What it means
تنگ نفس (tang-nafas) describes the sensation of difficulty breathing or breathlessness, directly equivalent to the medical term “shortness of breath” or dyspnoea. It is a compound of two different origins: تنگ (tang) is pure Persian, meaning tight, narrow, or constricted, while نفس (nafas) is borrowed from Arabic نفس meaning breath or soul. Together they paint an image of tightness around the breath. The phrase can function as a noun (تنگ نفس دارم, tang-nafas dâram, I have breathlessness) or as an adjective (آدم تنگ نفس, âdam-e tang-nafas, a breathless person). A closely related formal term is نفستنگی (nafas-tangi), which is used interchangeably in clinical contexts.
How to use it
- وقتی از پلهها بالا میرم تنگ نفس میشم. (Vaghti az pellehâ bâlâ miram tang-nafas misham.) “When I go up the stairs I get short of breath.”
- از دیشب تنگ نفس دارم. (Az dishab tang-nafas dâram.) “I have had shortness of breath since last night.”
- تنگ نفس یه علامت مشترک خیلی از بیماریهاست. (Tang-nafas ye alâmat-e moshtarak-e kheyli az bimârihâst.) “Shortness of breath is a common symptom of many diseases.”
- دکتر پرسید تنگ نفس داری یا نه. (Doktor porsid tang-nafas dâri yâ na.) “The doctor asked whether I have shortness of breath.”
Cultural note
Shortness of breath is one of the most frequently reported symptoms in Iranian emergency departments, associated with conditions ranging from asthma and heart disease to anxiety and altitude sickness in mountainous regions. In the highlands of Iran, including areas around Tehran near the Alborz range, residents are familiar with exertional breathlessness and the term is widely understood. Asthma rates have also risen in Iranian cities due to worsening air quality, making تنگ نفس a household word for many urban families.