What it means
اسپری (esperey) means spray or aerosol, referring to any liquid dispensed as a fine mist from a pressurized or pump container. The word is a direct borrowing from English “spray.” It is used for a wide range of household products: air fresheners, perfume sprays, hair spray, insecticide sprays, and disinfectant sprays. A related borrowed verb is اسپری کردن (esperey kardan), meaning to spray something.
How to use it
- اسپری خوشبوکننده رو روی مبل بزن. (esperey khoshbu-konande ro ru-ye mobl bezan.) “Spray the air freshener on the sofa.”
- یه اسپری ضدحشره از سوپرمارکت بخر. (ye esperey zed-hashare az supermarket bekhar.) “Buy an insecticide spray from the supermarket.”
- موهامو با اسپری ثابت نگه میدارم. (muhâmo bâ esperey sâbet negah midâram.) “I keep my hair in place with hair spray.”
- قبل از خواب اسپری گلو زدم. (qabl az khâb esperey galu zadam.) “I used throat spray before bed.”
Cultural note
Aerosol and pump-spray products became standard in Iranian households from the 1970s onward and the borrowed English word اسپری has been the everyday term ever since. In pharmacies, اسپری refers to nasal or throat sprays, while in supermarkets it covers cleaning and fragrance products. The word is fully integrated into Persian and is understood across all age groups and registers.