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Vocabulary
غیر متاهل

A2 adjective 7 min read

غیر متاهل

unmarried

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips غیر متاهل in 30 Seconds

Explanation غیر متاهل in your Level:

At the A1 level, you usually learn the word 'mojarrad' for 'single'. However, it's good to know that 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' exists. Think of it as 'not married'. 'Ghayr' means 'not' or 'non', and 'mo'tahel' means 'married'. You might see this on a simple ID form. At this stage, just recognize that if you see 'ghayr' before a word, it usually makes it the opposite. Don't worry about using it in speech yet; just focus on recognizing it in writing. It is the formal way to say you don't have a husband or wife.

At the A2 level, you should be able to identify 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' in formal texts or announcements. You are starting to learn compound words. This word is a perfect example of how Persian uses the word 'ghayr' (non) to create opposites. You should know that 'mo'tahel' (married) and 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' (unmarried) are a pair. If you are filling out a basic application or reading a simple news snippet about people, you might see this. Remember the 'e' sound (Ezafe) that connects the person to the description: 'mard-e ghayr-e mo'tahel'.

By B1, you should understand the register difference between 'mojarrad' and 'ghayr-e mo'tahel'. You should use 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' when writing a formal letter or an application. You can now use it in sentences like 'Because I am unmarried, I have more time for travel.' You should also be aware that this term is more clinical. In B1, you start to see more complex sentence structures where 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' might be the subject of a sentence in a report, such as 'The number of unmarried individuals has increased.'

At the B2 level, you should be comfortable using 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' in academic or professional settings. You understand that it is part of a larger family of words related to 'ahl' (family). You can discuss social issues, like the challenges faced by the 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' population in finding housing. You also understand that 'ghayr-e' is a productive prefix and can compare 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' with other formal negations like 'ghayr-e ghanuni' (illegal) or 'ghayr-e montazere' (unexpected).

At C1, you use 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' with precision in legal, sociological, or demographic discussions. You understand the subtle nuances between this and 'bi-hamsar' or 'mojarrad'. You can write detailed reports using this term to maintain a professional, objective tone. You are also aware of the historical and Arabic roots of the word 'mo'tahel' and how the 'ghayr' construction is a hallmark of formal Persian prose. You can analyze texts where this word is used to categorize populations in census data.

At the C2 level, you have a native-like grasp of the word's placement in the Persian bureaucratic lexicon. You can use it in high-level legal drafting or scholarly articles on family law. You understand the socio-political implications of how the state categorizes 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' individuals. You can switch between registers effortlessly, knowing exactly when 'mojarrad' is too casual and when 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' is necessary to convey authority and objectivity. You might even explore the word's usage in classical-style formal correspondence.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

غیر متاهل in 30 Seconds

Formal Persian word for 'unmarried'.
Used in legal documents and official forms.
A compound of 'ghayr' (non) and 'mo'tahel' (married).
More clinical and less social than the word 'mojarrad'.

The term غیر متاهل (pronounced ghayr-e mo'tahel) is a formal Persian adjective used to describe an individual's marital status. In the landscape of Persian linguistics, this word functions as a precise administrative marker. While the everyday word for 'single' is mojarrad, غیر متاهل is what you will encounter in legal documents, census forms, and formal psychological or sociological reports. It literally translates to 'non-married.' The prefix غیر (ghayr) acts as a negator, similar to 'un-' or 'non-' in English, and متاهل (mo'tahel) means married. Understanding this word is crucial for navigating any official environment in an Iranian context, as it strips away the social connotations of 'singleness' and focuses strictly on the legal absence of a marriage contract.

Grammatical Composition: It is a compound adjective formed by the Arabic-origin negator 'ghayr' and the past participle 'mo'tahel'. In Persian, it is linked via the Ezafe construction (the short 'e' sound) when modifying a noun.
Register and Tone: Highly formal. Using this in a casual conversation with friends would sound overly robotic or clinical. It is the language of bureaucracy and high-level journalism.

در پرسشنامه استخدامی، او خود را به عنوان یک فرد غیر متاهل معرفی کرد.

Translation: In the employment questionnaire, he introduced himself as an unmarried individual.

