What it means
سردرد (sar-dard) is the everyday Persian word for “headache.” It is a native compound built from سر (sar, “head”) and درد (dard, “pain, ache”), so it literally reads as “head-pain.” Both parts are pure Persian, which is why the word feels so plain and direct. If you want to be more specific, a migraine is میگرن (migren), but for ordinary aches people just say سردرد.
How to use it
- سردرد دارم. (sar-dard daram.) “I have a headache.”
- یه سردرد بدی گرفتم. (ye sar-dard-e badi gereftam.) “I got a bad headache.”
- از صبح سردرد دارم. (az sobh sar-dard daram.) “I’ve had a headache since morning.”
- یه قرص بخور تا سردردت خوب بشه. (ye ghors bokhor ta sar-dardet khub beshe.) “Take a pill so your headache gets better.”
Cultural note
In daily Iranian life, complaining of a سردرد is one of the most common ways to mention feeling unwell, and people often blame it on stress, lack of sleep, or strong sun. The phrase also has a figurative sense: when something or someone is a constant source of trouble, Iranians may call it دردسر (dardesar), literally “trouble for the head,” which flips the same two words around. Reaching for tea, rest, or a painkiller is the usual first response.