What it means
پل (pol) is a pure Persian word meaning “bridge,” with roots traceable to Middle Persian and the broader Iranian language family. It refers to any structure that spans a gap, from a small pedestrian footbridge over a stream to a large multi-lane overpass in a city. There is no close synonym in everyday Persian: پل is the universal term. You will also encounter it in compound words like پل هوایی (pol-e havâi, air bridge or jet bridge) and in dozens of Iranian place names.
How to use it
- از روی پل رد شو. (az ruye pol rad sho.) “Cross over the bridge.”
- پل سیوسهپل خیلی قشنگه. (pol-e Si-o-se pol kheili qashanqe.) “The Si-o-se Pol bridge is very beautiful.”
- زیر پل وایستادیم تا بارون بند بیاد. (zire pol vâistâdim tâ bârun band biyâd.) “We stood under the bridge until the rain stopped.”
- این پل قدیمیه. (in pol qadimiye.) “This bridge is old.”
Cultural note
Isfahan is famous for its historic Safavid-era bridges over the Zayandehrud River, especially Si-o-se Pol (سیوسهپل, Bridge of 33 Arches) and Khaju Bridge. These are not just traffic crossings: historically they served as social gathering places where people sat in the arches, drank tea, and listened to music. Today they remain iconic landmarks and the word پل is inseparable from Isfahan’s cultural identity.