Sociologically, the use of this term reflects a binary view of status in official records. It is important to note that 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' encompasses anyone who is not currently in a legal marriage, including those who are divorced or widowed, although more specific terms exist for those categories. However, in a broad sense, it simply indicates the lack of a current spouse. In modern Persian media, you might see headlines discussing the 'rising age of the unmarried population' (افزایش سن جمعیت غیر متاهل), where the term provides a more clinical and objective tone than 'mojarrad'.

آمار نشان می‌دهد که تعداد مردان غیر متاهل در این شهر رو به افزایش است.

Cultural Nuance: In Iranian culture, marriage is often seen as a milestone of adulthood. The term 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' in a legal sense is neutral, but it carries the weight of a status that is often expected to change.

Using غیر متاهل correctly requires an understanding of Persian adjective placement and the Ezafe construction. Unlike English, where 'unmarried' comes before the noun, in Persian, the adjective follows the noun it describes, linked by the 'e' sound. For example, 'unmarried man' becomes mard-e ghayr-e mo'tahel. This section will explore the various syntactic environments where this word thrives.

As an Attributive Adjective: When it follows a noun directly: 'کارمندان غیر متاهل' (unmarried employees). Note that the 'e' sound is added to 'karmandan'.
As a Predicative Adjective: When it follows a linking verb like 'to be': 'او غیر متاهل است' (He/She is unmarried). In this case, no Ezafe is needed after the subject.

بسیاری از مسافران این تور، جوانان غیر متاهل بودند.

Translation: Many of the travelers on this tour were unmarried youths.

It is also common to see this word in negative constructions or comparisons. Because it is a compound word starting with 'ghayr', it provides a clear binary. If a document asks you to specify whether you are 'mo'tahel' or 'ghayr-e mo'tahel', it is looking for a definitive legal status. In academic writing, you might find it used to define a demographic variable in a study.

طبق قانون، افراد غیر متاهل واجد شرایط دریافت این وام نیستند.

Translation: According to the law, unmarried individuals are not eligible to receive this loan.

Furthermore, the word can be pluralized when referring to a group as a noun phrase: ghayr-e mo'tahelin (the unmarried ones), though this is extremely rare and archaic. Stick to using it as an adjective modifying a plural noun for modern usage.

You will rarely hear غیر متاهل in a bustling Tehran bazaar or at a family dinner. Instead, this word lives in the halls of government, the pages of law books, and the formal broadcasts of the evening news. If you are watching a documentary about social trends in Iran, the narrator will likely use this term to maintain an objective, sociological distance. It is a word of 'record' rather than a word of 'relation'.

News and Media: Broadcasters use it when discussing statistics: 'The percentage of unmarried women in rural areas has changed.'
Legal and Administrative Settings: Lawyers and government officials use it to define the rights or status of a person in a case.

در اخبار شنیدم که برای جوانان غیر متاهل تسهیلات جدیدی در نظر گرفته شده است.

Translation: I heard on the news that new facilities/benefits have been considered for unmarried youth.

When you apply for a visa at an Iranian consulate or fill out a form for a bank account in Iran, the 'Marital Status' section might list 'متاهل' and 'غیر متاهل'. In these contexts, the word is used to avoid the more colloquial 'mojarrad', which can sometimes imply a lifestyle choice or a social state, whereas 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' is a cold, hard fact of documentation.

مدیر منابع انسانی پرسید: آیا شما در حال حاضر غیر متاهل هستید؟

Translation: The HR manager asked: Are you currently unmarried?

Another place you might encounter it is in religious or philosophical lectures where the speaker is discussing the 'status of the unmarried' in a theoretical or jurisprudential context. It provides a level of formality that respects the seriousness of the topic.

For English speakers, the most common mistake is using غیر متاهل in the wrong social context. Imagine going to a party and telling someone, 'I am an unmarried person' using this term. It would sound as if you are reading from your own birth certificate. This section highlights these nuances to help you avoid sounding like a robot.

