Cette page dans ta langue

English

فارسی

العربية

Deutsch

Español

日本語

한국어

Português

中文

हिन्दी

B1 adjective #4,000 le plus courant 10 min de lecture

لال

lal Top 4,000

Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces لال en 30 secondes

Explication لال in your Level:

At the A1 level, you only need to know that 'lāl' means someone cannot speak. It's like 'mute' in English. You might see it in very simple sentences like 'He is lāl.' It's an adjective. You use it to describe a person. For example, 'The boy is lāl.' It is a basic word to describe a physical condition. You don't need to worry about the idioms yet. Just remember: lāl = cannot talk. It is the opposite of 'harf-zadan' (to talk). At this stage, just focus on the spelling: Lam-Alef-Lam. It's easy to remember because it looks symmetrical!

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour lire l'explication complète

At the A2 level, you start using 'lāl' with simple verbs like 'shodan' (to become). You can say 'He became lāl' if he was scared. You also learn that it often goes with 'kar' (deaf). So, 'kar o lāl' means 'deaf and mute'. You might use it to describe characters in a story. You should also be careful not to use it for a 'quiet' room; for that, use 'sāket'. You are beginning to see that 'lāl' is a strong word. If you say someone is 'lāl', it's a big deal. It's not just that they are being quiet for a minute.

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour lire l'explication complète

At the B1 level, you should understand the emotional and idiomatic uses of 'lāl'. This is where you learn 'Zabānam lāl' (God forbid). You use this when you talk about something bad that might happen. You also understand that 'lāl' can describe a person who is shocked into silence. You can use it in sentences like 'I was so surprised I became lāl.' You also start to distinguish 'lāl' from 'gong' (vague). You understand that 'lāl' is about the voice, while 'gong' is about the meaning. You can use it in more complex grammar, like 'If I see him, I will become lāl.'

At the B2 level, you use 'lāl' to discuss social issues. You might talk about 'lāl' people in society who don't have a voice. You understand the difference between 'lāl' (mute) and 'khāmush' (poetically silent). You can use 'lāl' in formal writing to describe a lack of communication. You also know the aggressive idiom 'Lāl-mān gereftan' and when NOT to use it. You can explain the nuance of why a speaker might choose 'lāl' over 'sāket' to emphasize a total, perhaps forced, silence. Your vocabulary is becoming more descriptive and precise.

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour lire l'explication complète

At the C1 level, you appreciate 'lāl' in classical Persian literature and modern political discourse. You understand how 'lāl' is used as a metaphor for the limitations of human language in Sufi poetry. You can analyze texts where 'lāl' represents the silencing of the masses by a dictator. You use the word with perfect register control. You might use it in an academic essay about speech pathology or in a literary analysis of a character's silence. You are comfortable with all its idiomatic forms and can use them naturally in conversation to sound like a native speaker.

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour lire l'explication complète

At the C2 level, 'lāl' is just one tool in your massive arsenal of Persian words. You understand its deepest etymological roots and its relationship to other Indo-European languages. You can use it to create complex puns or double meanings in your own writing. You understand the subtle social stigma attached to the word in different historical periods of Iran. You can debate the ethics of using 'lāl' versus more modern clinical terms. You can interpret the 'silence' of a 'lāl' character in a film as a profound philosophical statement. You have total mastery over its phonetic, semantic, and cultural layers.

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour lire l'explication complète

Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

لال en 30 secondes

Lāl means 'mute' or 'unable to speak' in Persian.
It is used for both physical conditions and emotional states of shock.
Commonly paired with 'kar' (deaf) as 'kar o lāl'.
Used in the important idiom 'Zabānam lāl' (God forbid).

The Persian word لال (lāl) is a primary adjective used to describe the physiological or psychological state of being unable to speak. While its most direct translation is "mute" or "dumb" (in the archaic sense of being unable to vocalize), its usage in the Persian language spans a broad spectrum from medical diagnosis to poetic metaphor and even aggressive colloquialism. Understanding lāl requires looking past the simple dictionary definition and into the Iranian cultural psyche where silence is often weighted with meaning—sometimes as a sign of respect, sometimes as a manifestation of fear, and other times as a tragic physical limitation.

