B1 Jerga Informal 1 min de lectura

بی زحمت

bi zahmat

If you don't mind / Please

Practícalo

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'bi-zahmat' to soften your requests and sound like a local when asking for favors.

  • Means: 'Without trouble' or 'if it's not too much trouble'.
  • Used in: Ordering food, asking for a pen, or requesting a small favor.
  • Don't confuse: It is not a replacement for 'thank you' (mamnoon).
Smile + 'bi-zahmat' + Request = Polite interaction

Explicación a tu nivel:

This is a polite word. You say it before you ask for something. It means 'please'.
Use 'bi-zahmat' to ask for things nicely. It is like saying 'if it is not too much trouble'. It is very common in shops and with friends.
As an intermediate learner, you should use 'bi-zahmat' to soften your requests. It functions similarly to 'please' but carries a cultural nuance of acknowledging the effort of the listener. It is best used in informal or semi-formal settings.
The phrase 'bi-zahmat' is a pragmatic marker rooted in the Persian concept of 'Taarof'. It serves to mitigate the face-threatening act of making a request. By framing a request as 'without trouble', the speaker maintains social harmony and demonstrates cultural competence in interpersonal communication.
From a sociolinguistic perspective, 'bi-zahmat' functions as a politeness strategy to reduce the imposition of a directive. It is a lexicalized expression that has transitioned from a literal description of 'lack of trouble' to a conventionalized request-softener. Its usage is highly context-dependent, requiring an understanding of the power dynamics between interlocutors to avoid sounding insincere or overly deferential.
The diachronic evolution of 'bi-zahmat' illustrates the grammaticalization of politeness markers in Persian. It operates within the framework of Brown and Levinson’s politeness theory, specifically as a negative politeness strategy. By minimizing the perceived cost to the hearer, the speaker successfully navigates the delicate balance of social hierarchy inherent in Iranian discourse. Mastery of this phrase requires nuanced pragmatic awareness of when the 'Taarof' system necessitates such mitigation versus when directness is preferred.

Significado

A polite, informal way to ask for a favor.

🌍

Contexto cultural

Essential for daily life.

💡

Smile

Always smile when saying it.

💡

Smile

Always smile when saying it.

Ponte a prueba

Complete the sentence.

______ یک لیوان چای.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: بی‌زحمت

Used for requesting.

🎉 Puntuación: /1

Banco de ejercicios

2 ejercicios
Elige la respuesta correcta Fill Blank

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta:
Complete the sentence. Fill Blank A1

______ یک لیوان چای.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: بی‌زحمت

Used for requesting.

🎉 Puntuación: /2

Preguntas frecuentes

1 preguntas

No, it is very polite.

Frases relacionadas

🔄

لطفاً

synonym

Please

Dónde usarla

☕

Cafe Order

Customer: بی‌زحمت یک قهوه.

informal

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

Think of 'Bee' (the insect) and 'Zahmat' (a jam). You want the jam without the bee's trouble.

Asociación visual

Imagine a waiter smiling as you say 'bi-zahmat' while pointing at a menu.

Rhyme

Bi-zahmat, you're a gem, ask for help, don't be a hem.

Story

Ali goes to a shop. He wants bread. He says 'Bi-zahmat, nan'. The baker smiles and gives him the best bread. Ali is happy.

In Other Languages

Similar to 'if you don't mind' in English or 's'il vous plaît' in French.

Word Web

لطفاًزحمتخواهشممنونببخشیدلطف

Desafío

Use 'bi-zahmat' three times today in your practice sessions.

Review in 1, 3, 7, and 30 days.

Pronunciación

Acento Stress on the first syllable of zahmat.

Clear 'z' sound.

Espectro de formalidad

Formal
لطفاً نمک را بفرستید.

لطفاً نمک را بفرستید. (Dining table)

Neutral
نمک را بدهید.

نمک را بدهید. (Dining table)

Informal
بی‌زحمت نمک را بده.

بی‌زحمت نمک را بده. (Dining table)

Jerga
نمک رو رد کن بیاد.

نمک رو رد کن بیاد. (Dining table)

Derived from the Arabic-Persian root 'zahmat' meaning burden or trouble.

Classical:

Dato curioso

It is one of the first words tourists learn.

Notas culturales

Essential for daily life.

“Bi-zahmat, taxi!”

Inicios de conversación

“

How do you ask for water?

Errores comunes

✗

بی‌زحمت ممنون

✓

ممنون

wrong context
You don't say 'please thank you' together.

L1 Interference

0

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Por favor

Persian has more nuance based on the 'trouble' caused.

French Very Similar

S'il vous plaît

French focuses on pleasure, Persian focuses on lack of trouble.

German Different

Bitte

German is more functional.

Japanese moderate

Onegaishimasu

Japanese is more rigid in hierarchy.

Arabic Very Similar

Min fadlak

Arabic is more religious-rooted.

Chinese Different

Qing

Persian is more verbose.

Korean moderate

Juseyo

Persian uses a separate adverbial phrase.

Portuguese moderate

Por favor

Persian is more context-specific.

Spotted in the Real World

🎬

(2011)

“Bi-zahmat...”

Asking for something.

Fácil de confundir

بی زحمت vs لطفاً

Both mean please.

Use lotfan for formal, bi-zahmat for casual.

Preguntas frecuentes (1)

No, it is very polite.

basic understanding
¿Te ha servido?

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