Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| مغرور | maġrur | /mæɣɾuːɾ/ |
| سربلند | sar-boland | |
| سرافراز | sar-afrâz | /sa.raf.ˈraːz/ (Classical Persian) |
In Persian, the word used for 'proud' depends heavily on the context of the emotion. If you are describing someone who feels gratified, honored or satisfied with an achievement, you should use positive terms. If you are describing someone who is being conceited or vain, a different word is used.
What does it mean word for word?
The positive forms are compounds involving the word سر (sar), which means 'head'. سربلند (sar-boland) is a compound of سر (head) and بلند (boland), meaning 'high' or 'tall'. سرافراز (sar-afrâz) is a compound of سر (head) and افراز (afrâz), meaning 'uplifted' or 'raised'.
Which one should you use?
There is a significant distinction between the forms. سربلند and سرافراز express a positive sense of pride, such as being honored or having one's head held high due to success. In contrast, مغرور carries a negative connotation and is used to describe someone who is arrogant or conceited.
How do you pronounce it?
maġrur: /mæɣɾuːɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use مغرور to mean 'proud' in a positive sense. In Persian, مغرور almost always implies a negative sense of vanity or arrogance. Instead, use سربلند or سرافراز to express positive pride.
Did you know?
- In a formal Persian setting, saying you are سرافراز often implies that your pride is not just for yourself but brings honor to your entire family or nation.
- The word مغرور shares the same root as the Arabic word for 'deceived' or 'deluded', suggesting that arrogance is a form of self-delusion.
- Because سربلند is associated with dignity, it is frequently used in poetry to describe martyrs or heroes who have remained steadfast in the face of death.
Example sentences for Persian are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Mohammad tells Sara about her achievement.
- محمد Mohammadسارا، تو عالی بودی!Sara, to ali budi!Sara, you were great!
- سارا Saraممنونم محمد، خوشحالم که دوست داشتی.Mamnoonam Mohammad, khosh-halam ke doust dashti.Thank you Mohammad, I'm glad you liked it.
- محمد Mohammadمن به تو مغرور هستم.Man be to maghrur hastam.I am proud of you.
- سارا Saraخیلی لطف داری، متشکرم.Kheyli lotf dari, motshakkeram.You are very kind, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “proud” translations and entries مغرور, سرافراز, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