Register Mismatch: Mistake: Saying 'man ghayr-e mo'tahel hastam' to a friend. Correction: Use 'man mojarrad hastam'.
Ezafe Omission: Mistake: 'zan ghayr-e mo'tahel'. Correction: 'zan-e ghayr-e mo'tahel'. The connecting vowel is essential.

اشتباه: من یک فرد غیر متاهل هستم (در گفتگو با دوستان).

Correct: من مجردم.

Another mistake is confusing ghayr-e mo'tahel with bi-hamsar (without a spouse). While they mean the same thing logically, bi-hamsar is often used for those who have lost a spouse (widowed), whereas ghayr-e mo'tahel is a broader, more sterile administrative term. Using 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' to describe a widow in a sympathetic conversation would be insensitive.

اشتباه: او نامتاهل است.

Correct: او غیر متاهل است.

Lastly, learners sometimes forget that mo'tahel itself comes from 'ahl' (family/folk). Trying to use 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' to mean 'anti-family' is incorrect; it only refers to the legal status of marriage.

Persian has several ways to say someone is not married, each with its own flavor. Choosing the right one depends on whether you are at a wedding, a courtroom, or a coffee shop. Here is how غیر متاهل compares to its cousins.

مجرد (Mojarrad): The most common word for 'single'. It is neutral-to-informal. Use this in 90% of daily interactions.
بی‌همسر (Bi-hamsar): Literally 'without a spouse'. Often used in contexts of social welfare or when referring to those who are widowed or divorced.
عزب (Azab): An older, slightly more traditional or religious term for a single person, often implying they are of marriageable age but haven't wed yet.

تفاوت: مجرد برای زندگی روزمره است، اما غیر متاهل برای اسناد رسمی.

When comparing غیر متاهل with مجرد, think of the difference between 'unmarried' and 'single' in English. 'Unmarried' sounds like a checkbox on a tax form, while 'single' sounds like a personal status. Interestingly, mojarrad in philosophical Persian can also mean 'abstract' or 'incorporeal', but you won't need that for basic conversation!

او ترجیح می‌دهد مجرد بماند تا اینکه با فرد اشتباهی ازدواج کند.

Translation: He prefers to stay single rather than marry the wrong person.

In summary, use ghayr-e mo'tahel when you want to sound professional, objective, or when you are dealing with official Iranian bureaucracy. Use mojarrad for everyone else.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The word 'ahl' is also the root of 'ahlan wa sahlan' in Arabic, meaning welcome. So, 'mo'tahel' literally means someone who has 'welcomed' a family into their life.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ɡeɪr moʊtæhel/

US /ɡeɪr moʊtæhɛl/

The primary stress is on the last syllable of 'mo-ta-HEL'. In 'ghayr', the stress is equal.

Rhymes With

مستقل (mostaghel) متصل (mottasel) منفعل (monfa'el) پازل (puzzle - loanword) ساحل (sahel) باطل (batel) عاقل (aghel) کامل (kamel)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'ghayr' like 'gay'. It needs the Persian 'gh' (qaf/ghayn) sound.
Missing the Ezafe 'e' sound when linking to a noun.
Confusing 'mo'tahel' with 'mote'ahel' (not a word).
Stressing the first syllable 'MO-ta-hel'.
Skipping the 'h' sound in the middle of 'mo'tahel'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

Easy to recognize the 'ghayr' prefix once learned.

Writing 4/5

Requires correct spelling of 'mo'tahel' with the hamza.

Speaking 5/5

The 'gh' and 'h' sounds can be tricky for beginners.

Listening 3/5

Distinctive sound in formal contexts.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

متاهل غیر فرد است هست

Learn Next

وضعیت تاهل طلاق بیوه همسر

Advanced

حقوق مدنی دموگرافیک سرپرست خانوار وراثت

Grammar to Know

Ezafe Construction

مردِ غیر متاهل (The unmarried man)

Negation with 'Ghayr'

غیر قانونی (Illegal), غیر ممکن (Impossible)

Adjective Agreement

زنانِ غیر متاهل (Unmarried women - plural)

Compound Adjectives

غیر + متاهل forms a single concept.

Formal vs Informal Registers

Ghayr-e mo'tahel (Formal) vs Mojarrad (Informal)

Examples by Level

او غیر متاهل است.

