بفرما

What it means

بفرما (befarma) is a polite honorific expression used to invite someone to act, offer something to them, or grant permission to proceed. Its longer form is بفرمایید (befarmâïd), which is more formal and plural, while بفرما is the singular or informal variant. The word comes from the verb فرمودن (farmudan), a high-register verb meaning to order, to say, or to command, itself from Old Persian. Because فرمودن is intrinsically deferential (it is the polite way to describe the other person’s speech or action), its imperative form بفرما carries a built-in respectfulness. In practice it functions as a multipurpose politeness marker: used to invite someone into a room (بفرما تو), to offer food or an object (بفرما), to invite someone to sit (بفرما بشین), or to yield the floor in a conversation. It has no single English translation; context determines whether it is please, go ahead, here you are, or come in.

How to use it

• بفرما بشین، راحت باش. (befarma beshin, râhat bâsh.) “Please sit down, make yourself comfortable.”
• چای‌تون رو بفرما. (châytun ro befarma.) “Here is your tea.”
• بفرما تو، خونه‌ی خودتونه. (befarma tu, khune-ye khodatune.) “Please come in, make yourself at home.”
• اگه سوالی دارید، بفرمایید. (age su’âli dârid, befarmâïd.) “If you have a question, please go ahead.”

Cultural note

بفرما is central to ta’arof, the Persian system of elaborate social courtesy. Offering food, opening a door, or yielding a seat without saying بفرما can feel abrupt to Iranians accustomed to its constant presence in polite exchanges. The word also appears in service contexts: a shopkeeper placing a purchase in your hands, a waiter setting down your order, or a host showing you to a seat will all say بفرما as a matter of course. Foreigners who learn this single word and use it correctly earn immediate goodwill, because it signals familiarity with the social choreography Iranians value.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab