# Persian: Cognates, Similarities and Roots with other IE Langs



## arashmordad

Hello guys. I was researching cognates, similarities, and *PIE with Farsi/Parsi (Persian) and other Indo-European Languages. This is what I got so far. Does anyone know of anymore and can help me out? (Oh, and if I get any words wrong please don't hesitate to fix me) thanx. 

Farsi  ..... Other Indo-European languages

*æst, est (to be, is)* = English _is_; German_ ist_; Spanish_ esta,es_; Latin _est_; etc.

*madær (mother)* = Eng. _mother_; Dutch _moeder_; Sp. _madre_; Grm. _Mutter_; Lat. _mater_; Greek _meter_; Hindi _matri_; PIE _mater_

*pedær (father)* = Sp. _padre_; Lat. _pater_; Grk. pateras; PIE _pater_
*
bæradær, bradær (brother)* = Eng. _brother_; Du. _broeder_; Grm. _Bruder_; Phrygian _brater_; Latvian _bralis_; Armenian _eghbayr_; Hindi _bhrata_; PIE _bhratar_

*dokhtær (daughter, girl)* = Eng. _daughter_; Du. _dochter_; Grm. _Tochter_; Lithuanian _dukte,dukterine_; PIE _dugheter_

*næ, ne (no)* = Hind. _næ_; Eng. _no_; Sp./It. _no_; Lith. _ne_; Fr. _non_; Du. _nee_

*ne-/næ- (prefix to make verb negative)* = Lith. _ne-_ (prefix to make verb negative)

*nist (not)* = Grm. _nicht_; Pol. _nie_

*to, tu (you)* = Sp./It./Fr. _tu_; Lith./Latv. _tu_; Grm. _du_; Irish _tú_; Faroese _tú_; Eng _thou_; Arm. _dow_; PIE _tū̆_ etc.

*mæn (i,me,mine)* = Eng. _me,mine_; Lith./Latv. _man_; Grm _meine_; Sp. _me_; etc.

*nam (name)* = Eng. _name_; Du. _naam_; Grk. _onoma_; Fr. _nom_; It. _nome_; Sp. _nombre_; PIE _h'nomn_

*no, nu, nau, nava, novin (new)* = Eng. _new_; Du. _nieuw_; Grm. _neu_; Fr. _nouveau_; Sp. _nuevo_; Hin. _navina_; Lith. _naujas_; Irish _nua_; Pol. _nowy_; Rus. _novyj_; Grk _neos_; Lat. _novus_; Arm. _nor_

*setare, ester (star)* = Hin. _sitara_; Eng. _star_; Grk. _asteri_; Du. _ster_; PIE _h'ster_

*jævan (young)* = Sp. _joven_; Lith. _jaunas_; Fr. _juene_; It. _giovane_

*morde (dead, death)* = It. _morte,morto_; Sp. _muerte_; Fr. _mort_; Lat. _mortuus_; Pol. _martwy_; Rus. _mertvy_; Hin. _mrita_

*dadæn (to give)* = Sp. _dar_; It. _dare_; Grk _dino_; Anct. Grk. _dido_; Pol. _dawać_; Ru. _davat_; Bosn. _dati_; Latv. _dot_; PIE _do-_

*porsesh, porseju (question)* = Ru. _prosit_ (to ask),_vopros_ (question); Sp. _pregunta_; Grk. _parakalo_ (ask); PIE _prs,presk-_ (question)

*pendar (think, thought)* = Eng. _ponder_; Sp _pensar_ 

*æz, ze, z (from)* = Grm _aus_; Rus. _iz_; Pol. _z_

*derækht (tree)* = Lat. _drus_; Ru. _derevo_; Pol _drzewo_; PIE _dero,doru,dru_

*gærm (warm)* = Phryg./Illyrian _germe_; Hin. _garma_; Arm. _jerm_; Grk. _thermos_; PIE _gwher-_

