Ways to say it
| Dari | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| مِهْرَبَانِی | mihrabānī |
| خَواهِش میکُنَم | xāhiš mē-kunam |
| لُطْفاً | lutfan |
The term مِهْرَبَانِی functions as a noun meaning 'kindness' or 'benevolence' and is used when pleading for kindness within a request. The phrase خَواهِش میکُنَم is an elaborate way to express a request. The word لُطْفاً is a common adverbial way to say 'please'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase خَواهِش میکُنَم literally translates to 'I am making a wish' or 'I am requesting'.
Which one should you use?
While لُطْفاً is a concise adverbial way to say 'please', it is often used in more formal or written contexts compared to the other forms. خَواهِش میکُنَم provides a more elaborate expression of a request than a simple adverb.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
لُطْفاً is the most common and widely used word for 'please' in formal Dari. Similarly, the phrase خَواهِش میکُنَم is a formal and elaborate way to express a request.
How do you pronounce it?
mihrabānī
Did you know?
- While لُطْفاً is formal, using it too frequently in very casual settings with close friends might actually make you sound sarcastic or jokingly dramatic.
- The word لُطْفاً is a loanword from Arabic, reflecting the deep influence of Islamic scholarship and law on the formal vocabulary of Dari.
- While لُطْفاً is used for 'please', the root لُطْف describes a specific kind of grace or elegance that can be applied to a person's character or their handwriting.
Examples in context
- لطفا، یک لحظه صبر کن، دارم می آیم.Please wait a moment, I'm coming.
- لطفاً کمی صبر کن، مهربون!Please wait a bit, my dear!
- مِهْرَبَانِی، این کتاب را به من بده.mehrabani, in kitab ra ba man beda.Please, give me this book.
Example conversation
Zaynab asks Omar to pass a salt shaker during lunch.
- زینب Zaynabعمر، مِهْرَبَانِی نمک را به من بده.Omar, mehrabani namak ra ba man beda.Omar, please give me the salt.
- عمر Omarبیا، این هم نمک.Bia, in ham namak.Here, here is the salt.
- زینب Zaynabتشکر، بسیار ممنون.Tashakur, besyar mamnun.Thank you, thank you very much.
- عمر Omarخواهش می‌کنم.Khwahish mekunam.You are welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “please” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