He/She is unmarried.

Simple subject + adjective + verb.

من غیر متاهل هستم.

I am unmarried.

First person singular.

آیا شما غیر متاهل هستید؟

Are you unmarried?

Question form.

برادر من غیر متاهل است.

My brother is unmarried.

Possessive construction.

یک مرد غیر متاهل اینجا است.

An unmarried man is here.

Indeterminate 'yek' + noun + adjective.

آن زن غیر متاهل است.

That woman is unmarried.

Demonstrative pronoun.

دوست من غیر متاهل نیست.

My friend is not unmarried.

Negative 'nist'.

او یک کارمند غیر متاهل است.

He is an unmarried employee.

Noun + adjective.

بسیاری از معلمان این مدرسه غیر متاهل هستند.

Many teachers of this school are unmarried.

Plural subject.

او در فرم نوشت که غیر متاهل است.

He wrote in the form that he is unmarried.

Subordinate clause with 'ke'.

آیا این هتل برای افراد غیر متاهل است؟

Is this hotel for unmarried individuals?

Preposition 'baraye'.

خانم احمدی یک پزشک غیر متاهل است.

Ms. Ahmadi is an unmarried doctor.

Title + Name.

آنها به دنبال یک همکار غیر متاهل می‌گردند.

They are looking for an unmarried colleague.

Present continuous verb.

پسر بزرگ او هنوز غیر متاهل است.

His eldest son is still unmarried.

Adverb 'hanooz'.

در این بخش فقط افراد غیر متاهل کار می‌کنند.

Only unmarried individuals work in this section.

Adverb 'faghat'.

وضعیت او در پاسپورت 'غیر متاهل' ثبت شده است.

His status in the passport is registered as 'unmarried'.

Passive construction.

زندگی برای یک فرد غیر متاهل در این شهر گران است.

Life for an unmarried individual in this city is expensive.

Complex subject phrase.

او ترجیح می‌دهد به عنوان یک فرد غیر متاهل شناخته شود.

She prefers to be known as an unmarried individual.

Infinitive construction.

دولت باید به جوانان غیر متاهل کمک مالی کند.

The government should provide financial aid to unmarried youth.

Modal 'bayad'.

او به دلیل غیر متاهل بودن، مالیات کمتری می‌پردازد.

Because of being unmarried, he pays less tax.

Gerund 'budan'.

بسیاری از مهاجران در ابتدا غیر متاهل هستند.

Many immigrants are initially unmarried.

Adverbial phrase 'dar ebteda'.

او نمی‌خواست بگوید که غیر متاهل است.

He didn't want to say that he is unmarried.

Past tense modal.

آیا حقوق افراد غیر متاهل با دیگران متفاوت است؟

Are the rights of unmarried individuals different from others?

Comparative 'ba'.

او سال‌ها غیر متاهل ماند تا درسش تمام شود.

He remained unmarried for years until his studies finished.

Verb 'mandan'.

در جوامع مدرن، تعداد افراد غیر متاهل رو به افزایش است.

In modern societies, the number of unmarried individuals is increasing.

Progressive 'ru be afzayesh'.

این قانون فقط شامل حال شهروندان غیر متاهل می‌شود.

This law only applies to unmarried citizens.

Compound verb 'shamel shodan'.

او مقاله‌ای درباره چالش‌های زنان غیر متاهل نوشت.

She wrote an article about the challenges of unmarried women.

Preposition 'darbare'.

برخی معتقدند که افراد غیر متاهل آزادی بیشتری دارند.

Some believe that unmarried individuals have more freedom.

Verb 'mo'taghed budan'.

او به عنوان یک مرد غیر متاهل، مسئولیت‌های کمتری داشت.

As an unmarried man, he had fewer responsibilities.

Preposition 'be onvan-e'.

تحقیقات نشان می‌دهد که سبک زندگی افراد غیر متاهل در حال تغییر است.

Research shows that the lifestyle of unmarried individuals is changing.

Present continuous.

او همیشه خود را یک فرد مستقل و غیر متاهل توصیف می‌کند.

She always describes herself as an independent and unmarried individual.

Coordinated adjectives.

