وقت سر خاراندن نداشتن
vaght-e sar kharandan nadashtan
To not have time to scratch one's head
Bedeutung
To be extremely busy, having no spare time at all.
Kultureller Hintergrund
In Iran, using this idiom is a way to show you are a 'Zahmat-kesh' (hardworking person), which is a highly respected trait. In the fast-paced life of Tehran, this phrase is used almost daily to complain about traffic and long working hours. Traditional shopkeepers use this during religious holidays or before Nowruz to explain why they can't chat with customers. Iranian PhD students and researchers use this to describe the intense pressure of publishing papers.
Spoken Variation
In Tehran, people say 'khāroundan' instead of 'khārāndan'. Use this to sound more native!
Don't be too literal
If you actually scratch your head while saying this, people might think you have lice! Use it purely as a metaphor.
Bedeutung
To be extremely busy, having no spare time at all.
Spoken Variation
In Tehran, people say 'khāroundan' instead of 'khārāndan'. Use this to sound more native!
Don't be too literal
If you actually scratch your head while saying this, people might think you have lice! Use it purely as a metaphor.
Emphasis
Add 'yek zarreh' (a tiny bit) to make it even more dramatic: 'Yek zarreh vaqt-e sar khārāndan nadāram'.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word to complete the idiom.
من امروز خیلی کار دارم و وقت سر ....... ندارم.
The idiom is 'Vaqt-e sar khārāndan' (time to scratch the head).
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'I'm swamped' in Persian?
کدام جمله درست است؟
Option A follows the correct word order and idiom structure.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the idiom.
علی: میای بریم سینما؟ سارا: نه متاسفانه، فردا امتحان دارم و .......
Sara is talking about herself in the present/near future, so 'nadāram' is correct.
Match the situation to the idiom.
In which situation would you use 'وقت سر خاراندن نداشتن'?
The idiom specifically describes being extremely busy.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Where to use it
Work
- • Deadlines
- • Meetings
Home
- • Cleaning
- • Kids
School
- • Exams
- • Homework
Aufgabensammlung
4 Aufgabenمن امروز خیلی کار دارم و وقت سر ....... ندارم.
The idiom is 'Vaqt-e sar khārāndan' (time to scratch the head).
کدام جمله درست است؟
Option A follows the correct word order and idiom structure.
علی: میای بریم سینما؟ سارا: نه متاسفانه، فردا امتحان دارم و .......
Sara is talking about herself in the present/near future, so 'nadāram' is correct.
In which situation would you use 'وقت سر خاراندن نداشتن'?
The idiom specifically describes being extremely busy.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, it's not rude. It's a very common and acceptable way to explain being busy, even to a boss.
Yes! You can use it if you are busy with a fun hobby or a new business you love.
You could say 'بیکار و بیعار' (unemployed and indifferent) or simply 'سرم خلوته' (my head is empty/free).
No, just 'sar' (head) is enough. The possessive is implied by the verb conjugation.
Yes, in journalism and informal stories, but less so in formal academic papers.
Usually, it implies a longer period of busy-ness (like a whole day or week), not just five minutes.
Not a direct idiom, but you can say 'وقت زیادی داشتن' (having too much time).
Not at all. It's very modern and widely used by all age groups.
Yes, to show you are used to high-pressure environments, but don't overdo it.
Yes, it's like the 'ch' in 'Loch Ness'. Practice by clearing your throat gently.
Verwandte Redewendungen
سرم خیلی شلوغه
synonymMy head is very busy/crowded.
وقت نفس کشیدن نداشتن
similarTo not have time to breathe.
دستم بنده
specialized formMy hand is tied/busy.
بیکار بودن
contrastTo be unemployed/free.
خرت و پرت داشتن
builds onTo have a lot of 'stuff' to do.
