معلم

What it means

معلم (mo’allem) means “teacher.” It refers to K-12 educators, from primary school through high school. For university instructors, Persian uses استاد (ostâd) instead.

How to use it

• معلم ریاضی (mo’allem-e riyâzi) “math teacher”
• معلم خوبی است (mo’allem-e khubi ast) “He/she is a good teacher”
• معلم کلاس اول (mo’allem-e kelâs-e avval) “first-grade teacher”

Common pairings and workplace context

• معلم زن (mo’allem-e zan) “female teacher”
• معلم مرد (mo’allem-e mard) “male teacher” (gender specified when needed)
• معلمی (mo’allemi) “the teaching profession”
• روز معلم (ruz-e mo’allem) “Teacher’s Day” (12 Ordibehesht)

Cultural note

Teaching carries strong respect in Iranian culture, even though salaries are low. Roz-e Mo’allem on May 2nd is a national observance, with students bringing flowers and small gifts. The phrase “معلم اول من” (mo’allem-e avval-e man) “my first teacher” is a common way to honor someone formative.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab
• Wiktionary