Medical and Literal Context: In a literal, clinical sense, لال refers to someone who cannot produce speech, often paired with kar (deaf) in the compound phrase kar o lāl (deaf-mute). This is the most objective use of the word. It describes a permanent condition or a congenital disability. When used in medical documents or formal social services, it is the standard term, though modern Persian speakers are increasingly using more sensitive terms like nā-tavān-e goftāri (speech impaired) to avoid the perceived harshness of the monosyllabic lāl.
Metaphorical and Emotional State: Metaphorically, lāl describes a person who is so shocked, terrified, or overwhelmed that they cannot find words. If someone sees a ghost or a horrifying accident, they might become lāl. This isn't a permanent condition but a temporary paralysis of the vocal faculties caused by extreme emotion. In Persian literature, a lover might become lāl in the presence of the beloved's beauty, suggesting that human language is insufficient to describe such perfection.

او از ترس دیدن آن صحنه ناگهان لال شد و نتوانست حرفی بزند.
— From fear of seeing that scene, he suddenly became mute and couldn't say a word.

Furthermore, the word appears in several protective idioms. For example, zabānam lāl (may my tongue be mute) is a very common interjection used when someone mentions a hypothetical negative event (like death or illness). It functions similarly to the English "God forbid" or "knock on wood." By wishing for their own muteness, the speaker is symbolically preventing the bad thing from manifesting through their words.

اگر خدای نکرده، زبانم لال، او بمیرد، ما چه کنیم؟
— If God forbid, heaven forbid (lit: my tongue be mute), he dies, what shall we do?

Using لال (lāl) correctly depends heavily on the verb it is paired with and the social context of the conversation. Because it is an adjective, it usually functions as a complement to the subject or as part of a compound verb construction. The most common verb associated with it is shodan (to become), indicating a transition into silence, whether physical or psychological.

The Verb 'Shodan' (To Become): When you say lāl shod, you are describing a sudden loss of speech. This is frequently used in storytelling to heighten drama. For example: "When the teacher asked for the homework, the student became lāl." This implies the student was so nervous or unprepared that they couldn't speak.
The Verb 'Kardan' (To Make): To lāl kardan someone means to silence them or to make them mute. This can be used literally (as in a mythological curse) or figuratively, meaning to win an argument so convincingly that the other person has no rebuttal. "His logical arguments silenced (lāl kard) all the critics."

بچه از شدت تعجب لال شده بود و فقط نگاه می‌کرد.
— The child was struck dumb with surprise and was only watching.

In formal writing, lāl is often used to describe the disenfranchised or those who have no voice in society. You might read about tude-hā-ye lāl (the mute masses), referring to people who are unable to express their political or social needs. In this context, it carries a heavy socio-political weight, suggesting a systemic stripping away of the right to speak.

او در برابر ظلم، لال نماند و فریاد کشید.
— He did not remain silent (mute) in the face of oppression and screamed out.

Grammatically, lāl acts like any other Persian adjective. It can be modified by adverbs like kamalā (completely) or taqriban (almost). For example, ū taqriban lāl ast (He is almost mute). It can also be used in the plural form lāl-hā to refer to "the mute people" as a collective group.

You will encounter لال (lāl) in a variety of real-world settings, ranging from the mundane to the highly dramatic. Its presence in the Persian linguistic landscape is ubiquitous because it touches on the fundamental human faculty of communication. Here are the primary domains where you will hear or see this word used frequently:

In Everyday Arguments: In a heated debate or a family spat, you might hear the phrase Lāl-mān gerefti? (Did you get the 'mute-disease'?). This is a rhetorical question asked when someone refuses to answer a question or stays silent as a form of protest or guilt. It’s a sharp, often irritating way to goad someone into speaking. It’s not a compliment; it implies the person is being intentionally difficult by not talking.
In Cinema and Television: Persian drama often uses muteness as a plot device. A character might lose their voice after a traumatic event (psychogenic mutism). In these scripts, the doctor might say, Ū az nazare feziyoložiki sālem ast, ammā lāl shodeh (He is physiologically healthy but has become mute). This highlights the psychological depth of the word.

