What it means
کامپیوتر (kâmpyuter) means “computer.” English-direct loanword adopted in the 1980s as personal computers reached Iran. Foundation A1 vocabulary in spoken Persian, though formal writing prefers رایانه (râyâne).
How to use it
- کامپیوترم خراب شده (kâmpyuteram kharâb shode) “My computer is broken”
- با کامپیوتر کار میکنم (bâ kâmpyuter kâr mikonam) “I work with a computer”
- کامپیوتر بازی میکند (kâmpyuter bâzi mikonad) “He plays computer games”
Common pairings
- صفحهکلید (safhe-kelid) “keyboard”
- موس (mus) “mouse”
- برنامهنویسی (barnâme-nevisi) “programming”
- لپتاپ (laptâp) “laptop”
Pure Persian alternative
رایانه (râyâne) was coined by the Academy of Persian Language and Literature in the 1980s from the verb رایانیدن (râyânidan, “to compute, calculate”). It dominates official, academic, and broadcast usage. کامپیوتر remains the everyday spoken word.
Pair
This entry pairs with رایانه (râyâne), the Pure Persian alternative. کامپیوتر is the everyday English loan; رایانه appears in formal writing and government usage.
References
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