انگار

What it means

انگار (engâr) is a colloquial adverb and evidential particle used to signal that the speaker is drawing an inference or reporting something that appears to be the case. It translates most naturally as “it seems,” “as if,” or “apparently.” The word is a pure Persian form and very common in everyday spoken Tehran Persian. It can open a sentence (انگار خسته‌ست, It seems he is tired) or appear mid-clause to frame a comparison (مثل اینکه / انگار که, as if / it is as though). In formal or written Persian, گویی (guyi) serves a similar function and sounds more literary; انگار is firmly colloquial but not slang.

How to use it

• انگار امروز حالت خوب نیست (engâr emruz hâl-at khub nist) “It seems you are not feeling well today.”
• انگار باران می‌آد (engâr bârân miyâd) “It looks like it is going to rain.”
• انگار اصلاً نشنیدی (engâr aslân nashnidi) “It is as if you did not hear at all.”
• انگار که خوابه (engâr ke khâbeh) “It seems like he is asleep.”

Cultural note

Iranian conversational style values hedging; stating something too directly can come across as blunt or even presumptuous. انگار does the polite work of softening an observation. You might point out that a friend looks exhausted by saying «انگار خیلی کار کردی» rather than the more confrontational direct assertion. This indirect framing is also used humorously: «انگار صاحب‌خونه‌ای» (it’s as if you own the place) is a gentle jab at someone making themselves too comfortable.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab