جمع

What it means

جمع (jam’) is borrowed from Arabic جَمْع (jam’), the verbal noun of the root ج-م-ع (J-M-‘) meaning to gather, collect, or bring together. In Persian it carries several related senses depending on context. In everyday speech it means a gathering, a group of people together, or the act of collecting things. In arithmetic it means addition or a total sum. In grammar it is the standard term for the plural form of a word. The verb phrase جمع شدن (jam’ shodan) means to gather or to assemble, and جمع کردن (jam’ kardan) means to collect, tidy up, or add together. A close synonym for the gathering sense is گردهمایی (gerdhamâyi), which is more formal.

How to use it

• بچه‌ها جمع شدن تو حیاط. (bachehâ jam’ shodan tu hayât.) “The kids gathered in the yard.”
• اتاقت رو جمع کن. (otâghet ro jam’ kon.) “Tidy up your room.”
• جمع این اعداد چنده؟ (jam’-e in a’dâd chande?) “What is the total of these numbers?”
• کلمه جمع میشه یا مفرد؟ (kalame jam’ mishe yâ mofarad?) “Is the word plural or singular?”

Cultural note

The Arabic root J-M-‘ runs through a cluster of words that Persian speakers use daily: جمعه (jom’e, Friday, the day the community gathers for prayer), جامعه (jâme’e, society), and مجمع (majma’, assembly or gathering). This shared root means that when Iranians hear جمع they feel the connection to communal life even in mundane uses like جمع کن (tidy up). In Iranian family culture, جمع شدن دور هم (gathering around each other) is a repeated phrase that describes the regular family meals, Nowruz visits, and celebration dinners that anchor social life.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab