Reading From Right to Left
A Dari book opens from the right, so its spine is on the right side.
How It Works
In English the first word of a line is on the left. In Dari it is on the right. Look at من احمد استم. Begin at من on the far right, then read احمد, and finish with استم on the far left.
Dari digits look like this: ۰ ۱ ۲ ۳ ۴ ۵ ۶ ۷ ۸ ۹. The line runs right to left, but a number reads from its left digit. So ۲۵ is twenty-five (two, then five), and ۵۲ is fifty-two.
| Dari | Read as |
|---|---|
| ۱۵ حمل | 15 Hamal |
| ساعت ۸ بجه | eight o'clock |
A Dari book has its spine on the right, so you turn the pages from left to right.
Examples (5)
- من احمد استم.
I am Ahmad.
Start at the right with من and end at the left with استم.
- چای سبز خوب است.
Green tea is good.
The first word you read, چای, is the one on the far right.
- من ۲۵ ساله استم.
I am 25 years old.
The digits ۲۵ read from the left: two, then five.
- ساعت ۸ بجه است.
It is eight o'clock.
The number ۸ sits inside the right-to-left line.
- امروز ۱۵ حمل است.
Today is 15 Hamal.
Read امروز first, then ۱۵, then حمل. The digits ۱۵ still read one, then five.
Common Mistakes
Writing a sentence from left to right, so the words come out in the wrong order.
استم احمد من.من احمد استم.A line starts on the right. Begin with من and end with استم.
Related Patterns
- Letters That Join and Letters That Stay Apart
Learn which letters join the next letter as you read along the line.
Foundations - Sentence Order
In a simple sentence the verb comes last, on the far left.
Foundations - Numbers One to Ten
Count from one to ten with the same digits.
Level 1 - The Afghan Solar Months
Dates put the day number before the month: ۱۵ حمل.
Level 3
Practice Reading From Right to Left in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Dari lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