بیمه برای افراد غیر متاهل نرخ‌های متفاوتی دارد.

Insurance has different rates for unmarried individuals.

Noun pluralization.

تبعیض علیه متقاضیان غیر متاهل در بازار مسکن غیرقانونی است.

Discrimination against unmarried applicants in the housing market is illegal.

Abstract noun 'tab'iz'.

ویژگی‌های دموگرافیک جمعیت غیر متاهل در دهه‌های اخیر تغییر کرده است.

The demographic characteristics of the unmarried population have changed in recent decades.

Technical vocabulary.

در این پژوهش، متغیر وضعیت تاهل به دو دسته متاهل و غیر متاهل تقسیم شد.

In this research, the marital status variable was divided into married and unmarried categories.

Passive 'taqsim shod'.

او بر این باور است که بازنمایی افراد غیر متاهل در رسانه‌ها کلیشه‌ای است.

He believes that the representation of unmarried individuals in the media is stereotypical.

Formal phrase 'bar in bavar ast'.

پیامدهای حقوقی غیر متاهل ماندن برای وراثت چیست؟

What are the legal consequences of remaining unmarried for inheritance?

Gerund phrase.

ساختار خانواده با افزایش تعداد بزرگسالان غیر متاهل در حال دگرگونی است.

The family structure is undergoing transformation with the increase in the number of unmarried adults.

Formal verb 'degarguni'.

این گزارش به بررسی وضعیت معیشتی زنان غیر متاهل سرپرست خانوار می‌پردازد.

This report examines the livelihood of unmarried women who are heads of households.

Complex compound noun.

او در سخنرانی خود به حقوق مدنی افراد غیر متاهل اشاره کرد.

In his speech, he referred to the civil rights of unmarried individuals.

Compound verb 'eshare kardan'.

تحلیل هستی‌شناختی جایگاه فرد غیر متاهل در حقوق سنتی پیچیده است.

The ontological analysis of the unmarried individual's position in traditional law is complex.

Academic register.

سیاست‌های کلان کشور باید با در نظر گرفتن جمعیت رو به رشد غیر متاهل بازنگری شود.

The country's macro policies must be revised considering the growing unmarried population.

Complex passive construction.

انگ‌زدایی از وضعیت غیر متاهل بودن یکی از اهداف این جنبش اجتماعی است.

Destigmatizing the status of being unmarried is one of the goals of this social movement.

Nominalization 'ang-zodayi'.

تفاوت‌های ظریفی میان واژه 'مجرد' و اصطلاح حقوقی 'غیر متاهل' در متون قضایی وجود دارد.

Subtle differences exist between the word 'mojarrad' and the legal term 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' in judicial texts.

Comparative analysis.

در اسناد دیپلماتیک، وضعیت تاهل فرد همواره با دقت و به صورت 'متاهل' یا 'غیر متاهل' درج می‌گردد.

In diplomatic documents, a person's marital status is always recorded precisely as 'married' or 'unmarried'.

Formal passive 'darj gardidan'.

او در رساله دکتری خود به تبیین جامعه‌شناختی زیست‌جهان افراد غیر متاهل پرداخت.

In his doctoral thesis, he explained the sociological lifeworld of unmarried individuals.

Scholarly jargon.

چالش‌های بازنشستگی برای قشر غیر متاهل نیازمند راهکارهای نوین بیمه‌ای است.

Retirement challenges for the unmarried class require modern insurance solutions.

Compound adjectives.

پویایی‌های قدرت در خانواده‌های دارای فرزندان غیر متاهلِ بزرگسال مورد مطالعه قرار گرفت.

Power dynamics in families with adult unmarried children were studied.

Complex Ezafe chain.

Common Collocations

فرد غیر متاهل

جمعیت غیر متاهل

مردان غیر متاهل

زنان غیر متاهل

جوانان غیر متاهل

وضعیت غیر متاهل

کاملاً غیر متاهل

بزرگسالان غیر متاهل

متقاضی غیر متاهل

بخش غیر متاهلین

Common Phrases

ثبت به عنوان غیر متاهل

— To register as unmarried.

شما باید خود را به عنوان غیر متاهل ثبت کنید.

