Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| کار | kâr | /ˈkaːr/ (Classical Persian) |
| شُغْل | šoġl |
The word کار is the most general and widely-used word for 'work' in Farsi. While کار refers to general labor or employment, the term شُغْل specifically refers to one's occupation or profession. For a broader concept of engagement in any form of work, the word اشتغال is used. The verb phrase کار کَرْدَن is used both for human labor (to work) and for machines or systems (to function/work correctly).
Which one should you use?
کار is the general word for work or a task, whereas شُغْل is specifically used when discussing a person's occupation or profession.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The intransitive verb phrase کار کَرْدَن is used to mean performing a specific task or to indicate that something functions as intended.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as /ˈkaːr/ (kâr).
Did you know?
- The word کار is a distant relative of the English word 'curate' and the Latin 'creare'. Both originate from the same Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to do' or 'to make'.
- The expression کارِ کسی را گرفتن literally means 'to take someone's work' but actually means to obstruct someone or make their life difficult.
- While کار means work, the word پیکار (peykār) uses the same root to mean 'battle' or 'combat', transforming 'doing' into 'fighting'.
Examples in context
- چرا کار نمی کنی؟Why don't you work?The first sentence is useful for asking why someone is not working using کار.Tatoeba #3839804 by kuarash, translation #3839187 by Eldad
- به آرامی کار کن.Work slowly.The second sentence is useful for giving an instruction to work slowly using کار.Tatoeba #4746276 by mahdiye, translation #30124 by CK
- کار را لغو کنید.Abolish work.The third sentence is useful for expressing the abolition of work using کار.Tatoeba #12743233 by manelie, translation #10193782 by shekitten
- من توی یک شرکت بزرگ کار می‌کنم.I work in a large company.
- شغل من در حوزه فناوری اطلاعات است.My job is in the field of information technology.
- من فعالیتم توی یک استارتاپه.I work in a startup.
- 54 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Niloofar and Mohammad are discussing their professional lives.
- نیلوفر Niloufarکار جدیدت چطور است؟Kār-e jadidat chetor ast?How is your new job?
- محمد Mohammadکارم خیلی سخت است.Kāram kheyli sakht ast.My work is very hard.
- نیلوفر Niloufarآیا از کارت راضی هستی؟Āyā az kārat rāzi hasti?Are you satisfied with your employment?
- محمد Mohammadبله، من عاشق این کار هستم.Bale, man āshegh-e in kār hastam.Yes, I love this occupation.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “work” translations and entries کار, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries کار, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
