هی
hey/ˈheː/
The English phrase "hey" is translated into Persian as هی.
هی is an informal greeting or an interjection used to grab someone's attention, functioning similarly to the English "hey". It can also serve as a casual exclamation.
Meaning: informal greeting (intj)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
هی is an informal term. For a more traditional and formal way to say hello, you can use درود (Dorood) and for a common informal greeting among friends, you can use سلام (Salam).
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is hey, and the IPA is /ˈheː/.
Did you know?
- The Persian word هی can be an ancient term meaning 'always' rather than just a greeting. It shares roots with the Sanskrit word सदा and the Avestan 𐬵𐬀𐬜𐬀.
- In many Persian-speaking contexts, using هی to get someone's attention can be perceived as much more abrupt or even rude than the English 'hey' if the social hierarchy is not respected.
- While it looks like a standard greeting, the Persian هی can also be a phonetic borrowing from the English 'hey', used primarily by younger generations in urban settings.
Examples in context
- هی! لطفاً بیا اینجا.Hey! Come here please!This sentence is useful for using هی to call someone to a location.Tatoeba #1724305 by AsliAbbasi, translation #1153972 by belgavox
- هی تام، نگرانی هایت را فراموش کن.Hey, Tom, forget about your worries.This sentence shows how to use هی to address someone by name.Tatoeba #852473 by AsliAbbasi, translation #36561 by al_ex_an_der
- هی!hey!This example shows the use of هی as a standalone exclamation.
Example conversation
Two friends meet unexpectedly at a cafe.
- رضا Rezaهی زهرا! چطوری؟Hey Zahra! Chetori?Hey Zahra! How are you?
- زهرا Zahraسلام رضا! من خوبم.Salam Reza! Man khubam.Hi Reza! I'm good.
- رضا Rezaچه اتفاقی افتاد که اینجا هستی؟Che ettefaghi oftad ke inja hasti?What happened that you are here?
- زهرا Zahraفقط داشتم قهوه میخوردم.Faghat dashtam ghahve mikhordam.I was just drinking coffee.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry هی, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries هی, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
