رئیس
ra'īs/ra.ˈʔiːs/
The Persian word for boss is رئیس (ra'īs).
رئیس is used to denote a person in charge, such as a head of a department or a president.
Meaning: person in charge (noun)
Which one should you use?
While the English word 'boss' can sometimes be used as a slangy term of endearment or respect for a peer, using رئیس in this way in Persian can sound overly formal or slightly sarcastic depending on your tone.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
رئیس is a formal and standard term. For even more formal professional contexts, you might use modir-e omoomi to mean 'general manager'. To be polite when addressing someone, you can use آقا رئیس (Mr. Manager) for men or خانم مدیر (Ms. Director) for women.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ra.ˈʔiːs/. It has two syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- In very traditional or old-fashioned Iranian offices, a boss might be addressed as جناب (jenāb), a title of high nobility that translates roughly to 'Excellency'.
- Persian uses the word سرپرست (sarparast) for a boss who acts as a supervisor or guardian, combining 'head' and 'nurturer'.
- The root of رئیس is connected to the word for 'head' or 'brain', emphasizing that a boss is the 'head' of an organization.
Examples in context
- رئیس شرکت خیلی مهربان است.ra'is-e sherkat kheyli mehraban ast.The company boss is very kind.
- من باید به رئیس گزارش بدهم.man bayad be ra'is gozaresh bedaham.I have to report to the boss.
- رئیس جدید ما فردا میآید.ra'is-e jadid-e ma farda mi-ayad.Our new boss is coming tomorrow.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking in the office hallway.
- نیلوفر Niloufarمحمد، رئیس کجاست؟Mohammad, ra'is kojast?Mohammad, where is the boss?
- محمد Mohammadاو الان در جلسه است.Ou alan dar jalse ast.He is in a meeting right now.
- نیلوفر Niloufarچه ساعتی برمیگردد؟Che sa'ati barmigardad?What time will he return?
- محمد Mohammadاحتمالاً ساعت چهار میآید.Ehtemalan sa'at-e chahar mi-ayad.He will probably come at four o'clock.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry رئیس, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
