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Vocabulary
توجیه کردن

B2 verb 7 min read

توجیه کردن

towjih kardan

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips توجیه کردن in 30 Seconds

Explanation توجیه کردن in your Level:

At the A1 level, you don't need to use 'توجیه کردن' (towjih kardan) often, but it is helpful to know it means 'to say why'. Imagine you are late for a Persian class. Your teacher asks why. When you give a reason like 'the bus was late', you are trying to 'towjih kardan' your lateness. Think of it as 'giving a reason to be okay'. It is a big word for beginners, so focus on the idea of 'explaining why I did something'. Just remember: 'man towjih kardam' means 'I gave a reason'.

For A2 learners, 'توجیه کردن' is a useful word for basic social interactions where you need to defend your actions. You might use it when talking about work or school. It is a compound verb: 'towjih' + 'kardan'. You will mostly see it in the past tense ('kard') or present tense ('mi-konad'). At this level, you should start distinguishing it from 'tozih dādan' (to explain). While 'tozih' is just giving info, 'towjih' is giving a reason to show you are right. For example: 'He justified his mistake' (او اشتباهش را توجیه کرد).

At B1, you should be able to use 'توجیه کردن' in more complex sentences. You will encounter it in newspapers or on the news. It's often used when talking about money or time. For example, 'economic justification' is 'towjih-e eqtesādi'. You should also learn the passive form: 'towjih shodan' (to be justified). If a decision is made, you might ask, 'Is this decision justified?' (آیا این تصمیم توجیه شده است؟). You are moving beyond simple excuses to logical arguments at this level.

At the B2 level, you are expected to understand the nuance of 'rationalization'. 'توجیه کردن' often appears in psychological or sociological discussions. You might read about how people 'justify' their prejudices or bad habits. You should be comfortable using it with the preposition 'barāye' (for/to) to indicate who you are justifying something to. You should also recognize the adjective 'mowajjah' (justified/acceptable), as in 'a justified reason' (dalil-e mowajjah). This is a key word for debates and expressing opinions.

C1 learners should master the rhetorical use of 'توجیه کردن'. It is frequently used in political critique to suggest that someone is 'making excuses' rather than providing real solutions. You should be able to use it in academic writing to discuss the 'justification of a hypothesis'. At this level, you should also be familiar with related terms like 'mowajjah-sāzi' (the act of making something look justified). You can use it to describe complex systems of thought that serve to justify social hierarchies or historical events.

At the C2 level, 'توجیه کردن' is used in the context of deep philosophy and epistemology. You will use it to discuss the 'justification of belief' (towjih-e bāvar) in the works of philosophers. You should understand its etymological roots in the concept of 'wajh' (face/aspect) and how that influences its usage in high-level literary Persian. You will be able to distinguish between 'towjih' (justification), 'tabyin' (explanation/explication), and 'estidlal' (argumentation) in a highly nuanced way during formal speeches or scholarly writing.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

توجیه کردن in 30 Seconds

A compound verb meaning 'to justify' or 'to rationalize'.
Essential for defending actions or providing logical reasons in formal contexts.
Often used when making excuses in social or personal situations.
Rooted in the concept of giving something a 'face' or 'direction'.

The Persian verb توجیه کردن (towjih kardan) is a sophisticated compound verb that primarily translates to "to justify," "to rationalize," or "to provide a reason that makes an action or belief seem acceptable." At its core, it comes from the Arabic root w-j-h, which relates to the 'face' or 'direction' of something. Therefore, to justify something in Persian etymologically implies giving it a 'direction' or a 'face' that makes it look right to others. This word is indispensable in both formal and informal Persian. In a formal setting, a manager might ask for a توجیه اقتصادی (towjih-e eqtesādi) or economic justification for a new project. In a more personal or informal context, it often carries a slightly negative connotation, similar to the English word "rationalize" or "making excuses." If someone does something wrong and then tries to explain it away, you might hear someone say, "Don't try to justify your mistake" (اشتباهت را توجیه نکن).

