Intermediate course · Intermediate lesson 5
How do you say “I will go” in Persian? In conversation, the answer is surprisingly simple: you mostly don’t need a special Persian future tense at all. This lesson shows how Tehranis talk about the future with the present tense, how to recognise the formal written future you will see in the news, and how to make plans, invite people and accept or decline gracefully.
By the end you should be able to arrange a Friday outing, which in Tehran is a social skill in its own right.
The present does the job
As you saw in Lesson 12, the ordinary present tense also covers the future: فردا می‌رم fardâ miram is “I’m going tomorrow” or “I’ll go tomorrow”. A time word usually makes the meaning clear.
| Persian | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| فردا می‌رم بازار. | Fardâ miram bâzâr. | I’m going to the bazaar tomorrow. |
| هفته بعد میام. | Hafte-ye ba’d miyâm. | I’ll come next week. |
| امشب بهت زنگ می‌زنم. | Emshab behet zang mizanam. | I’ll ring you tonight. |
| بعداً می‌بینمت. | Ba’dan mibinamet. | I’ll see you later. |
Notice that the destination often comes straight after the verb in speech, without be: miram bâzâr. This is normal Tehrani word order with verbs of movement.
Words for the future
| Persian | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| امشب | emshab | tonight |
| فردا شب | fardâ shab | tomorrow night |
| پس‌فردا | pas-fardâ | the day after tomorrow |
| آخر هفته | âkhar-e hafte | the weekend (end of the week) |
| هفته بعد / هفته دیگه | hafte-ye ba’d / hafte-ye dige | next week |
| ماه دیگه | mâh-e dige | next month |
| سال دیگه | sâl-e dige | next year |
| یه ساعت دیگه | ye sâ’at-e dige | in an hour |
| بعداً | ba’dan | later |
| به‌زودی | be zudi | soon (more formal) |
The written future: khâham raft
Formal Persian has a true future tense. Take the present of khâstan (to want) without mi-, then add the past stem of the main verb, which does not change.
| Persian | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| خواهم رفت | khâham raft | I will go |
| خواهی رفت | khâhi raft | you will go (informal) |
| خواهد رفت | khâhad raft | he/she will go |
| خواهیم رفت | khâhim raft | we will go |
| خواهید رفت | khâhid raft | you will go (polite) |
| خواهند رفت | khâhand raft | they will go |
| نخواهم رفت | nakhâham raft | I will not go |
In compound verbs, the khâham part sits in the middle: کار خواهم کرد kâr khâham kard (I will work). The و in خواهم is silent.
You will meet this form in news reports, weather forecasts, official notices and speeches, for example فردا هوای تهران آفتابی خواهد بود. Fardâ havâ-ye Tehrân âftâbi khâhad bud. (Tomorrow the weather in Tehran will be sunny.) or a shop sign: این فروشگاه روز جمعه تعطیل خواهد بود. In forushgâh ruz-e jom’e ta’til khâhad bud. (This shop will be closed on Friday.)
Grammar note: Do not confuse khâham raft (I will go) with mikhâm beram (I want to go). Both use khâstan, but the future has no mi- and is followed by the past stem; “want” has mi- and is followed by the subjunctive. In conversation, khâham raft sounds like a newsreader, so use the present instead.
Making plans
| Persian | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| برنامه‌ت چیه؟ | barnâmat chiye? | what are your plans? (written: barnâme-at) |
| فردا شب چی‌کار می‌کنی؟ | fardâ shab chikâr mikoni? | what are you doing tomorrow night? |
| برنامه‌ی خاصی ندارم. | barnâme-ye khâsi nadâram. | I’ve nothing special planned. |
| قراره بریم دربند. | gharâre berim Darband. | we’re planning to go to Darband. |
| کار دارم. | kâr dâram. | I’m busy (literally: I have work). |
| خبرت می‌کنم. | khabaret mikonam. | I’ll let you know. |
قراره gharâre (“it’s arranged that”) is followed by the subjunctive, like the words in Lesson 3. Gharâr on its own is an appointment or a date.
