آفرین
āfarīn/ʔaː.fa.ˈriːn/
آفرین (āfarīn) is the Persian way to say well done.
آفرین is used to praise someone's achievement, skill or good behavior.
Meaning: exclamation of praise (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is derived from a root meaning to create or to bring into existence, and it is used here as an exclamation of praise meaning congratulations, bravo or well done.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you want to use slang, the colloquial phrase دمت گرم acts as a way to say bravo, way to go or respect.
How do you pronounce it?
āfarīn. The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable: /ʔaː.fa.ˈriːn/.
Did you know?
- The colloquial phrase دمت گرم literally translates to 'may your breath be hot'. It is used as a high-energy way to say 'bravo' or 'respect'.
- In some contexts, آفرین can be used ironically or sarcastically to mock someone's mistake, similar to how an English speaker might say 'well done' after someone drops a plate.
- The word آفرین shares an ancient ancestral root with the English word 'at', stemming from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂éd.
Examples in context
- آفرین، واقعاً عالی بود!āfarin, vāghe'an āli bud!Well done, it was truly excellent!
- آفرین به تو، پسر!āfarin be to, pesar!Well done, boy!
- آفرین بر شما، کارتان عالی بود.āfarin bar shomā, kāretān āli bud.Well done, your work was excellent.
Example conversation
Amir is praising Maryam for finishing a difficult book.
- امیر Amirکتاب را تمام کردی؟Ketāb rā tamām kardi?Did you finish the book?
- مریم Maryamبله، دیشب تمامش کردم.Bale, dishab tamāmesh kardam.Yes, I finished it last night.
- امیر Amirآفرین، مریم! خیلی سخت بود.Āfarin, Maryam! Kheyli sakht bud.Well done, Maryam! It was very difficult.
- مریم Maryamممنونم، امیر.Mamnunam, Amir.Thank you, Amir.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry آفرین, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries آفرین, CC BY-SA 4.0.
