بدهی (مالی)

§ What does 'بدهی' mean?

Let's talk about a very practical and common word in Persian, especially when discussing money or finances: بدهی (bædehi). This word translates directly to 'debt' or 'liability' in English. It refers to something you owe to someone else, whether it's money, goods, or a service. If you borrow money from a bank, that's a بدهی. If you buy something on credit and haven't paid yet, that's also a بدهی. It's a key term in everyday financial conversations.

DEFINITION

An obligation that an entity owes to another entity.

While بدهی generally refers to financial obligations, it can sometimes be used in a broader sense to imply a moral or social obligation, though this is less common. For instance, if you feel you 'owe' someone for their kindness, you might hear it used figuratively. However, for B2 level and practical purposes, focus on its financial meaning.

§ When do people use 'بدهی'?

You'll hear and use بدهی in many situations. Here are some common scenarios:

• Talking about personal finances: When individuals discuss what they owe, like a student loan or a credit card balance.
• Business and economics: Companies have بدهی in the form of loans, accounts payable, or bonds. Governments also have national بدهی.
• Legal contexts: In legal documents or discussions about financial responsibilities.
• Everyday transactions: Even if you owe a friend money for lunch, you could refer to it as a small بدهی.

It's a foundational word for understanding financial literacy in Persian. Without knowing this word, you'll struggle to follow conversations about loans, credit, personal budgets, or economic news. The addition of 'مالی' (mâli), meaning 'financial,' after بدهی explicitly clarifies that it's a financial debt, though often بدهی by itself is understood in that context.

§ Examples of 'بدهی' in use

Let's look at some practical examples to help you grasp how to use بدهی in sentences.

Translation hint: I have a lot of debt to the bank.

Translation hint: The company had to take a loan to pay its debts.

Translation hint: They have a tax debt that they need to settle.

Translation hint: With rising interest rates, paying off debts becomes harder.

Understanding بدهی is crucial for navigating any financial discussion in Persian. Make sure to practice using it in different sentences. It's a foundational term for your B2 vocabulary.

§ Understanding 'بدهی' (Bedehi): Definition and Basics

Persian Word

بدهی (مالی)

Part of Speech

Noun

CEFR Level

B2

Definition

An obligation that an entity owes to another entity.

Alright, let's get straight to it. When you hear or read بدهی (بِدهی) in Persian, it means 'debt' or 'liability.' It's a fundamental word, especially if you're dealing with anything financial, or even just talking about owing someone something. It's a B2 level word, meaning it's pretty common in everyday conversations and useful for understanding more complex topics.

§ How to Use 'بدهی' in a Sentence: Grammar and Prepositions

Using بدهی effectively means knowing how to pair it with the right verbs and prepositions. Here's a breakdown of the most common ways you'll encounter and use it.

• Having Debt: To say someone 'has debt,' you typically use the verb داشتن (dāshtan) – to have.

  او بدهی زیادی دارد.

  He has a lot of debt.

• Paying Debt: When it comes to 'paying debt,' the verb پرداخت کردن (pardākht kardan) – to pay – is your go-to.

  ما باید بدهی خود را پرداخت کنیم.

  We must pay our debt.

• Being in Debt: To express 'being in debt,' you often use the construction 'در بدهی بودن' (dar bedehi boodan) – to be in debt.

  شرکت در بدهی عمیقی است.

  The company is in deep debt.

• Getting into Debt: To talk about 'getting into debt,' you can use افتادن در بدهی (oftādan dar bedehi) – literally 'to fall into debt.'

  او نمی‌خواهد در بدهی بیفتد.

  He does not want to get into debt.

• Relating Debt to Someone/Something: When بدهی belongs to someone or something, you use the 'ezafe' construction. This means adding an 'e' sound (represented by 'ـِ' or no explicit letter) between بدهی and the owner.

  بدهی دولت افزایش یافته است.

  The government's debt has increased.

§ Common Phrases with 'بدهی'

Here are a few more useful phrases to help you sound more natural:

• بدهی معوقه (bedehi-ye mo'avaghe): overdue debt

  او بدهی معوقه زیادی دارد.

  He has a lot of overdue debt.

• تسویه بدهی (tasviye-ye bedehi): debt settlement

  آنها در حال تسویه بدهی خود هستند.

  They are in the process of settling their debt.

Keep practicing these structures and you'll be using بدهی like a pro in no time. Good luck!

§ Where you actually hear this word — work, school, news

The word بدهی (bedehi), meaning 'debt' or 'liability', is a common and important term you'll encounter in various contexts in Persian-speaking environments. From daily conversations about personal finances to formal discussions in business and economic news, understanding its usage is key to comprehending many situations. Let's look at some practical scenarios.

§ In Everyday Life and Personal Finance

You'll often hear بدهی when people discuss personal finances. This could be about a loan from a friend, a bank loan, or even just owing someone money for a small purchase. It's a very practical word.

DEFINITION

An obligation that an entity owes to another entity.

§ In Business and Economics

In the business world, بدهی is a core accounting term. You'll hear it in financial reports, business news, and discussions about company health. It's often paired with other financial terms.

• بدهی‌های کوتاه مدت (bedehi-hâ-ye kutâh moddat): Short-term liabilities.

• بدهی‌های بلند مدت (bedehi-hâ-ye boland moddat): Long-term liabilities.

§ In News and Current Events

News reports frequently use بدهی when discussing economic conditions, government spending, or international financial relations. It's a key indicator of financial stability or challenges.

§ Related Verbs and Phrases

You'll often hear بدهی used with specific verbs. Here are some common ones:

• بدهی داشتن (bedehi dâshtan): To have debt/to owe money.