چرا لال شدی؟ بنال ببینم چه اتفاقی افتاده!
— Why did you go mute? Speak up (lit: groan) and let me see what happened!

You will also hear it in superstitious or religious contexts. The phrase Zabān-e doshman lāl (May the enemy's tongue be mute) is a protective prayer/curse meant to prevent enemies from speaking ill or plotting against someone. It shows how the word is used as a tool for spiritual protection. In news reports, especially those concerning human rights or people with disabilities, you will see lāl used to categorize groups, often alongside nā-binā (blind) and nā-shonavā (deaf).

او مثل یک بره لال ایستاده بود و هیچ نمی‌گفت.
— He stood there like a mute lamb and said nothing.

While لال (lāl) seems straightforward, English speakers and Persian learners often stumble over its specific connotations and its distinction from other words for silence. Avoiding these common pitfalls will make your Persian sound much more natural and sensitive.

Mistake 1: Using 'Lāl' for 'Quiet': The most frequent error is using lāl when you mean sāket (quiet). If a library is quiet, it is sāket. If a person is shy and doesn't talk much, they are kam-harf. Calling a shy person lāl is incorrect and quite insulting, as it implies they have a physical or mental defect rather than a personality trait. Lāl is an absolute inability; sāket is a state or choice.
Mistake 2: Confusing 'Lāl' with 'Gong': While gong also means mute, it often refers to something being vague, muffled, or unintelligible. A message can be gong (unclear), but it cannot be lāl. A person can be both, but lāl focuses on the lack of sound, while gong focuses on the lack of clarity. Learners often swap them, leading to confusing sentences like "This book is lāl" (incorrect) instead of "This book is gong" (vague).

❌ اشتباه: کلاس خیلی لال است.
✅ درست: کلاس خیلی ساکت است.
— Correcting the usage of 'mute' vs 'quiet' in a classroom setting.

Another mistake involves the idiom Zabānam lāl. Learners often forget the 'm' (my) and just say Zabān lāl. Without the possessive pronoun, the phrase loses its idiomatic power. It is specifically your own tongue you are wishing muteness upon to ward off bad luck. Also, be careful with the tone of Lāl-mān gereftan. Unless you are very close with someone and joking, this phrase can start a real fight, as it's quite aggressive.

او گنگ حرف می‌زد، اما لال نبود.
— He was speaking vaguely/unintelligibly, but he wasn't mute.

To truly master لال (lāl), you must see how it sits within the wider family of Persian words related to silence and speechlessness. Persian is a language of nuance, and choosing the right synonym can change the entire tone of your statement.

Lāl vs. Sāket (ساکت): Lāl is the inability to speak. Sāket is the state of not speaking. You can be sāket by choice (e.g., in a library), but you are lāl because of a condition or extreme shock. Sāket is generally positive or neutral, while lāl is often perceived as a limitation or a negative state.
Lāl vs. Gong (گنگ): Gong is often used as a synonym for lāl in the sense of 'mute', but it carries a stronger sense of being 'unintelligible'. If someone is gong, they might be making sounds, but those sounds don't make sense. Lāl usually implies no sound at all. In modern slang, gong can also mean 'cool' or 'mysterious' (similar to 'hard' in English rap slang), whereas lāl never has this positive connotation.
Lāl vs. Khāmush (خاموش): Khāmush literally means 'turned off' or 'extinguished' (like a candle or a light). When applied to a person, it is a very poetic and respectful way to say 'silent'. It suggests a deep, meditative, or dignified silence. While lāl might describe a victim who can't speak, khāmush describes a wise man who chooses not to.

عارفان غالباً خاموش‌اند، نه لال.
— Mystics are often silent (by choice), not mute.

In summary, if you want to be clinical or describe a sudden inability to speak due to shock, use lāl. If you want to describe a quiet room, use sāket. If you are writing poetry about a silent night or a wise person, use khāmush. If you are talking about something that is confusing and hard to understand, use gong. This mastery of synonyms is what separates a B1 learner from a C1 proficient speaker.