مزایای افراد غیر متاهل

— Benefits for unmarried individuals.

مزایای افراد غیر متاهل کمتر است.

در وضعیت غیر متاهل بودن

— Being in an unmarried state.

او در وضعیت غیر متاهل بودن باقی ماند.

گروه هدف غیر متاهل

— Unmarried target group.

این تبلیغ برای گروه هدف غیر متاهل است.

آمار غیر متاهل‌ها

— Statistics of unmarried people.

آمار غیر متاهل‌ها نگران‌کننده است.

شرایط برای غیر متاهلین

— Conditions for the unmarried.

شرایط برای غیر متاهلین دشوار است.

زندگی به سبک غیر متاهل

— Living in an unmarried style (formal).

او زندگی به سبک غیر متاهل را برگزید.

حقوق شهروند غیر متاهل

— Rights of an unmarried citizen.

حقوق شهروند غیر متاهل باید رعایت شود.

سن غیر متاهل ماندن

— The age of remaining unmarried.

سن غیر متاهل ماندن بالا رفته است.

گزینه غیر متاهل

— The 'unmarried' option.

گزینه غیر متاهل را در فرم علامت بزنید.

Often Confused With

غیر متاهل vs مجرد

Confused because they mean the same, but 'mojarrad' is for friends, 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' is for forms.

غیر متاهل vs بی‌همسر

Confused because both mean no spouse, but 'bi-hamsar' often implies having lost a spouse.

غیر متاهل vs تنها

Confused because single people are often 'alone', but 'tanha' is emotional, not a legal status.

Idioms & Expressions

"آزاد و رها"

— Free and unattached. Often used by single people to describe their state.

من فعلاً آزاد و رها هستم.

Informal

"بختش باز نشده"

— Their luck/fortune hasn't opened yet. Used to describe why someone is still single.

هنوز بختش باز نشده است.

Traditional

"دم به تله ندادن"

— To not give one's tail to the trap. Used for someone who avoids marriage.

او هنوز دم به تله نداده و غیر متاهل است.

Slang

"آقای خودش بودن"

— To be one's own master. Often said of single men.

او غیر متاهل است و آقای خودش است.

Informal

"روی پای خود ایستادن"

— To stand on one's own feet. Often used to praise independent single people.

او یک زن غیر متاهل است که روی پای خود ایستاده.

Neutral

"مرغش یک پا دارد"

— His chicken has one leg. Used for someone stubborn, perhaps about staying single.

در مورد غیر متاهل ماندن، مرغش یک پا دارد.

Informal

"بی‌خیال دنیا"

— Carefree about the world. Sometimes associated with the single life.

او غیر متاهل و بی‌خیال دنیاست.

Slang

"در قید و بند نبودن"

— To not be in chains/restrictions. Referring to the lack of marital obligations.

او دوست دارد غیر متاهل باشد و در قید و بند نباشد.

Literary

"خانه مجردی"

— A bachelor pad. While using 'mojarrad', it relates to the unmarried lifestyle.

او در یک خانه مجردی زندگی می‌کند.

Informal

"سربار کسی نبودن"

— To not be a burden to anyone. Often a point of pride for single adults.

او غیر متاهل است اما سربار کسی نیست.

Neutral

Easily Confused

غیر متاهل vs متاهل

It is the root word.

One means married, the other (with 'ghayr') means unmarried.

او متاهل است، اما برادرش غیر متاهل است.

غیر متاهل vs نامزد

Related to relationship status.

Namzad means 'engaged'. An engaged person is still legally 'ghayr-e mo'tahel'.

او نامزد دارد اما هنوز غیر متاهل است.

غیر متاهل vs مطلقه

Specific type of unmarried.

Motallaghe means 'divorced'. 'Ghayr-e mo'tahel' is the broader category.

او مطلقه است، پس در فرم گزینه غیر متاهل را زد.

غیر متاهل vs بیوه

Specific type of unmarried.

Biveh means 'widowed'.

زن بیوه در اسناد رسمی غیر متاهل محسوب می‌شود.

غیر متاهل vs عزب

Similar meaning.

