Phrase in 30 Seconds
The essential Persian word for 'good,' 'well,' or 'okay' used in almost every daily interaction.
- Means: Good, well, or healthy depending on the sentence structure.
- Used in: Answering 'How are you?', praising food, or agreeing with a plan.
- Don't confuse: With 'khosh' (pleasant), which is used more in compound adjectives.
Explication à ton niveau :
Signification
Describing something positive or satisfactory.
Contexte culturel
In Iranian culture, when someone asks 'How are you?', it is customary to say 'Khoobam' even if you are not perfectly fine, followed by 'Mersi' or 'Ghorbānat'. This is part of the social glue of politeness. In Dari Persian, 'khoob' is also used extensively, but you might hear 'khob' (shortened) even more frequently as a sentence starter in Kabul. Tajik Persian uses 'khub' (хуб), but often pairs it with Russian loanwords in casual speech, though 'khub' remains the core positive adjective.
The Filler Master
If you get stuck in a conversation, just say 'Khoob...' while you think. It buys you time and sounds natural.
Ezafe is Key
Don't forget the 'e' sound when describing things. It's 'Ketāb-e khoob,' not 'Ketāb khoob.'
The Filler Master
If you get stuck in a conversation, just say 'Khoob...' while you think. It buys you time and sounds natural.
Ezafe is Key
Don't forget the 'e' sound when describing things. It's 'Ketāb-e khoob,' not 'Ketāb khoob.'
Returning the Goodness
When someone says they are good, always reply with 'Khoda ro shokr' (Thank God) to sound like a native.
Teste-toi
Fill in the blank to say 'I am good.'
من ____ هستم.
'Khoob' is the adjective for 'good.'
Which sentence means 'He speaks Persian well'?
...
'Khoob' acts as an adverb here, describing the verb 'harf mizand.'
Match the Persian phrase to its English meaning.
1. حالم خوب است. 2. غذای خوب. 3. خوب، بریم.
Matches the three main senses of the word.
Complete the dialogue.
A: چطوری؟ B: مرسی، ____.
The speaker is talking about themselves (1st person singular).
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Khoob vs. Khosh
Banque d exercices
5 exercicesمن ____ هستم.
'Khoob' is the adjective for 'good.'
...
'Khoob' acts as an adverb here, describing the verb 'harf mizand.'
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
Matches the three main senses of the word.
A: چطوری؟ B: مرسی، ____.
The speaker is talking about themselves (1st person singular).
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
6 questionsIt is neutral and used in all contexts, from street slang to formal news.
Yes, 'ādam-e khoob' means a good/kind person.
'Khoob' is the adjective (good), while 'khob' is the short conjunction (well/so).
Use 'kheili khoob' (خیلی خوب).
In modern Persian, rarely. Use 'ghashang' or 'zibā' for beauty.
It's a raspy sound from the back of the throat, like the 'ch' in 'Bach.'
Expressions liées
خیلی خوب
builds onVery good
خوش
similarPleasant / Happy
بد
contrastBad
بهتر
specialized formBetter
Où l'utiliser
Meeting a friend
Saman: سلام، چطوری؟ (Salām, chetori?)
Sara: خوبم، مرسی. تو خوبی؟ (Khoobam, mersi. To khoobi?)
At a restaurant
Waiter: غذا چطور بود؟ (Ghazā chetor bood?)
Customer: خیلی خوب بود، ممنون. (Kheili khoob bood, mamnoon.)
Planning a trip
Ali: فردا ساعت ده بریم؟ (Fardā sā'at-e dah berim?)
Reza: خوب، باشه. (Khoob, bāshe.)
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Khoob sounds like 'Cool' with a 'B'. If it's Khoob, it's cool and good!
Association visuelle
Imagine a giant green thumbs-up (👍) glowing in the middle of a Persian carpet. The carpet is 'khoob' and the feeling is 'khoob.'
Rhyme
Hālam khoob-e, delyam mikhoob-e! (My mood is good, my heart is beating!)
Story
A traveler arrives in Tehran feeling tired. He drinks a glass of cold water and says 'Khoob!' He eats a kebab and says 'Khoob!' He meets a friendly local and says 'Khoob!' By the end of the day, 'khoob' is the only word he needs to survive.
