What it means
پله (pelle) means a single step, stair, or rung, whether on a staircase inside a building, a ladder, or any surface you step up onto. It is a native Persian word with no Arabic or European borrowing behind it. In the plural, پلهها (pelle-ha) simply means stairs or steps. The word راهپله (rah-pelle) means staircase, literally “the path of steps.” پله can also be used figuratively for a stage or level, as in پلههای ترقی (pelle-ha-ye taraqqi), “the rungs of progress.”
How to use it
- مراقب پلهها باش، لیزه. (moragheb pelle-ha bash, lize.) “Watch out for the steps, they’re slippery.”
- آسانسور خرابه، باید از پله بری. (asansor kharabe, bayad az pelle beri.) “The lift is broken, you have to take the stairs.”
- خونهشون سه تا پله داره تا در ورودی. (khuneshuun se ta pelle dare ta dar-e vorudi.) “Their house has three steps up to the front door.”
- یه پله اشتباه رفتم، زمین خوردم. (ye pelle eshtebah raftam, zamin khordam.) “I missed a step and fell.”
Cultural note
In traditional Iranian architecture, especially in the courtyard houses of Isfahan and Kashan, پله is a central design element: steps descend from the living quarters to the sunken courtyard garden, creating layers that regulate temperature and define social space. The راهپله (staircase) in a modern Iranian apartment block is also a practical social hub: neighbours meet on the پلهها, packages are left there, and conversations happen between floors. Building codes require a minimum پله width of 90 centimetres in residential buildings.