How Formal Is It?

Le savais-tu ?

The word is almost identical in several regional languages like Urdu and Hindi, showing the deep linguistic connection across the Iranian plateau and the Indian subcontinent.

Guide de prononciation

UK /lɑːl/

US /lɑl/

Single syllable, so the stress is naturally on the entire word.

Rime avec

حال (hāl) فال (fāl) مال (māl) سال (sāl) بال (bāl) زال (zāl) کال (kāl) شال (shāl)

Erreurs fréquentes

Pronouncing it like 'Lal' with a short 'a' (as in 'apple'). It must be a long 'ā'.
Confusing the final 'L' with an 'R' sound.
Making the 'L' too soft; it should be a clear, dental 'L'.

Niveau de difficulté

Lecture 2/5

Very easy to recognize due to its short, symmetrical shape.

Écriture 1/5

One of the easiest words to write in Persian script.

Expression orale 2/5

Simple pronunciation, but requires the long 'ā' sound.

Écoute 2/5

Easy to hear, but can be confused with 'hāl' or 'sāl' if not careful.

Quoi apprendre ensuite

Prérequis

حرف (harf) زبان (zabān) آقا (āqā) بچه (bach-cheh) بودن (budan)

Apprends ensuite

کر (kar) کور (kur) فلج (falaj) ساکت (sāket) خاموش (khāmush)

Avancé

لکنت (loknat) گنگ (gong) ایما و اشاره (īmā va eshāreh) فصاحت (fasāhat) بلاغت (balāghat)

Grammaire à connaître

Adjective placement

مردِ لال (The mute man) - uses ezafe.

Compound Verbs

لال شدن (To become mute) - no ezafe.

Negative 'to be'

او لال نیست (He is not mute).

Pluralization

لال‌ها (The mutes) - adding 'hā'.

Possessive Suffixes

زبانم (My tongue) - adding 'am'.

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour lire l'explication complète

Exemples par niveau

او لال است.

He is mute.

Simple subject + adjective + to be verb.

آن مرد لال است.

That man is mute.

Demonstrative pronoun 'ān' + noun + adjective.

آیا او لال است؟

Is he mute?

Question form using 'āyā'.

من لال نیستم.

I am not mute.

Negative form of 'to be' (nīstam).

بچه لال است.

The child is mute.

Simple noun + adjective.

دوست من لال است.

My friend is mute.

Possessive 'man' after the noun.

اسم این مرد لال چیست؟

What is the name of this mute man?

Ezafe construction 'mard-e lāl'.

او نمی‌تواند حرف بزند، او لال است.

He cannot talk, he is mute.

Two simple clauses.

او کر و لال است.

He is deaf and mute.

Compound adjective 'kar o lāl'.

او از بدو تولد لال بود.

He was mute from birth.

Past tense of 'to be' (bud).

چرا ساکتی؟ لال شدی؟

Why are you quiet? Did you go mute?

Informal question using 'shodi'.

او وقتی ترسید، لال شد.

When he got scared, he became mute.

Subordinate clause starting with 'vaqti'.

آن دختر لال نیست، فقط خجالتی است.

That girl isn't mute, she's just shy.

Contrast using 'fagat' (only).

ما باید به افراد لال کمک کنیم.

We must help mute people.

Modal verb 'bāyad' + infinitive.

او با ایما و اشاره با مرد لال حرف زد.

He spoke with the mute man using gestures.

Prepositional phrase 'bā īmā va eshāreh'.

او لال است اما خیلی باهوش است.

He is mute but very smart.

Conjunction 'ammā' (but).

زبانم لال، اگر او تصادف کند چه؟

God forbid (lit: my tongue be mute), what if he has an accident?

Idiomatic interjection.

او از شدت تعجب لال شده بود.

He had become mute from the intensity of surprise.

Past perfect 'shodeh bud'.

حرف بزن! چرا لال‌مانی گرفتی؟

Speak up! Why are you acting like you're mute?

Idiomatic phrase 'lāl-mān gereftan'.

نویسنده در این داستان، قهرمان را لال کرده است.

The author has made the hero mute in this story.

Present perfect 'kardeh ast'.

او در برابر سوالات پلیس لال ماند.

He remained mute in the face of the police's questions.

Verb 'māndan' (to remain) + adjective.

آیا این بیماری باعث لال شدن می‌شود؟

Does this disease cause muteness?

Gerund 'lāl shodan' as an object.

او یک بره لال و بی‌آزار است.

He is a mute and harmless lamb.

Metaphorical use of 'lāl'.

او سعی کرد حرف بزند اما زبانش لال بود.

He tried to talk but his tongue was mute.

Personification of 'zabān'.

جامعه نباید در برابر ظلم لال بماند.

Society should not remain mute in the face of oppression.

Social/Political context.

او با منطق قوی خود، منتقدان را لال کرد.

With his strong logic, he silenced (made mute) the critics.

Transitive use of 'lāl kardan'.

این سکوت او، یک نوع اعتراض لال است.

This silence of his is a kind of mute protest.

Abstract noun phrase.

او چنان محو زیبایی منظره شد که لال ماند.

He was so absorbed in the beauty of the scenery that he remained mute.

Result clause 'chonān... ke'.

در آن لحظه، هیچ کلمه‌ای نداشتم و کاملاً لال بودم.

In that moment, I had no words and was completely mute.

Adverb 'kāmelan' (completely).

حقوق افراد کر و لال در قانون اساسی آمده است.

The rights of deaf and mute people are mentioned in the constitution.

Formal legal context.

او به جای فریاد زدن، دردی لال را تحمل می‌کرد.

Instead of screaming, he was enduring a mute pain.

Poetic adjective-noun pairing.

چرا وقتی حقیقت را می‌دانی، لال نشسته‌ای؟

Why are you sitting there mute when you know the truth?

Present perfect of state 'neshaste-ī'.

زبان از توصیف عظمت این بنا لال است.

The tongue is mute from describing the greatness of this building.

Hyperbolic literary expression.

او در میان جمع، به مثابه یک تماشاگر لال بود.

In the group, he was like a mute spectator.

Formal preposition 'be masābe-ye'.

شاعر در این بیت، از واژه لال برای نشان دادن عجز انسان استفاده کرده است.

The poet in this verse has used the word 'lāl' to show human helplessness.

Literary analysis.

او با یک نگاه، تمام ادعاهای واهی آن‌ها را لال کرد.

With one look, he silenced (made mute) all their vain claims.

Metaphorical transitive verb.

فریادهای لال او در گلو خفه شده بود.

His mute screams were choked in his throat.

Oxymoron 'faryād-hā-ye lāl'.

این سکوت، نه از سر رضایت، بلکه یک اعتراض لال و عمیق است.

This silence is not out of satisfaction, but rather a mute and deep protest.

Contrast 'na az sar-e... balke'.

او در برابر ابهت کوهستان، خود را لال و کوچک می‌دید.

In the face of the mountain's majesty, he saw himself as mute and small.

Reflexive 'khod rā'.

تاریخ مملو از قهرمانانی است که در زمان خود لال نگاه داشته شدند.

History is full of heroes who were kept mute in their own time.

Passive construction 'negāh dāshteh shodand'.

مفهوم 'لال' در فلسفه او به معنای نارسایی زبان در بیان حقیقت مطلق است.

The concept of 'lāl' in his philosophy means the inadequacy of language in expressing absolute truth.

Philosophical terminology.

او با مهارتی بی‌نظیر، درد لالِ قرن‌ها استبداد را در رمانش به تصویر کشید.

With unparalleled skill, he depicted the mute pain of centuries of tyranny in his novel.

High-level literary description.

زبان‌آوری او در واقع نقابی بود بر روح لالی که در درون داشت.

His eloquence was actually a mask for the mute soul he had within.

Psychological metaphor.

در ساحت عرفان، آنجا که سخن باز می‌ماند، سالک لال می‌شود.

In the realm of mysticism, where speech fails, the seeker becomes mute.

Mystical context.

این اثر هنری، گویایِ رنج‌های لالی است که در کلمات نمی‌گنجند.

