دوست داشتن
dust dâshtan
to love, like
verb (compound)A1
Quick Reference
DUST dÂSH-tan
to love, like
A1 — Absolute Beginner
What it means
دوست داشتن (dust dâshtan) is a Persian compound verb meaning “to love” or “to like.” Literal sense: “to have as a friend.” It is the everyday way to express affection, preference, or love in Persian, applied to people, things, activities, and places alike.
How it is built
- دوست (dust) noun: “friend,” Persian root
- داشتن (dâshtan) verb: “to have,” Persian
- Combined: “to have as a friend” = to like, love
How to use it
- تو را دوست دارم (to râ dust dâram) “I love you”
- چای دوست داری؟ (chây dust dâri?) “Do you like tea?”
- این فیلم را خیلی دوست دارم (in film râ kheyli dust dâram) “I love this film very much”
Range of meaning
Persian دوست داشتن covers a wider semantic range than English “to love” alone. It works for romantic love (تو را دوست دارم), liking ordinary things (سیب دوست دارم “I like apples”), and preference (این رنگ را بیشتر دوست دارم “I like this color more”). Context and intensity tell you which sense is at play.
Common pairings
- دوست داشتنی (dust-dâshtani) “lovable, likable”
- دوست شدن (dust shodan) “to become friends”
- دوستدار (dust-dâr) “lover, fan”
References
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