Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| سخت | saxt | /ˈsaxt/ (Classical Persian) |
| دشوار | došvâr | /duʃ.ˈwaːr/ (Classical Persian) |
| مشکل | moškel | /muʃ.ˈkil/ (Classical Persian) |
| صعب | sa'b | /ˈsaʔb/ (Classical Persian) |
Persian offers different words for "difficult" depending on whether you are describing a task, a person or a situation. While سخت is the most versatile, مشکل is used when something is problematic or causing trouble. If you want to describe a person who is a strict disciplinarian, use the compound adjective سخت‌گیر.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the nuance of difficulty. سخت is the most versatile, meaning "hard", "tough" or "difficult". مشکل specifically implies that something is "problematic" or causes trouble, often used for people or situations. دشوار is a more formal, literary term often used for tasks that are "arduous". صعب is a highly formal, Arabic-derived term reserved for literature or high-register academic contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal written Persian or speeches, use دشوار or صعب. The form سخته is the informal version of سخت.
How do you pronounce it?
saxt
Did you know?
- The formal word دشوار is actually a combination of two words that mean 'bad' and 'easy'. It literally translates to 'bad-easy', which is a clever way to describe something that is not easy.
- If you use the word صعب in a casual conversation at a coffee shop, you will likely sound like you are reciting ancient poetry or a formal academic paper.
- While سخت means 'hard' or 'difficult', it is also the word used to describe things that are 'solid' or 'frozen', such as 'hard' ice.
Examples in context
- حذف کردن تقلب، دشوار است.It's difficult to eliminate cheating.This sentence shows how to use دشوار to describe a difficult task.Tatoeba #12720072 by manelie, translation #4664029 by CK
- بعضی آدمها مشکل پسند هستند.Some people are difficult to please.This sentence uses مشکل to describe people who are difficult to please.Tatoeba #12736360 by cojiluc, translation #36513 by CK
- شیب زمین ساختن راه را سخت کرد.The slope of the ground made it difficult to construct the road.This sentence uses سخت to describe a difficult condition.Tatoeba #12607570 by cojiluc, translation #2268529 by _undertoad
- موضوع برای من پیچیده است.The subject is difficult for me.
- این تمرین خیلی سخت بود!This exercise was very difficult!
- 31 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sara and Ali are talking about their homework.
- سارا Saraاین تمرین خیلی سخت است.In tamrin kheyli sakht ast.This exercise is very difficult.
- علی Aliبرای من راحت بود.Baraye man rahat bud.It was easy for me.
- سارا Saraمی‌توانی به من کمک کنی؟Mitavani be man komak koni?Can you help me?
- علی Aliبله سارا، حتماً کمک می‌کنم.Bale Sara, hatman komak mikonam.Yes Sara, I will definitely help.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “difficult” translations and entries سخت, دشوار, مشکل, صعب, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries دشوار, سخت, صعب, مشکل, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
