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A1 noun #2,000 most common 10 min read

درد

Q: How do I say 'I have a headache' in Persian?

You should say 'سرم درد میکند' (saram dard mikonad). This literally translates to 'My head aches'. Do not say 'من یک درد در سر دارم' as it sounds very unnatural. The body part is always the subject.

Top 2,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips درد in 30 Seconds

Explanation درد in your Level:

At the A1 level, your primary goal is to learn how to communicate basic physical needs and discomforts. The word 'درد' (dard) is essential for this. It simply means 'pain' or 'ache'. You need to know how to combine it with basic body parts to tell someone, especially a doctor or a friend, that you are hurting. The most important grammatical structure to memorize is: [Body Part] + [Possessive Pronoun] + 'درد می‌کند' (dard mikonad). For example, 'سر' (sar) means head. 'سرم' (saram) means my head. So, 'سرم درد می‌کند' (saram dard mikonad) means 'My head aches' or 'I have a headache'. You should practice this with other common body parts: 'دستم درد می‌کند' (my hand hurts), 'پایم درد می‌کند' (my leg hurts), 'دلم درد می‌کند' (my stomach hurts). You do not need to worry about complex emotional or metaphorical meanings at this stage. Focus entirely on the physical sensation. Also, learn the word 'مسکن' (mosakken), which means painkiller, as it often goes hand-in-hand with 'درد' in practical situations. If you go to a pharmacy in Iran, saying 'سرم درد می‌کند، مسکن دارید؟' (My head hurts, do you have painkillers?) is a perfect, complete A1 interaction. Remember that 'درد' is a noun, and the verb 'کردن' (to do/make) is used to create the action of aching. Keep it simple, direct, and focused on physical well-being.

At the A2 level, you expand your use of 'درد' beyond simple statements of continuous pain to include the onset of pain and basic idiomatic expressions. You should now distinguish between 'درد می‌کند' (it aches continuously) and 'درد گرفت' (it started to ache). For example, if you lift something heavy and suddenly feel a pain in your back, you would say 'کمرم درد گرفت' (My back started hurting). This shows a better grasp of Persian verb tenses and aspect. Furthermore, you will start encountering 'درد' in everyday, non-medical contexts. The most important idiom to learn at this level is 'به درد خوردن' (be dard khordan), which means 'to be useful'. If you are shopping and find a good tool, you can say 'این به درد می‌خورد' (This is useful). If something is broken, say 'به درد نمی‌خورد' (It is useless). You should also learn the word 'دردسر' (dard-e-sar), which literally means 'headache' but is used constantly to mean 'trouble' or 'hassle'. For instance, 'این کار دردسر دارد' (This job has hassle/is troublesome). By mastering these basic idioms and the sudden onset of pain, your Persian will sound much more natural and less like a textbook. You are moving from merely surviving a doctor's visit to navigating daily practical conversations.

At the B1 level, your understanding of 'درد' deepens to include emotional and psychological nuances, as well as more complex compound verbs. You are no longer just talking about physical ailments; you are discussing feelings. The phrase 'درد دل کردن' (dard-e del kardan) becomes crucial. It means to pour one's heart out, to confide in someone, or to share one's sorrows. You might say, 'دیشب با دوستم درد دل کردم' (Last night I poured my heart out to my friend). You should also understand the verb 'درد کشیدن' (dard keshidan), which means 'to suffer' or 'to endure pain'. For example, 'بیمار خیلی درد کشید' (The patient suffered a lot of pain). At this level, you can also start using adjectives derived from 'درد', such as 'دردناک' (dardnak), meaning 'painful'. You can use it for both physical things ('یک عمل جراحی دردناک' - a painful surgery) and emotional events ('یک خاطره دردناک' - a painful memory). You will also notice that 'درد' is often paired with 'رنج' (suffering) in the phrase 'درد و رنج' to emphasize severe hardship. Your ability to use 'درد' metaphorically to describe life's difficulties marks a significant step towards intermediate fluency, allowing you to connect with native speakers on a more personal and emotional level.

