قشنگ
qašang/qa.ˈʃanɡ/
The English word "pretty" can be translated into Persian as قشنگ (qašang), زیبا or خوشگل.
Meaning: especially of women and children: pleasant, attractive (adj)
Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| قشنگ | qašang | /qa.ˈʃanɡ/ (Classical Persian) |
| زیبا | zibâ | /zeː.ˈbaː/ (Classical Persian) |
| خوشگل | xošgel | /xʷaʃ.ˈɡil/ (Classical Persian) |
These adjectives are used to describe something as pleasant or attractive, especially when referring to women and children.
Which one should you use?
قشنگ is a versatile and neutral term used for both people and inanimate objects, often implying that something is "nice" or "lovely" to look at. خوشگل is the most common everyday term used in spoken Persian to describe people or objects as pretty or good-looking. زیبا is another way to express being pretty.
How do you pronounce it?
The word qašang is pronounced /qa.ˈʃanɡ/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- To describe someone as 'very pretty', Iranians often use the phrase ماه which means 'moon'.
- The word خوشگل literally means 'good flower'.
- The term قشنگ is an old loanword from Sogdian, a language spoken by Central Asian traders on the Silk Road.
Examples in context
- این گل خوشگل را خریدم.I bought this pretty flower.This sentence shows how to use خوشگل to describe a flower.
- لباس زیباییست.This is a pretty dress.This sentence demonstrates the use of زیبا when describing a dress.Tatoeba #3856432 by AchillePoirot, translation #3856094 by Maasikas
- اون بچه خیلی قشنگ است.un bache kheyli ghashang ast.That child is very pretty.
Example conversation
Amir is complimenting Niloufar's new dress.
- امیر Amirنیلوفر، این لباس خیلی قشنگ است.Niloufar, in lebas kheyli ghashang ast.Niloufar, this dress is very pretty.
- نیلوفر Niloufarواقعاً؟ ممنونم امیر.Vaghe'an? Mamnoonam Amir.Really? Thank you, Amir.
- امیر Amirرنگش خیلی بهت می‌آید.Rangash kheyli behet mi-ayad.The color really suits you.
- نیلوفر Niloufarخوشحالم که دوستش داری.Khosh-halam ke doustash dari.I'm glad you like it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pretty” translations and entries قشنگ, زیبا, خوشگل, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries خوشگل, زیبا, قشنگ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
