The Golden Rule: Verbs Go Last
The golden rule of Persian sentence structure is simple: the verb always goes at the end of the sentence.
While English uses a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) word order (for example, "I read a book"), Persian relies on a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order. Translated literally word-for-word, a basic Persian sentence sounds like "I a book read." (The verbs in these examples carry the prefix می — the present-tense marker, fully explained two lessons from now. For now, just read میخوانم as "I read".)
| I read a book. | من کتاب میخوانم.man ketâb mikhânam. |
| We eat food. | ما غذا میخوریم.mâ ghazâ mikhorim. |
Adding More Details
The subject (who is doing the action) comes first, followed by the object (the thing receiving the action), and finally the verb. When you add details like adjectives or quantities, they attach to the object, but the verb stays firmly at the end.
| My brother eats an apple. | برادر من یک سیب میخورد.barâdar-e man yek sib mikhorad. |
| They watch a new movie. | آنها یک فیلم جدید میبینند.ânhâ yek film jadid mibinand. |
Locations and Questions
This SOV rule remains true even as your sentences grow. If you specify a location, it generally goes between the subject and the object.
| I write a letter inside the room. | من داخل اتاق نامه مینویسم.man dâkhel-e otâq nâme minevisam. |
The same word order holds true for questions. Notice how the verb remains at the very end, even when turning a regular statement into a yes/no question.
| Do you read a newspaper? | آیا شما روزنامه میخوانید؟âyâ shomâ rooznâme mikhânid? |