This artwork is expressive of mute sufferings that do not fit into words.

Abstract expression.

او در مواجهه با امر متعالی، به لالیِ وجودی دچار گشت.

In the encounter with the sublime, he fell into an existential muteness.

Existentialist vocabulary.

سیاست‌های سرکوبگرانه، جامعه را به یک توده لال و بی‌شکل بدل کرده بود.

Oppressive policies had turned the society into a mute and shapeless mass.

Political critique.

او در آخرین لحظات عمر، با نگاهی لال، ناگفته‌های بسیاری را منتقل کرد.

In the last moments of his life, with a mute gaze, he conveyed many untold things.

Poignant narrative style.

Collocations courantes

کر و لال

لال شدن

لال کردن

زبانم لال

لال ماندن

توده لال

درد لال

بچه لال

لال مادرزاد

کاملاً لال

Phrases Courantes

لال‌مانی گرفتن

— To be struck dumb (often used rudely to ask why someone isn't speaking).

چرا لال‌مانی گرفتی؟ جواب بده!

زبانم لال باشد

— A longer version of 'Zabānam lāl' (May my tongue be mute).

زبانم لال باشد اگر بخواهم دروغ بگویم.

مثل بره لال

— To be as quiet and submissive as a mute lamb.

او مثل یک بره لال آنجا نشست.

لال و کور و کر

— Mute, blind, and deaf (often used to describe ignoring the truth).

آن‌ها در برابر مشکلات لال و کور و کر هستند.

لال بازی

— Charades or acting without speaking.

بیا لال‌بازی (پانتومیم) کنیم.

زبان دشمن لال

— May the enemy's tongue be mute (a protective phrase).

ان‌شاءالله که زبان دشمن لال شود.

لال از دنیا رفتن

— To die without being able to say one's last words.

بیچاره لال از دنیا رفت.

لال شدن در برابر زیبایی

— To be silenced by beauty.

من در برابر این منظره لال شدم.

لال مطلق

— Totally mute.

او در این مورد لال مطلق است.

پاسخ لال‌کننده

— A silencing response.

او یک پاسخ لال‌کننده به آن‌ها داد.

Souvent confondu avec

لال vs لاله (laleh)

Means 'tulip'. Sounds similar but has an 'h' at the end.

لال vs حال (hāl)

Means 'state' or 'mood'. Rhymes with lāl but starts with 'H'.

لال vs زال (zāl)

A character from Shahnameh or means 'albino'. Rhymes with lāl.

Expressions idiomatiques

"زبانم لال"

— God forbid. Used when mentioning a negative possibility to prevent it from happening.

زبانم لال، اگر فردا بمیریم چه؟

Everyday

"لال‌مانی گرفتن"

— To remain silent when one should speak (negative connotation).

وقتی باید دفاع می‌کردی، لال‌مانی گرفته بودی؟

Informal/Aggressive

"زبانش لال شد"

— He was unable to speak (due to fear or death).

تا پلیس را دید، زبانش لال شد.

Neutral

"لال از دنیا نروی"

— Don't die mute (used to tell someone to speak their mind before it's too late).

حرفت را بزن، لال از دنیا نروی!

Informal

"مگر لال هستی؟"

— Are you mute? (Rude way to ask why someone isn't replying).

چرا جواب نمی‌دهی؟ مگر لالی؟

Slang/Rude

"لال کردن منتقد"

— To silence a critic completely with a strong argument.

او با این کتاب، تمام منتقدان را لال کرد.

Formal

"زبان لال شدن در محشر"

— One's tongue becoming mute on Judgment Day (religious idiom).

در محشر زبان گناهکاران لال می‌شود.

Religious

"لال ماندن قلم"

— The pen becoming mute (unable to write about a tragedy).

قلم از نوشتن این همه رنج لال می‌ماند.

Literary

"لال و بی‌زبان"

— Mute and innocent (like an animal).

او یک موجود لال و بی‌زبان است، اذیتش نکن.

Empathetic

"لال شدن ناقوس"

— The silencing of a bell (metaphor for the end of an era).

