آب
āb/ˈʔaːb/
water in Persian is آب (āb). Wiktionary also lists اَو (aw) and او (ow).
Meaning: inorganic compound H₂O (noun)
Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| آب | āb | /ˈʔaːb/ (Classical Persian) | |
| اَو | aw | colloquial | |
| او | ow | /aw/ /ow/ |
dialectal |
The word is used to refer to the inorganic compound H₂O.
Which one should you use?
While آب is the standard form, اَو is a colloquial version and او is a dialectal version.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is āb and the IPA is /ˈʔaːb/.
Did you know?
- In Persian culture, آب is used in a variety of idioms to describe the 'luster' or 'glow' of a polished object, such as a gemstone or a piece of metal.
- In traditional Iranian architecture, آب is often integrated into the home through a 'howz', a central reflecting pool designed to cool the air and provide a focal point for meditation.
- While آب is the standard noun, the form او is actually a completely different word in Persian, functioning as a third-person pronoun meaning 'he', 'she' or 'it'.
Examples in context
- آب را به جوش آور.Bring the water to the boil.This sentence is useful for learning how to use آب in the context of boiling.Tatoeba #9860460 by sinakd, translation #496220 by blay_paul
- آب کمیاب شده است.Water has become scarce.This sentence is useful for learning how to use آب when discussing scarcity.Tatoeba #12699775 by manelie, translation #10314875 by timur_seber
- آیا تو آب مینوشی؟Do you drink water?This sentence is useful for learning how to use آب in a question about drinking.Tatoeba #11125745 by sinakd, translation #8879734 by shekitten
- 75 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ali is at home and feeling thirsty.
- زهرا Zahraعلی، خیلی تشنه هستی؟Ali, kheyli teshne hasti?Ali, are you very thirsty?
- علی Aliبله، برایم کمی آب میآوری؟Bale, baram kami ab mi-ari?Yes, can you bring me some water?
- زهرا Zahraحتماً، الان میآورم.Hatman, alan mi-aram.Certainly, I'll bring it right now.
- علی Aliممنون، زهرا.Mamnun, Zahra.Thanks, Zahra.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “water” translations and entries آب, او, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
