Meaning
To sell one's own possessions at a very low price, often out of desperation.
Cultural Background
In the bazaar, this phrase is a 'tactic'. Sellers use it to make the buyer feel they are winning. It's part of the complex dance of Persian negotiation. On Instagram and Telegram shops, you'll see 'Atash-Zadan' used in emojis and hashtags to signal a flash sale. Fire is a symbol of purification in Zoroastrianism and later Sufi poetry. While this idiom is commercial, the idea of 'burning one's belongings' can sometimes imply a spiritual detachment from wealth. If a friend says they are 'setting fire to their property' because they are broke, the correct response is often to offer help or sympathy, not just to look for a bargain.
Use the Suffixes
Instead of saying 'be mal-e khod zadan', say 'be malam atash zadam' (I set fire to my property). It sounds much more native.
Don't use for people
You set fire to 'mal' (property), not to people or abstract concepts like 'love' in this specific commercial sense.
Meaning
To sell one's own possessions at a very low price, often out of desperation.
Use the Suffixes
Instead of saying 'be mal-e khod zadan', say 'be malam atash zadam' (I set fire to my property). It sounds much more native.
Don't use for people
You set fire to 'mal' (property), not to people or abstract concepts like 'love' in this specific commercial sense.
Bazaar Haggling
If a seller says this to you, don't take it literally. It's an invitation to start bargaining, but acknowledging their 'sacrifice' can help the rapport.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct preposition and word.
فروشنده به خاطر چکهایش مجبور شد ...... مالش آتش بزند.
The idiom always uses the preposition 'به' (be).
Which situation best fits the idiom 'آتش به مال خود زدن'?
کدام موقعیت برای استفاده از این اصطلاح مناسب است؟
The idiom refers to selling things very cheaply, especially due to urgency like moving abroad.
Complete the dialogue.
شخص الف: چرا لپتاپت را فقط دو میلیون فروختی؟ شخص ب: ............................
The idiom explains selling something far below its value to get cash quickly.
Match the Persian phrase to its English equivalent.
Match the following:
These are the closest conceptual matches.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesفروشنده به خاطر چکهایش مجبور شد ...... مالش آتش بزند.
The idiom always uses the preposition 'به' (be).
کدام موقعیت برای استفاده از این اصطلاح مناسب است؟
The idiom refers to selling things very cheaply, especially due to urgency like moving abroad.
شخص الف: چرا لپتاپت را فقط دو میلیون فروختی؟ شخص ب: ............................
The idiom explains selling something far below its value to get cash quickly.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are the closest conceptual matches.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, it's neutral. It's not rude, but it is informal. You can use it with friends or in shops.
Absolutely! Modern Iranians use it for selling stocks, crypto, or digital assets at a loss.
'Haraj' is just the noun for 'Sale'. 'Atash be mal zadan' is the dramatic action of making that sale happen at a loss.
Only in headlines to be catchy. In the actual report, they would use 'liquidation' or 'selling at a loss'.
No, it usually implies they are desperate or in a hurry, not necessarily unintelligent.
Not really. It implies a sale, even if the price is very low. For free, use 'Bakhshidan'.
آنها به مالشان آتش زدند (Anha be maleshan atash zadand).
People sometimes just say 'Atash zadam!' (I set fire!) while pointing at their goods.
As a buyer, you can say 'Atash zade be malesh' (He's giving it away!) to express your excitement about the deal.
Yes, it's a universal Persian idiom understood in Iran, Afghanistan (Dari), and Tajikistan.
Related Phrases
چوب حراج به چیزی زدن
synonymTo auction something off cheaply.
مفت فروختن
similarTo sell for almost nothing.
به ثمن بخس فروختن
specialized formTo sell for a pittance (Arabic root).
پول پارو کردن
contrastTo shovel money (make a lot of profit).