با مرگ او، ناقوس‌ها لال شدند.

Poetic

Facile à confondre

لال vs ساکت

Both mean not talking.

Lāl is inability; Sāket is a temporary state or choice.

بچه‌ها در کتابخانه ساکت هستند.

لال vs گنگ

Both can mean mute.

Gong implies lack of clarity or being muffled; Lāl is total absence of speech.

صدای گنگی از دور می‌آمد.

لال vs خاموش

Both mean silent.

Khāmush is poetic/respectful; Lāl is literal/clinical.

او با لبانی خاموش رفت.

لال vs بی‌صدا

Both mean without sound.

Bi-sedā is used for objects (silent movies, quiet cars); Lāl is for living beings.

ماشین برقی بی‌صدا است.

لال vs کم‌حرف

Both mean not talking much.

Kam-harf is a personality trait (shy/reserved); Lāl is a condition.

برادرم خیلی کم‌حرف است.

Structures de phrases

[Subject] [lāl] [ast].

او لال است.

[Subject] [lāl] [shod].

سارا لال شد.

Zabānam lāl, [Negative Event].

زبانم لال، اگر او بمیرد.

[Subject] az [Emotion] [lāl] [shodeh bud].

او از ترس لال شده بود.

[Subject] [lāl] [māndan] dar barābar-e [Noun].

او لال ماند در برابر ظلم.

[Noun] az towsif-e [Noun] [lāl] [ast].

زبان از توصیف زیبایی او لال است.

[Abstract Concept] rā [lāl] [kardan].

او وجدان جامعه را لال کرد.

Chera [lāl-mān] [gerefte-ī]?

چرا لال‌مانی گرفته‌ای؟

Famille de mots

Noms

لالی (lālī - muteness)

لال‌مانی (lāl-mānī - a state of silence)

Verbes

لال شدن (lāl shodan - to become mute)

لال کردن (lāl kardan - to silence)

Adjectifs

لال (lāl - mute)

کر و لال (kar o lāl - deaf-mute)

Apparenté

گنگ (gong)

خاموش (khāmush)

ساکت (sāket)

زبان (zabān)

گویش (guyesh)

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour voir tous les exemples

Comment l'utiliser

frequency

Common in literature, idioms, and daily speech.

Erreurs courantes

In khetāb lāl ast. → In khetāb gong ast.
You can't call a speech 'mute'; you should call it 'unclear'.
Otāq lāl ast. → Otāq sāket ast.
Rooms are 'quiet', not 'mute'.
Zabān lāl! → Zabānam lāl!
You must include the 'my' (-am) for the idiom to work.
Ū lāl harf mizane. → Ū gong harf mizane.
If someone is talking, they aren't 'lāl'. They might be 'gong' (unintelligible).
Bach-ye lāl-e man. → Bach-ye lāl-e man (usage check).
Calling your own child 'lāl' can be seen as very harsh or clinical; 'zabān-basteh' is softer.

Astuces

Context is King

Only use 'lāl' for a person's condition or extreme shock. Never use it to describe a quiet room.

The Power of the Tongue

Iranians believe words have power. 'Zabānam lāl' is a way to protect yourself from your own words.

Compound Verbs

Remember 'lāl shodan' (to become) and 'lāl kardan' (to silence). They are very common.

Long A

Make sure the 'ā' is long. If you say it short, it might not be understood.

Pair with Kar

Learn 'kar' (deaf) and 'lāl' (mute) together as a set.

Sensitivity

If meeting a mute person, use 'nā-tavān-e goftāri' in formal speech.

L-A-L

It's a palindrome! Symmetrical like a closed mouth.

Poetic Silence

In poems, 'lāl' often means human words are not enough for God.

Lāl-mān

Use 'lāl-mān gereftan' only with people you know well; it's quite blunt.

Silencing Critics

'Lāl kardan' is a great way to say someone won a debate convincingly.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Think of the 'L's as two pillars of silence with an 'A' (for 'Aaaah' sound) trapped in between. The pillars block the sound from coming out.