Azab is old-fashioned/religious; Ghayr-e mo'tahel is modern/bureaucratic.

در قدیم به او عزب می‌گفتند، اما امروز غیر متاهل می‌گویند.

Sentence Patterns

[Subject] [ghayr-e mo'tahel] [ast].

او غیر متاهل است.

[Noun] + e [ghayr-e mo'tahel]

پسرِ غیر متاهل

به دلیلِ [ghayr-e mo'tahel] بودن...

به دلیل غیر متاهل بودن، او تنها زندگی می‌کند.

تعدادِ [Noun] هایِ [ghayr-e mo'tahel]...

تعداد معلم‌های غیر متاهل زیاد است.

در مقایسه با افرادِ [mo'tahel], افرادِ [ghayr-e mo'tahel]...

در مقایسه با افراد متاهل، افراد غیر متاهل مالیات بیشتری می‌دهند.

تبیینِ وضعیتِ [ghayr-e mo'tahel] در ساختارِ...

تبیین وضعیت غیر متاهل در ساختار حقوقی کشور.

آیا شما [ghayr-e mo'tahel] هستید یا [mo'tahel]؟

آیا شما غیر متاهل هستید یا متاهل؟

من یک [Noun]ِ [ghayr-e mo'tahel] هستم.

من یک کارمند غیر متاهل هستم.

Word Family

Nouns

تاهل (marriage/being married)

اهل (family/people)

اهلیت (eligibility/competence)

Verbs

تأهل اختیار کردن (to choose marriage/get married - formal)

Adjectives

متاهل (married)

اهلی (domesticated)

ازدواج

همسر

خانواده

عقد

عروسی

How to Use It

frequency

Common in writing/forms; Rare in speech.

Common Mistakes

Using 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' in a casual chat. → Using 'mojarrad'.
It's a matter of register. 'Ghayr-e mo'tahel' is too formal for friends.
Saying 'ghayr mo'tahel' without the Ezafe. → Saying 'ghayr-e mo'tahel'.
The 'e' sound is necessary to link the two parts of the compound.
Writing 'نامتاهل' (na-mo'tahel). → Writing 'غیر متاهل'.
'Na-' is not used with this specific Arabic-origin word.
Confusing it with 'bi-hamsar' in emotional contexts. → Using 'bi-hamsar' or 'tanha'.
'Ghayr-e mo'tahel' is too clinical for expressing sympathy.
Stressing the first syllable: GHAYR-e mo'tahel. → Stressing the end: ghayr-e mo-ta-HEL.
Persian word stress usually falls on the final syllable of the adjective.

Tips

The Ezafe Link

Don't forget the 'e' sound when you put a noun before 'ghayr-e mo'tahel'. It's 'fard-e ghayr-e mo'tahel'.

Prefix Power

Learn 'ghayr' as a prefix. It will help you understand many other formal words like 'ghayr-e ghanuni' (illegal).

Friendship vs. Forms

Always use 'mojarrad' with friends. Save 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' for the bank or the airport.

The Hamza

Notice the 'a' sound in 'mo-ta-hel'. It's written with a 'ta' and then an 'he'. Make sure to get the 'h' sound right.

News Watching

Watch Iranian news reports on demographics. You will hear 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' used to describe population groups.

Form Filling

When you see 'وضعیت تاهل' on a form, if you aren't married, you can write 'غیر متاهل' or 'مجرد'.

Family Roots

Remembering that 'ahl' means family will help you remember 'mo'tahel' (married) and its opposite.

The Guttural GH

The 'gh' in 'ghayr' is deep in the throat. It's the same sound as the French 'r'.

Legal Texts

If you see this word in a book, look for surrounding words like 'hoghugh' (rights) or 'ghanun' (law).

Pluralization

In very rare cases, you might see 'ghayr-e mo'tahelin'. This is the plural form 'the unmarried ones'.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Ghayr' as 'Gears' and 'Mo'tahel' as 'Motel'. You are shifting gears to stay at a motel alone because you are unmarried.

Visual Association

Imagine a checkbox on a form. One box says 'Married' and the other says 'Ghayr-e Mo'tahel'. The 'Ghayr' is a big red 'X' over a wedding ring.