Formal Usage: In academic and legal contexts, it refers to the logical defense of a theory or a legal position. For example, 'The lawyer justified the defendant's actions' would use this verb.
Psychological Usage: In psychology, it refers to the defense mechanism where people provide logical reasons for irrational behavior to avoid true self-confrontation.
Daily Social Interaction: Used when someone arrives late and tries to explain why the traffic was unusually bad, often met with skepticism if the excuse seems weak.

دولت باید هزینه‌های جدید را برای مردم توجیه کند.
The government must justify the new costs to the people.

او سعی کرد غیبت خود را با بیماری توجیه کند.
He tried to justify his absence with illness.

هیچ چیز نمی‌تواند این رفتار خشونت‌آمیز را توجیه کند.
Nothing can justify this violent behavior.

Understanding the nuance between 'explaining' (tozih dādan) and 'justifying' (towjih kardan) is crucial. While an explanation is neutral and aims for clarity, a justification is defensive and aims for acceptance. In Iranian culture, where social face (āberu) is highly valued, the act of towjih kardan is a common social maneuver to maintain one's standing after a lapse in judgment or performance. However, overuse of this verb can lead to one being labeled as towjih-gar (a person who always makes excuses), which is generally seen as a character flaw. In political discourse, it is frequently used by critics to accuse the opposition of making excuses for failed policies. The flexibility of this verb allows it to transition from a high-level philosophical debate about the 'justification of belief' to a simple dinner table conversation about why the rice was burnt.

Grammatically, توجیه کردن is a compound verb consisting of the noun توجیه (justification) and the auxiliary verb کردن (to do/make). Because it is a compound verb, the stress usually falls on the last syllable of the noun part (towjih). When conjugating, only the auxiliary part kardan changes. For example, in the present continuous, you would say دارم توجیه می‌کنم (I am justifying). It is a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object, which is often marked with the post-position rā. The thing being justified is the object.

Structure 1: Simple Transitive: [Subject] + [Object] + را + [توجیه کردن conjugated]. Example: من رفتارم را توجیه کردم (I justified my behavior).
Structure 2: With Prepositions: To justify something 'to' someone, use the preposition 'barāye'. Example: او این تصمیم را برای رئیس توجیه کرد (He justified this decision to the boss).

چگونه می‌توانی این همه مخارج را توجیه کنی؟
How can you justify all these expenses?

One interesting aspect of this verb is its use in the passive voice. To say something 'is justified,' you use توجیه شدن (towjih shodan). For instance, 'The delay was justified' becomes تاخیر توجیه شد. In business Persian, you will often encounter the adjective form توجیهی (towjihi), especially in the phrase gozāresh-e towjihi (justification report or feasibility study). This is a standard document prepared before starting any major project in Iran. Furthermore, in educational contexts, a teacher might 'justify' or 'orient' the students regarding a new method, though towjih kardan in the sense of 'orientation' is more common in military or highly structured organizational settings. In these cases, it means to brief someone or to get them on the same page.

You will hear توجیه کردن in a variety of real-world scenarios in Iran. First and foremost, it is a staple of news broadcasts. When a government official is interviewed about a controversial policy, they are often in the position of towjih kardan—trying to convince the public that the policy is necessary. You might hear a news anchor say, "The minister tried to justify the increase in fuel prices" (وزیر سعی کرد افزایش قیمت سوخت را توجیه کند). Another common place is in the workplace. If a project fails or a deadline is missed, the subsequent meeting will likely involve a lot of towjih. It is also very common in legal dramas or real court proceedings where the defense must justify the actions of the accused.

او همیشه برای تنبلی‌اش یک دلیلی می‌آورد تا آن را توجیه کند.
He always brings a reason for his laziness to justify it.

