سیب
sib
apple
nounA1
Quick Reference
sib
apple
A1 — Absolute Beginner
سیب pronounced by Elyar
What it means
سیب (sib) means “apple.” Native Persian word, attested in Middle Persian. It refers to the fruit and is one of the first vocabulary items Iranian children learn.
How to use it
- یک سیب میخواهم (yek sib mikhâham) “I want an apple”
- سیب قرمز است (sib qermez ast) “The apple is red”
- درخت سیب در باغ (derakht-e sib dar bâgh) “The apple tree in the garden”
Common pairings
- سیب زمینی (sib-zamini) “potato” (literally “ground apple,” parallel to French pomme de terre)
- درخت سیب (derakht-e sib) “apple tree”
- سیب سرخ (sib-e sorkh) “red apple”
- عرق سیب (araq-e sib) “apple cider, apple drink”
Cultural note
The apple appears in Persian poetry as a symbol of red cheeks and beauty. The compound سیب زمینی (sib-zamini) is a 19th-century Iranian coinage modelled on European languages, preserving the original Persian “sib” while adding “zamini” (earth) to form “potato.”
References
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The apple appears in Persian poetry as a symbol of red cheeks and beauty. The compound سیب زمینی (sib-zamini) is a 19th-century Iranian coinage modelled on European languages, preserving the original Persian "sib" while adding "zamini" (earth) to form "potato."Roots & Connections
Middle Persiansēbnative Persian root
Connected Words