پیر
pir/ˈpiːr/
The Persian word for old (referring to a living being) is پیر (pir). Wiktionary also lists کهنسال (kohansâl) and مسن (mosen).
Meaning: of a living being: having lived for relatively many years (adj)
Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| پیر | pir | /ˈpiːr/ (Classical Persian) |
| کهنسال | kohansâl | /ku.han.ˈsaːl/ (Classical Persian) |
| مسن | mosen | /mu.ˈsin/ (Classical Persian) |
| زرمان | zarmân |
These terms are used to describe a living being that has lived for many years. When referring to people, you should use پیر or مسن.
Which one should you use?
کهنسال is a more literary term often used to describe someone of very advanced age. مسن is a more polite and formal way to refer to an elderly person compared to پیر.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the process of 'getting old' or 'to age', use the verb phrase پیر شدن.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpiːr/
What mistakes should you avoid?
When referring to people, do not use the Persian word for 'old' that is applied to objects (such as قدیمی). Instead, use پیر or مسن.
Did you know?
- The word پیر shares an ancestral root with the English word 'pale', both tracing back to a Proto-Indo-European term describing a hoary or ash-gray color.
- While پیر can mean 'old', in certain spiritual contexts it is used to refer to a Sufi master or a wise elder.
- In Persian poetry, calling someone پیر can be a sign of respect for their wisdom and experience rather than a comment on their appearance.
Examples in context
- پیرزن لباسی قبایلی پوشیده بود.The old woman was wearing a Kabyle dress.This sentence shows the use of پیر to describe an old woman.Tatoeba #9861453 by sinakd, translation #8026282 by Amastan
- من نمیدونستم او اینقدر پیر است.I didn't know she was that old.This sentence demonstrates the use of پیر to express someone's age.Tatoeba #4294576 by deadmarshal, translation #4282730 by CH
- مناد می‌خواهد قبل از آنکه خیلی پیر بشود، سفر کند.Mennad wants to travel before he gets too old.This sentence uses پیر to describe the state of getting old.Tatoeba #11022765 by Amirreza_Farid, translation #8127426 by OsoHombre
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sara and Mohammad are looking at a photo of a family member.
- سارا Saraاین عکس کیست؟In aks kist?Who is this photo of?
- محمد Mohammadاین پدربزرگ من است. او خیلی پیر است.In pedarbozorg-e man ast. Oo kheyli pir ast.This is my grandfather. He is very old.
- سارا Saraاو چه سالی به دنیا آمد؟Oo che sali be donya amad?What year was he born?
- محمد Mohammadدقیقاً نمی‌دانم، اما او پیرترین عضو خانواده است.Daghighan nemidanam, ama oo pirtarin ozv-e khanevadeh ast.I don't know exactly, but he is the oldest member of the family.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “old” translations and entries پیر, کهنسال, مسن, زرمان, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries زرمان, مسن, پیر, کهنسال, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