Socially, the word is used when friends or family members argue. If someone feels they have been treated unfairly, they might challenge the other person by saying, "How do you justify your behavior?" (چطور رفتارت را توجیه می‌کنی؟). In Iranian cinema, particularly in social dramas, characters often engage in long dialogues where they try to towjih kardan their life choices to their parents or partners. This reflects a deep cultural preoccupation with logic, morality, and social acceptance. Even in religious contexts, scholars might use the word to provide the 'towjih' or the underlying rationale for certain jurisprudential rulings that might seem counterintuitive to the layperson. Finally, in the world of sports, coaches frequently have to justify their team selections or tactical failures to the media after a loss.

The most frequent mistake English speakers make is confusing توجیه کردن (towjih kardan) with توضیح دادن (tozih dādan). While they sound slightly similar and both involve speaking, their meanings are distinct. Tozih dādan means "to explain" in a neutral way—making something clear so the other person understands it. Towjih kardan means "to justify"—providing reasons to make something seem right or acceptable. If you tell your teacher you are late and explain the route you took, that is tozih. If you tell your teacher you are late because the bus was slow and therefore it wasn't your fault, that is towjih.

Mistake 1: Using it for 'Explain': Incorrect: 'لطفاً این درس را برای من توجیه کنید' (Please justify this lesson for me). Correct: 'لطفاً این درس را برای من توضیح دهید' (Please explain this lesson to me).
Mistake 2: Preposition Errors: Learners often forget 'rā' for the object. You are justifying 'the thing', so the thing needs 'rā'.

Another mistake is the tone. Because towjih kardan can imply making excuses, using it in the wrong context can sound accusatory. If you ask a friend, "Why are you justifying yourself?", it might sound like you are calling them a liar or someone who is avoiding responsibility. Use it carefully in sensitive social situations. Also, remember that towjih is a noun, and towjih-e manteqi is a common collocation. Some learners try to use 'towjih' as a verb directly without 'kardan', which is grammatically incorrect in Persian. Lastly, ensure you don't confuse the spelling with tavajoh (attention), as they share the same root letters but have very different meanings.

While توجیه کردن is the standard term for justifying, several other words can be used depending on the register and specific nuance you want to convey. If you want to sound more formal or academic, you might use مدلل کردن (modallal kardan), which means "to provide evidence or proof for" something. In a legal context, تبرئه کردن (tabra'eh kardan) might be relevant if the justification leads to an acquittal, though this specifically means "to exonerate."

توضیح دادن (Tozih Dādan): The neutral alternative. Use this when you just want to make someone understand the facts without necessarily defending them.
استدلال کردن (Estedlāl Kardan): Meaning "to reason" or "to argue logically." This is used when the focus is on the logical process rather than the defensive act of justification.
دلیل آوردن (Dalil Āvardan): Literally "to bring reasons." This is a more common, everyday way of saying someone is giving reasons for their actions.

In a negative sense, if someone is making poor excuses, you might use the slangier بهانه آوردن (bahāneh āvardan), which means "to make excuses." While towjih kardan can be legitimate, bahāneh āvardan almost always implies that the reason given is false or irrelevant. For example, if a student says they didn't do their homework because their pen ran out of ink, that is a bahāneh. If they say they didn't do it because they were in the hospital, and they provide a doctor's note, they are towjih kardan their absence. Understanding these distinctions will make your Persian sound much more natural and precise.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The root 'W-J-H' also gives us 'Surat' (face) in some contexts and 'Jehat' (direction). So, when you justify something, you are literally giving it a 'direction' so people see it from a specific 'face' or angle.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /təʊˈdʒiː kɑːrˈdæn/

US /toʊˈdʒiː kɑːrˈdæn/

The primary stress in the compound verb falls on the last syllable of the noun: tow-JIH kardan.

Rhymes With

تشبیه (tashbih) تنبیه (tanbih) فقیه (faqih) سفیه (safih) شبیه (shabih) وجیه (vajih) نبیه (nabih) کریه (karih)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'tow' as 'tau' (like cow). It should be 'to' as in 'toe'.
Missing the 'h' at the end of 'towjih'.
Stressing the 'kan' in 'mikonam' instead of the noun.
Confusing 'towjih' with 'tozih' (explanation).
Vowel length: the 'i' in 'jih' is long.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 4/5

Common in news and books, but requires understanding compound structures.

