What it means
تعمیر کردن (ta’mir kardan) means to repair, fix, or restore something to working order. It is a compound verb: تعمیر (ta’mir) is borrowed from Arabic, derived from the root ع-م-ر (related to life, longevity, and building), where the Form II verbal noun pattern (taf’il, here giving ta’mir) carries the sense of making something functional again. The second element, کردن (kardan), is the native Persian light verb meaning to do. A colloquial synonym is درست کردن (dorost kardan), which also means to fix or to make right, and is slightly more casual in everyday speech.
How to use it
- ماشینم خراب شد، باید بریم تعمیرگاه. (Mâshinam kharâb shod, bâyad berim ta’mirgâh.) “My car broke down, we need to go to the repair shop.”
- لازم نیست بخریش، تعمیرش کن. (Lâzem nist bakhariesh, ta’miresh kon.) “No need to buy a new one, just fix it.”
- کی میاد برق خونه رو تعمیر کنه؟ (Ki miyâd barq-e khune ro ta’mir kone?) “When is someone coming to fix the electricity at home?”
- این گوشی قابل تعمیر نیست. (In gushi qâbel-e ta’mir nist.) “This phone is not repairable.”
Cultural note
Iran has a long and active culture of repair. Small shops specialising in fixing phones, appliances, shoes, and electronics line the bazaars and side streets of every city. The word تعمیرگاه (ta’mirgâh), literally a repair-place, is on signs across the country. Throwing something away without attempting repair is considered wasteful, and a skilled repairman (تعمیرکار, ta’mirkâr) commands genuine respect in the community.