Present Stems

Level 2

The same stem builds the present tense, commands and the subjunctive, so one stem does three jobs.

How It Works

A verb has an infinitive, a past stem and a present stem. Drop the final ـن of the infinitive and you have the past stem: رفتن becomes رفت. The present stem has no single rule, so learn it with the verb.

InfinitivePast stemPresent stemMeaning
رفتنرفتروto go
آمدنآمدآto come
خوردنخوردخورto eat
دیدندیدبینto see
کردنکردکنto do
گفتنگفتگوto say
پختنپختپزto cook

Many verbs that end in ـیدن give their stem when you drop ـیدن: خوابیدن gives خواب (to sleep), فهمیدن gives فهم (to understand) and نوشیدن gives نوش (to drink). Some do not: دیدن gives بین, and شنیدن (to hear) gives شنو.

This entry is only about the stem. The endings have their own entry. A stem usually needs one to make a complete verb.

Examples (5)

  1. من هر صبح چای می‌نوشم.

    I drink tea every morning.

    The stem نوش comes from نوشیدن (to drink), and می‌ and ـم join it.

  2. او هر شب کتاب می‌خواند.

    She reads a book every night.

    The stem خوان comes from خواندن (to read).

  3. شما فردا به خانهٔ ما می‌آیید؟

    Are you coming to our house tomorrow?

    The stem آ comes from آمدن, and a ی sits between the stem and the ending.

  4. من با دوستم فلم می‌بینم.

    I am watching a film with my friend.

    The stem بین belongs to دیدن, and it looks nothing like the infinitive.

  5. مادرم هر جمعه نان می‌پزد.

    My mother bakes bread every Friday.

    The stem پز belongs to پختن (to cook or bake).

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the infinitive after می‌.

    من هر روز می‌رفتن.
    من هر روز می‌روم.

    The infinitive رفتن never follows می‌. Use the stem رو and a person ending.

How It Connects

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

Present StemsLevel 2

Learn This First

The present stem comes from the infinitive.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.