What it means
ایرانی (irâni) means “Iranian.” Formed from ایران (irân) plus the suffix ی (-i), the productive Persian relational ending that turns place names into nationality adjectives. Works both as adjective (“an Iranian movie”) and as noun (“an Iranian person”).
How to use it
- من ایرانی هستم (man irâni hastam) “I am Iranian”
- غذای ایرانی (ghazâ-ye irâni) “Iranian food”
- یک دوست ایرانی دارم (yek dust-e irâni dâram) “I have an Iranian friend”
- ایرانیها (irâni-hâ) “Iranians” (plural)
Paradigm comparisons
- Pattern: place plus ی forms the demonym. تهران (tehrân) becomes تهرانی (tehrâni, Tehrani); شیراز (shirâz) becomes شیرازی (shirâzi)
- Related: فارسی (fârsi) “Persian language” (from Fârs province)
- Plural: ایرانیها (irâni-hâ) or formal ایرانیان (irâniyân)
- Compound: ایرانیتبار (irâni-tabâr) “of Iranian descent”
Cultural note
Iranians inside Iran usually call themselves irâni. The diaspora often layers identities: irâni-amrikâyi (Iranian-American), irâni-tabâr (of Iranian descent). The word “Persian” in English maps to فارسی (fârsi) for the language and to ایرانی for the people, though some diaspora Iranians prefer “Persian” in English for cultural and historical reasons.
References
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