عِشْق
išq
In Dari, 'love' can be expressed through several different nouns depending on the intensity, such as عِشْق (išq). Wiktionary also lists مُحَبَّت (muhabbat) and مَحَبَّت (mahabbat).
Meaning: strong affection (noun)
Ways to say it
| Dari | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| عِشْق | išq |
| مُحَبَّت | muhabbat |
| مَحَبَّت | mahabbat |
| مِهْر | mihr |
The concept of love is expressed using different nouns based on the level of intensity and the context. While عِشْق describes an intense or passionate form of love, مُحَبَّت is a standard term used for general affection in both everyday and poetic settings. For the verb 'to love' or 'to like' in daily conversation, it is most common to use the compound verb دوست داشتن.
Which one should you use?
عِشْق refers specifically to intense, passionate or even obsessive love. In contrast, مُحَبَّت is a more common and standard term for general affection or love.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe the state of being in love, you can use the phrase عاشق بودن, which is derived from the noun عِشْق.
How do you pronounce it?
išq
Did you know?
- The word مِهر, which is listed as a form of 'love', is also the word used for the 'sun' in many poetic contexts. This creates a beautiful linguistic link between warmth and affection.
- In Afghan culture, expressing عِشْق (passionate love) openly is often avoided in public, as deep affection is frequently conveyed through subtle gestures and poetic metaphors instead.
- The word عاشق (the lover) is sometimes used colloquially to describe someone who is an enthusiast or a 'fan' of a particular hobby or object.
Examples in context
- این یک عِشْق خالص است.in yak ishq-e khalis ast.This is a pure love.
Example conversation
Zaynab and Hussein are talking about their relationship.
- زینب Zaynabمن به تو عِشْق زیادی دارم.Man ba tu ishq ziyadi daram.I have a great love for you.
- حسین Husseinمن هم تو را بسیار دوست دارم.Man ham tu ra bisyar dost daram.I love you very much too.
- زینب Zaynabعِشْق ما هرگز تمام نمیشود.Ishq ma hargiz tamam namishawad.Our love will never end.
- حسین Husseinبله، همیشه در کنار تو هستم.Bale, hamisha dar kanare tu hastam.Yes, I am always by your side.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “love” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
