Meaning
A polite invitation for someone to approach.
Cultural Background
The concept of 'Ta'arof' means that an invitation like 'Lotfan biyā' might be offered several times before it is accepted. It is polite to decline once or twice before saying yes. In modern Tehran, 'Lotfan biyā' is often shortened in fast speech to sound like 'Lotfan beyā'. The 'i' sound shifts toward 'e'. If you are invited with 'Lotfan biyā' to a home, it is customary to bring a small gift, like flowers or a box of sweets (shirini). On Iranian Instagram, 'Lotfan biyā' is used in captions to invite people to 'come' to a link in the bio, often accompanied by a finger-pointing emoji.
Use with names
Adding a name before the phrase makes it sound much warmer: 'Ali jān, lotfan biyā'.
Watch the 'bi-'
Don't confuse 'biyā' (come) with 'begū' (say) or 'bebin' (see). They all start with 'be/bi'.
Meaning
A polite invitation for someone to approach.
Use with names
Adding a name before the phrase makes it sound much warmer: 'Ali jān, lotfan biyā'.
Watch the 'bi-'
Don't confuse 'biyā' (come) with 'begū' (say) or 'bebin' (see). They all start with 'be/bi'.
The Ta'arof Rule
If someone says 'Lotfan biyā' once, they might just be polite. If they say it three times, they really want you to come!
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence to politely ask a friend to come here.
علی، [____] بیا اینجا.
'Lotfan' is the correct word for 'please' in this context.
Which form is most appropriate for a close friend?
Asking a friend to come to your party:
'Lotfan biyā' is the standard informal but polite way to invite a friend.
Fill in the missing line.
A: غذا حاضر است. B: [____]
The response to an invitation to eat is usually 'Thanks, I'm coming now.'
Match the phrase to the situation.
You want your little brother to come into the room.
'Biyā tu' means 'come in'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesعلی، [____] بیا اینجا.
'Lotfan' is the correct word for 'please' in this context.
Asking a friend to come to your party:
'Lotfan biyā' is the standard informal but polite way to invite a friend.
A: غذا حاضر است. B: [____]
The response to an invitation to eat is usually 'Thanks, I'm coming now.'
You want your little brother to come into the room.
'Biyā tu' means 'come in'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
14 questionsNo, it is informal but polite. Use it with friends and family.
Use 'Lotfan tashrif biyārid'.
Yes, it is correct but less common than 'Lotfan biyā'.
The plural is 'biyāyid'.
Usually, yes, but Persian word order is flexible.
Yes, it comes from the verb 'āmadan' which has an irregular imperative.
Absolutely, it's very common in SMS and WhatsApp.
It means 'come inside'.
Yes, 'Biyā dige' (Come on already) is common among friends.
It sounds like the 'an' in 'pan', but shorter.
No, it's too casual. Use more formal language for weddings.
The opposite is 'boro' (go).
With very close friends, you can just say 'biyā', but 'lotfan' makes it nicer.
Yes, it's a very common word in Persian pop and traditional music.
Related Phrases
بفرمایید
similarPlease / Go ahead / Come in
تشریف بیارید
specialized formPlease come (honorific)
بیا اینجا
builds onCome here
زود بیا
builds onCome quickly
نیای!
contrastDon't come!
بیا بریم
builds onCome, let's go
