What it means
بعضی (ba’zi) means “some” or “certain ones.” The word comes from Arabic بعض (ba’dh), meaning “part, portion, some.” It entered Persian as a loanword and is now fully naturalized in both spoken and written Persian. بعضی is the register you will hear in ordinary conversation, markets, and casual writing. Its formal counterpart is برخی (barkhi), a pure Persian word used in newspapers, speeches, and official writing. When you hear بعضی وقتا (ba’zi vaghthâ), it means “sometimes,” one of the most common adverbial uses.
How to use it
- بعضی آدما خیلی جالبن. (ba’zi âdamâ kheyli jâlaban.) “Some people are very interesting.”
- بعضی وقتا دلم میگیره. (ba’zi vaghthâ delam migire.) “Sometimes I feel sad.”
- بعضی از دوستام اومدن. (ba’zi az dustâm umadan.) “Some of my friends came.”
- بعضی چیزا رو نمیشه توضیح داد. (ba’zi chizâ ro nemishe towzih dâd.) “Some things cannot be explained.”
Cultural note
بعضی is deeply embedded in Persian conversational rhythm. The compound بعضی وقتا (ba’zi vaghthâ, “sometimes”) is so common it functions almost as a single adverb. Despite its Arabic origin, speakers do not perceive it as foreign: it sounds as natural and Persian as any native word. Its formal twin برخی (barkhi) would sound stiff and bookish in the same casual sentences.