خوردن

Persian خوردن means “to eat” but Iranians use it for drinking, taking medicine, and even getting hit. The verb’s reach is much wider than English “eat.”

What it actually means

خوردن literally means “to eat,” but it functions as Persian’s general consumption verb. Iranians use it for solid food (غذا خوردن, to eat food), liquids that are not water (چای خوردن, to drink tea; قهوه خوردن, to drink coffee), medicines (دارو خوردن, to take medicine), and even physical impacts in slang (ضربه خوردن, to take a hit; شکست خوردن, to suffer defeat, literally “to eat defeat”). The verb is irregular: past stem خورد (khord-) plus present stem خور (khor-). Conjugation: می‌خورم (mikhoram, I eat / drink), می‌خوری (mikhori), می‌خوره (mikhore, he/she). The closest English parallel might be “to take,” which English uses for medicine and impacts, but خوردن is wider still.

How to say it

Persian uses خوردن more aggressively than English uses “eat.” For water specifically, formal Persian prefers نوشیدن (to drink), but in casual Tehrani speech most people just say “آب می‌خورم” (I’m drinking water). The verb pairs with food and drink nouns to form natural compound expressions: قرص خوردن (to take a pill), سیگار خوردن (older form for “to smoke,” now mostly کشیدن), صبحانه خوردن (to eat breakfast).

In a sentence

Cultural note

خوردن is one of Persian’s deepest native verbs, traceable to Old Persian *kharda- through Middle Persian. The metaphorical extensions are a window into how Persian conceptualizes consumption. To “eat defeat” (شکست خوردن) is to take a loss. To “eat regret” (افسوس خوردن) is to feel sorry. To “eat stress” (حرص خوردن) is to be anxious. English uses “take” or “feel” for these. Persian reaches for “eat.” The pattern reflects a worldview where emotional and physical experiences both pass through the body. Iranian table culture also shapes the verb: a host insists “بخور!” (eat!) at every meal, often pushing food onto a guest’s plate. Refusing requires the polite phrase نه ممنون, سیرم (no thanks, I’m full), said two or three times before it sticks.

Related

You will see this verb constantly with غذا (food, the most common object), چای (tea, also “eaten”), and نان (bread). For more on the verbs you cannot survive without, see our guide to 100 Persian collocations native speakers just know.