What it means
قربانت بروم (qorbânat beram) is an intimate taarof expression meaning “may I go as your sacrifice” or, more naturally, “I would give my life for you.” It combines قربان (qorbân, from Arabic قربان, sacrifice or offering) with the second-person possessive suffix ـت and the Persian subjunctive verb بروم (beram, from raftan, to go). The overall sense is: “let me go in your place as a sacrifice.” Unlike the more formal qorbân-e shomâ, this version uses the informal second-person suffix ـت rather than the full pronoun شما, which makes it intimate and affectionate rather than ceremonially deferential. It is a term of endearment used freely with children, close family members, and beloved friends.
How to use it
- قربانت بروم، کجایی؟ (qorbânat beram, kojâyi?) “I would sacrifice myself for you, where have you been?”
- قربانت بروم، چقدر بزرگ شدی. (qorbânat beram, cheghadr bozorg shodi.) “May I be sacrificed for you, how much you have grown.”
- قربانت برم، مراقب خودت باش. (qorbânat beram, morâqeb khodat bâsh.) “I would give myself for you, please take care of yourself.”
- قربانت بروم، دلم برات تنگ شده بود. (qorbânat beram, delam barât tang shode bud.) “May I be sacrificed for you, I had missed you so much.”
Cultural note
Qorbânat beram sits in a different emotional register from its formal cousin qorbân-e shomâ. Grandparents say it to grandchildren, mothers to their sons and daughters, and old friends to each other in moments of reunion or warmth. The hyperbole of self-sacrifice is completely conventional and is understood as an expression of love rather than a literal statement. It is one of several Persian phrases built around the concept of qorbân that range from stiff formality to heartfelt intimacy, demonstrating how taarof can function as genuine affection as much as social ritual.