What it means
قبول شدن (ghabul shodan) literally means “to become accepted.” In everyday use it means to pass an exam, pass an entrance test, or be accepted into a school or program. The noun قبول (ghabul) is a borrowing from Arabic qabūl, meaning acceptance or consent, while شدن (shodan) is the native Persian verb for “to become.” The opposite is رد شدن (radd shodan), to fail or be rejected. In formal writing you may also see قبولی (ghabuli) as the noun form meaning a pass result.
How to use it
- امیدوارم تو امتحان قبول بشی. (omidvaram tu emtehan ghabul beshi.) “I hope you pass the exam.”
- من تو کنکور قبول شدم. (man tu konkur ghabul shodam.) “I got accepted in the university entrance exam.”
- آیا در آزمون رانندگی قبول شدی؟ (aya dar azmun-e ranandegi ghabul shodi?) “Did you pass the driving test?”
- اگه قبول بشم، دانشگاه تهران میرم. (age ghabul besham, daneshgah-e Tehran miram.) “If I pass, I’ll go to Tehran University.”
Cultural note
In Iran, passing the national university entrance exam, the کنکور (konkur), is one of the most consequential moments in a young person’s life. Families gather, neighbors ask about results, and قبول شدن در کنکور carries enormous social weight beyond the academic achievement itself. The pressure around this single exam shapes students’ entire secondary school experience. In colloquial speech, Iranians often drop the preposition and say just “قبول شدم” without specifying the exam when the context is clear.