What it means
دولت (dowlat) means “government” or “state” in Persian. The word comes from Arabic, from the root د-و-ل (d-w-l), which carries the sense of succession and dynasty, reflecting how the word once described a ruling dynasty before settling into its modern meaning. In daily speech, Iranians use dowlat to refer to the central government, a cabinet, or the state as a whole. A close contrast is حکومت (hokumat), which tends to emphasize the act of ruling or a political regime rather than the institutional apparatus.
How to use it
- دولت باید مشکل را حل کند. (dowlat bâyad moshkel râ hal konad.) “The government has to solve the problem.”
- کارمند دولت هستم. (kârmand-e dowlat hastam.) “I am a government employee.”
- دولت جدید کی شروع به کار میکند؟ (dowlat-e jadid key shoru be kâr mikonad?) “When does the new government start work?”
- این تصمیم دولتی بود. (in tasmim dowlati bud.) “This decision was governmental.”
Cultural note
In Iran, the word دولت most commonly refers to the executive branch headed by the president, distinct from the supreme leader’s office. Ordinary conversation treats dowlat as the face of day-to-day governance, the body people credit or blame for prices, services, and policy. The phrase “دولت باید…” (the government should…) is one of the most common openings in public debate, from bazaars to social media.