Writing 5/5

Spelling is tricky (vowels and 'h') and requires correct object marking.

Speaking 4/5

Pronunciation of 'towjih' needs practice to avoid sounding like 'tozih'.

Listening 5/5

Can be easily confused with 'tozih' (explanation) in fast speech.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

کردن دلیل اشتباه چرا توضیح

Learn Next

استدلال منطق ثابت کردن دفاع قانع کردن

Advanced

معرفت‌شناسی مشروعیت موجّه تبیین برهان

Grammar to Know

Compound Verb Conjugation

من توجیه می‌کنم، تو توجیه می‌کنی...

Direct Object Marker 'Rā'

او **رفتارش را** توجیه کرد.

Subjunctive after 'khāstan'

او می‌خواهد که من **توجیه کنم**.

Passive with 'shodan'

این کار **توجیه شد**.

Causal conjunctions with 'towjih'

او دیر آمد **زیرا** می‌خواست کارش را توجیه کند.

Examples by Level

او دیر آمد و آن را توجیه کرد.

He came late and justified it.

Simple past tense of a compound verb.

من نمی‌توانم این کار را توجیه کنم.

I cannot justify this act.

Use of 'cannot' with compound verb.

چرا توجیه می‌کنی؟

Why are you justifying (making excuses)?

Present continuous question.

او برای غیبتش توجیه آورد.

He brought a justification for his absence.

Using 'āvardan' (to bring) with the noun 'towjih'.

این یک توجیه خوب نیست.

This is not a good justification.

Noun usage with an adjective.

سعی کن توجیه نکنی.

Try not to justify.

Imperative negative.

او اشتباهش را توجیه کرد.

He justified his mistake.

Direct object with 'rā'.

آیا توجیه لازم است؟

Is a justification necessary?

Simple question with 'lāzem' (necessary).

مدیر از من خواست که تاخیرم را توجیه کنم.

The manager asked me to justify my delay.

Subjunctive mood after 'khāstan'.

آن‌ها رفتار بد خود را توجیه کردند.

They justified their bad behavior.

Plural subject and verb.

توجیه کردن همیشه آسان نیست.

Justifying is not always easy.

Infinitive as a subject.

او با دروغ کارش را توجیه کرد.

He justified his work with a lie.

Prepositional phrase 'bā dorough'.

باید دلیلی برای توجیه داشته باشی.

You must have a reason for justification.

Modal 'bāyad' with subjunctive.

ما نباید گناه را توجیه کنیم.

We should not justify sin.

Negative modal.

او برای پول خرج کردنش توجیه می‌آورد.

He makes excuses for his spending.

Present habitual.

آیا می‌توانی این قیمت را توجیه کنی؟

Can you justify this price?

Question with 'can'.

گزارش توجیهی برای شروع پروژه لازم است.

A justification report is necessary to start the project.

Adjective 'towjihi'.

او سعی دارد تمام تصمیماتش را توجیه کند.

He is trying to justify all his decisions.

Present continuous 'sa'y dārad...'.

این عمل به هیچ وجه توجیه نمی‌شود.

This act is not justified in any way.

Passive present negative.

دولت باید برای افزایش مالیات توجیه منطقی بیاورد.

The government must provide a logical justification for the tax increase.

Noun-adjective pair 'towjih-e manteqi'.

او فقط می‌خواهد وجدانش را توجیه کند.

He just wants to justify (appease) his conscience.

Abstract object 'vojdān'.

آیا این هزینه‌ها توجیه اقتصادی دارند؟

Do these costs have economic justification?

Usage of 'towjih' as a noun with 'dāshtan'.

او با مهارت زیادی اشتباهاتش را توجیه می‌کند.

He justifies his mistakes with great skill.

Adverbial phrase 'bā mahārat-e ziād'.

این توجیهات برای من قابل قبول نیست.

These justifications are not acceptable to me.

Plural noun 'towjihāt'.

