آقا
āqā/ʔaː.ˈqaː/
The Persian word for mister is آقا (āqā).
آقا is a common and widely recognized term for Mister used in a respectful manner.
Meaning: title of adult male (noun)
Which one should you use?
The female equivalent of آقا is خانم (khānom).
Is it said differently in some regions?
عاقا is occasionally used in some dialects in the south of Iran instead of آقا.
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a title before a surname, آقا functions similarly to the English 'Mr.' (for example, آقا احمدی for 'Mr. Ahmadi').
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ʔaː.ˈqaː/. It has 2 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- In casual Iranian conversation, آقا is often used as a filler word or an interjection to get someone's attention, similar to how an English speaker might use 'look' or 'listen'.
- Because of its Turkic origins, آقا shares a linguistic DNA with the Turkish word 'ağa', which historically referred to a high-ranking commander or a lord.
- In many Persian-speaking households, children may use آقا to refer to their father as a way of showing respect or playfulness.
Examples in context
- این آقا از تهران آمده است.in āgā az tehrān āmade ast.This gentleman has come from Tehran.
Example conversation
Niloofar is asking Reza for help in a store.
- نیلوفر Niloufarببخشید آقا، کمکم میکنید؟Bebakhshid agha, komakam mikonid?Excuse me mister, can you help me?
- رضا Rezaبله، در خدمتم.Bale, dar khedmatam.Yes, I am at your service.
- نیلوفر Niloufarاین محصول کجاست، رضا؟In mahsul kojast, Reza?Where is this product, Reza?
- رضا Rezaآن طرف است، نیلوفر.An taraf ast, Niloofar.It is over there, Niloofar.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry آقا, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries آقا, CC BY-SA 4.0.