At the B2 level, you are expected to handle a wide array of idiomatic, cultural, and slightly literary uses of 'درد'. You should be comfortable with phrases that express empathy and social connection. The word 'هم‌دردی' (ham-dardi), meaning 'sympathy' or 'condolence' (literally: sharing the pain), is important here. You would say 'من با شما هم‌دردی می‌کنم' (I sympathize with you). You will also encounter more colorful idioms like 'درد بی‌درمان' (an incurable pain), often used humorously or dramatically to describe a persistent, unsolvable problem or a very annoying person. Another common colloquialism is 'به درد لای جرز خوردن' (to be fit for the cracks in the wall), meaning something is absolutely useless. You should also understand the cultural concept of 'دردت به جانم' (may your pain fall upon my soul), a deep expression of love and sacrifice used by parents or lovers. At this stage, you can read intermediate texts, news articles, and simple stories where 'درد' is used to describe societal issues, economic hardships (دردهای جامعه), or political struggles. Your vocabulary around pain should now include synonyms like 'عذاب' (agony) and 'رنج' (suffering), and you should know exactly when to use 'درد' versus these stronger alternatives to convey the precise level of discomfort or hardship.

At the C1 level, your engagement with the word 'درد' enters the realm of advanced literature, poetry, and abstract philosophical discussion. In Persian culture, 'درد' is not merely a negative physical sensation; it is often elevated to a noble spiritual state. In the poetry of Rumi, Hafez, and Saadi, 'درد' (specifically the pain of separation from the divine or the beloved) is a prerequisite for spiritual growth. A heart without 'درد' is considered ignorant or dead. You will encounter phrases like 'مردِ درد' (a man of pain/experience) or 'دردِ عشق' (the pain of love). You should be able to analyze texts where 'درد' represents existential longing. Furthermore, in formal and academic contexts, you will use 'درد' to discuss complex systemic issues, such as 'دردهای مزمن اقتصادی' (chronic economic pains). You should master complex compound adjectives like 'دردآلود' (pain-filled) or 'دردافزا' (pain-increasing). Your speech should effortlessly weave between the literal, the idiomatic, and the poetic. You understand that when a Persian speaker sighs and says 'ای داد از این درد', they are tapping into a centuries-old cultural trope of enduring life's profound hardships with a mix of sorrow and poetic resignation.

At the C2 level, you possess a native-like mastery of 'درد' in all its historical, literary, and colloquial dimensions. You understand the etymological roots and the subtle semantic shifts the word has undergone over centuries. You can effortlessly decode classical Persian texts (متون نظم و نثر کهن) where 'درد' interacts with mystical concepts (عرفان), distinguishing between 'درد طلب' (the pain of seeking) and 'درد فراق' (the pain of separation) in Sufi terminology. You are adept at using highly specific, perhaps archaic, synonyms like 'وجع' or 'الم' when the stylistic context demands it, such as in reading historical medical treatises (like Avicenna's Canon) or highly formal religious sermons. In contemporary discourse, you can employ 'درد' in sophisticated rhetorical devices, using irony, understatement, or hyperbole. You understand the sociolinguistic nuances of how different social classes or regions in Iran express pain, recognizing local slang or dialectical variations of 'درد گرفتن' or 'دردسر'. You can write compelling essays or give speeches where 'درد' serves as a central metaphor for the human condition, seamlessly integrating classical poetic references with modern psychological terminology. Your understanding of 'درد' is complete, reflecting not just linguistic competence, but deep cultural and emotional resonance with the Persian-speaking world.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

درد in 30 Seconds

Means 'pain' or 'ache' in English.
Used with body parts: 'سرم درد می‌کند' (My head aches).
Idiom 'به درد خوردن' means 'to be useful'.
Represents emotional sorrow in poetry and daily life.

The Persian word 'درد' (dard) is a fundamental noun that translates primarily to 'pain' or 'ache' in English. It is a highly versatile word that encompasses physical pain, emotional suffering, and even metaphorical difficulties. Understanding 'درد' is essential for anyone learning Persian, as it forms the root of countless everyday expressions, medical terms, and poetic metaphors. In its most basic sense, 'درد' refers to the physical sensation of discomfort or agony caused by illness, injury, or physical exertion. For instance, when you have a headache, you say 'سرم درد می‌کند' (my head aches). Beyond the physical realm, 'درد' deeply permeates Persian emotional and psychological vocabulary. It represents sorrow, grief, and the existential suffering often explored in classical Persian literature. The concept of 'درد' is not just a negative sensation; in Sufi poetry, it is often romanticized as a necessary step toward spiritual awakening and divine love. A heart without 'درد' is considered empty by poets like Rumi and Hafez. Furthermore, 'درد' is used in practical, everyday idioms. The phrase 'به درد خوردن' literally means 'to hit the pain' but translates to 'being useful' or 'serving a purpose', implying that something cures a specific need or 'pain'. Conversely, 'به درد نخور' means useless. The word is deeply embedded in the cultural psyche, reflecting a worldview where suffering and utility, physical sensation and emotional depth, are intricately linked. To master Persian, one must master the myriad ways 'درد' is deployed in conversation, literature, and thought.

