Meaning
To proceed to one's place of employment.
Cultural Background
Work hours in Iran often start early (7:30 or 8:00 AM) and end around 4:00 PM. 'Going to work' often involves a long commute in heavy traffic, especially in Tehran. In Tehran, 'going to work' is synonymous with using the Metro or 'Snapp' (the local Uber). The phrase is often used when discussing the 'Zoj o Fard' (odd/even) traffic rules. The formal 'be kār beravid' is used in the 'Atabi' (administrative) language of the government and large corporations, emphasizing the 'duty' aspect of work. In Dari, 'ba kār raftan' is also common, but they might use 'wazifa' (duty) more frequently than 'kār' in formal contexts.
The 'Sar' Secret
If you want to sound 100% natural in a conversation, swap 'be' for 'sar-e'. 'Be' is for books; 'Sar-e' is for people.
Don't say 'Do Work'
English speakers often say 'kār kardan' when they mean 'going to the office'. Use 'raftan' for the commute.
Meaning
To proceed to one's place of employment.
The 'Sar' Secret
If you want to sound 100% natural in a conversation, swap 'be' for 'sar-e'. 'Be' is for books; 'Sar-e' is for people.
Don't say 'Do Work'
English speakers often say 'kār kardan' when they mean 'going to the office'. Use 'raftan' for the commute.
Ta'arof at Work
When someone tells you they are going to work, always say 'Khaste nabāshid' as a polite acknowledgment.
Imperative vs. Subjunctive
The form 'beravid' is used for both 'Go!' and 'You should go'. Context tells you which one it is.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing verb in the formal imperative form.
لطفاً فردا ساعت ۸ به کار ______.
The sentence is formal ('لطفاً') and requires the imperative plural form 'بروید'.
Which sentence is the most appropriate for a formal email?
How do you tell employees to go to work?
'به کار بروید' is the standard formal register for written instructions.
Match the Persian phrase with its register.
Match the following:
Each phrase corresponds to a specific social context in Iran.
Complete the dialogue between a doctor and a patient.
دکتر: شما مریض هستید. نباید امروز ______.
The doctor is giving a formal recommendation using the subjunctive/imperative form.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Formal vs. Informal
Practice Bank
4 exercisesلطفاً فردا ساعت ۸ به کار ______.
The sentence is formal ('لطفاً') and requires the imperative plural form 'بروید'.
How do you tell employees to go to work?
'به کار بروید' is the standard formal register for written instructions.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Each phrase corresponds to a specific social context in Iran.
دکتر: شما مریض هستید. نباید امروز ______.
The doctor is giving a formal recommendation using the subjunctive/imperative form.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, it can be used for any place of employment, including factories, schools, or shops, as long as the tone is formal.
Not really. This phrase implies movement to a location. For working from home, use 'dur-kāri kardan'.
The singular informal is 'be kār boro', but again, 'boro sar-e kār' is much more common.
In this context, yes. But 'kār' can also mean 'thing', 'task', or 'affair'.
You would say 'Nemi-khāham be kār beravam' (formal) or 'Nemikhām beram sar-e kār' (informal).
Yes, it is understood in Afghanistan (Dari) and Tajikistan (Tajiki), though regional variations exist.
In Persian, we use the plural 'you' to show respect to a single person. It's a key part of the language's politeness system.
No, for students we say 'be madrese raftan' (go to school) or 'be dars raftan'.
Only if it's a formal text to a boss. With friends, it's too stiff.
'Shoghl' is your profession/occupation. 'Kār' is the actual work or the act of working.
Related Phrases
سر کار رفتن
similarTo go to work (informal)
مشغول به کار شدن
builds onTo get busy with work / To start a new job
دست از کار کشیدن
contrastTo stop working / To go on strike
کارآفرینی
specialized formEntrepreneurship
اضافه کاری
similarOvertime
