Object Marker

Direct objects in Persian

In Persian, when a verb has a specific object, Persian usually marks that object with a short little word: را. This word is called the object marker and is one of the key features of Persian sentence structure.

You already know that Persian is typically Subject–Object–Verb. Here we focus only on what is special about the object marker and how it changes meaning and nuance.

The basic function of «را»

«را» shows that a noun phrase is the definite, specific direct object of the verb.

Compare:

من کتاب می‌خوانم.
man ketâb mi-xânam.
I read a book / I read books. (general, nonspecific)

من کتاب را می‌خوانم.
man ketâb-râ mi-xânam.
I am reading the book. (specific book)

In colloquial speech, «را» is very often pronounced and written as «رو» (ro).

من کتاب رو می‌خونم.
man ketâb ro mi-xunam.
I am reading the book.

Both «را» and «رو» are correct. «را» is more formal or written, «رو» is more colloquial.

Where to put «را» in the sentence

The usual position is directly after the full object phrase and before the verb.

من سیب را می‌خورم.
man sib-râ mi-xoram.
I eat the apple.

تو دوستت را دیدی.
to dust-et-râ didi.
You saw your friend.

آن فیلم را ندیدم.
ân film-râ na-didam.
I did not see that movie.

If the object has an adjective, «را» still comes after the whole object phrase.

کتابِ جدید را خریدم.
ketâb-e jadid-râ xaridam.
I bought the new book.

آن دخترِ ایرانی را می‌شناسم.
ân doxtar-e irâni-râ mi-šenâsam.
I know that Iranian girl.

Definite vs indefinite objects

Using or omitting «را» often shows whether the object is definite or indefinite.

1. Indefinite / nonspecific, normally no «را»:

من یک کتاب می‌خوانم.
man yek ketâb mi-xânam.
I am reading a book.

او سیب می‌خورد.
u sib mi-xorad.
He / she eats apples / an apple. (general)

2. Definite / specific, normally with «را»:

من آن کتاب را می‌خوانم.
man ân ketâb-râ mi-xânam.
I am reading that (specific) book.

او این سیب را می‌خورد.
u in sib-râ mi-xorad.
He / she is eating this apple.

3. Definiteness without demonstratives:

Context can make a noun definite even without words like «این» or «آن», so «را» appears.

در را ببند.
dar-râ beband.
Close the door. (the door of this room)

پنجره را باز کن.
panjare-râ bâz kon.
Open the window.

In a house, there is a clear, specific door or window, so Persian uses «را».

«را» with pronouns

When the object is a personal pronoun, را usually attaches directly to the pronoun in speech. In writing, both connected and separate forms are seen.

من تو را می‌بینم.
man to-râ mi-binam.
I see you.

او من را دوست دارد.
u man-râ dust dârad.
He / she loves me.

More colloquial:

من تو رو می‌بینم.
man to ro mi-binam.

او منو دوست داره.
u mano dust dâre.
He / she loves me. (spoken, very common: «من را» → «منو»)

Common spoken forms:

من را → منو (mano)
تو را → تورو (toro)
او را → اونو (uno)
ما را → مونو (mono)
شما را → شُما رو (šomâ ro)
آنها را → اونا رو (unâ ro)

In more careful speech and writing, keep the full form with «را».

«را» with proper names and people

When the object is a specific person or a proper name, Persian almost always uses «را».

من علی را دیدم.
man Ali-râ didam.
I saw Ali.

او معلم را صدا کرد.
u mo’allem-râ sedâ kard.
He / she called the teacher.

ما بچه‌ها را بردیم پارک.
mâ bacc(h)e-hâ-râ bordim pârk.
We took the children to the park.

If the meaning is very general (for example, talking about teachers in general), you can omit «را»:

من معلم دوست دارم.
man mo’allem dust dâram.
I like teachers. (teachers in general)

من معلم را دوست دارم.
man mo’allem-râ dust dâram.
I like the teacher. (a specific teacher we both know)

Negation and «را»

Negation does not change the position of «را». It still follows the object and comes before the verb. The negative prefix «نـ / نا / نمیـ» attaches to the verb, not to «را».