Physical Pain: Used to describe bodily aches, such as headaches (سردرد), stomachaches (دل‌درد), and backaches (کمردرد). It is the standard medical term for pain.

Emotional Suffering: Represents grief, sorrow, and heartbreak. Often used in phrases like 'درد دل' (pain of the heart), which means pouring one's heart out to someone.

Utility and Purpose: In compound verbs like 'به درد خوردن', it shifts meaning entirely to denote usefulness, showing how a solution meets a specific problem or 'pain point'.

سرم خیلی درد می‌کند.

این ماشین دیگر به درد نمی‌خورد.

او درد بزرگی در قلبش دارد.

دارو باعث تسکین درد شد.

عشق با خود درد می‌آورد.

Using 'درد' correctly involves understanding its role in various grammatical structures, particularly compound verbs. Persian relies heavily on compound verbs, and 'درد' is a prime example. The most common verb is 'درد کردن' (dard kardan), which means 'to ache' or 'to hurt'. The subject of this verb is the body part that is hurting. For example, 'دستم درد می‌کند' (dast-am dard mikonad) means 'my hand hurts'. Notice how the possessive suffix '-am' (my) is attached to the body part, not the word 'درد'. Another crucial verb is 'درد گرفتن' (dard gereftan), which means 'to start hurting' or 'to be struck by pain'. If you suddenly feel a sharp pain in your stomach, you would say 'دلم درد گرفت' (del-am dard gereft). Beyond physical pain, 'درد' is used with the verb 'خوردن' (khordan - to eat/hit) to form 'به درد خوردن' (be dard khordan), meaning 'to be useful'. If you want to say 'This book is useful for me', you say 'این کتاب به درد من می‌خورد'. The negative form, 'به درد نمی‌خورد', is equally common for expressing that something is useless. Additionally, 'درد' is used in the phrase 'درد دل کردن' (dard-e del kardan), which translates to 'sharing one's sorrows' or 'confiding in someone'. When you sit with a friend to talk about your problems, you are doing 'درد دل'. It is also common to use 'درد' with the verb 'کشیدن' (keshidan - to pull/draw) to mean 'to suffer' or 'to endure pain', as in 'او سال‌ها درد کشید' (He suffered for years). Understanding these verb pairings is crucial because 'درد' rarely stands alone as an isolated noun in a sentence; it is almost always part of a larger, highly specific phrase.

درد کردن (Dard Kardan): The standard compound verb for continuous aching or hurting. The body part is the subject. Example: چشمم درد می‌کند (My eye hurts).

درد گرفتن (Dard Gereftan): Used for the sudden onset of pain. It implies that the pain has just started or struck. Example: دندانم درد گرفت (My tooth started hurting).

به درد خوردن (Be Dard Khordan): An idiomatic expression meaning 'to be useful'. It implies that the object or person serves a purpose or solves a problem.

پشتم خیلی درد می‌کند.

ناگهان قلبم درد گرفت.

این لباس دیگر به درد نمی‌خورد.

بیا کمی درد دل کنیم.

بیمار تمام شب درد کشید.

