Meaning
Indicating something is true or applicable partially, but not completely.
Cultural Background
Directly saying 'no' or 'I disagree' is often seen as rude. 'Ta hodoudi' acts as a social lubricant to soften the blow of a negative or partial response. In Iranian universities, absolute claims are discouraged. Students are taught to use 'Ta hodoudi' to show they recognize the complexity of a subject. Journalists in Iran use this phrase to maintain a veneer of objectivity, especially when discussing sensitive political topics. In the fast-paced life of Tehran, 'Ta hodoudi' is often used to give non-committal answers to avoid long explanations.
The 'But' Technique
Always follow 'Ta hodoudi' with 'ama' (but) to explain the part you don't agree with. It makes you sound very fluent.
Don't use for numbers
If you mean 'about 10 people', use 'hodoudan' or 'taghriban', not 'ta hodoudi'.
Meaning
Indicating something is true or applicable partially, but not completely.
The 'But' Technique
Always follow 'Ta hodoudi' with 'ama' (but) to explain the part you don't agree with. It makes you sound very fluent.
Don't use for numbers
If you mean 'about 10 people', use 'hodoudan' or 'taghriban', not 'ta hodoudi'.
Polite Disagreement
If an Iranian says 'Ta hodoudi' to your face, they might actually disagree quite a bit but are being polite.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with 'تا حدودی' to complete the sentence.
من با پیشنهاد شما _______ موافقم، اما باید بیشتر فکر کنم.
The speaker agrees but needs to think more, implying partial agreement.
Which sentence is the most polite way to say you don't fully like the food?
How to say 'The food is okay, but not great'?
'Ta hodoudi khoub ast' is a polite hedge.
Complete the dialogue.
A: آیا درس امروز را فهمیدی؟ B: _________، اما قسمت دوم کمی سخت بود.
The second part was hard, so the understanding was only partial.
🎉 Score: /3
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
3 exercisesمن با پیشنهاد شما _______ موافقم، اما باید بیشتر فکر کنم.
The speaker agrees but needs to think more, implying partial agreement.
How to say 'The food is okay, but not great'?
'Ta hodoudi khoub ast' is a polite hedge.
A: آیا درس امروز را فهمیدی؟ B: _________، اما قسمت دوم کمی سخت بود.
The second part was hard, so the understanding was only partial.
🎉 Score: /3
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
No, for physical quantities, use 'yek kam' or 'kamy'.
They are almost identical, but 'Ta andazeyi' is slightly more formal/literary.
No, Persian has no grammatical gender. It stays the same for everyone.
Yes, but it's more common to place it after the subject.
Yes, though Tajiks might use different regional variations, the root is understood.
Use 'Ta hodoud-e ziadi'.
No, it is pronounced softly, like the 'h' in 'hello'.
Yes, 'Ta hodoudi movafegh nistam' means 'I don't agree to some extent'.
No, it is a standard dictionary expression.
Related Phrases
تا اندازهای
synonymTo an extent
نسبتاً
similarRelatively
کمی
similarA little
کلاً
contrastTotally/Completely
به هیچ وجه
contrastBy no means
تا حدود زیادی
builds onTo a great extent