روانشناسان معتقدند مردم برای کاهش اضطراب، کارهایشان را توجیه می‌کنند.

Psychologists believe people justify their actions to reduce anxiety.

Complex sentence with a subordinate clause.

او نتوانست غیبت غیرموجه خود را توجیه کند.

He couldn't justify his unjustified absence.

Use of 'gheyr-e mowajjah'.

توجیه کردن خشونت تحت هر شرایطی غلط است.

Justifying violence under any circumstances is wrong.

Infinitive as subject with prepositional phrase.

نویسنده در مقدمه کتاب، هدف خود را توجیه کرده است.

The author has justified his goal in the book's introduction.

Present perfect tense.

سیاستمداران اغلب برای شکست‌هایشان توجیه می‌سازند.

Politicians often manufacture justifications for their failures.

Verb 'sākhtan' (to make/build) with 'towjih'.

این نظریه از نظر علمی توجیه شده است.

This theory has been scientifically justified.

Adverbial phrase 'az nazar-e elmi'.

او برای قانع کردن دیگران، به توجیه متوسل شد.

To convince others, he resorted to justification.

Verb 'motavassel shodan' (to resort to).

آیا می‌توانی عدم حضور خود را در جلسه توجیه کنی؟

Can you justify your absence from the meeting?

Compound object 'adam-e hozur'.

فیلسوفان به دنبال توجیه معرفت‌شناختی برای باورهای ما هستند.

Philosophers seek epistemological justification for our beliefs.

Academic vocabulary 'ma'refat-shenākhti'.

این گزارش به توجیه فنی و اقتصادی طرح می‌پردازد.

This report deals with the technical and economic justification of the plan.

Verb 'pardākhtan' (to deal with/address).

او با سفسطه سعی در توجیه اقدامات غیرقانونی خود داشت.

He tried to justify his illegal actions with sophistry.

Use of 'safsateh' (sophistry).

توجیه عقلانی اعمال، بخشی از ماهیت انسان است.

Rational justification of actions is part of human nature.

Abstract philosophical subject.

او هرگز نتوانست خیانت خود را برای همسرش توجیه کند.

He could never justify his betrayal to his wife.

Negative potential in the past.

ایدئولوژی‌ها اغلب برای توجیه نابرابری‌های اجتماعی به کار می‌روند.

Ideologies are often used to justify social inequalities.

Passive voice with 'be kār raftan'.

او با مهارتی مثال‌زدنی، تناقضات گفتارش را توجیه کرد.

With exemplary skill, he justified the contradictions in his speech.

Complex noun phrase 'tanāqozāt-e goftār'.

این سند برای توجیه هزینه‌های اضافی به دادگاه ارائه شد.

This document was presented to the court to justify additional costs.

Purpose clause with 'barāye'.

ساختار قدرت نیازمند سازوکارهایی برای توجیه مشروعیت خویش است.

The power structure requires mechanisms to justify its own legitimacy.

High-level political science terms.

در این جستار، به توجیه اخلاقیِ مجازات اعدام پرداخته می‌شود.

In this essay, the moral justification of the death penalty is addressed.

Passive construction in academic writing.

او با استناد به متون کهن، سنت‌های منسوخ را توجیه می‌کرد.

By citing ancient texts, he justified obsolete traditions.

Participle 'bā estenād be'.

توجیه معرفتی، یکی از ارکان اصلی در نظریه صدق است.

Epistemic justification is one of the main pillars in the theory of truth.

Technical philosophical terminology.

نظام‌های توتالیتر از پروپاگاندا برای توجیه سرکوب استفاده می‌کنند.

Totalitarian regimes use propaganda to justify repression.

Political analysis vocabulary.

او در پی توجیهی وجودشناختی برای رنج‌های بشری بود.

He was in search of an ontological justification for human suffering.

Usage of 'vojud-shenākhti'.

تبیین علمی پدیده‌ها با توجیه کلامی آن‌ها تفاوت ماهوی دارد.

The scientific explanation of phenomena differs essentially from their theological justification.

Comparison of 'tabyin' and 'towjih'.

