Meaning
To state that an action is incorrect or morally unacceptable.
Cultural Background
Directly telling someone they are wrong can be seen as a lack of 'Adab' (etiquette). It is better to use 'In kar...' (This work...) to distance the mistake from the person's identity. Among younger generations, being direct is a sign of 'Khaki' (down-to-earth) personality. They might use the phrase without any softeners. In Iranian boardrooms, disagreement is often expressed through silence or long-winded explanations. Using 'In kar eshtebahi ast' is a bold move that signals high confidence. In Dari, the word 'eshtebah' is also used, but 'ghalat' is slightly more common in daily speech for all types of errors.
Use 'Be nazaram'
Always start with 'Be nazaram' (In my opinion) to sound like a native speaker who respects social harmony.
Avoid 'Ghalat'
Don't use 'Ghalat' for people's choices; it sounds too judgmental. Stick to 'Eshtebah'.
Meaning
To state that an action is incorrect or morally unacceptable.
Use 'Be nazaram'
Always start with 'Be nazaram' (In my opinion) to sound like a native speaker who respects social harmony.
Avoid 'Ghalat'
Don't use 'Ghalat' for people's choices; it sounds too judgmental. Stick to 'Eshtebah'.
The 'I' suffix
The 'i' in 'eshtebahi' makes you sound much more fluent than just saying 'eshtebah ast'.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'mistake'.
فکر میکنم رانندگی در این برف، این کار _______ است.
We need the indefinite form 'eshtebahi' to mean 'a mistake'.
Which response is the most polite way to disagree with a boss?
Boss: 'We should cancel the marketing budget.'
Adding 'Be nazaram' (In my opinion) and 'shayad' (perhaps) makes it culturally appropriate.
Match the phrase variation to the context.
1. سوتی دادی | 2. اقدامی ناصواب است | 3. این کار اشتباهی است
Suti is slang, Nasavab is formal, and the target phrase is neutral.
Complete the dialogue.
سارا: میخواهم بدون خداحافظی بروم. علی: نه، _______.
Leaving without saying goodbye is generally considered a mistake in this context.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Types of Eshtebah
Strategic
- • Bad investment
- • Wrong timing
Social
- • Rude comment
- • Forgetting a name
Practice Bank
4 exercisesفکر میکنم رانندگی در این برف، این کار _______ است.
We need the indefinite form 'eshtebahi' to mean 'a mistake'.
Boss: 'We should cancel the marketing budget.'
Adding 'Be nazaram' (In my opinion) and 'shayad' (perhaps) makes it culturally appropriate.
1. سوتی دادی | 2. اقدامی ناصواب است | 3. این کار اشتباهی است
Suti is slang, Nasavab is formal, and the target phrase is neutral.
سارا: میخواهم بدون خداحافظی بروم. علی: نه، _______.
Leaving without saying goodbye is generally considered a mistake in this context.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questionsYes, but 'eshtebahi' (with the 'i') is more common in spoken and modern Persian as it emphasizes 'a [specific] mistake'.
It's better to be more indirect. Say: 'Ostād, bebakhshid, dar in mored motmaen nistam' (Teacher, sorry, I'm not sure about this).
The opposite is 'In kar dorosti ast' (This is a correct/right thing to do).
No, 'accident' is 'tasadof'. 'Eshtebah' is specifically a mental or judgmental error.
Related Phrases
اشتباه کردن
builds onTo make a mistake
جایز الخطا
similarHuman is prone to error
خبط کردن
specialized formTo blunder
درست است
contrastIt is correct
