خواهش می‌کنم

What it means

خواهش می‌کنم (khâhesh mikonam) is the Persian phrase that does double duty: “you are welcome” (response to thanks) and “please” (polite request). Compound verb, A1 vocabulary. Literally “I make a request” or “I beg.” Indispensable in everyday courtesy.

How to use it

• متشکرم! خواهش می‌کنم (motashakkeram! khâhesh mikonam) “Thank you! You are welcome”
• خواهش می‌کنم بنشینید (khâhesh mikonam beneshinid) “Please sit down”
• خواهش می‌کنم ادامه بدهید (khâhesh mikonam edâme bedahid) “Please continue”

Common pairings

• خواهش (khâhesh) “request, plea”
• خواستن (khâstan) “to want”
• تمنا می‌کنم (tamannâ mikonam) “I beg, please” (more formal)
• قابل ندارد (qâbel nadârad) “it is unworthy of you” (alternative welcome)
• لطفا (lotfan) “please” (single-word alternative)

Compound verb structure

A کردن (kardan, “to do”) compound: خواهش (the noun, “request, supplication”, Persian) + کردن (Persian). The می‌ prefix marks present continuous. Conjugates fully, خواهش می‌کنم (I request), خواهش کردم (I requested). The use as “you are welcome” is unique to Persian: the speaker says “I make a request (no need to thank me).” Iranians often follow with قابل ندارد (qâbel nadârad, “it is not worthy of you”) as a tâ’arof flourish.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab