What it means
رد (rad) on its own means a trace, a track, or a mark left behind, the kind of impression a foot leaves in mud or a line leaves on paper. From this core meaning two compound verbs branch out in opposite directions. رد کردن (rad kardan) means either to pass something through (to process a card, to let someone through) or to reject or dismiss something. رد شدن (rad shodan) means to pass by, to go past a point, or in exams to fail. Context separates these: رد کردن یه نفر از مرز means “to let someone across the border,” while رد کردن یه نفر in a hiring context means to reject their application. Both uses are firmly B1 because learners must track which meaning is active.
How to use it
- کارتت رو رد کن (kârtet ro rad kon) “Swipe your card” or “Put your card through.”
- از کنار خونشون رد شدم (az kenâr-e khuneshan rad shodam) “I passed by their house.”
- درخواستم رو رد کردن (darkhâstam ro rad kardan) “They rejected my application.”
- رد یه نفر رو گم کردم (rad-e ye nafar ro gom kardam) “I lost track of someone.”
Cultural note
The phrase رد شدن در امتحان (rad shodan dar emtehân) meaning “to fail an exam” is a dreaded expression in Iranian school culture. رد شدن in this context carries a quiet shame, and the inverse قبول شدن (ghabul shodan, to pass) brings genuine relief. Hearing رد شدی or رد شده in the context of exams is enough to make an Iranian student’s stomach drop.
References
ZabanYar is a Persian app built for heritage learners, the people who can speak a little but want to read, write, and really get it. Free early access at launch.
Join the waitlist →