In Other Languages
It functions exactly like 'Gut' in German or 'Bueno' in Spanish, acting as both an adjective and a general marker of positivity.
Word Web
Défi
Try to use 'khoob' in three different ways today: once to describe your health, once to describe an object, and once as a transition word (Well.../So...).
Review this word every time you want to say 'okay' in English. Replace 'okay' with 'khoob' in your head.
Prononciation
A voiceless velar fricative, like the 'ch' in Scottish 'loch' or German 'Bach.'
A long 'oo' sound as in 'boot.'
Spectre de formalité
بنده خوب هستم. (Bandeh khoob hastam.) (Health check)
من خوبم. (Man khoobam.) (Health check)
خوبم، دمت گرم. (Khoobam, damet garm.) (Health check)
ردیفم! (Radifam!) (Health check)
Derived from Middle Persian 'xwāb' and Old Persian 'vahu-'.
Le savais-tu ?
In the poetry of Rumi and Hafez, 'khoob' often refers to the physical beauty of the beloved, not just their character.
Notes culturelles
In Iranian culture, when someone asks 'How are you?', it is customary to say 'Khoobam' even if you are not perfectly fine, followed by 'Mersi' or 'Ghorbānat'. This is part of the social glue of politeness.
“حالم خوبه، مرسی. (Hālam khoobe, mersi.)”
In Dari Persian, 'khoob' is also used extensively, but you might hear 'khob' (shortened) even more frequently as a sentence starter in Kabul.
“خوب، چطور هستی؟ (Khob, chetor hasti?)”
Tajik Persian uses 'khub' (хуб), but often pairs it with Russian loanwords in casual speech, though 'khub' remains the core positive adjective.
“بسیار خوب! (Besyār khub!)”
Amorces de conversation
حالت چطور است؟ (Hālet chetor ast?)
این غذا چطور است؟ (In ghazā chetor ast?)
نظرت درباره این فیلم چیست؟ (Nazaret darbāreye in film chist?)
Erreurs courantes
من خوب هستم غذا.
من غذای خوب میخواهم.
L1 Interference
این سیب خیلی خوشمزه و خوب است.
این سیب خیلی خوشمزه است.
L1 Interference
او خوب است.
او خوب فارسی حرف میزند.
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Bueno / Bien
Persian 'khoob' is used more often as a filler word than 'bueno.'
Bon / Bien
Persian doesn't change the form of 'khoob' for adverbs.
Gut
German 'gut' changes endings based on case, while 'khoob' only uses the Ezafe.
良い (Yoi / Ii)
Japanese 'Ii' can also mean 'No thank you' in some contexts, which 'khoob' does not.
جيد (Jayyid)
Persian 'khoob' is native Indo-Iranian, not an Arabic loanword.
Spotted in the Real World
“خوب، حالا بخون. (Khoob, hālā bekhoon.)”
Nader is helping his daughter with her schoolwork.
“خورشید خوب من... (Khorshide khoobe man...)”
A classic rock song where he addresses his 'good sun.'
“مشک آن است که خود ببوید... نه آنکه عطار گوید. (Moshk ān ast ke khod bebuyad...)”
A famous proverb about true goodness/quality.
Facile à confondre
Both mean 'good' in a general sense.
Use 'khoob' for quality/health and 'khosh' for pleasantness/mood.
Spelled similarly in some transliterations.
Khwāb (pronounced 'khāb') means 'sleep' or 'dream.'
The shortened version of 'khoob' used as a conjunction.
Use 'khob' only to mean 'So...' or 'Well...', never to describe a noun.
Questions fréquentes (6)
It is neutral and used in all contexts, from street slang to formal news.
usage contextsYes, 'ādam-e khoob' means a good/kind person.
basic understanding'Khoob' is the adjective (good), while 'khob' is the short conjunction (well/so).
grammar mechanicsUse 'kheili khoob' (خیلی خوب).
practical tipsIn modern Persian, rarely. Use 'ghashang' or 'zibā' for beauty.
comparisonsIt's a raspy sound from the back of the throat, like the 'ch' in 'Bach.'
practical tips
