The Past Participle

Level 3

A participle describes a noun, and it also builds the present perfect.

How It Works

InfinitivePast participleMeaning
رفتنرفتهgone
نوشتننوشتهwritten
شکستنشکستهbroken
پختنپختهcooked
بستنبستهclosed
جوشیدنجوشیدهboiled

The ending ـه sounds like a: رفته is rafta. Build it from the past stem and never from the present stem.

A participle describes a noun and follows it, like any adjective: آب جوشیده (boiled water), پنجرهٔ شکسته (the broken window). It can also stand for a thing that was made: نوشتهٔ احمد (Ahmad's writing).

Some participles have become ordinary words: بسته (a parcel), پخته (ripe, mature), نوشته (a piece of writing).

A participle alone is not a finished verb. For something that has happened, add the endings, as in The Present Perfect.

Examples (5)

  1. پنجرهٔ شکسته را درست کردیم.

    We fixed the broken window.

    شکسته is the participle of شکستن and describes پنجره.

  2. کلچهٔ تازه پخته بسیار خوش‌مزه است.

    A freshly baked cookie is very tasty.

    پخته comes from پختن and follows تازه.

  3. دروازهٔ بسته را باز کن.

    Open the closed door.

    بسته is the participle of بستن.

  4. این کتاب نوشتهٔ یک نویسندهٔ افغان است.

    This book is the work of an Afghan writer.

    نوشته names what a writer wrote.

  5. آب جوشیده بنوشید.

    Drink boiled water.

    جوشیده follows the noun آب.

Common Mistakes

  • Building the participle from the present stem.

    آب جوشه بنوشید.
    آب جوشیده بنوشید.

    Use the past stem جوشید, which gives جوشیده.

  • Using the participle alone as a finished verb.

    مریم به بازار رفته.
    مریم به بازار رفته است.

    The participle alone does not make a verb. Add است or a person ending.

How It Connects

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

The Past ParticipleLevel 3

Learn This First

The past participle is built from the past stem.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.