سر از کار کسی درآوردن
sar az kar-e kasi daravardan
To get one's head out of someone's work
Meaning
To understand someone's secret or mysterious actions.
Cultural Background
Iranians often use this phrase to discuss 'Taarof' or hidden social cues. If someone says 'no' but means 'yes', figuring that out is 'sar az kar dar-avardan'. In classical poetry, the 'work of the world' (kar-e dunya) is often described as something no one can 'sar dar-avarad' because it is controlled by fate.
Use it for Tech
If you are struggling with a new phone, say 'Az in gooshi sar dar-nemiaram'. It sounds very native!
Don't use with 'be'
Never say 'Sar be kar'. It's always 'Sar az kar'.
Meaning
To understand someone's secret or mysterious actions.
Use it for Tech
If you are struggling with a new phone, say 'Az in gooshi sar dar-nemiaram'. It sounds very native!
Don't use with 'be'
Never say 'Sar be kar'. It's always 'Sar az kar'.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb.
من هنوز نتوانستهام از کار این ماشین جدید سر .......
The idiom is 'sar dar-avardan'.
Which sentence is correct?
How do you say 'I figured out his secret'?
Requires 'az' and 'dar-avardan'.
Fill in the missing part of the dialogue.
سارا: چرا علی به مهمانی نیامد؟ مریم: نمیدانم، هیچکس نتوانست .......
Context implies a mystery about his absence.
Match the situation to the phrase.
You finally understand why your boss was acting weird.
Both 'sar az kar dar-avardan' and 'dast-e kasi ra khandan' (reading someone's hand) work here.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesمن هنوز نتوانستهام از کار این ماشین جدید سر .......
The idiom is 'sar dar-avardan'.
How do you say 'I figured out his secret'?
Requires 'az' and 'dar-avardan'.
سارا: چرا علی به مهمانی نیامد؟ مریم: نمیدانم، هیچکس نتوانست .......
Context implies a mystery about his absence.
You finally understand why your boss was acting weird.
Both 'sar az kar dar-avardan' and 'dast-e kasi ra khandan' (reading someone's hand) work here.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
2 questionsTechnically yes, but 'hal kardan' (to solve) is better. Use this for things that feel like a 'secret'.
No, but it implies you were investigating them, which might be sensitive.
Related Phrases
دست کسی را خواندن
similarTo read someone's hand/mind
مچ کسی را گرفتن
builds onTo catch someone red-handed
شست کسی خبردار شدن
similarTo get a sniff of something