The word 'درد' is ubiquitous in Persian-speaking environments, bridging the gap between clinical settings, everyday casual conversations, and high literary contexts. In a medical setting, such as a doctor's office or a hospital, 'درد' is the primary diagnostic word. You will hear doctors asking 'کجایت درد می‌کند؟' (Where does it hurt?) or 'آیا درد شدید است؟' (Is the pain severe?). Pharmacies are filled with 'مسکن درد' (painkillers). In daily life, you will hear it constantly in complaints about physical ailments, such as 'سردرد دارم' (I have a headache) or 'کمرم درد می‌کند' (My back hurts) after a long day of work. Beyond the physical, 'درد' is heavily featured in social interactions when people discuss their problems. The concept of 'درد دل' (sharing one's sorrows) is a cultural institution in Iran; friends and family gather specifically to talk about their life struggles, financial worries, or relationship issues, effectively 'sharing their pain'. You will also hear 'درد' in countless idioms. If someone is being annoying or causing complications, they are described as a 'دردسر' (headache/trouble). If an object is broken or a plan is flawed, people will say 'به درد نمی‌خورد' (It's useless). In the realm of media, Persian pop music and classical traditional music alike are saturated with the word 'درد', usually referring to the agony of unrequited love, separation (فراق), or existential longing. Classical poetry by giants like Rumi, Hafez, and Saadi elevates 'درد' to a spiritual necessity, arguing that a soul without the 'pain' of longing for the divine is dead. Thus, whether you are buying aspirin, comforting a friend, fixing a car, or reading a 13th-century poem, 'درد' is a word you will encounter continuously.

Medical Contexts: Hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies. Used to describe symptoms, locate discomfort, and seek relief (تسکین درد).

Everyday Idioms: Casual conversations about utility (به درد خوردن) or trouble (دردسر). It is a staple of practical, day-to-day Persian vocabulary.

Literature and Music: Poetry and song lyrics heavily utilize 'درد' to express emotional depth, romantic suffering, and spiritual yearning.

آقای دکتر، قفسه سینه‌ام درد می‌کند.

این پروژه فقط برای ما دردسر شد.

گوشی قدیمی‌ام دیگر به درد نمی‌خورد.

او از درد دوری تو گریه کرد.

یک قرص مسکن برای درد دندان می‌خواهم.

Learners of Persian often make a few predictable mistakes when using the word 'درد', primarily due to direct translation from their native languages. The most frequent error is translating 'I have a pain in my...' literally. In English, you say 'I have a pain in my leg'. A beginner might translate this to 'من یک درد در پایم دارم' (Man yek dard dar pa-yam daram). While this is technically understandable, it sounds incredibly unnatural and robotic to a native speaker. The correct, natural phrasing makes the body part the subject of the verb 'درد کردن': 'پایم درد می‌کند' (Pa-yam dard mikonad), which literally translates to 'My leg aches'. Another common mistake involves the confusion between 'درد کردن' (to ache continuously) and 'درد گرفتن' (to start aching). If you want to say 'My head started hurting suddenly', using 'سرم درد می‌کند' (My head hurts) loses the nuance of the sudden onset. You should use 'سرم درد گرفت' (My head took pain/started hurting). Furthermore, learners often misunderstand the idiomatic phrase 'به درد خوردن'. Because 'خوردن' means 'to eat', beginners might be confused when they hear 'این به درد می‌خورد' (This eats to the pain?). It is crucial to memorize this as a fixed idiom meaning 'to be useful'. Misusing the preposition is also common here; it must be 'به درد' (to the pain), not 'برای درد' (for the pain) when expressing utility. Lastly, learners might confuse 'درد' (pain) with 'بیماری' (illness/disease) or 'مریض' (sick). 'درد' is the symptom or the sensation, not the underlying condition. You treat a 'بیماری', but you soothe a 'درد'. Understanding these distinctions will make your Persian sound much more fluent and natural.

Literal Translation of 'I have pain': Mistake: من درد دارم در دستم. Correct: دستم درد می‌کند. Always make the body part the subject of the verb 'درد کردن'.

Confusing Continuous vs. Sudden Pain: Mistake: Using درد کردن when the pain just started. Correct: Use درد گرفتن for sudden onset (e.g., دلم درد گرفت).

Misinterpreting 'به درد خوردن': Mistake: Translating it literally as 'eating pain'. Correct: Recognizing it as an idiom meaning 'to be useful' or 'to serve a purpose'.

غلط: من یک درد در سر دارم. درست: سرم درد می‌کند.

غلط: این کتاب برای درد می‌خورد. درست: این کتاب به درد می‌خورد.

غلط: او درد است. درست: او بیمار است.

غلط: ناگهان پایم درد می‌کند. درست: ناگهان پایم درد گرفت.

غلط: من درد دل می‌خورم. درست: من درد دل می‌کنم.

