از، به، در، با

Basic Prepositions

Level 1

Each word comes before its noun and never changes.

How It Works

Four small words come before a noun and tell you its job in the sentence. They never change.

WordMeaningExample
ازfromاز کابل
بهtoبه کابل
درin, atدر کابل
باwithبا احمد

از and به work as a pair for a trip: از هرات به کابل (from Herat to Kabul). در tells you where something sits: کتاب در موتر است. با joins a person or thing to the action: با دوستم (with my friend).

Written Dari uses در for in. In everyday Kabul speech people say ده for the same job. Learn to recognize it, and write در.

Examples (5)

  1. من از هرات استم.

    I am from Herat.

    از gives the place you come from.

  2. کتاب در موتر است.

    The book is in the car.

    در names the place where the book is.

  3. به کابل خوش آمدید!

    Welcome to Kabul!

    به shows the place you arrive at.

  4. من با احمد استم.

    I am with Ahmad.

    با brings in the person who is with me.

  5. ما در خانه استیم.

    We are at home.

    در خانه means at home.

Common Mistakes

  • Using به to say where you are from.

    من به هرات استم.
    من از هرات استم.

    به shows where you go. Use از for your home town.

  • Using در after a verb of going.

    ما در کابل می‌رویم.
    ما به کابل می‌رویم.

    After رفتن (to go), the place you go to takes به.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

از، به، در، باLevel 1Basic Prepositions

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

ازبهدربا