What it means
بدهی (bedehi) means debt: the condition of owing something, usually money, to another person or institution. It is a native Persian word formed from bede (the imperative of dâdan, to give) plus the nominalizing suffix -i, so the word literally carries the sense of something that must be given. A useful contrast: bedehi is the debt itself (the amount or obligation), while qarz (قرض, from Arabic) often refers to the act of borrowing. They overlap, but bedehi is the broader, more native term for what you owe.
How to use it
- بدهی زیادی دارم. (bedehi ziâdi dâram.) “I have a lot of debt.”
- بدهیامو تموم کردم. (bedehiâmo tamum kardam.) “I finished paying off all my debts.”
- اون بدهیش رو نمیده. (un bedehisho nemide.) “He doesn’t pay his debt.”
- بدهی ملی کشور بالاست. (bedehi-ye melli-ye keshvar bâlâst.) “The country’s national debt is high.”
Cultural note
Having unpaid bedehi carries real social weight in Iranian culture, particularly in close-knit communities and among family members. Failing to repay a personal debt can damage a family’s reputation more seriously than financial loss alone. The concept of âberu (honor, face) is directly tied to whether a person settles their obligations, so many Iranians will prioritize repaying even informal debts before other expenses.