What it means
قاعدگی (qâ’edegi) is the formal, clinical word for menstruation or the menstrual period. It is built on the Arabic root قَاعِدَة (qâ’eda), meaning base or regular cycle, with the Persian abstract suffix -gi attached to the Arabicized form. In everyday speech, most Iranians prefer the colloquial پریود (periyod), but qâ’edegi appears in medical settings, health education materials, and formal writing. A close synonym in formal contexts is عادت ماهانه (âdat-e mâhâne), meaning monthly habit.
How to use it
- قاعدگیام دیر کرده. (qâ’edegi-am dir karde.) “My period is late.”
- درد قاعدگی خیلی آزاردهندهست. (dard-e qâ’edegi kheli âzârdahandast.) “Menstrual pain is very distressing.”
- دکتر گفت قاعدگیام نامنظمه. (doktor goft qâ’edegi-am nâmanzame.) “The doctor said my period is irregular.”
- آیا محصولات بهداشتی دوره قاعدگی دارید؟ (âyâ mahsulât-e behdâshti-ye dowre-ye qâ’edegi dârid?) “Do you carry menstrual hygiene products?”
Cultural note
In Iran, menstruation has traditionally been a topic discussed in private, and many women use indirect or colloquial terms to avoid the formal word in social settings. The colloquial پریود is now very widely used across generations, particularly among younger urban women, while qâ’edegi remains the standard in pharmacies, clinics, and health education. Religious jurisprudence (fiqh) addresses menstruation extensively under the term حیض (heyẑ), which is the Arabic religious and classical term, distinct from qâ’edegi in everyday medical use. Awareness of these register differences is useful when navigating health conversations in Persian.