Meaning
Expresses a feeling of fear or fright.
Cultural Background
When someone gets a sudden fright, it's common to offer them 'Ab-ghand' (sugar water) to calm their nerves and 'bring their soul back'. In Sufi poetry, 'tars' (fear) is often contrasted with 'eshgh' (love). Fear of God is seen as a stage toward loving God. Iranians often share stories of 'Jin' (genies) in old houses. Saying 'Man tarsidam' in an old building often triggers these stories. Admitting 'Man tarsidam' can be a way to politely decline an invitation to something risky or scary without losing face, as it's seen as an honest emotion.
Drop the Subject
In casual Persian, you don't need to say 'Man'. Just 'Tarsidam!' is enough and sounds more natural.
The 'Az' Rule
Never forget 'az'. Saying 'Man sag tarsidam' sounds like 'I dog scared' and is grammatically broken.
Meaning
Expresses a feeling of fear or fright.
Drop the Subject
In casual Persian, you don't need to say 'Man'. Just 'Tarsidam!' is enough and sounds more natural.
The 'Az' Rule
Never forget 'az'. Saying 'Man sag tarsidam' sounds like 'I dog scared' and is grammatically broken.
Intensifiers
Use 'Zohre-tarak shodam' if you want to impress locals with your idiomatic knowledge of fear.
Calming Down
If someone says 'Tarsidam', a common response is 'Tars nadare' (It has no fear / Don't be afraid).
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct preposition.
من ___ گربه ترسیدم.
In Persian, the verb 'tarsidan' always takes the preposition 'az' (from).
Which sentence means 'I was really scared'?
Choose the best option:
'Kheyli' means 'very' or 'really', and 'tarsidam' is the past tense.
Complete the dialogue.
Ali: Why did you scream? Sara: _________!
Sara is explaining a past reaction (the scream), so the past tense 'tarsidam' is correct.
Match the situation to the phrase.
You just finished a scary movie and your friend asks how it was.
This correctly uses the past tense to describe the experience of watching the movie.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Tense Comparison
Practice Bank
4 exercisesمن ___ گربه ترسیدم.
In Persian, the verb 'tarsidan' always takes the preposition 'az' (from).
Choose the best option:
'Kheyli' means 'very' or 'really', and 'tarsidam' is the past tense.
Ali: Why did you scream? Sara: _________!
Sara is explaining a past reaction (the scream), so the past tense 'tarsidam' is correct.
You just finished a scary movie and your friend asks how it was.
This correctly uses the past tense to describe the experience of watching the movie.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsIt is neutral. You can use it with friends, family, and even in most professional settings to describe a reaction.
You use the causative form: 'To mara tarsandi' (تو مرا ترساندی).
Usually, no. For phobias, use the present tense 'Mitarsam'. Use 'Tarsidam' for a specific event.
'Tarsidam' is 'I got scared', while 'Vahshat kardam' is 'I was terrified/horrified'.
Yes, but in fast speech, it can blend into the next word.
Say 'Nemitarsam' (present) or 'Natarsidam' (past).
It's an idiom (Zohre-tarak) meaning extreme fear, similar to 'scared to death'.
No, use 'metarsam ke...' for 'I fear that...', but 'tarsidan' is for the emotion.
The root is 'tars' (ترس).
Always 'az'.
Yes, that is the present perfect 'I have been scared', but 'Tarsidam' is more common for immediate reactions.
Children often say 'Tarsidam!' with a pout or while running to their parents.
Related Phrases
وحشت کردم
synonymI was terrified
نگران شدم
similarI became worried
شوکه شدم
similarI was shocked
نترس
contrastDon't be afraid
ترسناک
builds onScary
