What it means
تقدیر (taqdir) is an Arabic loanword built on the root ق-د-ر (q-d-r), meaning power, measure, or capacity, the same root that gives قدرت (qodrat, power) and مقدار (meqdâr, amount). In Persian the word has developed two related but distinct uses. The first is fate or divine destiny: everything is by تقدیر means it was written and could not have been otherwise. The second is appreciation or acknowledgment: تقدیر کردن (taqdir kardan) means to appreciate, to commend, or to honour someone for their contribution. A ceremony where people receive awards is often called مراسم تقدیر (marâsem-e taqdir). The two meanings are both in active everyday use and context always makes clear which is intended.
How to use it
- تقدیر ما اینه. (taqdir-e mâ ine) “This is our fate.”
- از زحماتت تقدیر میکنیم. (az zahmatât taqdir mikonim) “We appreciate your efforts.”
- هر چی تقدیر باشه. (har chi taqdir bâshe) “Whatever fate decides.”
- مراسم تقدیر از معلمان برگزار شد. (marâsem-e taqdir az mo’alemân bargozâr shod) “A ceremony of appreciation for teachers was held.”
Cultural note
The concept of taqdir as divine fate is deeply embedded in Islamic theology and shapes how many Iranians speak about misfortune, success, and the arc of a life. Saying هر چی تقدیر باشه is a common way to accept uncertainty without despair. At the same time, the appreciation meaning has flourished in institutional contexts: Iranian schools, workplaces, and state bodies regularly hold تقدیر ceremonies to recognize effort, which makes the word familiar to all age groups in both its registers.