• بدهی پرداختن (bedehi pardâkhtan): To pay debt.

• بدهی بالا آوردن (bedehi bâlâ âvardan): To incur debt.

• بدهی کم کردن (bedehi kam kardan): To reduce debt.

§ What is 'بدهی (مالی)'?

Let's start with a clear understanding of 'بدهی (مالی)' (bedehi (mâli)). This word is crucial in financial contexts. Think of it as a financial obligation – something that is owed to someone else.

DEFINITION

An obligation that an entity owes to another entity.

The 'مالی' (mâli) part clarifies that we are talking specifically about financial debts, not other types of obligations. While 'بدهی' can sometimes be used more generally, adding 'مالی' makes it crystal clear.

This means: 'The company has a lot of financial debt.'

§ Common Mistakes with 'بدهی (مالی)'

Many Persian learners make similar mistakes when using 'بدهی (مالی)'. Let's break them down so you can avoid them.

The biggest mistake is often confusing 'بدهی' with other words that mean 'loan' or 'borrowing'. While related, they are not interchangeable.

• Mistake 1: Using 'قرض' (gharZ) instead of 'بدهی' for an overall financial obligation.

  'قرض' specifically means a 'loan' or 'borrowing'. It's usually a single transaction. 'بدهی' is a broader term for all kinds of financial obligations, including loans, unpaid bills, etc. Think of 'قرض' as one type of 'بدهی'.

  او باید قرض بانک را پس بدهد.

  This means: 'He has to pay back the bank's loan.'

  این شرکت بدهی مالی زیادی به تامین کنندگان دارد.

  This means: 'This company has a lot of financial debt to suppliers.' (Here, 'بدهی' includes all unpaid amounts, not just a single loan.)

• Mistake 2: Forgetting 'مالی' when it's necessary for clarity.

  As mentioned, 'بدهی' alone can sometimes imply a non-financial obligation. If you're specifically talking about money owed, add 'مالی' to remove any ambiguity, especially in formal or business contexts.

  بدهی مالی دولت افزایش یافته است.

  This means: 'The government's financial debt has increased.'

• Mistake 3: Incorrect verb usage with 'بدهی'.

  When talking about owing a debt, the most common verb to use is 'داشتن' (dâshtan - to have) or when you want to 'pay off' a debt, you use verbs like 'پرداخت کردن' (pardâkht kardan - to pay) or 'تسویه کردن' (tasvie kardan - to settle/clear).

  من بدهی ندارم.

  This means: 'I don't have debt.'

  او باید بدهی خود را تسویه کند.

  This means: 'He must settle his debt.'

§ How to Use 'بدهی (مالی)' Correctly

To solidify your understanding, pay attention to contexts. Read financial news in Persian, listen to interviews about the economy, and you'll hear 'بدهی مالی' used frequently and correctly. Practice constructing your own sentences, focusing on the correct verbs and ensuring you add 'مالی' when necessary to be specific.

This means: 'The country has foreign debt.' (Here, 'مالی' is often understood by context, but adding it would not be wrong.)

This means: 'They couldn't manage their debts.'

§ Understanding بدهی (Debt) in Persian

When you're learning Persian, understanding financial terms is super helpful. Today, we're looking at بدهی (bedehi), which means 'debt' or 'liability'. It's a key word if you're talking about money, business, or even just owing someone a favor.

DEFINITION

An obligation that an entity owes to another entity.

Think of بدهی as something you *must* pay back, whether it's money, goods, or even services. It's not just about loans; it can be anything you're obligated to provide.

Translation hint: The company has a lot of debt.

Translation hint: This debt must be paid.

§ Similar Words and When to Use بدهی

In Persian, like in English, there are a few words that might seem similar to بدهی but have slightly different uses. Let's break them down so you know exactly when to use each one.

• قرض (gharZ): This word most commonly means 'loan' or 'debt' specifically when money is borrowed. It implies a direct borrowing and lending relationship, usually between individuals or a person and a bank.

  او از من قرض گرفت.

  Translation hint: He took a loan from me (or borrowed from me).

  بانک به او قرض داد.

  Translation hint: The bank gave him a loan.

• وام (vaam): This is another word for 'loan', very similar to قرض, but often used in a more formal context, especially with banks or financial institutions. You'll hear this when talking about mortgages, car loans, etc.

  برای خرید خانه وام گرفتیم.

  Translation hint: We got a loan to buy a house.

• مسئولیت (mas'uliyat): This means 'responsibility' or 'liability' in a broader, non-financial sense. While بدهی can cover non-financial obligations, مسئولیت is *always* about duties or accountability, not money owed.

  این مسئولیت توست.

  Translation hint: This is your responsibility.

So, when should you use بدهی?

• Use بدهی when you're talking about a general obligation to pay or provide something. It's a good all-around word for 'debt' or 'liability' in both personal and business contexts.

• It's more formal and encompassing than قرض for financial matters, often appearing in financial statements or legal documents. For example, a company's 'debts' would be بدهی‌ها (the plural form).

• It can also refer to non-monetary obligations, like a 'debt of gratitude' (بدهی لطف - bedehi-ye lotf), where you owe someone kindness or a favor.

Here's a quick summary to help you remember:

• بدهی: General debt, liability, obligation (financial or non-financial).
• قرض: Money borrowed, a loan (more informal).
• وام: Formal loan, especially from banks.
• مسئولیت: Responsibility, duty, accountability (non-financial).

By understanding these nuances, you'll sound much more natural and precise when discussing financial or personal obligations in Persian. Keep practicing, and you'll master them in no time!