این رویکرد، راه را برای توجیه هرگونه بی‌اخلاقی هموار می‌کند.

This approach paves the way for the justification of any kind of immorality.

Idiomatic expression 'rāh rā hamvār kardan'.

Common Collocations

توجیه اقتصادی

توجیه منطقی

توجیه اخلاقی

توجیه فنی

توجیه عقلانی

توجیه دینی

گزارش توجیهی

توجیه ناپذیر

توجیه معرفتی

توجیه قانونی

Common Phrases

خود را توجیه کردن

— To rationalize one's own actions to oneself.

او مدام خودش را توجیه می‌کند.

توجیه کردن اشتباه

— To make excuses for a mistake.

اشتباهت را توجیه نکن، معذرت‌خواهی کن.

توجیه کردن غیبت

— To justify an absence.

او نتوانست غیبتش را توجیه کند.

توجیه کردن شکست

— To rationalize a failure.

تیم مربی سعی کرد شکست را توجیه کند.

توجیه کردن هزینه‌ها

— To justify expenses.

باید تمام این هزینه‌ها را توجیه کنی.

توجیه کردن رفتار

— To justify behavior.

رفتار او قابل توجیه نیست.

توجیه کردن سیاست‌ها

— To justify policies.

دولت در حال توجیه سیاست‌های جدید است.

توجیه کردن قتل

— To justify a killing (legal/moral context).

هیچ چیز قتل را توجیه نمی‌کند.

توجیه کردن باورها

— To justify beliefs.

چگونه باورهای خود را توجیه می‌کنید؟

توجیه کردن حضور

— To justify presence.

او حضورش را در آنجا توجیه کرد.

Often Confused With

توجیه کردن vs توضیح دادن

Tozih means explain (neutral), Towjih means justify (defensive).

توجیه کردن vs توجه کردن

Tavajjoh means to pay attention. Similar root, different meaning.

توجیه کردن vs توجیه شدن

The passive form. Don't use 'kardan' when you mean 'to be justified'.

Idioms & Expressions

"کلاه شرعی درست کردن"

— To find a religious or legal loophole to justify something wrong.

او برای ربا خواری، کلاه شرعی درست کرد.

Informal/Critical

"آسمان و ریسمان را به هم بافتن"

— To talk nonsense or connect unrelated things to justify something.

برای توجیه دیر آمدنش آسمان و ریسمان را به هم بافت.

Informal

"عذر بدتر از گناه"

— An excuse that is worse than the original fault (often used when a justification fails).

توجیه او عذر بدتر از گناه بود.

General

"خود را به کوچه علی‌چپ زدن"

— To pretend to be ignorant to avoid justifying oneself.

وقتی از او سوال کردم، خودش را به کوچه علی‌چپ زد.

Informal

"روی خود را سفید کردن"

— To try to clear one's name or justify one's honor.

او سعی کرد با این کار رویش را سفید کند.

Literary

"زبان‌بازی کردن"

— To use clever talk to justify or deceive.

با زبان‌بازی نمی‌توانی کارهایت را توجیه کنی.

Informal

"بهانه دست کسی دادن"

— To give someone an excuse/justification to do something.

با این کار، بهانه دست دشمن دادی.

General

"سرپوش گذاشتن"

— To cover up something (often by justifying it).

آن‌ها سعی کردند روی دزدی سرپوش بگذارند.

General

"حق به جانب گرفتن"

— To adopt a righteous tone to justify oneself.

قیافه حق به جانب به خودش گرفت.

Informal

"دلیل تراشی کردن"

— To constantly manufacture reasons or justifications.

او در دلیل تراشی استاد است.

Informal

Easily Confused

توجیه کردن vs توضیح

Similar sound and both involve verbalizing reasons.

Tozih is for clarity; Towjih is for validation.

توضیح دادم که ساعت چند است، اما توجیه نکردم چرا دیر آمدم.

توجیه کردن vs توجیهی

It's the adjective form.

Used for reports or specific types of justifications.

