What it means
کبوتر (kabutar) is the everyday Persian word for pigeon or dove. It descends directly from Middle Persian and has been in continuous use since antiquity. There is no meaningful distinction between pigeon and dove in everyday Persian speech: both are called kabutar. The word کفتر (kaftar) is an older, more literary or dialectal variant you may encounter in classical poetry, but kabutar is the standard spoken and written form today.
How to use it
- کبوترها میدان را پر کردهاند. (Kabutarhâ meydân râ por kardeh-and.) “The pigeons have filled the square.”
- یه کبوتر رو پنجره نشسته. (Ye kabutar ru panjare neshaste.) “A pigeon has settled on the window.”
- بچهها به کبوترها دانه میدادند. (Bachehâ be kabutarhâ dâne midâdand.) “The kids were feeding the pigeons.”
- در شعر حافظ کبوتر نماد عشق است. (Dar she’r-e Hâfez kabutar namâd-e eshq ast.) “In Hafez’s poetry the pigeon is a symbol of love.”
Cultural note
Pigeons hold a special place in Iranian culture. Keeping and racing pigeons, called کبوترپرانی (kabutar-parâni), has been a popular pastime in Tehran and other cities for generations, particularly in working-class neighborhoods. Doves also appear frequently in classical Persian poetry as symbols of longing, the soul, or the beloved, and releasing white doves at weddings or celebrations remains a common gesture.