قایم
قایم (ghâyem) in colloquial Persian means hidden, but it is also used informally to mean great or solid. It comes from Arabic qâ’im meaning standing or upright, and it lives in the beloved children’s game قایم موشک, hide-and-seek.
Glossary
شرط
شرط (shart) means a condition, stipulation, or bet in Persian. It is borrowed from Arabic, where the root Sh-R-T covers the idea of a binding term or prerequisite, and in Persian it also commonly means a wager.
حق
حق (hagh) means right, entitlement, or truth in Persian. It is borrowed from Arabic and is among the most philosophically loaded words in the language, used for legal rights, moral correctness, and one of the names of God.
نیاز
نیاز (niyâz) means need or necessity in Persian. It is a native Persian word inherited from Middle Persian, and it also carries a softer sense of longing or supplication in literary and spiritual contexts.
گناه
گناه (gonâh) means sin, fault, or moral wrongdoing. It is an ancient Persian word attested in Middle Persian as gunah, and it also appears in the colloquial expression gonâh dâre, meaning it is a shame or a pity.
شاهد
شاهد (shâhed) means witness or evidence. It comes from the Arabic root Sh-H-D meaning to witness or testify, the same root behind the Islamic declaration of faith, the shahâdat.
هماهنگ
هماهنگ (hamâhang) means coordinated, in sync, or harmonious. It is a pure Persian compound of ham (together) and âhang (tone or melody), so literally one who shares the same tune.
مراقب
مراقب (morâgheb) means careful, watchful, or a caretaker. It comes from the Arabic root R-Q-B meaning to watch or guard, and in Persian it is both an adjective and a noun depending on context.
هان
هان (hân) is a native Persian interjection used to seek confirmation, call someone’s attention, or express a sudden realization. It is short, sharp, and entirely colloquial.
اختیار
اختیار (ekhtiyâr) means authority, discretion, or choice in Persian. اختیار داشتن means to have authority, and اختیار دارید is a ta’arof expression meaning you are welcome or please, go ahead.