Meaning
To recite or read poems.
Cultural Background
Poetry is used to settle arguments. If two people disagree, someone might recite a relevant poem to provide a philosophical perspective. Poetry nights (Shab-e She'r) are vital social events in cities like Herat, where 'she'r khāndan' is a mark of high social status. Tajiks take immense pride in their Persian poetic heritage, and 'she'r khāndan' is often accompanied by traditional music (Shashmaqam). For Iranians living abroad, 'she'r khāndan' is a way to maintain a connection to their mother tongue and pass it to the next generation.
Sound like a native
Use 'khoondan' instead of 'khāndan' in casual settings.
The Hafez Rule
If you are at an Iranian home, mentioning you like 'she'r khāndan' is the fastest way to make friends.
Meaning
To recite or read poems.
Sound like a native
Use 'khoondan' instead of 'khāndan' in casual settings.
The Hafez Rule
If you are at an Iranian home, mentioning you like 'she'r khāndan' is the fastest way to make friends.
Don't say 'read a song'
Never say 'āhang mikhānam' if you mean you are reading lyrics; just say 'she'r mikhānam'.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct form of 'khāndan' in the present continuous.
من الان دارم یک شعر ______.
The sentence uses 'dāram' (am), which requires the present continuous form 'mikhānam'.
Which sentence is the most natural for a casual conversation?
How do you say 'I read poetry' to a friend?
In casual Tehrani dialect, 'mikhānam' becomes 'mikhoonam'.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are at a Yalda night party and want to hear a poem from Hafez.
Asking someone to read a poem is the standard way to start the Hafez tradition.
Complete the dialogue.
A: دوست داری چه کار کنیم؟ B: بیا کمی ______.
You 'read' (bekhānim) poetry, you don't eat, sleep, or go it.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesمن الان دارم یک شعر ______.
The sentence uses 'dāram' (am), which requires the present continuous form 'mikhānam'.
How do you say 'I read poetry' to a friend?
In casual Tehrani dialect, 'mikhānam' becomes 'mikhoonam'.
You are at a Yalda night party and want to hear a poem from Hafez.
Asking someone to read a poem is the standard way to start the Hafez tradition.
A: دوست داری چه کار کنیم؟ B: بیا کمی ______.
You 'read' (bekhānim) poetry, you don't eat, sleep, or go it.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNot at all! Young people recite poetry on Instagram and TikTok constantly.
It's not required, but memorizing a few lines of Hafez will impress any Persian speaker.
'Khāndan' is written/formal; 'khoondan' is spoken/informal.
Usually, for the Quran, we use 'telāvat kardan' or 'gheryat kardan'.
Yes, it is considered a compliment to their voice and education.
You can say 'Zir-e lab she'r mikhoonam' (I'm reading poetry under my lip/breath).
It's a game where you 'she'r mikhānid' competitively based on the last letter of the previous poem.
Yes, for children's poems, it's perfectly fine.
It's a historical spelling remnant from Middle Persian that is no longer pronounced.
Rarely in the meeting itself, but very common during the lunch or dinner that follows.
Related Phrases
شعر گفتن
similarTo compose poetry
دکلمه کردن
specialized formTo recite artistically
مشاعره کردن
builds onTo compete in poetry
حفظ کردن
similarTo memorize
