In everyday spoken Persian, many frequently used verbs shrink drastically. Syllables merge and middle consonants drop so conversations flow faster. When talking with friends or planning your weekend, you will almost exclusively use these irregular colloquial forms.
Dropping the Stem Syllable
For several essential verbs, the written present stem condenses down. Notice how the prefix می blends directly into the new shortened stem.
| Written | Spoken |
|---|---|
| میروم | میرم |
| میگویم | میگم |
| میشوم | میشم |
| میدهم | میدم |
| میآیم | میام |
| He goes hiking because this recreation is interesting. | او میره کوهنوردی، چون این تفریح جالبه.oo mire kuhnavardi, chon in tafrih jâlebe. |
| I say that I am going hiking tomorrow. | من میگم که فردا میرم کوهنوردی.man migam ke fardâ miram kuhnavardi. |
| I get very tired from hiking during the holidays. | من در تعطیلات از کوهنوردی خیلی خسته میشم.man dar ta'tilât az kuhnavardi kheyli khaste misham. |
| It is beautiful here; I am coming to the picnic too. | اینجا زیباست، من هم به پیکنیک میام.injâ zibâst, man ham be pic-nic miyâm. |
Vowel Shifts: Wanting and Being Able To
The verbs for "to want" and "to be able to" undergo a vowel shift or drop their middle consonants to become punchy and compact.
| Written | Spoken |
|---|---|
| میخواهم | میخوام |
| میتوانم | میتونم |
| I want to go to the cafe for the holidays. | من میخوام برای تعطیلات برم کافه.man mikhâm barâye ta'tilât beram kâfe. |
| I can drop by the picnic. | من میتونم به پیکنیک سر بزنم.man mitunam be piknik sar bezanam. |
The Imperative: Let / Allow
The imperative command for "let" or "allow" (from the verb گذاشتن) drops its گ entirely in colloquial speech.
| Written | Spoken |
|---|---|
| بگذار | بذار |
| Let me plan for the weekend. | بذار برای آخر هفته برنامهریزی کنم.bezâr barâye âkhar-e hafte barnâme-rizi konam. |
| Let me go to the villa for fun. | بذار برای تفریح برم ویلا.bezâr barâye tafrih beram villâ. |
Subjunctive Forms Follow the Same Rules
When these verbs are used as the second verb in a sentence (in the subjunctive mood), they follow the exact same spoken stem reductions—just swap the می prefix for ب.
For example, "to go" (بروم) becomes برم, and "let's go" (برویم) becomes بریم.
| I am making plans; I want to go to the villa. | من برنامهریزی میکنم، میخوام برم ویلا.man barnâme-rizi mikonam, mikhâm beram vilâ. |
| The cafe is crowded today, let's go to the villa! | امروز کافه شلوغه، بیا بریم ویلا!emrooz kâfe sholughe, biâ berim vilâ! |