What it means
ماهی آزاد (mâhi-ye âzâd), literally “free fish,” is the standard Persian name for salmon. Both components are native Persian words: ماهی (mâhi) means fish and آزاد (âzâd) means free. The name likely reflects the salmon’s nature as a powerful migratory fish that moves freely between sea and river. It is prized throughout Iran for its rich, oily flesh and appears on menus as a premium item. A close category sibling is قزلآلا (ghezel-âlâ), the trout, which belongs to the same family.
How to use it
- امشب ماهی آزاد داریم. (emshab mâhi-ye âzâd dârim.) “Tonight we are having salmon.”
- ماهی آزاد رو با لیمو درست کردم. (mâhi-ye âzâd ro bâ limu dorost kardam.) “I made the salmon with lemon.”
- قیمت ماهی آزاد بالا رفته. (qeymat-e mâhi-ye âzâd bâlâ rafte.) “The price of salmon has gone up.”
- دوست داری ماهی آزاد بخوری یا قزلآلا؟ (dust dâri mâhi-ye âzâd bekhori yâ ghezel-âlâ?) “Would you rather eat salmon or trout?”
Cultural note
Salmon is not native to Iranian rivers the way the Caspian white fish (mâhi-ye sefid) is, so it has historically been an imported or farmed luxury. Aquaculture of salmon and trout has grown considerably in Iran’s western mountain provinces, where cold clean rivers suit the fish. In restaurants, ماهی آزاد grilled over charcoal or baked with herbs signals an upscale meal.