What it means
زبان خارجی (zabân-e khâreji) means foreign language, used most commonly to describe the subject taught in Iranian schools. The phrase is a cross-origin compound: زبان (zaban) is a native Persian word meaning language or tongue, while خارجی (khâreji) comes from the Arabic root خ-ر-ج (kh-r-j), meaning outside or external. In practice, when an Iranian student says زبان خارجی they almost always mean English, since English is the default foreign language taught in the national curriculum from secondary school onward.
How to use it
- زبان خارجیم انگلیسیه. (Zabân-e khârejim engelisie.) “My foreign language is English.”
- درس زبان خارجی رو دوست دارم. (Dars-e zabân-e khâreji ro dust daram.) “I like the foreign language class.”
- معلم زبان خارجیمون خیلی خوبه. (Mo’allem-e zabân-e khârejimun kheyli khube.) “Our foreign language teacher is really good.”
- امتحان زبان خارجی فردامه. (Emtehan-e zabân-e khâreji fardame.) “My foreign language exam is tomorrow.”
Cultural note
English has been the dominant foreign language in Iranian schools since the early twentieth century, though the political relationship between Iran and English-speaking countries has made its status complex. Despite political tensions, demand for English language skills remains high among Iranian families, and private language institutes across Iranian cities are consistently full. The gap between what is taught under the label زبان خارجی in schools and what learners actually need for communication drives a large private tutoring and institute market.