What it means
قربان شما (qorbân-e shomâ) is an ultra-polite taarof phrase that literally means “your sacrifice” but functions as a complete expression of deference: “I am your humble servant” or “I bow to you.” The word قربان comes from Arabic (قربان), referring to a sacrificial offering, and شما is the Persian formal pronoun for “you.” The phrase signals that the speaker places the listener’s wishes entirely above their own. It is used in formal conversations, official correspondence, and any situation where maximum respect is needed. A somewhat milder alternative is خدمتگزار شما (khedmatgozâr-e shomâ), “your servant.”
How to use it
- قربان شما، خواهش میکنم بفرمایید. (qorbân-e shomâ, khâhesh mikonam befarmâyid.) “I am at your service, please go ahead.”
- قربان شما هستم، هر امری داشتید بفرمایید. (qorbân-e shomâ hastam, har amri dâshtid befarmâyid.) “I am your humble servant, please command me.”
- قربان شما، ممنون از لطفتون. (qorbân-e shomâ, mamnun az lotfeton.) “I am your servant, thank you for your kindness.”
- قربان شما، این کار رو با کمال میل انجام میدم. (qorbân-e shomâ, in kâr ro bâ kamâl-e meyl anjâm midam.) “I am your humble servant, I will do this with the greatest pleasure.”
Cultural note
Qorbân-e shomâ sits at the highest register of Persian taarof, typically reserved for exchanges with elders, officials, or anyone the speaker wishes to honour conspicuously. Like most taarof expressions, both parties understand the phrase as a social ritual rather than a literal pledge. Refusing to reciprocate with equal courtesy when someone says this to you can feel jarring in formal Iranian settings. The root concept of sacrifice (qorbân) appears across several Persian expressions of devotion, linking everyday politeness to older religious and poetic traditions.