What it means
آغاز سال (âghâz-e sâl) means “the start of the year” or “the beginning of the year.” Both words are native Persian: آغاز (âghâz) means “beginning” or “commencement,” and سال (sâl) means “year.” The ezâfe particle links them into a noun phrase. A common synonym is اول سال (avval-e sâl), where اول derives from Arabic and simply means “the first of the year.” آغاز سال is slightly more formal and literary in tone but is widely understood and used in everyday speech, writing, and media coverage of Nowruz.
How to use it
- آغاز سال مبارک باشه! (âghâz-e sâl mobârak bâshe!) “Congratulations on the start of the year!”
- آغاز سال نو همیشه حس خوبی داره. (âghâz-e sâl-e no hamishe hes-e khubi dâre.) “The start of the new year always feels good.”
- بودجه آغاز سال تصویب شد. (budje-ye âghâz-e sâl tasvib shod.) “The beginning-of-year budget was approved.”
- آغاز سال رو با سفر جشن گرفتیم. (âghâz-e sâl ro bâ safar jashn gereftim.) “We celebrated the start of the year with a trip.”
Cultural note
In the Iranian solar Hijri calendar, آغاز سال coincides exactly with the spring equinox, the first moment of Farvardin (فروردین), which falls around 20 or 21 March. This moment is called تحویل سال (tahvil-e sâl), and families traditionally gather around the هفتسین (haft-sin) table to welcome it together. The آغاز سال period, often called نوروز (Nowruz), spans a thirteen-day Nowruz period during which visits to family, gift-giving, and nature outings are central customs. The phrase آغاز سال نو (âghâz-e sâl-e no) appears widely in official greetings, social media posts, and news headlines around this time.