What it means
سرپرست (sarparast) means supervisor, guardian, or person in charge. The word is a native Persian compound: سر (sar) means head or leading, and پرست (parast) is a suffix denoting one who tends to or watches over something. Together they describe a person who heads a team, oversees a ward, or acts as legal guardian for a child or dependent. In a workplace context, سرپرست is the immediate manager above you. In a legal or family context, it refers to the guardian of a minor. A close synonym in professional settings is مدیر (modir, manager), though سرپرست implies a more hands-on supervisory relationship.
How to use it
- سرپرست تیم جلسه گذاشته. (sarparast-e tim jalase gozâshte) “The team supervisor has scheduled a meeting.”
- اون سرپرست بچههاشه بعد از طلاق. (oon sarparast-e bache-hâsh-e bad az talâgh) “She is the guardian of her children after the divorce.”
- سرپرستم خیلی سختگیره. (sarparast-am kheyli sakht-gir-e) “My supervisor is very strict.”
- باید از سرپرست اجازه بگیری. (bâyad az sarparast ejâze begiri) “You need to get permission from the supervisor.”
Cultural note
In Iranian workplaces, the سرپرست occupies a distinct position between a front-line employee and a full مدیر. The word also carries significant legal weight in family law: after the death of a parent or in divorce proceedings, courts assign سرپرستی (sarparasti, guardianship) as a formal legal status. The concept of سرپرستی extends to the adoption system in Iran, where families become legal سرپرست of children in the absence of full adoption rights under current law.