What it means
کپی (kopi) is a direct borrowing from English “copy” and is the standard colloquial word for a photocopy or duplicate of a document. It sits alongside the more formal Persian equivalent رونوشت (rowneveesht), but in everyday speech everyone says کپی. The verb form کپی گرفتن (kopi gereftan) means to make a photocopy, and کپی کردن (kopi kardan) means to copy something. You will hear this word constantly at government offices, banks, universities, and copy shops.
How to use it
- کپی شناسنامه لازم دارم. (kopi-ye shenasname lazem daram.) “I need a photocopy of my ID booklet.”
- از این برگه یه کپی بگیر. (az in barge ye kopi begir.) “Make one photocopy of this page.”
- کپی قرارداد رو نگه داشتم. (kopi-ye qarardad ro negah dashtam.) “I kept a copy of the contract.”
- ماشین کپی خرابه. (mashin-e kopi kharabe.) “The photocopy machine is broken.”
Cultural note
کپی shops (کپی شاپ, kopi-shap) are found on almost every block near government offices and universities in Iranian cities. They typically offer photocopying, scanning, laminating, and printing, and are an essential stop before any bureaucratic appointment. It is standard practice to bring both the original document and several کپی of it to any official meeting.