Joining a Noun and Its Owner

Level 1

Pronouns work like names: دوست من is my friend.

How It Works

DariSounds likeMeaning
کتاب احمدkitāb-i AhmadAhmad's book
نام منnām-i manmy name
نام پدرnām-i pidarfather's name
دکان کاکاdukān-i kākāuncle's shop

The order is always the thing, then the owner. English says Ahmad's book. Dari says book Ahmad, with a small link between the two words.

Names, titles, family words and pronouns can all be the owner: کتاب معلم (the teacher's book), موتر ما (our car), کتاب او (his or her book).

The link is not written after a consonant. To say my, your and his or her, Dari also has short endings. You will meet them soon.

Examples (5)

  1. کتاب احمد اینجا است.

    Ahmad's book is here.

    The thing, کتاب, comes first, and the owner, احمد, second.

  2. نام من مریم است.

    My name is Maryam.

    نام من means my name: the thing first, then the owner.

  3. موتر پدر آنجا است.

    Father's car is there.

    The owner پدر comes after the car.

  4. دکان کاکا کلان است.

    Uncle's shop is big.

    The owner کاکا comes after the shop.

  5. دوست من معلم است.

    My friend is a teacher.

    من follows the thing, like any owner.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the owner first, as in English.

    احمد کتاب اینجا است.
    کتاب احمد اینجا است.

    The thing comes first and the owner second.

  • Using از for of.

    کتاب از احمد اینجا است.
    کتاب احمد اینجا است.

    To name an owner, Dari has no word for of. The link joins the two nouns, and after a consonant it is not written.

How It Connects

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

Joining a Noun and Its OwnerLevel 1

Learn This First

An owner joins its noun in the same way as an adjective does.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.