من کتاب را نمی‌خوانم.
man ketâb-râ ne-mi-xânam.
I am not reading the book.

او دوستش را ندید.
u dust-aš-râ na-did.
He / she did not see his / her friend.

آن فیلم را دوست ندارم.
ân film-râ dust na-dâram.
I do not like that movie.

Word order and moving the object for emphasis

Persian word order is flexible. The normal order is Subject – Object – Verb, with «را» after the object. For emphasis, speakers sometimes move the object (with «را») to the beginning of the sentence.

کتاب را من خواندم.
ketâb-râ man xândam.
It was I who read the book. (emphasis on “I”)

این فیلم را همه دیدند.
in film-râ hame didand.
Everyone saw this movie. (emphasis on “this movie”)

The crucial point is that «را» stays attached to its object, even when the word order changes.

No «را» with subjects or prepositional objects

«را» is only for the direct object. It never marks the subject or the object of a preposition.

من در کلاس هستم.
man dar kelâs hastam.
I am in class.
(no direct object, so no «را»)

به دوستت زنگ بزن.
be dust-et zang bezan.
Call your friend.
Here «به دوستت» is a prepositional phrase with «به», not a direct object. So no «را».

Compare:

دوستت را ببین.
dust-et-râ bebin.
See your friend. (direct object, so «را»)

With verbs that require prepositions, the object of the preposition does not take «را»:

به او فکر کن.
be u fekr kon.
Think about him / her.

از او بپرس.
az u bepors.
Ask him / her.

«را» and general statements

When you speak about something in a general way, like a habit, a rule, or a general truth, Persian often omits «را».

من چای می‌خورم.
man châi mi-xoram.
I drink tea. (in general)

او کتاب زیاد می‌خواند.
u ketâb ziyâd mi-xânad.
He / she reads books a lot.

But when you pick out a specific example, you use «را».

من چای را نمی‌خورم.
man châi-râ ne-mi-xoram.
I do not drink (this/that) tea.
Often understood as a specific tea, or “tea at all” in a strong, marked way.

این چای را نمی‌خورم.
in châi-râ ne-mi-xoram.
I will not drink this tea.

Sometimes using «را» makes the sentence sound more emphatic or contrastive, even if the English translation is similar.

من گوشت دوست ندارم.
man gušt dust na-dâram.
I do not like meat. (general)

من گوشت را دوست ندارم.
man gušt-râ dust na-dâram.
I really do not like meat (more marked, more categorical or contrastive).

Colloquial patterns with «رو»

In everyday spoken Persian, «رو» can move slightly in the sentence, especially with short pronouns. You will often hear:

کتابو bought-یش؟ (mixed, but in pure Persian:)
کتابو خریدی؟
ketâbo xaridi?
Did you buy the book?

Here «کتابو» is «کتاب + رو». In speech, «رو» may attach to the end of the noun like a clitic:

سیبو خوردی؟
sibo xordi?
Did you eat the apple?

This attached form is common in speech, but in careful writing you normally keep them separate:

سیب را خوردی؟
sib-râ xordi?

Also with pronouns:

دیدیش؟
didiš?
Did you see him / her?
(Underlying: «او را دیدی؟» → colloquial drop of «را» and pronoun attached to verb.)

Because this is a B1 course, you should be able to recognize these spoken contractions, but you do not need to produce all of them yet. Focus first on clear, standard structures with separate «را».

Summary

At this stage, you should be able to:

Recognize «را / رو» as the marker of a definite direct object.
Place «را» directly after the whole object phrase and before the verb.
Use «را» especially with specific people, proper names, demonstratives, and contextually known objects.
Avoid «را» with subjects and objects of prepositions.
Notice the difference in nuance between sentences with and without «را».
Understand common spoken forms like «رو» and contracted pronoun forms.

With practice, the choice to use or omit «را» will start to feel natural, and you will sound much more like a real Persian speaker.

Vocabulary list for this section