The Verb "To Have"
The verb داشتن means "to have". While it is highly irregular in the present tense, it is one of the most frequently used verbs in Persian, making its forms easy to pick up through practice.
Notice that unlike most Persian verbs in the present tense, the forms of داشتن do not begin with the prefix می. They do, however, still take the standard personal endings.
| Pronoun | Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| من | دارم | I have |
| تو | داری | You have (informal) |
| او | دارد | He/She/It has |
| ما | داریم | We have |
| شما | دارید | You have (formal/plural) |
| آنها | دارند | They have |
Here is how you can use this verb to express possession, having plans, or holding an appointment. Remember that in Persian, the verb always goes at the very end of the sentence.
| I have time now. | من الان وقت دارم.man alân vaght dâram. |
| Do you have time? | آیا شما وقت دارید؟âyâ shomâ vaght dârid? |
| My brother has a big problem. | برادرم یک مشکل بزرگ دارد.barâdaram yek moshkel-e bozorg dârad. |
| They have an exam tomorrow morning. | آنها فردا صبح امتحان دارند.ânhâ fardâ sobh emtehân dârand. |
Expressing Needs
To say that you "need" something in Persian, you literally say that you "have a need to" that thing.
To build this phrase, use the preposition به (to), followed by the noun you need, and finish with the phrase نیاز داشتن (to have a need), conjugated for the correct person.
| I need a car. | من به ماشین نیاز دارم.man be mâshin niâz dâram. |
| We need an excellent doctor. | ما به یک دکتر عالی نیاز داریم.mâ be yek doktor âli niâz dârim. |
Aches and Pains
Just like in English, you can use the verb "to have" to describe experiencing physical states or ailments, such as a fever or pain.
| My mother has a fever. | مادر من تب دارد.mâdar man tab dârad. |
| My father has heart pain. | پدرم درد قلب دارد.pedaram dard-e qalb dârad. |
