Sentence Order

Foundations

A time word like امروز (today) and a place phrase like در بازار (in the market) also go before the verb, so the verb comes last in a simple sentence.

How It Works

English puts the verb in the middle: Maryam reads a book. Dari puts it last: مریم کتاب می‌خواند, which is word for word Maryam book reads.

WhoWhenWhereWhatVerb
احمدامروزدر بازارنانمی‌خرد.

That sentence means Ahmad buys bread in the market today. Small words such as در (in) and به (to) come right before their noun.

The verb to be follows the same rule: او معلم است. The word است is the last word. A question keeps the same order, and the question word sits where the answer would go: تو کجا می‌روی؟

A longer sentence can add a part after the verb. A clause with که follows it: می‌دانم که او اینجا است.

Examples (5)

  1. مریم کتاب می‌خواند.

    Maryam reads a book.

    The who, مریم, comes first, then the what, کتاب, and the verb می‌خواند closes the sentence.

  2. احمد نان می‌خورد.

    Ahmad eats bread.

    The thing eaten, نان, sits right before the verb.

  3. امروز من در خانه استم.

    Today I am at home.

    The time word امروز opens the sentence, and the verb to be, استم, closes it.

  4. فرید در بازار میوه می‌خرد.

    Farid buys fruit in the market.

    The place در بازار comes before the thing bought and before the verb.

  5. تو کجا می‌روی؟

    Where are you going?

    The question word کجا sits where the answer would go, and the verb still comes last.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the verb in the middle, as English does.

    احمد می‌خورد نان.
    احمد نان می‌خورد.

    In a simple sentence, the verb comes last. Move نان in front of می‌خورد.

How It Connects

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

Sentence OrderFoundations