What it means
خوابگاه (khâbgâh) means a dormitory or residential hall, most commonly a university student dormitory. The word is a native Persian compound: خواب (khâb) means sleep, and گاه (gâh) is a Persian suffix meaning place or time of. Together they form the literal meaning of “a place for sleeping.” In the university context it refers specifically to on-campus student housing managed by the institution. A close synonym in formal writing is خوابگاه دانشجویی (khâbgâh-e dâneshju-i), meaning student dormitory, while in colloquial speech students simply say خوابگاه without any modifier.
How to use it
- تو خوابگاه پسرونه زندگی میکنم. (tu khâbgâh-e pesarune zendegi mi-konam.) “I live in the men’s dormitory.”
- خوابگاه دانشگاه اتاق دونفره داره. (khâbgâh-e dâneshgâh otâq-e do-nafar-e dâre.) “The university dormitory has double rooms.”
- اینترنت خوابگاه همیشه قطعه. (internet-e khâbgâh hamishe qat’e.) “The dormitory internet is always down.”
- برای خوابگاه باید زود ثبتنام کنی. (barâ-ye khâbgâh bâyad zud sabt-nâm koni.) “You need to register early for the dormitory.”
Cultural note
University dormitories in Iran are strictly gender-segregated: there are separate خوابگاه دخترانه (khâbgâh-e dokhtarâne) for women and خوابگاه پسرانه (khâbgâh-e pesarâne) for men, each with its own management and entry rules. Demand for dormitory places far exceeds supply at major universities, and places are allocated based on financial need and distance from the student’s hometown. For many students from provincial cities, living in a university khâbgâh is their first experience of independence, and the shared rooms and communal spaces often become the setting for lasting friendships.