What it means
تشویق (tashvigh) means encouragement, motivation, praise, or applause. The word is from Arabic, built on the root ش-و-ق (sh-w-gh) relating to longing, desire, and enthusiasm. In Persian it has settled into two closely related uses: the emotional act of encouraging someone to do something or to keep going, and the physical act of applauding, clapping to show approval. The verb تشویق کردن (tashvigh kardan) covers both: you can تشویق someone by giving them a kind word or by clapping for them on stage. The passive تشویق شدن (tashvigh shodan) means to be encouraged or to receive applause. At school, getting تشویق from a teacher is one of the best feelings a child can have.
How to use it
- بچهها تشویق کردن (bachehâ tashvigh kardan) “The children applauded.”
- معلم تشویقم کرد (mo’alim tashvigham kard) “The teacher encouraged me.”
- دستزدن و تشویق (dast-zadan o tashvigh) “Clapping and cheering.”
- تشویق شدم که ادامه بدم (tashvigh shodam ke edâme bedam) “I was encouraged to continue.”
Cultural note
In Iranian classrooms and family settings, تشویق is considered a key tool of upbringing. Parents and teachers are encouraged to balance correction with praise, and the phrase آفرین (âfarin, bravo/well done) is the most common spoken form of تشویق for children. Public applause at concerts, theatre performances, and school ceremonies is enthusiastic, and it is common for audiences to call out آفرین or تشویق-worthy shouts when a performer does something impressive, blending spoken and physical encouragement into a single warm response.
References
ZabanYar is a Persian app built for heritage learners, the people who can speak a little but want to read, write, and really get it. Free early access at launch.
Join the waitlist →