What it means
ترمز کردن (tormoz kardan) means to apply the brakes or to slow a vehicle to a stop. The noun ترمز (tormoz) is a loanword borrowed into Persian from Russian “тормоз” (tormoz, “brake”). It is combined with کردن (kardan), the Persian light verb meaning “to do” or “to make,” following a common Persian word-formation pattern for technical actions. A related noun form, ترمز (tormoz), is used on its own to mean “the brake” as a physical part. The opposite action is گاز دادن (gâz dâdan, to accelerate).
How to use it
- ترمز کن، بچه جلومونه. (tormoz kon, bache jelomoneh.) “Brake, there’s a child in front of us.”
- ترمزم برید و نزدیک بود تصادف کنم. (tormazam borid o nazdik bud tasâdof konam.) “My brakes gave out and I almost had an accident.”
- آروم ترمز کن تا مسافرا نیفتن. (ârom tormoz kon tâ mosâferâ niyoftan.) “Brake gently so the passengers don’t fall.”
- سر چراغ قرمز ترمز کرد و منتظر موند. (sar cherâgh ghermez tormoz kard o montazer mând.) “He braked at the red light and waited.”
Cultural note
ترمز entered the Persian lexicon through Russian technical influence during the late Qajar and early Pahlavi eras, when Russian engineering and railways shaped Iran’s early transport infrastructure. Today the word is completely naturalized: Iranians say ترمزت کار نمیکنه (tormazet kâr nemikone, “your brake doesn’t work”) as casually as any native word. In colloquial speech, ترمز is also used metaphorically, as in ترمز کن (tormoz kon, “hold on, slow down”) when telling someone to stop talking or acting impulsively.