ببخشید

ببخشید is the Persian “excuse me” and “sorry” rolled together. It also opens almost every polite Iranian request.

What it actually means

ببخشید functions as both “excuse me” and “sorry” in Persian, plus a request opener and an interruption signal. The word is the polite imperative form of the verb بخشیدن (bakhshidan, “to forgive, to grant”). Said on its own, ببخشید means “forgive (me)”: sorry, excuse me, pardon, beg your pardon. Said before a question, it opens a polite request: ببخشید ساعت چنده؟ (bebakhshid sā’at chand-e, “excuse me, what time is it?”). Said after bumping into someone, it apologizes. Iranians use it dozens of times a day, often paired with لطفا (please) for higher politeness. The longer apology form is معذرت می‌خوام (ma’zerat mikhām, “I apologize”), reserved for serious offenses.

How to say it

Persian’s politeness system uses verb conjugation as a form of respect. ببخشید is the second-person plural imperative (“you-all forgive”), which Iranians use as a polite singular even when speaking to one person. ببخش (bebakhsh) is the singular imperative, reserved for friends, family, or anyone close enough that formal politeness would feel cold. The pattern repeats across most Persian verbs: plural form for politeness, singular for closeness.

In a sentence

Cultural note

ببخشید comes from the verb بخشیدن (bakhshīdan), a native Persian verb traceable to Old Persian *baxsh- (“to give, to allot, to forgive”). The same root produces بخشش (bakhshesh, “forgiveness, generosity”), بخشنده (bakhshande, “forgiving, generous”), and the noun بخش (bakhsh, “section, portion, gift”). The word’s two senses (to forgive and to give) share the older meaning of “allotting a portion,” whether that portion is a gift or a release from blame. Iranian politeness conventions lean heavily on ببخشید because it acknowledges the speaker has interrupted, taken time, or imposed slightly. Saying it preemptively softens any request. Iranian children learn to say ببخشید alongside لطفا (please) and ممنون (thank you) as the three pillars of basic courtesy.

Related

You will see this word together with لطفا (please, the natural follow-up) and ممنون (thank you, the closer). For the wider politeness register, see our guide to 7 unwritten rules of Iranian hospitality.