# Dari/Persian: -jan



## Setwale_Charm

Salaam!!
What category of people do you address attaching -jan to their name? And is it only ever attached to the first name?


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## Alijsh

It is used among friends and relatives. No, it can also attach to one's last name e.g. I can call a colleague as "Ahmadi jân".


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## Setwale_Charm

So, no way you can use it to a colleague or somebody who is not a good acquaintance of yours?


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## Alijsh

Not normally, especially for one of the opposite sex.


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## Setwale_Charm

So how do you address people in a more formal setting?


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## Alijsh

Use *Âghâ-ye* for men and *Khânom-e* for women e.g. *Âghâye/**Khânome Ahmadi*. You can also add *aziz* to it i.e. *Âghâye/**Khânome Ahmadi-ye Aziz* but regarding one of the opposite sex, it'd better not to use *aziz* and just say *Âghâye/**Khânome Ahmadi*.


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## Setwale_Charm

Is it OK with first names?


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## Alijsh

To respect (and to be polite towards) a friend, a relative or one you know well (e.g. a shopkeeper whom you are a regular customer) you can use âghâ and khânom with their first name e.g. Ali âghâ, Ahmad âghâ, Maryam khânom


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## Kurdistanish

Setwale_Charm said:


> Salaam!!
> What category of people do you address attaching -jan to their name? And is it only ever attached to the first name?


 
Va alaykom assalaam! 

Well the ending "jaan" exactly means "soul"/"ability to live" (~also the word "jaanevar" in meaning of "animal"/"creature" < Old Iranian "viana-bhere"). It might be attached to any kind of name! I could ever translate it "dear"/"sweetie"/"darling". e.g. "ali jaan" ~ "dear ali".

The word exactly is derived from Old Iranian "viyana-*"~"soul/spirit" > Parthian "giyan"~"soul/spirit" > Kurdish "giyan" and Persian "jaan". Also in Kurdish we use the same : "dayke giyan" ~ "dear mom", "role giyan" ~ "dear son", "Ako giyan" ~ "dear Ako", etc.

regards


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## Setwale_Charm

Thank you. I knew about -agha-/xanom- but was recently confused by reading a novel where everybody seems to address each other and people of little acquaintance with -jan, and only servants or those belonging to a lower social status address their masters/superiors with -agha-.


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## Setwale_Charm

And how would you address a young woman? In other words, I am not at all sure about referring to some 'a nice young lady' - as 'doxtar-e xub'....


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## Alijsh

As I said, the common and safest way is to use *xânom* e.g. *Setwale xânom*. You can also use it alone and say *Xânom* e.g. *Xânom, bebaxšid*... (Excuse me, Madam...). There are *doxtar xânom*, *doxtar-e xub* and even *doxtar jân* but their usage is specific. 

EDIT

By the way, in spoken Iranian Persian, *xânom* is pronounced *xânum*.


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## panjabigator

What are some other pronunciations of this word?  Do people ever say <jo> for <jaan>?


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## arsham

panjabigator said:


> What are some other pronunciations of this word?  Do people ever say <jo> for <jaan>?



juun is the other alternative in a very informal context.

there's also jo in the regional dailects.


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## something

Kurdistanish said:


> Va alaykom assalaam!
> 
> Well the ending "jaan" exactly means "soul"/"ability to live" (~also the word "jaanevar" in meaning of "animal"/"creature" < Old Iranian "viana-bhere"). It might be attached to any kind of name! I could ever translate it "dear"/"sweetie"/"darling". e.g. "ali jaan" ~ "dear ali".
> 
> The word exactly is derived from Old Iranian "viyana-*"~"soul/spirit" > Parthian "giyan"~"soul/spirit" > Kurdish "giyan" and Persian "jaan". Also in Kurdish we use the same : "dayke giyan" ~ "dear mom", "role giyan" ~ "dear son", "Ako giyan" ~ "dear Ako", etc.
> 
> regards


 

I though for animal/creature it was Khaywan/Haywan don't know if its with a kh or h.


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## Faylasoof

In Persian, Dari (some dialects at least) and Urdu we use both:

_جانوَر__  jaanwar_
_حَیوان__  Haywaan_


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