What it means
کیبورد (kibord) is the Persian rendering of the English word keyboard. The sound has been adapted to Persian phonology: the English diphthong in key becomes the long vowel کی (ki), and the rd ending is kept close to the original. It refers to the physical keyboard of a computer, laptop, or any device with keys for typing. The formal Persian alternative is صفحهکلید (safhe-kelid), but کیبورد is by far the more common word in everyday conversation, tech shops, and online forums.
How to use it
- کیبوردم خراب شده. (kibordam kharab shodeh.) “My keyboard is broken.”
- یه کیبورد بیسیم میخوام. (ye kibord bisim mikham.) “I want a wireless keyboard.”
- این کیبورد فارسی داره؟ (in kibord farsi dareh?) “Does this keyboard have Persian letters?”
- کیبورد رو عوض کن. (kibord ro avaz kon.) “Change the keyboard.”
Cultural note
Persian-language keyboards require both Arabic-script and Latin-script layouts, and Iranian computer users often switch between them constantly. Many smartphones and computers sold in Iran come with dual-layout stickers on the physical keys. The word کیبورد has been so thoroughly adopted that most Iranians, including those in formal professions, use it without thinking of it as a foreign word.