Meaning
To move quickly on foot.
Cultural Background
The film 'The Runner' (Davandeh) is a masterpiece that uses running as a symbol of survival and hope for a young orphan in a port city. The phrase 'Kheli davidam' is a standard way to complain about the complexity of government offices and paperwork. Running is often used to describe the fleeting nature of life or the pursuit of a spiritual goal in Sufi poetry. A host might say they are 'running' to prepare things for you as a way of showing hospitality and effort.
The 'Hustle' Nuance
Use 'davidan' when you want to emphasize how much effort you put into a task. It builds empathy with Iranians.
Present Stem
Don't forget the present stem is 'dav'. Many students incorrectly try to use 'david' for the present tense.
Meaning
To move quickly on foot.
The 'Hustle' Nuance
Use 'davidan' when you want to emphasize how much effort you put into a task. It builds empathy with Iranians.
Present Stem
Don't forget the present stem is 'dav'. Many students incorrectly try to use 'david' for the present tense.
Compound Verbs
Look out for 'vadu-david' (commotion). It's a great word to describe a busy, chaotic scene.
The Runner Film
Watch the movie 'The Runner' (1984) to see the cultural weight of this word in action.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'davidan' in the past tense.
من دیروز برای رسیدن به کلاس خیلی ______.
The sentence refers to 'yesterday' (diruz), so the simple past 'davidam' is required.
Which sentence uses 'davidan' figuratively to mean 'working hard'?
کدام جمله به معنی تلاش زیاد است؟
Running for a loan (vam) implies the effort and 'running around' required for the process.
Complete the dialogue.
علی: چرا اینقدر خستهای؟ سارا: ____________________.
This explains the exhaustion through the figurative 'running around' for bank tasks.
Match the Persian phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
Matching stems and tenses.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Davidan vs. Raftan
Practice Bank
4 exercisesمن دیروز برای رسیدن به کلاس خیلی ______.
The sentence refers to 'yesterday' (diruz), so the simple past 'davidam' is required.
کدام جمله به معنی تلاش زیاد است؟
Running for a loan (vam) implies the effort and 'running around' required for the process.
علی: چرا اینقدر خستهای؟ سارا: ____________________.
This explains the exhaustion through the figurative 'running around' for bank tasks.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Matching stems and tenses.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes! You can say 'Ab-e bini-am midavad' (My nose is running), though it's a bit descriptive.
No, use 'ejra kardan' (to execute/run).
'Davidan' is common and physical; 'shataftan' is very formal and means 'to hasten' in literature.
Use the present continuous: 'Daram midavam'.
Usually, we say 'Ab baz ast' (The water is open/on) or 'Ab jari ast' (The water is flowing).
Yes, if you are describing your hard work: 'Man baraye in proje kheli davidam' shows dedication.
A runner is a 'donandeh' (دونده).
It can, but 'mosabeghe dadan' is more specific for competing in a race.
Yes, in standard Persian, the 'v' is clearly pronounced.
No, for that use 'vaght tamom shodan' or 'vaght nadashtan'.
Related Phrases
دو و میدانی
specialized formTrack and field
فرار کردن
similarTo run away / escape
تکاپو کردن
synonymTo struggle / strive
شتافتن
synonymTo hasten / rush
