دلدار
deldâr/dil.ˈdaːr/
The Persian word for sweetheart is دلدار (deldâr). Wiktionary also lists دلارام (delârâm) and دلبر (delbar).
Meaning: a person very much liked or loved by someone (noun)
Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| دلدار | deldâr | /dil.ˈdaːr/ (Classical Persian) |
| دلارام | delârâm | |
| دلبر | delbar | /dil.ˈbar/ (Classical Persian) |
| یار | yâr | /ˈjaːr/ (Classical Persian) |
All these terms refer to a person who is very much liked or loved by someone.
Which one should you use?
دلدار and دلبر are more poetic and romantic. In contrast, یار is a more versatile term that can mean sweetheart, companion or even a close friend or ally depending on the context.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
دلدار is primarily used in a poetic or literary register rather than in everyday casual conversation. For informal ways to address a sweetheart, you can use جانم (Janam), which means 'my soul' or 'my sweetheart' or the informal, poetic and figurative term عزیز دل (Aziz-e Del), which translates to 'dear heart'.
How do you pronounce it?
It has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The Persian word for heart دل shares a prehistoric ancestor with the English word 'heart'. Both can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱerd-.
- While یار means sweetheart, it is also used in historical contexts to describe a spiritual guide or a divine companion in Sufi mysticism.
- In Persian poetry, the use of دل to mean sweetheart often blends the physical organ with the seat of emotion and intellect, making a 'sweetheart' literally the keeper of one's mind and feelings.
Examples in context
- این کتاب برای توست، عزیزم.In ketāb barāye tost, azizam.
- بهترین مظهر عشقم تویی.Behtarin mozaher-e eshgham tui.
- می‌دونی چقدر تو رو دوست دارم، عزیز دل.Miduni cheghadr to ro dust dāram, aziz-e del.
Example conversation
Ali and Sara are talking at home.
- علی Aliشب بخیر دلدار من.Shab bekheyr deldār-e man.Goodnight, my sweetheart.
- سارا Saraشب تو هم بخیر، علی.Shab-e to ham bekheyr, Ali.Goodnight to you too, Ali.
- علی Aliفردا می‌بینمت.Fardā mī-bīnamat.I will see you tomorrow.
- سارا Saraمن هم منتظرت هستم.Man ham montazer-at hastam.I am waiting for you too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sweetheart” translations and entries دلدار, دلبر, یار, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries دلبر, دلدار, یار, CC BY-SA 4.0.
