "I bread eat."
Forgetting ezafe with adjectives. You can’t just put an adjective before a noun. سیب بزرگ (sib-e bozorg) not bozorg sib.
Misplacing را. It goes directly after the specific noun, before the verb. not at the end of the sentence, not before the noun.
Overcomplicating time placement. When in doubt, put the time expression at the very beginning of the sentence. It works 90% of the time.
What’s Next?
You’ve just trained the most fundamental skill in Persian: building sentences in the right order. This is the skeleton that everything else hangs on.
If you want to keep drilling grammar, head to the Persian Grammar Exercises hub for more practice at every level.
And if you want a tool that gives you instant feedback on your sentence building. not just answer keys you check yourself. ZabanYar has interactive exercises that correct your word order in real time and adapt to your level. It’s what I wish existed when I started teaching.