نخیر

What it means

نخیر (nakhir) is an emphatic form of “no” in Persian, used when a speaker wants to stress disagreement, correction, or refusal more firmly than the plain نه (na) allows. It is generally considered more formal in register than نه, though it appears across contexts ranging from polite denial to firm rebuttal. In some usage, especially in contrast with بله (bale, yes), نخیر serves as the formal counterpart, creating the polished pair بله/نخیر that mirrors English “yes/no” in careful speech. The word can also signal mild indignation: using نخیر where نه would be expected adds weight, as if the speaker is taking the denial more seriously. It is not rude, but it is more definitive.

How to use it

• نخیر، اینطور نیست (nakhir, intor nist) “No, that is not the case.”
• بله یا نخیر؟ (bale yâ nakhir?) “Yes or no?”
• نخیر، من این کار رو نکردم (nakhir, man in kâr ro nakardam) “No, I did not do this.”
• نخیر، اشتباه می‌کنید (nakhir, eshtebâh mikonid) “No, you are mistaken.”

Cultural note

In Iranian polite culture, a flat نه can sometimes feel abrupt, so نخیر is a useful tool: it says no firmly but with a degree of composure and formality that softens the directness. You will hear نخیر most often in formal interactions such as official interviews, polite disagreements between adults, and situations where the speaker wants to project calm certainty rather than emotional rejection. In contrast, a sharp نه! in an emotional argument has more force precisely because of its brevity and informality.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab