المعنى
To falsely attribute something said or thought to another person.
خلفية ثقافية
In Iranian culture, being 'Sadegh' (truthful) is a core virtue. Accusing someone of 'putting words in your mouth' is a serious way to defend your integrity. Similar usage in Dari. The concept of 'Lafz' (word/promise) is very important, and misrepresenting someone's 'Lafz' is a major social offense. In Tajiki Persian, the idiom remains the same, though the pronunciation of 'dahān' might shift to 'dahon.' The 'mouth/tongue' metaphor for truth is common across the region, reflecting a shared history of oral tradition and poetry where words carry weight.
Use it defensively
This is your best friend when someone is trying to win an argument by twisting your words. It's firm but fair.
Don't over-use
If you say this too often, you might seem like you're avoiding responsibility for things you actually *did* say.
المعنى
To falsely attribute something said or thought to another person.
Use it defensively
This is your best friend when someone is trying to win an argument by twisting your words. It's firm but fair.
Don't over-use
If you say this too often, you might seem like you're avoiding responsibility for things you actually *did* say.
The 'To' variation
In Tehran, people say 'Harf to dahane man nazar.' Using 'to' instead of 'dar' makes you sound like a local.
Softening the blow
If you want to be less aggressive, start with 'فکر کنم سوءتفاهم شده' (I think there's been a misunderstanding) before using the idiom.
اختبر نفسك
Fill in the missing verb in the correct form.
چرا داری حرف در دهان من .......؟ (Present Continuous)
The subject is 'تو' (implied by 'داری'), so the verb must be 'میگذاری'.
Which sentence is the best response to someone misquoting you?
Someone says: 'So you think I'm a bad person?' (You didn't say that).
Option A is the correct idiom for misquoting. Option B means 'Don't make me say things I'll regret.' Option D is 'Shut your mouth.'
Match the situation to the correct use of the idiom.
A journalist writes that a celebrity hates their fans, but the celebrity only said they need privacy.
The journalist is the one doing the false attribution.
Complete the dialogue.
علی: تو گفتی که از این شغل متنفری. رضا: نه! من فقط گفتم خستهام. داری ....................
Reza is correcting Ali's false attribution.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
وسائل تعلم بصرية
Putting vs. Pulling
بنك التمارين
4 تمارينچرا داری حرف در دهان من .......؟ (Present Continuous)
The subject is 'تو' (implied by 'داری'), so the verb must be 'میگذاری'.
Someone says: 'So you think I'm a bad person?' (You didn't say that).
Option A is the correct idiom for misquoting. Option B means 'Don't make me say things I'll regret.' Option D is 'Shut your mouth.'
A journalist writes that a celebrity hates their fans, but the celebrity only said they need privacy.
The journalist is the one doing the false attribution.
علی: تو گفتی که از این شغل متنفری. رضا: نه! من فقط گفتم خستهام. داری ....................
Reza is correcting Ali's false attribution.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
الأسئلة الشائعة
10 أسئلةIt can be seen as confrontational. Use it when you need to set a boundary, but maybe avoid it with your boss unless they are being very unfair.
Technically no. It almost always implies a false or unwanted attribution. If someone says something nice about you that you didn't say, you'd usually just say 'Thank you, but I didn't say that.'
The informal version is 'dahán' (short a) or 'dahún' (in some dialects). In Tehran, 'Harf to dahane man nazar' is very common.
Yes, it's very common in journalism, novels, and opinion pieces.
Yes, 'harf' is the standard, but you can also say 'حرفهایی' (words/statements) in the plural.
A more slangy way to say this is 'از خودت درنیار' (Don't make it up yourself).
حرف در دهانشان گذاشتند (Harf dar dahāneshān gozāshtand).
Modern poetry, yes. Classical poetry often uses more ornate versions like 'سخن بر زبان راندن'.
You can apologize by saying 'ببخشید، نمیخواستم حرف در دهان شما بگذارم' (Sorry, I didn't mean to put words in your mouth).
It's a specific *type* of lie—attributing speech to someone else.
عبارات ذات صلة
از قول کسی گفتن
similarTo say something on behalf of someone.
دهان کسی را بستن
contrastTo silence someone (often with a bribe or threat).
حرف تو حرف آوردن
builds onTo interrupt or change the subject.
یک کلاغ چهل کلاغ کردن
similarTo exaggerate or spread rumors.
تفسیر به رأی
specialized formSelf-serving interpretation.
