Meaning
The period from Friday evening to Sunday evening, usually non-working days.
Cultural Background
The weekend is a time for 'Sizdah Bedar' style outings even when it's not Norooz. Families pack 'Jojeh Kabab' and head to any green space available. In Afghanistan, Friday is also the main day off. 'Pāyān-e hafte' is used, but local dialects might favor different terms for leisure. Unlike Iran, Tajikistan follows the international Saturday/Sunday weekend. 'Pāyān-e hafte' there refers to those days. Iranians living in the West often have a 'double weekend' mentality—celebrating the local Sat/Sun but still acknowledging Friday with family calls.
Use 'Akhar' for Friends
If you're texting a friend, use 'Akhar-e hafte' to sound more natural.
The Thursday Trap
Remember that many offices close early on Thursday. Don't leave important tasks for Thursday afternoon!
Meaning
The period from Friday evening to Sunday evening, usually non-working days.
Use 'Akhar' for Friends
If you're texting a friend, use 'Akhar-e hafte' to sound more natural.
The Thursday Trap
Remember that many offices close early on Thursday. Don't leave important tasks for Thursday afternoon!
The 'E' sound
Always pronounce the Ezafe clearly in 'Pāyān-e hafte' to avoid sounding like a beginner.
Traffic Alert
If you mention 'Pāyān-e hafte' and 'Safar' (travel), expect Iranians to talk about the heavy traffic to the North!
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the phrase including the Ezafe.
من معمولاً در ________ به کوه میروم.
The Ezafe 'e' sound is required to link 'pāyān' and 'hafte'.
Which day is the primary day of 'pāyān-e hafte' in Iran?
روز اصلی پایان هفته در ایران کدام است؟
Friday (Jomeh) is the official weekend day in Iran.
Complete the dialogue with a polite weekend greeting.
شخص الف: خداحافظ! شخص ب: خداحافظ، ________!
This is the standard way to wish someone a good weekend.
Match the phrase to the correct context.
Match 'تا پایان هفته' with its best use case.
'Tā pāyān-e hafte' means 'by the end of the week', perfect for deadlines.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Weekend Activities in Iran
Social
- • Mehmāni
- • Dour-e-hami
- • Dinner
Nature
- • Mountain climbing
- • Picnic
- • North trip
Rest
- • Sleeping in
- • Reading
- • Tea
Weekend Days Comparison
Practice Bank
4 exercisesمن معمولاً در ________ به کوه میروم.
The Ezafe 'e' sound is required to link 'pāyān' and 'hafte'.
روز اصلی پایان هفته در ایران کدام است؟
Friday (Jomeh) is the official weekend day in Iran.
شخص الف: خداحافظ! شخص ب: خداحافظ، ________!
This is the standard way to wish someone a good weekend.
Match 'تا پایان هفته' with its best use case.
'Tā pāyān-e hafte' means 'by the end of the week', perfect for deadlines.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsNo, the official weekend is Friday. Thursday is often a half-day for many workers.
'Pāyān-e hafte' is more formal/neutral, while 'Akhar-e hafte' is more informal and common in speech.
You say: 'Pāyān-e hafte-ye khubi dāshte bāshid.'
No, for a long holiday use 'Ta'tilāt'. 'Pāyān-e hafte' is specifically for the weekly break.
Most government offices are closed on Fridays. Some private businesses work on Thursday mornings.
It is two separate words connected by an Ezafe (pāyān + e + hafte).
Say 'Pāyān-e hafte-ye gozashte'.
Say 'Pāyān-e hafte-ye āyande'.
Yes, but it refers to Saturday and Sunday there.
The plural is 'Pāyān-e hafte-hā', meaning 'weekends'.
Yes, 'Pāyān-e hafte' is perfect for professional emails.
Not directly, but since the weekend includes Friday (the day of prayer), it is indirectly related to religious life.
Related Phrases
آخر هفته
synonymWeekend (informal)
تعطیلات
similarHolidays
روز کاری
contrastWork day
اواسط هفته
contrastMid-week
ابتدای هفته
contrastBeginning of the week
جمعهگردی
specialized formFriday wandering
