قَهْوَه
qahwa
The English word "coffee" is translated into Dari as قَهْوَه (qahwa). Wiktionary also lists قَهْوِه (ġahve) and کافِه (kâfe).
Meaning: beverage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Dari | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| قَهْوَه | qahwa | |
| قَهْوِه | ġahve | |
| کافِه | kâfe | colloquial |
The term refers to the beverage. You may also encounter the related adjective قهوهای, which describes something that is of a pale brown colour.
Which one should you use?
The form قَهْوَه is the standard or more formal way to say coffee, whereas کافِه is used in casual speech.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
قَهْوَه is a formal term for coffee borrowed from Arabic. For casual, colloquial speech, you can use کافِه.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
qahwa
Did you know?
- While قَهْوَه is the word for the drink, the traditional social centerpiece of Afghan hospitality is actually green tea, known as چای سبز, rather than coffee.
- Using the term کافِه in Dari is a modern adaptation influenced by European languages, reflecting the global spread of 'café' culture in urban centers.
- Because قَهْوَه is a loanword, its usage in early literature often symbolized a sense of sophistication or connection to the wider Islamic world.
Examples in context
- من قَهْوَه دوست دارم.man qahwah dost dāram.I like coffee.
- آیا شما قَهْوَه میخورید؟āyā shumā qahwah mikhorid?Do you drink coffee?
- قَهْوَه بسیار داغ است.qahwah bisyār dāgh ast.The coffee is very hot.
Example conversation
Sara and Omar are at a cafe.
- سارا Saraعمر، تو چه میخوری؟Omar, tu che mikhuri?Omar, what are you drinking?
- عمر Omarمن یک قَهْوَه میگیرم.Man yak qahwa migiram.I will have a coffee.
- سارا Saraمن هم همین را میخواهم.Man ham hamin ra mikhwaham.I want the same thing too.
- عمر Omarبسیار خوب، سفارش میدهم.Bisyar khob, sifaresh midaham.Very well, I will order.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coffee” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
