Learning a new language can be both an exciting and daunting journey, especially when it comes to mastering the intricacies of grammar and syntax. Persian, also known as Farsi, is a beautiful and poetic language spoken by millions of people in Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. One essential aspect of becoming proficient in Persian is understanding its prepositions.
Prepositions in Persian, like in English, are words that link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other parts of the sentence, indicating relationships such as direction, place, time, cause, manner, and possession. While some Persian prepositions have direct equivalents in English, others do not, and their usage can be quite different. This comprehensive guide will help you navigate the complexities of Persian prepositions, providing you with a solid foundation to enhance your language skills.
Basic Prepositions
1. در (dar) – In, at
This versatile preposition can indicate location, time, or a state of being.
– Location: کتاب در کیف است. (Ketāb dar kif ast.) – The book is in the bag.
– Time: در زمستان سرد است. (Dar zemestān sard ast.) – It is cold in winter.
– State: او در خواب است. (Ou dar khāb ast.) – He/She is asleep.
2. به (be) – To, towards
Used to indicate direction, purpose, or recipient.
– Direction: به مدرسه می‌روم. (Be madrese miravam.) – I am going to school.
– Purpose: این هدیه به تو است. (In hadiye be to ast.) – This gift is for you.
3. از (az) – From, of
Indicates origin, separation, or a part of a whole.
– Origin: او از تهران آمده است. (Ou az Tehran āmade ast.) – He/She has come from Tehran.
– Separation: جدا از خانواده (Jodā az khānevāde) – Apart from the family.
– Part of a whole: یکی از دوستانم (Yeki az doostānam) – One of my friends.
4. با (bā) – With
Indicates accompaniment, instrumentality, or manner.
– Accompaniment: با دوستانم (Bā doostānam) – With my friends.
– Instrumentality: با ماشین (Bā māshin) – By car.
– Manner: با خوشحالی (Bā khoshhāli) – Happily.
5. برای (barāye) – For
Indicates purpose, benefit, or recipient.
– Purpose: این غذا برای مهمانی است. (In ghazā barāye mehmāni ast.) – This food is for the party.
– Benefit: این کتاب برای تو است. (In ketāb barāye to ast.) – This book is for you.
Complex Prepositions
1. قبل از (ghabl az) – Before
Used to indicate precedence in time.
– قبل از خواب (Ghabl az khāb) – Before sleep.
– قبل از ظهر (Ghabl az zohr) – Before noon.
2. بعد از (ba’d az) – After
Indicates succession in time.
– بعد از کار (Ba’d az kār) – After work.
– بعد از شام (Ba’d az shām) – After dinner.
3. نزدیک به (nazdik be) – Near, close to
Indicates proximity.
– نزدیک به خانه (Nazdik be khāne) – Close to home.
– نزدیک به مدرسه (Nazdik be madrese) – Near the school.
4. روبروی (rooberoo-ye) – In front of, opposite
Indicates a position facing something.
– روبروی در (Rooberoo-ye dar) – In front of the door.
– روبروی پارک (Rooberoo-ye pārk) – Opposite the park.
5. در مورد (dar mored-e) – About, regarding
Used to discuss a topic or subject.
– در مورد کتاب (Dar mored-e ketāb) – About the book.
– در مورد سفر (Dar mored-e safar) – Regarding the trip.
Directional and Locational Prepositions
1. روی (rooy-e) – On, over
Indicates a position on the surface of something.
– روی میز (Rooy-e miz) – On the table.
– روی کتاب (Rooy-e ketāb) – On the book.
2. زیر (zeer-e) – Under, beneath
Indicates a position beneath something.
– زیر تخت (Zeer-e takht) – Under the bed.
– زیر پل (Zeer-e pol) – Beneath the bridge.
3. کنار (kenār-e) – Beside, next to
Indicates a position next to or alongside something.
– کنار پنجره (Kenār-e panjare) – Beside the window.
– کنار دریا (Kenār-e daryā) – Next to the sea.
4. داخل (dākhel-e) – Inside
Indicates something within an enclosed space.
– داخل جعبه (Dākhel-e jabe) – Inside the box.
– داخل اتاق (Dākhel-e otāgh) – Inside the room.
5. خارج از (khārej az) – Outside of
Indicates something beyond or outside an enclosed space.
– خارج از شهر (Khārej az shahr) – Outside of the city.
– خارج از خانه (Khārej az khāne) – Outside of the house.
Temporal Prepositions
1. در طول (dar tool-e) – During, throughout
Indicates a duration of time.
– در طول روز (Dar tool-e rooz) – During the day.
– در طول هفته (Dar tool-e hafte) – Throughout the week.
2. تا (tā) – Until, up to
Indicates an end point in time or space.