While 'درد' is the most common and versatile word for pain in Persian, the language boasts a rich vocabulary for expressing different nuances of suffering, discomfort, and agony. Understanding these synonyms helps elevate your Persian from basic communication to nuanced expression. The word 'رنج' (ranj) is a close synonym but leans heavily towards 'suffering', 'hardship', or 'torment', often with a psychological or prolonged physical connotation. You endure 'رنج', whereas you feel 'درد'. Another important word is 'عذاب' (azab), which translates to 'torture' or 'severe agony', often carrying a punitive or religious undertone (like the torment of hell). For emotional pain, words like 'غم' (gham - sorrow) and 'غصه' (ghosse - grief) are frequently used alongside or instead of 'درد'. In formal or literary contexts, you might encounter 'الم' (alam) or 'وجع' (vaja), which are Arabic loanwords meaning pain, though they are rarely used in everyday spoken Persian today. Another related concept is 'سوزش' (soozesh), which specifically means a 'burning sensation' or 'stinging pain', such as from a cut or a burn, distinguishing it from the dull ache of 'درد'. When discussing illness generally, 'بیماری' (bimari) or 'مریضی' (marizi) refer to the disease itself, not the symptom of pain. Finally, the word 'زحمت' (zahmat) means 'trouble' or 'effort', and while not a direct synonym for physical pain, it shares the metaphorical space of 'دردسر' (trouble/headache). By learning to distinguish between a simple 'درد' (ache), a profound 'رنج' (suffering), and an unbearable 'عذاب' (agony), you gain access to the deep emotional resonance of the Persian language.

رنج (Ranj): Meaning 'suffering' or 'hardship'. It implies a more prolonged, often psychological or existential endurance compared to the immediate physical sensation of 'درد'.

عذاب (Azab): Meaning 'agony' or 'torment'. This is a much stronger word than 'درد', often used for unbearable pain or spiritual punishment.

سوزش (Soozesh): Meaning 'burning' or 'stinging'. Used specifically for sharp, localized pain like a paper cut or a burn, distinct from a general ache.

او در زندگی رنج زیادی کشید.

این دندان‌درد برای من یک عذاب است.

زخم دستم سوزش دارد.

دل من پر از غم و غصه است.

بیمار از شدت الم فریاد زد.

How Formal Is It?

Difficulty Rating

Grammar to Know

Compound Verbs with کردن

Possessive Suffixes with Body Parts

Subjunctive Mood after 'تا' (so that the pain stops)

Preposition 'به' in idioms (به درد خوردن)

Noun + Adjective order (درد شدید)

Examples by Level

سرم درد می‌کند.

My head aches.

Subject (سرم) + Verb (درد می‌کند).

دستم درد دارد.

My hand has pain.

Using 'دارد' (has) instead of 'می‌کند' (does), less common but understood.

پای من درد می‌کند.

My leg hurts.

Using full pronoun 'من' instead of suffix '-م'.

دلم درد می‌کند.

My stomach aches.

'دل' usually means heart, but in this context means stomach/belly.

گوشم درد می‌کند.

My ear hurts.

Basic body part vocabulary with درد.

آیا سرت درد می‌کند؟

Does your head ache?

Question form using 'آیا' and second person suffix '-ت'.

من درد دارم.

I have pain.

Simple subject + object + verb structure.

دندانم خیلی درد می‌کند.

My tooth hurts a lot.

Adding the adverb 'خیلی' (a lot) for emphasis.

دیروز کمرم درد گرفت.

Yesterday my back started hurting.

Past tense 'گرفت' indicating sudden onset.

این ماشین به درد نمی‌خورد.

This car is useless.

Negative idiomatic use: به درد نمی‌خورد.

قرص خوردم تا دردم کم شود.

I took a pill so my pain would decrease.

Subjunctive 'کم شود' after 'تا'.

این کار فقط دردسر است.

This job is only a headache (trouble).

Using the compound noun 'دردسر'.

چشمانم از خستگی درد می‌کند.

My eyes hurt from tiredness.

Using 'از' (from) to show the cause of pain.

آیا این خودکار به درد می‌خورد؟

Is this pen useful?

Question form of the utility idiom.

وقتی دویدم، پاهایم درد گرفت.

When I ran, my legs started to hurt.

Complex sentence with 'وقتی' (when).

