Plural Objects, Singular Verbs
In Persian, there is a special rule for subject-verb agreement: when a plural subject is inanimate (not human), the verb takes the singular form.
Think of a group of non-human objects—like leaves, stars, or cars—as a single collective entity.
| The leaves fall from the tree. | برگها از درخت میریزد.barg-hâ az derakht mirizad. |
| The stars shine in the sky. | ستارهها در آسمان میدرخشد.setâre-hâ dar âsemân midarakhshad. |
Notice how برگها (leaves) and ستارهها (stars) are plural, but the verbs میریزد (falls) and میدرخشد (shines) end in the 3rd person singular suffix -د, not the plural -ند.
Describing Plural Objects
This rule applies to all verbs, including the verb "to be". When describing plural objects or abstract concepts, use است (is) instead of هستند (are).
| These mountains are very beautiful. | این کوهها خیلی زیبا است.in kuh-hâ kheyli zibâ ast. |
| These glasses are dirty. | این لیوانها کثیف است.in livân-hâ kasif ast. |
Everyday Actions
Even if the inanimate objects are performing an action like moving, falling, or breaking, the verb remains singular.
| The cars go to Tehran. | ماشینها به تهران میرود.mâshin-hâ be tehrân miravad. |
| The window panes break. | شیشههای پنجره میشکند.shishehâ-ye panjare mishekanad. |
Note: In poetry or storytelling, you might sometimes see plural verbs used with non-human subjects to give them human-like qualities, but standard Persian grammar always uses a singular verb.