Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| زیاد | ziyâd | /zi.ˈjaːd/ (Classical Persian) |
| خیلی زیاد | xeyli ziyâd | /ˈxaj.leː zi.ˈjaːd/ (Classical Persian, word by word) |
The word is used as an adverb meaning 'very much'. You can also use it to describe large amounts. To say 'mostly', you can use اکثراً and to refer to 'many people' or 'a lot of people', the phrase خیلی‌ها is used.
Which one should you use?
While زیاد means 'a lot', the form خیلی زیاد increases the intensity to mean 'very much' or 'a lot more'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For more formal or literary contexts, such as written texts or formal speeches, you should use بسیار. Similarly, فراوان is a formal option to convey the idea of 'a lot' and the noun فراوانی can be used to express 'abundance' or 'plenty' in a formal way.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In negative sentences, زیاد is often used to mean 'not much' or 'not a lot'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word زیاد is pronounced /zi.ˈjaːd/. It has two syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- The word خیلی (a lot) originally meant 'a squadron of cavalry' or 'an army'.
- The word فراوان describes 'a lot' in a way that implies a sense of overflowing or abundance, rather than just a high number.
Examples in context
- من زیاد نمی خوابم.I don't sleep a lot.This sentence shows how to use زیاد in a negative sentence to mean 'not much'.Tatoeba #5118055 by Hussein64, translation #2276204 by CK
- تام زیاد سوال میپرسد.Tom asks a lot of questions.Tatoeba #4294397 by deadmarshal, translation #4284621 by seltsameseeds
- او آشناهای زیادی دارد.He has a lot of acquaintances.Tatoeba #7955231 by cojiluc, translation #291796 by CK
- او بسیار سخت کار کرد.He worked a lot.
- او دانش فراوانی در این زمینه دارد.He has a lot of knowledge in this field.
- خیلی خوشحال شدم که تو را دیدم.I was very happy to see you.
- خواستی زیاد بخواب.If you want, sleep a lot.
- او زیاد می‌خواند.He reads a lot.
- خیلی‌ها به این کنسرت رفتند.A lot of people went to this concert.
- درستی خیلی‌ها را جلب کرد.The truth attracted a lot of people.
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Amir and Zahra are talking about their workload.
- امیر Amirامروز خیلی زیاد کار کردم.Emruz kheyli ziad kar kardam.I worked a lot today.
- زهرا Zahraمن هم زیاد خسته‌ام.Man ham ziad khaste-am.I am also very tired.
- امیر Amirمی‌خواهی کمی استراحت کنیم؟Mikhahi kami esterahat konim?Do you want to rest a bit?
- زهرا Zahraبله، این ایده خیلی خوب است.Bale, in ideh kheyli khub ast.Yes, that is a very good idea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “a lot” translations and entries زیاد, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (خیلی, زیاد) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries خیلی, زیاد, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
