Meaning
Asking about the proximity or distance of a location.
Cultural Background
Iranians might say 'near' to be helpful, even if it's far. This is part of 'Ta'arof'—making the guest feel that their goal is easily reachable. In Tehran, 'near' is a function of traffic. A place 1km away might not be 'near' during rush hour. The concept of 'nearness' (Qurb) is a major theme in Sufi poetry, referring to spiritual proximity to God. On apps like Snapp (Iranian Uber), users often message drivers 'نزدیکید؟' (Are you near?) to check their arrival time.
Drop the 'Aya'
If you want to sound like a local, just say the sentence with a rising intonation at the end and skip 'آیا'.
The 'Iranian Near'
If someone says it's 'near', double-check on a map. It might be a 20-minute walk!
Meaning
Asking about the proximity or distance of a location.
Drop the 'Aya'
If you want to sound like a local, just say the sentence with a rising intonation at the end and skip 'آیا'.
The 'Iranian Near'
If someone says it's 'near', double-check on a map. It might be a 20-minute walk!
Preposition 'Be'
Always remember to use 'be' (to) when comparing two places. 'A be B nazdik ast.'
Test Yourself
Choose the most natural way to ask a taxi driver if the destination is near.
ببخشید آقا، مقصد ________؟
In a taxi (informal/spoken), 'نزدیکه' is the most natural choice.
Complete the formal question using the correct preposition.
آیا هتل ____ بازار نزدیک است؟
The adjective 'نزدیک' (near) always takes the preposition 'به' (to).
Match the Persian phrase with its register.
Match the following:
Understanding register is key to sounding natural.
Complete the dialogue.
A: ببخشید، ایستگاه اتوبوس کجاست؟ B: مستقیم بروید. A: آیا ________؟ B: بله، خیلی نزدیک است.
The context of 'Yes, it's very near' implies the question was 'Is it near?'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Formal vs Informal
Practice Bank
4 exercisesببخشید آقا، مقصد ________؟
In a taxi (informal/spoken), 'نزدیکه' is the most natural choice.
آیا هتل ____ بازار نزدیک است؟
The adjective 'نزدیک' (near) always takes the preposition 'به' (to).
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Understanding register is key to sounding natural.
A: ببخشید، ایستگاه اتوبوس کجاست؟ B: مستقیم بروید. A: آیا ________؟ B: بله، خیلی نزدیک است.
The context of 'Yes, it's very near' implies the question was 'Is it near?'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes! You can ask if an event or a time of day is near. 'آیا شب نزدیک است؟' (Is night near?)
No, it's mostly for formal writing. In speech, intonation does the work.
The opposite is 'دور است' (door ast), meaning 'it is far'.
Add 'kheyli' before 'nazdik': 'خیلی نزدیک است'.
Only for physical distance. 'آیا او به من نزدیک است؟' (Is he physically near me?)
Yes, it is perfectly polite. Adding 'ببخشید' (Excuse me) at the start makes it even better.
Change the verb to 'hastand': 'آیا مغازهها نزدیک هستند؟'
No, Persian has no grammatical gender.
Use 'چقدر نزدیک است؟' (Cheghadr nazdik ast?)
Yes, 'همینوراست' (Hamin-var-ast) means 'It's right around this way'.
Related Phrases
دور است
contrastIt is far
همین نزدیکیها
similarRight around here
چقدر راه است؟
builds onHow much way/distance is it?
نزدیک شدن
specialized formTo get closer
