Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| بچه | bačča | /ba.ˈt͡ʃa/ (Classical Persian) /bat.ˈt͡ʃa/ (Classical Persian) |
| اُشْتُک | uštuk | |
| اُشْتُکَک | uštukak | |
| کودک | kōdak | /koː.ˈdak/ (Classical Persian) |
The terms in Persian refer to very young human beings.
Which one should you use?
While بچه is a colloquial term that can refer to both a baby and a slightly older child, کودک is more precise when specifically meaning a child. Additionally, نوزاد is used specifically to refer to a newborn or an infant.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In everyday spoken Persian, بچه is the most common way to refer to a baby or a child. For more formal or clinical contexts, such as literature, use کودک. If you wish to refer specifically to a newborn or an infant in a formal manner, use نوزاد. For an informal and affectionate way to refer to a baby or a small child, you can use کوچولو.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of بچه is /ba.ˈtʃa/. It has two syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- The root of کودک is related to the Bulgarian word ку́че and the Hungarian word kutya, both of which mean 'dog'.
Examples in context
- بچه گریه می کند.The baby is crying.This sentence shows the use of بچه to describe a baby crying.Tatoeba #639999 by mahdiye, translation #272360 by CK
- شیر کودک را تغذیه می کند.Milk nourishes a baby.This sentence demonstrates the use of کودک in a sentence about nourishment.Tatoeba #12818075 by manelie, translation #32214 by Dejo
- بچهٔ خوابیده در یک کالسکه مثل یک فرشته ناز است.The baby sleeping in the baby carriage is as cute as an angel.This sentence uses بچه to describe a sleeping baby.Tatoeba #10767538 by cojiluc, translation #281892 by CK
- او یک نوزاد زیبا دارد.He has a beautiful baby.
- این بچه خیلی زیباست.This baby is very beautiful.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Reza and Zahra are looking at a photograph.
- رضا Rezaاین بچه کیست؟In bache kist?Who is this baby?
- زهرا Zahraاین برادر کوچکم است.In baradar-e koochakam ast.This is my little brother.
- رضا Rezaبچه خیلی ناز است.Bache kheyli naz ast.The baby is very cute.
- زهرا Zahraممنونم، رضا.Mamnoonam, Reza.Thank you, Reza.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “baby” translations and entries بچه, کودک, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries بچه, کودک, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
