خوب
xūb/ˈxuːb/
In Persian, the English phrase 'nice' is expressed as خوب (xūb).
The word خوب functions both as an adjective meaning 'nice/good' and as an adverb meaning 'well'.
Meaning: attractive, friendly (adj)
Which one should you use?
While خوب can mean 'nice' in a general sense, use زیبا if you specifically mean 'nice' in the sense of being visually beautiful or attractive.
How does it change in a sentence?
In spoken Persian, the suffix -e is often added to خوب to mean 'it is nice' or 'it is good'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is romanized as xūb and pronounced /ˈxuːb/.
Did you know?
- In Persian culture, خوب is frequently used in 'Taarof', a complex system of ritual politeness. A person might repeatedly insist something is خوب even if they are dissatisfied to maintain social harmony.
- The word خوب comes from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'good work'. It originally described someone who was skilled or a task that was well-executed.
- The word خوب can be used as an exclamation to express realization, much like saying 'Oh, I see' or 'Right' in English.
Examples in context
- من فکر می‌کنم آن هم خوب است.I think that it's nice, too.This sentence shows how to use خوب to express an opinion.Tatoeba #12879111 by Amirreza_Farid, translation #8358039 by CK
- خوبه!Nice!This example uses the colloquial form خوبه to express approval.Tatoeba #6108917 by Towhidn, translation #10091446 by shekitten
- چه ایده خوبی!What a nice idea!This sentence demonstrates using خوب to describe an idea.Tatoeba #672808 by pliiganto, translation #673190 by persian
- این طرح بسیار خوب استThis plan is very nice.
- خیلی بامزه است!It's very cute!
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maryam and Reza are talking about a new neighbor.
- مریم Maryamهمسایه جدید ما خیلی خوب است.Hamsāye-ye jadid-e mā kheyli khub ast.Our new neighbor is very nice.
- رضا Rezaواقعاً؟ او با تو صحبت کرد؟Vāghe'an? Ou bā to sohbat kard?Really? Did he talk to you?
- مریم Maryamبله، او خیلی خوب و مهربان است.Bale, ou kheyli khub va mehrabān ast.Yes, he is very nice and kind.
- رضا Rezaخوشحالم که او آدم خوبی است.Khoshhālam ke ou ādam-e khubi ast.I'm glad that he is a nice person.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry خوب, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries خوب, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
