What it means
اپلیکیشن (aplikeyshan) is taken directly from the English word application and refers to any software program installed on a phone or tablet. It is the word most speakers under 40 use in casual conversation. The more neutral and formal synonym is برنامه (barnâme), which also means program or software in standard Persian, but اپلیکیشن has largely replaced it in colloquial speech about mobile apps.
How to use it
- این اپلیکیشن رو دانلود کن. (in aplikeyshan ro dânlod kon.) “Download this app.”
- اپلیکیشنت آپدیت داره. (aplikeyshant âpdeyt dâre.) “Your app has an update.”
- یه اپلیکیشن خوب برای یادگیری فارسی میشناسی؟ (ye aplikeyshan khub barâye yâdgiri-ye fârsi mishnâsi?) “Do you know a good app for learning Persian?”
- اپلیکیشن کار نمیکنه، حذفش کردم. (aplikeyshan kâr nemikone, hazfash kardam.) “The app wasn’t working, so I deleted it.”
Cultural note
Because many Western platforms are blocked in Iran, local developers have built domestic alternatives for everything from ride-hailing to food delivery, and each one is called an اپلیکیشن. The app economy inside Iran is substantial: services like Snapp, Digikala, and Tapsi all operate as اپلیکیشن in daily conversation. Older speakers or those in formal contexts may still prefer برنامه, but اپلیکیشن is now the default term among younger Iranians.