او از درد گریه کرد.

He cried from pain.

Preposition 'از' showing reason.

بیا بنشینیم و کمی درد دل کنیم.

Let's sit and pour our hearts out a little.

Idiom 'درد دل کردن' in the subjunctive mood.

بیمار تمام شب از شدت درد بیدار بود.

The patient was awake all night from the severity of the pain.

Using 'شدت' (severity) to modify pain.

این یک تجربه بسیار دردناک برای او بود.

This was a very painful experience for him.

Using the adjective form 'دردناک'.

من نمی‌خواهم برای شما دردسر درست کنم.

I don't want to create trouble for you.

Compound verb 'دردسر درست کردن' (to make trouble).

او سال‌ها با این بیماری درد کشید.

He suffered pain with this disease for years.

Verb 'درد کشیدن' (to suffer pain).

هیچ دارویی نتوانست درد او را تسکین دهد.

No medicine could soothe his pain.

Formal verb 'تسکین دادن' (to soothe/relieve).

این لباس قدیمی دیگر به درد من نمی‌خورد.

This old shirt is no longer useful to me.

Adding indirect object 'من' to the idiom.

درد مفاصل در هوای سرد بیشتر می‌شود.

Joint pain increases in cold weather.

Medical vocabulary 'مفاصل' (joints).

ما با خانواده‌های داغدار ابراز هم‌دردی می‌کنیم.

We express our sympathy with the grieving families.

Formal phrase 'ابراز هم‌دردی کردن'.

این مشکل مثل یک درد بی‌درمان شده است.

This problem has become like an incurable pain.

Idiom 'درد بی‌درمان' (incurable pain).

حرف‌های او نمک روی دردم پاشید.

His words rubbed salt in my wound (pain).

Idiom 'نمک روی درد پاشیدن'.

این طرح اصلاً به درد لای جرز هم نمی‌خورد.

This plan isn't even fit for the cracks in the wall (completely useless).

Strong colloquial idiom for uselessness.

درد و رنج مردم در زمان جنگ غیرقابل توصیف بود.

The pain and suffering of the people during the war was indescribable.

Pairing 'درد' with synonym 'رنج'.

مادر با مهربانی گفت: دردت به جانم، گریه نکن.

The mother kindly said: May your pain be upon my soul, don't cry.

Cultural term of endearment 'دردت به جانم'.

پزشکان موفق به کشف ریشه اصلی این درد مزمن شدند.

Doctors succeeded in discovering the main root of this chronic pain.

Medical term 'درد مزمن' (chronic pain).

او با وجود دردهای فراوان، لبخند می‌زد.

Despite abundant pains, he was smiling.

Using 'با وجود' (despite) with plural 'دردها'.

در ادبیات عرفانی، درد اشتیاق به وصال خداوند است.

In mystical literature, pain is the yearning for union with God.

Abstract, philosophical use of the word.

جامعه از دردهای ساختاری و اقتصادی رنج می‌برد.

Society suffers from structural and economic pains.

Metaphorical use for societal issues.

فریاد او از سر دردی جانکاه و استخوان‌سوز بود.

His cry was out of a soul-crushing and bone-burning pain.

Advanced poetic adjectives 'جانکاه' and 'استخوان‌سوز'.

حافظ می‌گوید: طبیب عشق مسیحادم است و مشفق لیک / چو درد در تو نبیند که را دوا بکند.

Hafez says: The physician of love has the breath of Messiah and is compassionate, but / if he sees no pain in you, whom shall he cure?

Classical poetry citation.

این مسکن‌ها تنها تسکینی موقت بر دردهای بی‌شمار اوست.

These painkillers are merely a temporary relief for his countless pains.

Formal sentence structure with 'تنها' and 'بی‌شمار'.

او با بیانی دردمندانه از مصائب گذشته سخن گفت.

He spoke of past calamities with a pained expression.

Adverbial form 'دردمندانه'.

گاهی سکوت، رساترین فریاد برای بیان دردهای نهفته است.

Sometimes silence is the loudest cry to express hidden pains.

Poetic and philosophical phrasing.

سیاست‌مداران باید به جای شعار، به فکر درمان دردهای مردم باشند.

Politicians should think of curing the people's pains instead of chanting slogans.

Political discourse using 'درمان درد'.