Inviting, accepting and declining
| Persian | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| بیا بریم سینما. | Biyâ berim sinamâ. | Let’s go to the cinema. (to one friend) |
| می‌خوای با ما بیای؟ | Mikhâi bâ mâ biyâi? | Do you want to come with us? |
| شام بیایید خونه‌ی ما. | Shâm biyâid khune-ye mâ. | Come to ours for dinner. |
| حتماً! | Hatman! | Definitely! |
| با کمال میل. | Bâ kamâl-e meyl. | With great pleasure. (formal) |
| متأسفانه نمی‌تونم. | Mota’assefâne nemitunam. | Unfortunately I can’t. |
| یه وقت دیگه. | Ye vaght-e dige. | Another time. |
Dialogue: a Friday walk in Darband
Nima calls his colleague Lucy on a Wednesday afternoon.
Nimâ: لوسی، جمعه برنامه‌ت چیه؟
Lusi, jom’e barnâmat chiye?
Lucy, what are your plans for Friday?
Lucy: برنامه‌ی خاصی ندارم. چطور؟
Barnâme-ye khâsi nadâram. Chetor?
Nothing special. Why?
Nimâ: قراره با چند تا از دوستام بریم دربند. می‌خوای بیای؟
Gharâre bâ chand tâ az dustâm berim Darband. Mikhâi biyâi?
A few friends and I are going to Darband. Do you want to come?
Lucy: حتماً! ساعت چند؟
Hatman! Sâ’at-e chand?
Definitely! What time?
Nimâ: ساعت هفت صبح راه می‌افتیم.
Sâ’at-e haft-e sobh râh miyoftim.
We’re setting off at seven in the morning.
Lucy: هفت؟ خیلی زوده!
Haft? Kheyli zude!
Seven? That’s really early!
Nimâ: آره، ولی ظهر خیلی شلوغ می‌شه.
Âre, vali zohr kheyli sholugh mishe.
Yes, but it gets very crowded by midday.
Lucy: باشه. کجا همدیگه رو ببینیم؟
Bâshe. Kojâ hamdige ro bebinim?
OK. Where shall we meet?
Nimâ: میدون تجریش، جلوی ایستگاه مترو.
Meydun-e Tajrish, jelo-ye istgâh-e metro.
Tajrish Square, in front of the metro station.
Lucy: عالیه. پنجشنبه شب بهت پیام می‌دم.
Âliye. Panjshanbe shab behet payâm midam.
Great. I’ll message you on Thursday night.
New words: دوستام dustâm (my friends: plural plus possessive), راه افتادن râh oftâdan (to set off), شلوغ sholugh (crowded, busy), جلوی jelo-ye (in front of), پیام payâm (message) and بهت behet (to you, informal). Every future plan in the dialogue uses the present tense or the subjunctive; nobody says khâham raft.
Tehran tip: Fridays are Tehran’s day for the mountains. Families and groups of friends head for Darband and other trails above northern Tehran early in the morning, stopping for breakfast or tea at the cafés along the path. If you are invited, say yes, and bring good shoes.
Practise
- Say “I’m going to Tajrish tomorrow” the spoken way.
- Give the written future of kharidan for “I will buy” and “we will buy”.
- What is the difference between khâham raft and mikhâm beram?
- Ask a friend what they are doing tomorrow night.
- Invite a polite acquaintance to dinner at your home.
- Decline politely and suggest another time.
- Say “We’re planning to go to Isfahan next week.”
Show answers
- فردا می‌رم تجریش Fardâ miram Tajrish.
- خواهم خرید khâham kharid; خواهیم خرید khâhim kharid.
- Khâham raft = I will go (formal future); mikhâm beram = I want to go.
- فردا شب چی‌کار می‌کنی؟ Fardâ shab chikâr mikoni?
- شام بیایید خونه‌ی ما Shâm biyâid khune-ye mâ.
- Mota’assefâne nemitunam. Ye vaght-e dige.
- قراره هفته بعد بریم اصفهان Gharâre hafte-ye ba’d berim Esfahân.
Flashcards
Test yourself
Summary
- In speech, the present tense covers the future: fardâ miram.
- The written future is khâham + past stem: khâham raft; you will see it in the news and on notices.
- Gharâre + subjunctive talks about arrangements: gharâre berim Darband.
- Invite with biyâ berim or mikhâi biyâi?; accept with hatman; decline with mota’assefâne nemitunam.