What it means
علامت (alâmat) means sign, mark, or symbol. The word comes from Arabic عَلَامَة (alâma), built on the root ع-ل-م, which relates to knowledge and recognition. In everyday Persian it covers a wide range: a road sign on the highway, a checkmark on a form, a brand’s logo, or a mark left on skin. A close synonym is نشانه (neshâne), which leans more toward symbol or indicator, while علامت tends to be more concrete and visual.
How to use it
- اون علامت رو نگاه کن، ممنوعه. (oon alâmat ro negâh kon, mamnu’e.) “Look at that sign, it is forbidden.”
- علامت سوال گذاشتم کنارش. (alâmat-e soâl gozâshtam kenâresh.) “I put a question mark next to it.”
- علامت این برند رو همه میشناسن. (alâmat-e in brand ro hame mishnâsan.) “Everyone recognizes this brand’s logo.”
- روی کاغذ یه علامت کوچیک بود. (rooye kâghaz ye alâmat-e koochik bood.) “There was a small mark on the paper.”
Cultural note
In Iranian cities, official road signs use both formal Persian script and standard Latin-alphabet romanization on major thoroughfares, so علامت appears frequently in daily urban life. Street vendors and shopkeepers sometimes draw hand-lettered علامت on cardboard to mark prices or directions. The word also appears in formal contexts such as contracts and official documents, where علامت تجاری (alâmat-e tejâri) means trademark.