مفهوم درد در اندیشه شمس تبریزی، کاتالیزوری برای بیداری معنوی است.

The concept of pain in the thought of Shams Tabrizi is a catalyst for spiritual awakening.

Academic/philosophical analysis.

نویسنده با چیره‌دستی، دردهای اگزیستانسیال انسان مدرن را به تصویر کشیده است.

The author has masterfully depicted the existential pains of modern man.

Literary critique vocabulary.

در متون طب سنتی، افتراق بین وجع مفاصل و دردهای عصبی به دقت بیان شده است.

In traditional medicine texts, the differentiation between joint pain (vaja) and nerve pains is accurately stated.

Use of archaic synonym 'وجع'.

آنان که در وادی حیرت قدم می‌نهند، درد طلب را به جان می‌خرند.

Those who step into the valley of bewilderment buy the pain of seeking with their souls.

Sufi terminology 'درد طلب'.

این لایحه قانونی، نه تنها دردی را دوا نمی‌کند، بلکه بر معضلات می‌افزاید.

This legal bill not only cures no pain, but adds to the dilemmas.

Formal rhetorical structure 'نه تنها... بلکه'.

تجلی درد در آثار این نقاش، بازتابی از تروماهای جمعی یک نسل است.

The manifestation of pain in this painter's works is a reflection of the collective traumas of a generation.

Art criticism and psychological terms.

درد هجران، موتیف تکرارشونده‌ای در غزل‌های سبک عراقی است.

The pain of separation is a recurring motif in the ghazals of the Iraqi style.

Literary history terminology.

او با طنزی تلخ، دردهای بی‌درمان بوروکراسی اداری را به سخره گرفت.

With bitter irony, he mocked the incurable pains of administrative bureaucracy.

Advanced synthesis of idioms and formal critique.

Synonyms

رنج عذاب الم وجع غصه اندوه محنت غم

Antonyms

لذت راحتی تسکین آرامش

Common Collocations

درد شدید

درد مزمن

درد خفیف

درد جانکاه

احساس درد

تحمل درد

تسکین درد

درمان درد

دردسر

هم‌درد

Common Phrases

سرم درد می‌کند

دلم درد گرفت

به درد خوردن

درد بی‌درمان

درد دل کردن

چه دردی داری

دردسر درست کردن

به درد نخور

درد کشیدن

دردم آمد

Often Confused With

درد vs رنج (Suffering - more prolonged/psychological)

درد vs بیماری (Illness - the condition, not the symptom)

درد vs زحمت (Trouble/Effort - similar to دردسر but not physical pain)

Idioms & Expressions

"درد بی‌درمان"

"به درد لای جرز خوردن"

"دردسر شدن"

"هم‌دردی کردن"

"درد دل"

"دردت به جانم"

"نمک روی درد پاشیدن"

"درد بی‌علاجی"

"شریک درد بودن"

"درد خود را خوردن"

Easily Confused

درد vs

Sentence Patterns

How to Use It

poetic

Central theme in Sufi literature representing spiritual longing.

medical

Standard term for pain in all medical contexts.

idiomatic

Crucial for expressing utility (به درد خوردن).

Common Mistakes

Saying 'من درد دارم در سرم' instead of 'سرم درد می‌کند'.
Translating 'useful' as 'مفید' in casual speech instead of using 'به درد می‌خورد'.
Using 'درد کردن' for a sudden pain instead of 'درد گرفتن'.
Confusing 'درد' (pain) with 'بیماری' (disease).
Pronouncing it as 'dord' instead of 'dard'.

Tips

Body Part as Subject

Always remember that in Persian, the body part does the aching. You don't 'have' a pain; your head/leg/arm 'aches' (درد می‌کند). This is the most common mistake for beginners.

Memorize the Utility Idiom

Treat 'به درد خوردن' as a single vocabulary item meaning 'useful'. Don't try to translate it literally as 'eating pain'. It is used constantly in daily life.

Short Vowel 'a'

The word is pronounced 'dard', rhyming with the English word 'hard' but with a shorter 'a' sound (like the 'a' in 'cat' in some dialects, /æ/). It is not pronounced 'dord'.

The Art of Dard-e Del

If an Iranian friend invites you to do 'درد دل', they are trusting you. It means they want to vent and share their emotional burdens. Just listen and offer tea.

