The Indefinite Ending ـی

Level 2

یک and ـی both mean a: یک goes before the noun, and ـی goes after it.

How It Works

The ending ـی means a or some. It goes at the end of the noun and names something new in the talk: پیرمردی (an old man).

The noun ends inAddExample
a consonantـیپیرمرد → پیرمردی
silent هـ‌ایخانه → خانه‌ای
ا or وـییجا → جایی

When the noun has an adjective, the ending goes on the last word: کتاب خوبی (a good book).

After a consonant the ending sounds like -ī, as in pīrmardī. One word has two readings: دوستی means a friend, and it also means friendship. The sentence shows which one.

The same ending builds چیزی (something), کسی (someone) and جایی (somewhere). A short answer is چیزی نیست (It is nothing).

یک and ـی both mean a. یک goes before the noun, and ـی goes after it.

را marks a specific object. An object with ـی that is just one of many usually goes without it: کتابی خواندم. When a clause says exactly which one, ـی and را can come together: کتابی را که خریدی خواندم.

Examples (5)

  1. دیروز کتاب خوبی خواندم.

    Yesterday I read a good book.

    The ending is on the adjective خوبی, the last word.

  2. در بازار زنی دیدم.

    I saw a woman in the market.

    زنی is a woman, one the listener has not heard about before.

  3. او خانه‌ای در پغمان دارد.

    He has a house in Paghman.

    After a silent ه the ending is ـ‌ای.

  4. پیرمردی در دکان بود.

    An old man was in the shop.

    پیرمردی brings a new person into the talk.

  5. امروز جایی نرفتم.

    I did not go anywhere today.

    جایی means somewhere or anywhere.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing ـی after a silent ه.

    خانه‌ی دیدم.
    خانه‌ای دیدم.

    After a silent ه the ending is ـ‌ای.

How It Connects

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

The Indefinite Ending ـیLevel 2

Learn This First

ـی is a shorter way to say a or one.