گزارش توجیهی را خواندی؟

توجیه کردن vs موجّه

It's the adjective 'justified'.

Use this to describe a reason, not the action.

دلیل او موجّه بود.

توجیه کردن vs توشیح

Very similar spelling (toushih).

Toushih means to sign or endorse (very formal).

پادشاه فرمان را توشیح کرد.

توجیه کردن vs تجمع

Visual similarity in script for beginners.

Tajammo' means gathering/assembly.

تجمع مردم در میدان.

Sentence Patterns

من [Object] را توجیه کردم.

من غیبتم را توجیه کردم.

او سعی دارد [Object] را توجیه کند.

او سعی دارد هزینه‌ها را توجیه کند.

این کار به هیچ وجه توجیه نمی‌شود.

این رفتار زشت توجیه نمی‌شود.

توجیهِ [Noun] دشوار است.

توجیهِ این سیاست دشوار است.

با استناد به [Source]، می‌توان [Object] را توجیه کرد.

با استناد به قانون، می‌توان این عمل را توجیه کرد.

آیا [Subject] توجیه دارد؟

آیا این خرید توجیه دارد؟

[Subject] یک توجیهِ منطقی آورد.

او یک توجیهِ منطقی آورد.

نباید [Object] را توجیه کنی.

نباید دروغت را توجیه کنی.

Word Family

Nouns

توجیه (justification)

توجیهات (justifications)

توجیه کننده (justifier)

توجیه گری (the act of making excuses)

Verbs

توجیه کردن (to justify)

توجیه شدن (to be justified)

مواجه شدن (to face - related root)

Adjectives

موجّه (justified/acceptable)

ناموجّه (unjustified)

توجیهی (justificatory/feasibility)

توجیه پذیر (justifiable)

وجه (face/aspect)

وجهه (prestige)

وجه تسمیه (reason for naming)

جهت (direction)

توجه (attention)

How to Use It

frequency

Very common in media, business, and arguments.

Common Mistakes

Using 'towjih' instead of 'tozih' for directions. → لطفاً آدرس را توضیح دهید.
You don't justify an address; you explain it.
Missing 'rā' with the object. → او اشتباهش را توجیه کرد.
The object of justification needs the direct object marker.
Saying 'man towjih shodam' to mean 'I explained'. → من توجیه کردم.
Towjih shodan means 'to be justified' or 'to be oriented'.
Spelling it as 'توجی'. → توجیه
The final 'h' is essential in the spelling.
Using 'towjih kardan' for 'to prove'. → ثابت کردن
Justifying is giving reasons; proving is providing absolute evidence.

Tips

The 'Face' Connection

Remember that 'towjih' is about giving a 'face' (wajh) to your actions. You want your actions to have a 'good face'.

Business Context

If you work in Iran, learn 'توجیه اقتصادی'. It is the most common professional use of the word.

Compound Verb Rule

Only the 'kardan' part changes. The 'towjih' part stays exactly the same in all tenses.

Avoid Accusations

Be careful saying 'داری توجیه می‌کنی' to a friend; it can be seen as calling them a liar.

Sound Differentiation

Practice hearing the difference between 'towjih' and 'tozih'. Tozih is neutral; Towjih is defensive.

Philosophy

In philosophy, 'towjih' is used for 'justification of belief'. It's a very high-level word.

Antonyms

Learn 'mah-kum kardan' (to condemn) as the opposite of 'towjih kardan'.

Formal reports

When writing a business proposal, use 'گزارش توجیهی' as your title.

Social Face

Understand that 'towjih' is often about protecting 'āberu' (prestige).

Tone Matters

Your tone of voice determines if 'towjih' sounds like a logical defense or a weak excuse.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Tow-Jih' as 'To-Jeep'. Imagine you have to justify to your parents why you bought an expensive Jeep. 'I bought a Jeep, now I must Tow-Jih it!'

Visual Association

Imagine a diamond with many faces (wajh). To justify is to turn the diamond to the 'best' face so everyone likes it.

