What it means
اعتقاد (e’teghâd) means a conviction or a deeply held belief, something a person is genuinely committed to, not a fleeting opinion. The word is borrowed from Arabic, where it is the masdar (verbal noun) of the Form VIII verb اعتقد (i’taqada, to believe firmly), built on the root ع-ق-د (to tie or knot). The image behind the root is of a belief that is tied or knotted inside a person, not loosely held. In Persian, اعتقاد داشتن (e’teghâd dâshtan) means to hold a conviction, while اعتقاد کردن به (e’teghâd kardan be) can mean to come to believe in something. A lighter word for belief or trust is باور (bâvar), which is native Persian and feels more personal and everyday. اعتقاد carries more weight and is more common in religious or principled contexts.
How to use it
- اعتقاد دارم که درست میشه. (e’teghâd dâram ke dorost mishe) “I believe it will work out.”
- به اعتقادات مردم احترام بذار. (be e’teghâdât-e mardom ehterâm bezâr) “Respect people’s beliefs.”
- اعتقادات دینیاش خیلی قوییه. (e’teghâdât-e dini’ash kheyli qaviye) “His religious convictions are very strong.”
- من به این اعتقادی ندارم. (man be in e’teghâdi nadâram) “I do not hold that conviction.”
Cultural note
اعتقاد and its plural اعتقادات (e’teghâdât, beliefs, convictions) are central vocabulary in any discussion of religion, ethics, or personal values in Iran. Because the word implies a deep, committed belief rather than a casual view, it is the standard term used when discussing religious faith, political principles, or moral convictions. Phrases like اعتقادات دینی (religious convictions) and اعتقاد به خدا (belief in God) appear constantly in both formal discourse and personal conversation. The contrast with باور (bâvar) is worth knowing: باور feels warmer and more intimate, while اعتقاد has a firmer, more principled tone.