Time Clauses with وقتی که | Farsi Grammar

وقتی که means “when” and introduces the time frame for another event: وقتی که رسیدم، جلسه شروع شده بود “When I arrived, the meeting had begun.” The two clauses may describe simultaneous situations, a sequence, a repeated pattern, or a future event. Their verb forms come from that timeline—not from وقتی alone.

که is optional after وقتی in most modern uses. وقتی رسیدم is especially common in conversation; وقتی که رسیدم can make the boundary more explicit or slightly more deliberate. The general tense system is mapped in Tense Choice in Temporal Clauses.

Timeline map

Relation	Time clause	Main clause	Reading
simultaneous past	past continuous	past event/state	while/when
sequence	simple past	simple past or past perfect	when/once
habit	present indicative	present indicative	whenever
open future	present subjunctive	future-time present	when the event occurs

وقتی که به خانه رسیدم، بچه‌ها خواب بودند.

vaqti ke be khâne rasidam, bachche-hâ khâb budand.

When I got home, the children were asleep. (neutral standard; arrival locates a state)

وقتی وارد اتاق شدم، تلفن زنگ زد.

vaqti vâred-e otâq shodam, telefon zang zad.

When I entered the room, the phone rang. (neutral; sequential bounded events)

Simultaneous and background events

The past continuous shows an activity already in progress when the main event occurred. The simple past marks the interrupting or bounded event.

وقتی رانندگی می‌کردم، ناگهان باران شدیدی گرفت.

vaqti rânandegi mi-kardam, nâgahân bârân-e shadidi gereft.

While I was driving, heavy rain suddenly began. (neutral; background plus event)

وقتی سارا گزارش را می‌نوشت، من جدول‌ها را آماده می‌کردم.

vaqti Sârâ gozâresh râ mi-nevesht, man jadval-hâ râ âmâde mi-kardam.

While Sara was writing the report, I was preparing the tables. (neutral; simultaneous ongoing activities)

💡

Use aspect to show the relationship: an ongoing می‌کردم supplies background; a simple کردم/شد presents a bounded event. وقتی does not decide aspect for you.

Habits and whenever

With present indicative verbs and a repeated context, وقتی often means “whenever.”

وقتی هوا گرم می‌شود، پنجره‌ها را باز می‌کنیم.

vaqti havâ garm mi-shavad, panjare-hâ râ bâz mi-konim.

When the weather gets warm, we open the windows. (neutral; repeated relationship)

وقتی خسته‌ام، قهوه نمی‌خورم؛ کمی راه می‌روم.

vaqti khaste-am, qahve nemi-khoram; kami râh mi-ravam.

When I'm tired, I don't drink coffee; I walk a little. (neutral personal habit)

Future time without English will

For an open future event, Persian commonly uses a present subjunctive in the time clause and a present form with future meaning in the main clause. English uses present after when too, but Persian mood additionally presents the event as not yet actual.

وقتی نتیجه آماده شود، برایت پیام می‌فرستم.

vaqti natije âmâde shavad, barâ-yat payâm mi-ferestam.

When the result is ready, I'll message you. (neutral future; subjunctive time clause)

وقتی به ایستگاه برسی، من جلوی ورودی منتظرت هستم.

vaqti be istgâh be-rasi, man jelow-ye vorudi montazer-at hastam.

When you reach the station, I'll be waiting for you at the entrance. (neutral planned future)

The indicative can occur when a future schedule is treated as fixed: وقتی قطار می‌رسد “when the train arrives [on the timetable].” The choice reflects stance rather than a rigid connector rule.

Clause order and optional که

The time clause commonly comes first and takes a comma. It can follow when the main event is the focus.

با تو تماس می‌گیرم وقتی از جلسه بیرون بیایم.

bâ to tamâs mi-giram vaqti az jalase birun bi-âyam.

I'll call you when I come out of the meeting. (neutral; result foregrounded)

— کی خبرم می‌کنی؟ — وقتی که جواب قطعی را بگیرم.

— key khabar-am mi-koni? — vaqti ke javâb-e qat'i râ be-giram.

— When will you let me know? — When I get a definite answer. (neutral conversation; short time-clause answer)

💡

Omitting که does not change the timeline. Keep it when it helps a long written boundary; omit it naturally in short conversation.

Common Mistakes

❌ وقتی فردا رسیدن، زنگ بزن.

Incorrect — the future time clause needs a finite verb, not infinitive رسیدن.

✅ وقتی فردا برسی، به من زنگ بزن.

vaqti fardâ be-rasi, be man zang be-zan.

When you arrive tomorrow, call me.

❌ وقتی رانندگی کردم، باران در حال می‌بارید.

Incorrect — در حال cannot combine with an inflected می‌بارید this way, and the background aspect is misplaced.

✅ وقتی رانندگی می‌کردم، باران می‌بارید.

vaqti rânandegi mi-kardam, bârân mi-bârid.

While I was driving, it was raining.

❌ وقتی که که رسیدم، تماس گرفتم.

Incorrect — وقتی takes at most one complementizer که here.

✅ وقتی به هتل رسیدم، با خانواده‌ام تماس گرفتم.

vaqti be hotel rasidam, bâ khânevâde-am tamâs gereftam.

When I reached the hotel, I called my family.

❌ وقتی نتیجه خواهد آماده شود، خبر می‌دهم.

Incorrect — the future auxiliary and subjunctive cannot be stacked.

✅ وقتی نتیجه‌ی نهایی آماده شود، خبر می‌دهم.

vaqti natije-ye nehâyi âmâde shavad, khabar mi-daham.

When the final result is ready, I'll let you know.

Key Takeaways

وقتی (که) introduces a time clause; که is usually optional.
Choose aspect and mood from simultaneous, sequential, habitual, or future meaning.
Open future time clauses commonly use the subjunctive, not an explicit future auxiliary.
Either clause may come first; initial time clauses normally take a comma in writing.

Now practice Farsi

Reading grammar gets you part of the way. The exercises are where it sticks — free, no signup needed.

Start learning Farsi →