Colloquial Contractions

In fast spoken Persian, 'درد می‌کند' (dard mikonad) becomes 'درد می‌کنه' (dard mikoneh). Train your ear to catch this softer, quicker ending.

Pain vs. Illness

Do not use 'درد' to mean a disease. If someone has the flu, they have a 'بیماری' (illness). 'درد' is only the physical sensation of hurting.

Salt on the Wound

The English idiom 'rubbing salt in the wound' exists exactly in Persian: 'نمک روی درد پاشیدن' (pouring salt on the pain). Use it when someone makes a bad situation worse.

Painkillers

When you have 'درد', you need a 'مسکن' (mosakken - painkiller). Learn these two words together, as you will need them if you visit a pharmacy in Iran.

Spelling Caution

Be careful not to confuse 'درد' (pain) with 'دزد' (thief). They look very similar in the Arabic script, differing only by one dot on the middle letter.

Expressing Empathy

Using the word 'هم‌دردی' (sympathy) is very formal. In casual situations, simply saying 'آخی' (aww) or 'الهی بمیرم' (literally: may I die, meaning I feel so bad for you) is more common when hearing about someone's pain.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a DART hitting you and causing DARD (pain).

Word Origin

Middle Persian

Cultural Context

In Sufism, 'درد' is the holy suffering of separation from the Divine, celebrated by poets like Rumi.

When someone says they are in pain, it is polite to respond with 'خدا بد نده' (May God not give bad things) or 'بلا دور باشه' (May disaster be far).

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Conversation Starters

"کجایت درد می‌کند؟ (Where does it hurt?)"

"آیا این وسیله به درد می‌خورد؟ (Is this tool useful?)"

"می‌خواهی کمی درد دل کنی؟ (Do you want to pour your heart out?)"

"برای سردرد چه مسکنی خوب است؟ (What painkiller is good for a headache?)"

"چرا اینقدر دردسر درست می‌کنی؟ (Why do you make so much trouble?)"

Journal Prompts

Write about a time you had a severe physical 'درد' and how you cured it.

Describe an object in your room that 'به درد نمی‌خورد' (is useless) and why.

Write a short dialogue where two friends do 'درد دل' (share their sorrows).

How does the concept of 'درد' in Persian poetry differ from your native culture?

List five things that cause you 'دردسر' (headaches/trouble) in daily life.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

You should say 'سرم درد می‌کند' (saram dard mikonad). This literally translates to 'My head aches'. Do not say 'من یک درد در سر دارم' as it sounds very unnatural. The body part is always the subject.

It is an idiom that means 'to be useful' or 'to serve a purpose'. Literally, it means 'to hit the pain'. If a tool is good, you say 'این به درد می‌خورد'. If it is useless, you say 'به درد نمی‌خورد'.

'درد کردن' is used for continuous, ongoing pain (e.g., my head is aching). 'درد گرفتن' is used for the sudden onset of pain (e.g., my head suddenly started to ache). Use 'گرفتن' when the pain just struck you.

Yes, absolutely. 'درد' is frequently used to describe sorrow, grief, and heartbreak. The phrase 'درد دل' (pain of the heart) is used when people share their deep emotional troubles with a friend.

'دردسر' literally means 'headache' (dard = pain, sar = head). However, it is almost exclusively used as a metaphor for 'trouble', 'hassle', or 'complication'. If a project is difficult, it is a 'دردسر'.

The adjective form of 'درد' is 'دردناک' (dardnak). You use it to describe an experience or a procedure. For example, 'یک جراحی دردناک' means 'a painful surgery'.

A very common and polite response is 'خدا بد نده' (May God not give bad things). You can also say 'بلا دور باشه' (May disaster be far away). These show sympathy and wish them well.

Yes, it is a central concept in classical Persian poetry. Poets like Rumi use 'درد' to symbolize the spiritual pain of being separated from God. In this context, having 'درد' is considered a noble and necessary state.

It is a deep term of endearment meaning 'May your pain fall upon my soul'. It is usually said by a mother to her child or between lovers, expressing a willingness to take on their suffering.

Yes. 'رنج' (ranj) means suffering or hardship. 'عذاب' (azab) means severe agony or torture. 'سوزش' (soozesh) means a burning or stinging pain. However, 'درد' is the most common and versatile word.