The Object Marker را

01

The Basic Rule

Use ⁧⁧را⁩⁩ (rârâra) when both you and your listener know which thing is meant - when English would say "the", or use a name, or a pronoun. Leave it out when the object is just some example of a kind of thing.

• ⁧دَر را باز می‌کُنَد.⁩

  dar râ bâz mi-konaddar râ bâz mi-konaddr ra baz my-knd

  She opens the door.

• ⁧یِک کِتاب می‌خَرَم.⁩

  yek ketâb mi-xaramyek ketâb mi-kharamyk ktab my-xrm

  I am buying a book.

The first door is a particular door. The second book is any book, so ⁧⁧را⁩⁩ (rârâra) stays away. The same verb can take it or not, and the difference is entirely one of definiteness.

02

It Follows the Whole Phrase

⁧⁧را⁩⁩ (rârâra) comes after the complete object, however long that object has grown - after its adjectives, after its ezafe chain, after everything.

• ⁧این بُطری را باز کُنید.⁩

  in boṭri râ bâz konidin botri râ bâz konidayn bṭry ra baz knyd

  Open this bottle.

• ⁧هَمِه‌یِ آهَنگ‌هایِ آن‌ها را می‌شِناسَم.⁩

  hame-ye âhang-hây-e ân-hâ râ mi-šenâsamhame-ye âhang-hây-e ân-hâ râ mi-shenâsamhm-y ahng-hay-a an-ha ra my-šnasm

  I know all their songs.

In the second sentence the object runs to three words before ⁧⁧را⁩⁩ (rârâra) finally arrives. Learners often place it too early; it belongs at the very end of the object, immediately before the verb.

03

With Pronouns and Names

A pronoun or a name is definite by its nature, so it always takes ⁧⁧را⁩⁩ (rârâra).

• ⁧او را می‌شِناسَم.⁩

  u râ mi-šenâsamu râ mi-shenâsamav ra my-šnasm

  I know him.

• ⁧تُو را می‌بینیم.⁩

  to râ mi-binimto râ mi-binimt ra my-bynym

  We will see you.

• ⁧مَن فَرانسِه را می‌شِناسَم.⁩

  man farânse râ mi-šenâsamman farânse râ mi-shenâsammn frans ra my-šnasm

  I know France.

With ⁧⁧مَن⁩⁩ (manmanmn) the two words normally run together into ⁧⁧مَرا⁩⁩ (marâmarâmra).

• ⁧آن‌ها مَرا دوست دارَند.⁩

  ân-hâ marâ dust dârandân-hâ marâ dust dârandan-ha mra dvst darnd

  They like me.

04

It Is Not a Case Ending

⁧⁧را⁩⁩ (rârâra) is a separate word that marks the object, not an ending on the noun. Persian has no case system at all - nouns look the same wherever they stand in a sentence - so this one small word carries the whole job of saying "this is the thing being acted on".