What it means
آنگاه (ângâh) means “then,” “at that time,” or “at that moment.” It is a native Persian compound built from آن (that) and گاه (time, moment), both inherited Old Iranian elements. آنگاه belongs firmly to formal writing, classical poetry, and literary narrative. In casual conversation, speakers use بعد (baad) or بعدش (baadesh) instead. A close formal synonym is سپس (sepas), which is slightly more common in modern standard prose. آنگاه carries a weighty, often dramatic tone that makes it well suited to historical accounts and poetry.
How to use it
- آنگاه بود که همه چیز تغییر کرد. (ângâh bud ke hame chiz taghyir kard.) “It was then that everything changed.”
- او سخنان خود را گفت و آنگاه رفت. (u sokhanâne khod râ goft o ângâh raft.) “He spoke his words and then he left.”
- آنگاه که جوان بودم، این راه را میشناختم. (ângâh ke javân budam, in râh râ mishenakhtam.) “At that time, when I was young, I knew this road.”
- آنگاه دریافتند که دیر شده است. (ângâh daryâftand ke dir shode ast.) “Then they realized it had become too late.”
Cultural note
آنگاه is a staple of classical Persian literature, appearing frequently in the prose of writers such as Saʿdi and in poetry and formal narrative throughout the tradition. Modern Persian journalism and formal academic writing still use it to signal a pivotal moment in a sequence of events. Because it sounds archaic or theatrical in everyday speech, using آنگاه in casual conversation can come across as playfully dramatic or deliberately literary, an effect some speakers deploy for humor or emphasis.