Association visuelle

Imagine a person with a large red 'X' over their mouth. The 'X' looks like the 'A' in the middle of 'LAL'.

Word Web

Silence Mute Shock Tongue Deaf Communication Speechless Disability

Défi

Try to go one hour without speaking a single word. During that hour, think to yourself: 'I am lāl right now.' See how it feels to be lāl.

Origine du mot

The word 'lāl' has roots in Middle Persian (Pahlavi) and is related to Sanskrit 'lalla' (stammering/babbling). It is an onomatopoeic word, imitating the sound of someone trying to speak but failing.

Sens originel : Unable to articulate sounds clearly; babbling or mute.

Indo-European (Indo-Iranian branch).

Contexte culturel

Avoid using 'lāl' as a joke about someone's disability. Only use it metaphorically for shock or in the specific idiom 'Zabānam lāl'.

English speakers should be careful. While 'mute' is okay in English, 'lāl' can sound harsher in Persian depending on the tone.

The movie 'The Silence' (Sokut) by Mohsen Makhmalbaf. Classical poems by Rumi about the 'lāl' tongue in the face of God. Modern Iranian protest songs about 'the mute generation'.

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Medical/Disability

مدرسه کر و لال‌ها
زبان اشاره
ناشنوا
نطق

Emotional Shock

از ترس لال شدن
زبونم بند اومد
شوکه شدم
مات و مبهوت

Arguments

چرا ساکتی؟
جواب بده
لال‌مانی
زبون درازی

Superstition

زبانم لال
خدا نکنه
بلا دور باشه
گوش شیطون کر

Literature

عجز زبان
وصف‌ناپذیر
خاموشی
اسرار

Amorces de conversation

"آیا تا به حال از ترس لال شده‌ای؟ (Have you ever been struck dumb by fear?)"

"نظرت در مورد زبان اشاره برای افراد لال چیست؟ (What is your opinion on sign language for mute people?)"

"در فرهنگ شما وقتی می‌خواهید بگویید 'God forbid' چه می‌گویید؟ (In your culture, what do you say for 'God forbid'?)"

"آیا فیلمی دیده‌ای که قهرمان آن لال باشد؟ (Have you seen a movie where the hero is mute?)"

"چگونه می‌توان با کسی که لال است ارتباط برقرار کرد؟ (How can one communicate with someone who is mute?)"

Sujets d'écriture

تصور کن برای یک روز لال هستی. چه حسی داری؟ (Imagine you are mute for a day. How do you feel?)

یک داستان کوتاه درباره کسی بنویس که ناگهان لال می‌شود. (Write a short story about someone who suddenly becomes mute.)

چرا در فارسی می‌گوییم 'زبانم لال'؟ تحلیل کن. (Why do we say 'Zabānam lāl' in Persian? Analyze it.)

تفاوت بین سکوت اختیاری و لالی اجباری را بنویس. (Write the difference between voluntary silence and forced muteness.)

آیا کلمات می‌توانند تمام احساسات ما را بیان کنند یا گاهی لال می‌شویم؟ (Can words express all our feelings or do we sometimes become mute?)

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

It can be. In a medical context, it's neutral. In a social context, calling someone 'lāl' can be rude, similar to 'dumb' in English. Use 'nā-shonavā' (deaf) or 'nā-tavān-e goftār' for more respect.

It literally means 'May my tongue be mute'. It is used exactly like 'God forbid' in English to prevent a bad thing from happening after you mention it.

Yes, but 'bi-zabān' (tongueless/innocent) is more common and empathetic for animals.

There isn't one perfect word, but 'guyā' (expressive/speaking) or 'sokhan-gu' are close.

Yes, 'Lāl-mān gerefti?' is a common slangy way to ask someone why they are suddenly quiet during a fight.

The phrase is 'kar o lāl'.

Metaphorically, yes, if it doesn't convey its message, but 'gong' (unclear) is better.

No, it is of Persian origin, though it exists in other regional languages.

Yes, 'lāl shodan az tars' (becoming mute from fear) is a very common expression.

It's the Persian word for the game 'Charades' or pantomime.

Inscris-toi gratuitement pour les astuces et notes