Meaning
To be readily available or within easy reach.
Cultural Background
Hosts always keep tea, fruit, and sweets 'dam-e dast' so they can serve guests the moment they arrive without leaving the room for too long. In traditional bazaars, shopkeepers keep their most popular items 'dam-e dast' to show them quickly to passing customers. Organization is key in Persian cooking due to the many spices used. A 'dam-e dast' spice rack is a staple of an efficient kitchen. Saying something was 'dam-e dast' when giving a gift or doing a favor makes the recipient feel less indebted because it implies it was easy for you.
Use with Possessives
Add -am, -at, -ash to 'dast' to make it sound more natural. 'Dam-e dastam' (near my hand).
Avoid for Distance
Don't use it for things that are far away but 'accessible' by car. It's for immediate physical proximity.
Meaning
To be readily available or within easy reach.
Use with Possessives
Add -am, -at, -ash to 'dast' to make it sound more natural. 'Dam-e dastam' (near my hand).
Avoid for Distance
Don't use it for things that are far away but 'accessible' by car. It's for immediate physical proximity.
The 'Ta'arof' Trick
Use it to minimize your efforts when helping someone. It makes you sound humble and polite.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the idiom.
من همیشه نمک را موقع آشپزی _______ میگذارم.
To make something handy while cooking, you put it 'dam-e dast'.
Which sentence is the most natural way to ask if someone is available to help?
میخواهم بپرسم کسی برای کمک هست یا نه.
'Dam-e dast' can refer to people being available to help.
Match the Persian phrase with its English equivalent.
Matching Exercise
These are common 'hand' related idioms in Persian.
Complete the dialogue.
سارا: عینک من کجاست؟ علی: _________، روی میز است.
If it's on the table right there, it's 'dam-e dastat'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Informal vs Formal
Practice Bank
4 exercisesمن همیشه نمک را موقع آشپزی _______ میگذارم.
To make something handy while cooking, you put it 'dam-e dast'.
میخواهم بپرسم کسی برای کمک هست یا نه.
'Dam-e dast' can refer to people being available to help.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are common 'hand' related idioms in Persian.
سارا: عینک من کجاست؟ علی: _________، روی میز است.
If it's on the table right there, it's 'dam-e dastat'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, it means they are available to help right now. 'Ali dam-e dast e' means Ali is right here and ready.
In a casual email to a colleague, yes. In a formal letter to a professor, use 'dar dastras'.
The opposite is 'dur' (far) or 'tuy-e dast o pa' (in the way/obstructive).
No, in this idiom it means 'edge' or 'vicinity'.
Yes, but 'dam-e dastam' is much more common and natural.
Yes, it is widely understood in Iran, Afghanistan (Dari), and Tajikistan.
Absolutely! It's very common to say a file or app is 'dam-e dast'.
Use the verb 'gozashtan': 'Dam-e dast bogzar'.
No, it's informal/neutral. It's safe for almost all spoken situations.
Generally no. You wouldn't say 'The solution is dam-e dast' unless it's a physical object.
Related Phrases
در دسترس بودن
synonymTo be available
توی دست و پا بودن
contrastTo be in the way
دم دست گذاشتن
builds onTo put within reach
دسترس
similarReach/Access
