Meaning
Indicating a small amount or degree.
Cultural Background
In the context of Ta'arof, 'kami' is used to show humility. Even if you are very hungry, you might say you want 'kami' food to be polite. In Dari Persian, 'yak kam' is very common, similar to the Iranian 'ye kam'. It is used with the same social nuances of politeness. Tajik speakers use 'kam-tar' (a bit less/a bit) frequently. It sounds slightly more formal to Iranian ears but serves the same purpose. In negotiations, 'kami' is used to hedge demands. Instead of saying 'The price is too high', a businessman might say 'The price is a bit high' to keep the atmosphere friendly.
The 'Ye' Trick
If you forget 'kami', just say 'ye kam'. It's easier to pronounce and sounds more like a native speaker in 90% of situations.
Avoid Countables
Don't use 'kami' for people. Saying 'kami mardom' (a little people) is wrong; use 'te'dadi az mardom' (a number of people).
Meaning
Indicating a small amount or degree.
The 'Ye' Trick
If you forget 'kami', just say 'ye kam'. It's easier to pronounce and sounds more like a native speaker in 90% of situations.
Avoid Countables
Don't use 'kami' for people. Saying 'kami mardom' (a little people) is wrong; use 'te'dadi az mardom' (a number of people).
Polite Refusal
If someone offers you more food and you are full, say 'Kheli mamnoon, kami khordam' (Thanks, I ate a bit) even if you ate a lot. It's polite.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'a little'.
من امروز ______ خسته هستم.
The sentence means 'I am a bit tired today'. 'Kami' fits perfectly.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Choose the correct order:
'Kami' should come before the noun it describes.
Complete the dialogue.
A: چای میخوری؟ B: بله، ______.
In response to an offer, 'kami' alone means 'a little bit (please)'.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You are in a taxi and want to stop soon.
'Kami jolotar' means 'a bit further ahead'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Quantity Spectrum
Common 'Kami' Pairings
Food
- • کمی شکر
- • کمی نمک
- • کمی نان
Feelings
- • کمی خسته
- • کمی نگران
- • کمی خوشحال
Time
- • کمی صبر
- • کمی بعد
- • کمی وقت
Practice Bank
4 exercisesمن امروز ______ خسته هستم.
The sentence means 'I am a bit tired today'. 'Kami' fits perfectly.
Choose the correct order:
'Kami' should come before the noun it describes.
A: چای میخوری؟ B: بله، ______.
In response to an offer, 'kami' alone means 'a little bit (please)'.
Situation: You are in a taxi and want to stop soon.
'Kami jolotar' means 'a bit further ahead'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt is neutral. It's used in books and polite speech. 'Ye kam' is the informal version.
Generally no. It's used with uncountable nouns (water, sugar) or singular concepts. For plural items, use 'chand tā'.
'Andaki' is very formal and literary. You'll see it in poetry but rarely hear it at a dinner table.
No, Persian has no grammatical gender.
Say 'kami bishtar'.
No, that's 'kamyāb'. 'Kami' only means a small amount.
Both are correct. 'Kami-ye nān' uses the formal Ezafe, but 'kami nān' is more common in modern speech.
You can say 'faghat kami' or 'faghat ye zarre'.
Yes, you can say 'او کمی کوتاه است' (He is a bit short).
It's a linguistic habit that makes speech sound less aggressive and more casual.
Related Phrases
خیلی
contrastVery / A lot
اندکی
synonymA little bit (formal)
مقداری
similarA certain amount
کمکم
builds onGradually
کمترین
specialized formThe least
