سپاس
sepâs/si.ˈpaːs/
In Persian, thanks can be expressed as سپاس (sepâs) or مرسی.
Meaning: used to express appreciation or gratitude (intj)
Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| سپاس | sepâs | /si.ˈpaːs/ (Classical Persian) |
| مرسی | mersi | [méɹ.siː] (Iran, formal, narrow) |
Both words are used to express appreciation or gratitude. While سپاس is a formal and literary way to express thanks, مرسی is a versatile expression of gratitude suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
Which one should you use?
سپاس is a more formal and literary term, whereas مرسی is a colloquial loanword from French that is much more common in everyday spoken Persian.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express 'I am grateful' in a more formal or complete sentence, you can use the verb form سپاسگزارم.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of سپاس is /si.ˈpaːs/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- If you want to express gratitude through a beautiful metaphor, you can say دست شما درد نکند (dast-e shoma dard nakonad), which means 'may your hand not ache'.
- In many Iranian social interactions, a simple 'thanks' is often replaced or accompanied by taarof, a complex system of ritual politeness where people may repeatedly decline an offer before accepting.
- The root of سپاس connects back to the Proto-Indo-European root speḱ, making it a distant relative of English words related to looking or seeing.
Examples in context
- مرسی!Thanks!This example shows how to use مرسی to say thanks.Tatoeba #7745952 by mshahriarinia, translation #448645 by CK
- سپاس فراوان.Many thanks.This example demonstrates using سپاس to say many thanks.Tatoeba #10729474 by cojiluc, translation #322178 by CK
- دوستان، سپاس فراوان.Many thanks, friends.This example uses سپاس to address friends while expressing many thanks.Tatoeba #10729481 by cojiluc, translation #5361086 by kanlaon
Example conversation
Zahra gives Mohammad a book he wanted.
- زهرا Zahraبفرما محمد، این کتاب برای توست.Befarma Mohammad, in ketab baraye tost.Here you go Mohammad, this book is for you.
- محمد Mohammadسپاس، زهرا! خیلی لطف کردی.Sepas, Zahra! Kheyli lotf kardi.Thanks, Zahra! You were very kind.
- زهرا Zahraخواهش می‌کنم، خوشحالم که خوشت آمد.Khahesh mikonam, khoshhalam ke khoshat amad.You're welcome, I'm glad you like it.
- محمد Mohammadواقعاً به دنبال این کتاب می‌گشتم.Vaghe'an be donbale in ketab migashtam.I was really looking for this book.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thanks” translations and entries سپاس, مرسی, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries سپاس, مرسی, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
