Verb بودن (to be): هستم/هستی/است/هستیم/هستید/هستند + short forms
I can conjugate بودن and use suffix forms.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
من دانشجوام.
I am a student. (suffix form)
او معلم است.
He/she is a teacher.
ما ایرانی نیستیم.
We are not Iranian.
شما خوبید?
Are you well? (formal)
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Persian 'to be' has full forms (هستم hastam) and short suffix forms (-am) that attach to the previous word:
| Person | Full | Suffix | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | هستم (hastam) | -م (-am) | دانشجوام = I'm a student |
| you (inf.) | هستی (hasti) | -ی (-i) | خوبی = you're good |
| he/she | است (ast) | -ه/-ست (-e/-ast) | معلم است = is a teacher |
| we | هستیم (hastim) | -یم (-im) | ایرانیایم = we're Iranian |
| you (form.) | هستید (hastid) | -ید (-id) | خوبید = you're good |
| they | هستند (hastand) | -ند (-and) | دکتراند = they're doctors |
Negation: نیستم (nistam) = I am not. Add نـ (ne-/ni-) prefix.
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesUsing full form where suffix is more natural. Forgetting negation prefix نـ. Wrong suffix for person.
Using full form where suffix is more natural
In conversation, use suffix forms: دانشجوام not من دانشجو هستم.
Forgetting نـ prefix for negation
Negation: add نـ: هستم → نیستم, است → نیست.
من دانشجوام.
I am a student. (suffix form)
دانشجو + ام = دانشجوام. The suffix -ام replaces هستم in natural speech.
او معلم است.
He/she is a teacher.
است (ast) = is. The most common form of بودن. Often shortened to ـه (e) in speech.
ما ایرانی نیستیم.
We are not Iranian.
Negation: نیستیم (nistim) = we are not. نـ prefix + stem + ending.
شما خوبید?
Are you well? (formal)
خوب + ید = خوبید. Suffix -ید for شما. Questions use rising intonation — no particle needed!
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises