Back
Beginner

Demonstratives & Indefinite

این / آن and the -i marker

این / آن = this / that

Placed before the noun.

💬 Examples
این کتاب
in ketāb
this book
📝 این = this
آن خانه
ān xāne
that house
📝 آن = that
Indefinite with -i (or یک)

A noun + unstressed -i, or یک before it.

📊 Definiteness
Type Marker Example
this این in این کتاب
that آن ān آن کتاب
indefinite -i or یک کتابی, یک کتاب
bare noun — often generic / definite
💬 Examples
کتابی
ketāb-i
a (certain) book
📝 -i = indefinite marker
یک کتاب
yek ketāb
a / one book
📝 یک = a / one
No definite article

A bare noun is often definite by context.

💬 Examples
کتاب روی میز است.
ketāb ru-ye miz ast.
The book is on the table.
📝 No 'the'; definite from context
در باز است.
dar bāz ast.
The door is open.
📝 Bare noun = definite here