What it means
دلار (dolâr) is a direct borrowing from English, referring to the US dollar and, by extension, any currency called a dollar. Persian dictionaries label it as انگلیسی (English origin). The word entered Persian along with the global dominance of the US dollar in trade and finance. In everyday Iranian speech, دلار often functions as shorthand for the free-market exchange rate itself: asking “دلار چنده؟” means “What is the exchange rate?” even when the speaker is not literally buying dollars.
How to use it
- دلار چنده امروز؟ (dolâr chande emruz?) “What is the dollar rate today?”
- قیمتش به دلار حساب میکنن. (gheymatesh be dolâr hesâb mikonan.) “They calculate the price in dollars.”
- پس اندازم دلاریه. (pas-andâzam dolâriye.) “My savings are in dollars.”
- دلار دیشب اومد پایین. (dolâr dishab umad pâyin.) “The dollar came down last night.”
Cultural note
The US dollar occupies a unique position in Iranian daily life. Because of sanctions and currency instability, many Iranians convert savings into دلار as a store of value. The daily dollar rate is tracked obsessively and discussed in homes, shops, and social media. Prices for real estate, cars, and electronics are often quoted informally in دلار even though official transactions must be in rials or tomans. The word itself has become almost synonymous with financial security in popular speech.