– تا ساعت 5 (Tā sā’at 5) – Until 5 o’clock.
– تا پایان (Tā pāyān) – Up to the end.
3. هنگام (hengām-e) – During, at the time of
Indicates a specific time frame.
– هنگام خواب (Hengām-e khāb) – During sleep.
– هنگام باران (Hengām-e bārān) – At the time of rain.
4. پس از (pas az) – After
Similar to “ba’d az,” indicating a time following an event.
– پس از پایان (Pas az pāyān) – After the end.
– پس از سفر (Pas az safar) – After the trip.
Prepositional Phrases
1. به جز (be joz) – Except for, apart from
Used to exclude something.
– به جز او (Be joz ou) – Except for him/her.
– به جز این (Be joz in) – Apart from this.
2. به خاطر (be khāter-e) – Because of, due to
Indicates a reason or cause.
– به خاطر باران (Be khāter-e bārān) – Because of the rain.
– به خاطر تو (Be khāter-e to) – Due to you.
3. به علت (be ellat-e) – Due to, because of
Similar to “be khāter-e,” indicating a reason or cause.
– به علت ترافیک (Be ellat-e terāfik) – Due to traffic.
– به علت بیماری (Be ellat-e bimāri) – Because of illness.
4. در عوض (dar avaz-e) – Instead of
Indicates substitution.
– در عوض کتاب (Dar avaz-e ketāb) – Instead of the book.
– در عوض پول (Dar avaz-e pool) – Instead of money.
5. به علت (be ellat-e) – Due to, because of
Similar to “be khāter-e,” indicating a reason or cause.
– به علت ترافیک (Be ellat-e terāfik) – Due to traffic.
– به علت بیماری (Be ellat-e bimāri) – Because of illness.
Prepositions Indicating Manner and Means
1. با (bā) – By, with
Indicates the means or manner of an action.
– با ماشین (Bā māshin) – By car.
– با دقت (Bā deghat) – Carefully.
2. بدون (bedoon-e) – Without
Indicates the absence of something.
– بدون تو (Bedoon-e to) – Without you.
– بدون اجازه (Bedoon-e ejāze) – Without permission.
3. به وسیله (be vasile-ye) – By means of
Indicates the method or instrument used.
– به وسیله تلفن (Be vasile-ye telefon) – By means of the telephone.
– به وسیله نامه (Be vasile-ye nāme) – By means of a letter.
4. از طریق (az tariq-e) – Through, via
Indicates a pathway or intermediary.
– از طریق اینترنت (Az tariq-e internet) – Through the internet.
– از طریق دوست (Az tariq-e doost) – Via a friend.
5. با کمک (bā komak-e) – With the help of
Indicates assistance.
– با کمک دوست (Bā komak-e doost) – With the help of a friend.
– با کمک معلم (Bā komak-e mo’allem) – With the help of the teacher.
Prepositions Indicating Cause and Reason
1. به علت (be ellat-e) – Due to, because of
Indicates a cause or reason.
– به علت ترافیک (Be ellat-e terāfik) – Due to traffic.
– به علت بیماری (Be ellat-e bimāri) – Because of illness.
2. به دلیل (be dalil-e) – Due to, because of
Similar to “be ellat-e,” indicating a cause or reason.
– به دلیل مشکلات (Be dalil-e moshkelāt) – Due to problems.
– به دلیل نقص فنی (Be dalil-e naghs-e fanni) – Because of a technical issue.
3. به خاطر (be khāter-e) – Because of, due to
Indicates a reason or cause.
– به خاطر باران (Be khāter-e bārān) – Because of the rain.
– به خاطر تو (Be khāter-e to) – Due to you.
4. از آنجا که (az ānjā ke) – Since, because
Indicates a reason or justification.
– از آنجا که دیر شده است (Az ānjā ke dir shode ast) – Since it is late.
– از آنجا که شما نمی‌دانید (Az ānjā ke shomā nemidānid) – Because you do not know.
5. به موجب (be mojeb-e) – According to, based on
Indicates a basis or justification.
– به موجب قانون (Be mojeb-e ghānoun) – According to the law.
– به موجب قرارداد (Be mojeb-e gharārdād) – Based on the contract.
Conclusion
Mastering Persian prepositions is a crucial step in achieving fluency and understanding the nuances of the language. This comprehensive list provides a solid foundation for recognizing and using prepositions in various contexts. Remember that practice is key; try incorporating these prepositions into your daily conversations and written exercises to reinforce your learning.
As with any language, the more you immerse yourself in Persian, the more natural it will become. Listening to native speakers, reading Persian texts, and engaging in conversations will help you grasp the subtleties of preposition usage. Keep this guide handy as a reference, and don’t hesitate to revisit it whenever you need a refresher. Happy learning!