Word Web

Logic Excuse Reason Face Direction Defense Argument Policy

Challenge

Write three sentences justifying why you didn't study Persian yesterday using 'توجیه کردن'.

Word Origin

The word 'towjih' is the second infinitive form (Bāb Taf'īl) of the Arabic root 'W-J-H' (و-ج-ه).

Original meaning: In Arabic, 'towjih' means 'to direct', 'to point something in a direction', or 'to give a face (wajh) to something'.

Semitic root (Arabic) integrated into Indo-European (Persian) grammar.

Cultural Context

Avoid accusing someone of 'towjih kardan' directly in a polite setting, as it implies they are making excuses.

In English, 'justifying' can sound a bit defensive or negative. In Persian, it's the same, but in business, 'towjih-e eqtesādi' is a very positive, necessary technical term.

Used in the works of Abdolkarim Soroush regarding religious justification. Common in Iranian legal statutes. Frequently heard in 'A Separation' (Asghar Farhadi) as characters justify their moral choices.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Business

توجیه اقتصادی
گزارش توجیهی
توجیه هزینه‌ها
عدم توجیه فنی

Personal Relationships

توجیه رفتار
توجیه کردن خود
دلیل تراشی
توجیه الکی

Legal/Politics

توجیه قانونی
توجیه سیاست‌ها
توجیه اقدامات
توجیه مشروعیت

Psychology

توجیه درونی
مکانیسم توجیه
توجیه عقلانی
توجیه ناخودآگاه

Academic

توجیه نظریه
توجیه معرفتی
توجیه روش‌شناختی
توجیه فرضیه

Conversation Starters

"چطور می‌توانی این تصمیم را توجیه کنی؟ (How can you justify this decision?)"

"آیا به نظر تو این هزینه‌ها توجیه دارند؟ (Do you think these costs are justified?)"

"او همیشه سعی می‌کند اشتباهاتش را توجیه کند، نظر تو چیست؟ (He always tries to justify his mistakes, what's your opinion?)"

"چرا دولت این سیاست را توجیه نمی‌کند؟ (Why doesn't the government justify this policy?)"

"بهترین توجیه برای غیبت در کلاس چیست؟ (What is the best justification for being absent from class?)"

Journal Prompts

زمانی را بنویسید که مجبور شدید یک اشتباه بزرگ را توجیه کنید. (Write about a time you had to justify a big mistake.)

آیا فکر می‌کنید توجیه کردن همیشه کار بدی است؟ چرا؟ (Do you think justifying is always a bad thing? Why?)

توجیه اقتصادی زندگی در یک شهر بزرگ چیست؟ (What is the economic justification for living in a big city?)

چگونه می‌توانیم بین توضیح دادن و توجیه کردن فرق بگذاریم؟ (How can we distinguish between explaining and justifying?)

یک گزارش توجیهی کوتاه برای خرید یک ماشین جدید بنویسید. (Write a short justification report for buying a new car.)

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, it is not always negative. In business and technical fields, 'توجیه اقتصادی' (economic justification) is a standard and necessary requirement for any project. However, in social contexts, it can imply making excuses.

'Dalil' is simply a 'reason'. 'Towjih' is the 'act of providing reasons' to make something acceptable. You use 'dalil' to perform a 'towjih'.

Yes, in some organizational and military contexts, 'توجیه کردن' means to brief or orient someone so they understand the situation or 'direction' (wajh).

You can say 'توجیه ناپذیر' (towjih nā-pazir) or 'غیرقابل توجیه' (gheyr-e qābel-e towjih).

Yes, 'توجیه گر' (towjih-gar) is used, often pejoratively.

Yes, if you are justifying a specific thing (the object), you must use 'rā'. For example: 'اشتباهش را توجیه کرد'.

It is a feasibility study or a justification report used in business and banking to prove a project is worth the investment.

Yes, it is the exact term used for the defense mechanism of rationalization.

The Arabic root W-J-H, meaning face, side, or direction.

Yes, people say 'توجیه نکن' (don't make excuses) very frequently during arguments.