Hi Tom, The five ways you've written to make the nouns plural are correct, but there is also a simple rule and that is using only "ان" and "ها" . It almost works for all the nouns. Some of the linguists believe this is more Persian and this way is preferred to use Arabic plural signs. Though it's good to know Arabic forms too, because they are still used in Persian and they help you to understand some of Persian texts easier, but you really don't need to use them. ____________________________________________________________________________________ About using ها or ان, I would say ها is much more widely used. You can use it both for living and non living, just like the examples you've mentioned. There are some exceptions though, like آقایان which you said. But it's not like آقاها is wrong, it just doesn't sound that natural. I don't think there is a rule to find out these exceptions, because they aren't really that many. You just need to get familiar with them over time. But the the number of exceptions in making plural with ان is much more. In spite of ها you can't make many of the nouns plural with ان, specially in colloquial Persian. I mean it is more used in poetry and literature. I try to write some general rules here: 1.You can make most of the livings plural with ان: مردان، زنان، مرغان، اسبان، though there are exceptions again. خانمان or انسانان don't sound correct for example. 2.Most of the plants, like: درختان، نهالان، علفزاران، but still nouns like چمنان، گلان don't sound correct. 3.Most of the body organs like: چشمان، دستان، انگشتان، لبان، but again گوشان or پایان for example, are wrong. 4.Most of the nouns related to time like : روزگاران، سالان، ماهان، شبان، روزان Overall I'd recommend you to use ها more. It's easier and more common.

Hi Tom. "Ha ها" is more common; almost all Persian words follow this rule. But like other languages there are some irregular words which you have to make them plural by "ات، یان،ان" and the best way is to memorise them (some of them are common between Persian and Arabic) Like: مایعات = liquids ادعیه => دعا = prayers. Arabic word .... But some words like شعر ، پرنده ، حیوان ، میوه and .... we usually use " ha ها". We also use "ha" for living things Like Adamha آدم ها = humans Ensan ha انسانها ............................................... آقایان = men Is one of the irregular words just has this specific form. You have to memorise these words which are not a lot. I will send you these words.

"Arabic words have different rules in Persian speaking", I beg to differ Huschmand. We can make Arabic words plural with ها. Just like the word yourself have written: مترجم ها. Even مایع ها would be correct too.

It is so complicated but As a foreigner, Persians will accept your mistakes to making plurals don't worry about it. There are some nouns you can use many ways to make a plural. Don't worry about making mistake. Like پرنده. پرندگان، پرنده ها Like پله پله ها، پلکان Like افسر. افسران، افسر ها Like مترجم. مترجمان، مترجمین، مترجم ها Like حیوان. حیوان ها، حیوانات There is not a complete rule for you to use. But most of the Persian words can make plural with ها and ان but Arabic words have different rules in Persian speaking. Try to learn them like مایع The Plural is مایعات not مایع ها or مایعان or مایعین or مایعجات. Using جات in making plurals means kinds of something. And there are few words that you can use جات for making a plural. like میوه، سبزی، کارخانه، میوجات means Kinds of Fruits, کارخانجات means Kinds of Factories, ...

میوه جات is False ... میوه is not Arabic word. right form is میوه ها