عیسیٰ
'isâ
In Persian, Jesus is primarily referred to as عیسیٰ ('isâ). Wiktionary also lists یَشوع (yašu').
Meaning: religious figure (name)
Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| عیسیٰ | 'isâ |
| یَشوع | yašu' |
The name refers to the religious figure Jesus. To say 'Jesus Christ', the phrase عیسیٰ مسیح is typically used.
Which one should you use?
عیسیٰ ('isâ) is the standard name used in Persian, following the Islamic tradition. In contrast, یَشوع (yašu') is used specifically in a Christian context to refer to the biblical Jesus (Yeshua).
How do you pronounce it?
'isâ
Did you know?
- In many classical Persian poems, the figure of 'isâ' is used as a metaphor for someone who possesses the power to 'bring the dead back to life', often referring to a lover's ability to revive a dying heart.
- In Persian, the name عیسیٰ ends with a small vertical stroke called a 'dagger alif'. While it is written as a small mark, it is pronounced as a full long vowel 'â'.
- While عیسیٰ is the common name, it is rare to see it used as a first name for people in modern Iran due to the religious distinction between Islamic and Christian contexts.
Examples in context
- عیسی مسیح می‌گفت سخنان زیبا درباره عشق و بخشش.Jesus Christ spoke beautiful words about love and forgiveness.
- عیسیٰ در این کتاب آمده است.Isa dar in ketâb âmade ast.Jesus is mentioned in this book.
- ما درباره عیسیٰ صحبت می‌کنیم.Mâ darbâre-ye Isa sohbat mikonim.We are talking about Jesus.
- داستان عیسیٰ بسیار معروف است.Dâstân-e Isa besyâr ma'ruf ast.The story of Jesus is very famous.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a religious history book.
- محمد Mohammadسارا، این کتاب درباره عیسیٰ است؟Sārā, in ketāb darbare-ye Isā ast?Sara, is this book about Jesus?
- سارا Saraبله محمد، تاریخچه زندگی اوست.Bale Mohammad, tārikh-e zendegi-ye oust.Yes Mohammad, it is the history of his life.
- محمد Mohammadآیا عیسیٰ در این فصل معرفی شده؟Āyā Isā dar in fasl mo'arrefi shode?Is Jesus introduced in this chapter?
- سارا Saraبله، در صفحه اول است.Bale, dar safhe-ye avval ast.Yes, he is on the first page.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “Jesus” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
