Infinitives and Past Stems

Level 2

The past stem is also the form for he or she in the simple past.

How It Works

Every verb has a name, called the infinitive. It ends in ـتن or ـدن: رفتن (to go), خواندن (to read), خوردن (to eat).

Drop the last ن to get the past stem: رفت, خواند, خورد. The past stem is the form for he or she in the simple past: او رفت. The other persons add an ending: رفتم, رفتی, رفتیم.

InfinitivePast stemMeaning
رفتنرفتgo
آمدنآمدcome
خواندنخواندread
خوردنخوردeat
دیدندیدsee
نوشتننوشتwrite

Verbs that end in ـیدن follow the same rule: خندیدن (to laugh) gives خندید.

A verb with a prefix keeps its ending: برگشتن (to return) gives برگشت, and the person endings follow.

The present stem is a separate form, and you learn it with each verb: خوردن has the present stem خور, as in می‌خورم.

Examples (5)

  1. او دیروز به کابل رفت.

    She went to Kabul yesterday.

    رفت is the past stem of رفتن, with no ending.

  2. احمد کتاب را خواند.

    Ahmad read the book.

    خواند is the past stem of خواندن.

  3. ما نان خوردیم.

    We ate bread.

    خورد + یم gives خوردیم.

  4. تو دیروز کجا رفتی؟

    Where did you go yesterday?

    رفت + ی gives رفتی.

  5. فرید فلم دید.

    Farid saw a film.

    دید is the past stem of دیدن.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the infinitive as a finished verb.

    او دیروز رفتن.
    او دیروز رفت.

    Drop the ن and use the past stem: رفت.

How It Connects

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

Infinitives and Past StemsLevel 2

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