Word Web

Legal Form Status Single Bureaucracy Official Non-married Identity

Challenge

Try to find an official Iranian website and look for the 'marital status' section. See if they use 'mojarrad' or 'ghayr-e mo'tahel'.

Word Origin

Derived from the Arabic prefix 'ghayr' (non/other) and the Arabic root 'A-H-L' (family).

Original meaning: The root 'ahl' refers to people of a house or family. 'Mo'tahel' means someone who has acquired a family (a spouse).

Semitic root (Arabic) integrated into Persian grammar.

Cultural Context

Always use 'mojarrad' in social settings. 'Ghayr-e mo'tahel' can sound cold or like you are treating someone as a statistic.

In English, we say 'unmarried' or 'single'. 'Unmarried' feels more formal, just like 'ghayr-e mo'tahel'.

Used in the Iranian Census (Sarsomari). Commonly seen in 'Employment Advertisements' (Agahi-ye Estekhdam). Legal codes regarding inheritance.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Filling out a form

وضعیت تاهل
تیک زدن گزینه غیر متاهل
اطلاعات شخصی
فرم استخدامی

Reading the news

آمار ازدواج
جمعیت جوان
کاهش نرخ تاهل
مشکلات مسکن

Legal advice

حقوق قانونی
قانون ارث
شرایط وام
مدارک شناسایی

Academic research

جامعه آماری
متغیر مستقل
پرسشنامه
یافته‌های تحقیق

Job applications

شرایط استخدام
رزومه کاری
تعهد کاری
محل سکونت

Conversation Starters

"آیا در فرم‌های رسمی همیشه از کلمه 'غیر متاهل' استفاده می‌شود؟"

"تفاوت بین 'مجرد' و 'غیر متاهل' در فرهنگ شما چیست؟"

"چرا سن افراد غیر متاهل در جامعه در حال افزایش است؟"

"آیا برای افراد غیر متاهل در کشور شما مزایای خاصی وجود دارد؟"

"چگونه می‌توان وضعیت تاهل را در مدارک رسمی تغییر داد؟"

Journal Prompts

درباره مزایا و معایب غیر متاهل بودن در یک شهر بزرگ بنویسید.

چرا در اسناد رسمی از کلمات رسمی‌تر مانند 'غیر متاهل' استفاده می‌شود؟

تجربه خود را از پر کردن یک فرم رسمی که در آن وضعیت تاهل پرسیده شده بود، توصیف کنید.

آیا فکر می‌کنید نگاه جامعه به افراد غیر متاهل در سال‌های اخیر تغییر کرده است؟

نقش خانواده در تشویق افراد غیر متاهل به ازدواج را تحلیل کنید.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

It's not recommended. It sounds very stiff and robotic. Use 'mojarrad' instead. 'Ghayr-e mo'tahel' is like saying 'I am a non-married entity' in English.

No, it is gender-neutral. It can be used for both men and women. You just add the noun before it, like 'zan-e ghayr-e mo'tahel' or 'mard-e ghayr-e mo'tahel'.

On its own, 'ghayr' can mean 'other' or 'besides'. But as a prefix, it works like 'non-', 'un-', or 'in-' in English to negate the following word.

In Persian script, it is 'غیر متاهل'. Sometimes it is written with a small space (zwnj) between them, but usually they are two separate words.

Usually, passports use 'mojarrad' or 'mo'tahel'. However, in more detailed legal reports or census data, 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' is used as a category name.

Yes, it is very polite and professional. It is never offensive, but it is very formal.

Legally, yes. A divorced person is 'ghayr-e mo'tahel' because they are not currently married. However, 'motallaghe' is more specific.

Yes, it comes from the Arabic word 'ahl', which means family or people. 'Mo'tahel' literally means 'having a family'.

It is a short, quick 'e' sound, like the 'e' in 'bed'. It links 'ghayr' to 'mo'tahel' or the noun to 'ghayr'.

In Persian, 'na-' is a common prefix for negation, but for Arabic-rooted words like 'mo'tahel', 'ghayr' is the standard formal negator. 'Na-mo'tahel' would sound incorrect to a native speaker.