*mush (mouse)* = Eng. _mouse_, PIE _mus_

*khers (bear)* = Grk _ursus_; PIE _hrtkos,bher_; PIE _k̑er(s)-_ (bristle,stiff hair)

*gav, gau (cow)* = Eng. _cow_; PIE _gwous_

*kerm (worm)* = Sanskrit _krmi_; PIE _krmis_

*murcheh (ant)* = Grk. _murmos_; PIE _mouro_

*zanu (knee)* = Fr. _genou_; Lat. _genu_; Anct Grk. _gonu_; PIE _genu_

*naf (navel)* = Eng. _navel_; Skt. _nabhi-_; PIE _h'nobh_

*dændan (tooth)* = Eng. _dentist_; Grk. _odon/donti_; Lith. _dentis_; Sp. _dientes_; Lat. _dens_; PIE _h'dont_

*gush (ear)* = Grk. _ous_; PIE _hous_

*æbru (eyebrow) *= Eng. _brow/eyebrow_; Grk _ophrus_; PIE _bhruh_

*pa (foot)* = Sp. _pie_; Fr. _pied_; It. _piede_; Latv. _peda_; Rus. _pjata_; PIE _pods_

*kul, kule (back, something to put on back) *= Lat. _culus_ (back); PIE _kuhlos_ (back)

*pestan (nipple) *= PIE _pstenos_ (nipple)

*ab, ap, ava, aua (water)* = Lat. _aqua_; Sp. _agua_; Grk _apopatos_ (water closet); PIE _ab-_

*atæsh, azær, azer (fire)* = Latin _ater,ignis_; PIE _āt(e)r-_

*mah (moon)* = Eng. _moon_; PIE _meh'not/mens_

*ki (who)* = It. _chi _[pro._ ki_]; Sp. _quien_ [pro. _kien_]

*che (what)* = It. _che_ [pro. _ke_]; Sp. _que_ [pro. _ke_]

*dær (door)* = Eng. _door_; PIE _dhwor-_

*sepas (thanks)* = Rus. _spasiba_

*zæn, zen, jhæn (woman/wife)* = Bosn. _zena_; Rus. _zhena_ (wife)

*bærbær (barbarian)* = Eng. _barbarian_; Ltn. _barbarus_; Anct. Grk. _barbaros_; Skt. _barbara-_

*zæmin/zemin (Earth), Zeme (ancient Iranic god of the Earth)* = Pol. _Ziemiia_; Rus. _Zemlja_; Lith. _žemė_; Latv. _Zeme_

*zende (alive), zendegi (life), Anct. Pers. jiva (life)* = Pol. _Żywy_ (alive); Latv. _dzīve_(life)

*læb (lip)* = Eng. _lip_; PIE _lē̆b-,lō̆b-,lāb-,leb-_

*meydan (city/park square or center)* = Engl. _middle_; Sp. _medio _(middle); PIE _medhi-, medhi̯o-_ (middle)

*domb (tail)* = PIE _dumb-_

*chane (chin) *= Eng. _chin_

*bæd (bad)* = Eng. _bad_


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## anikka

Although it may bo of no help, there are some more in Latvian:
e.g.:
mother - māte
no - nē
no (negative) - ne
young - jauns
dead - miris
cow - govs
navel - naba
kule is sack, bag in latvian


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## arashmordad

^^ thank you, all the help I can get is great
"_kule_" can also be used for "backpack" in Persian sometimes.


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## Frank06

Hi,


arashmordad said:


> *bæd (bad)* = Eng. _bad_


English/Persian 'bad' is one of the textbook cases of chance similarities. 
Persian 'bad' goes back to the Middle Persian form 'wat' (vat). The similarity with English 'bad' is purely coincidential, hence Persian bad and English bad are not cognates.

Frank


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## arashmordad

^^ I know, hence why I also stated "similarities". I think that is known as a "false cognate."  But thanks for the info, not everyone knows about that.


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## arsham

I don't think the cognates you've listed for pendaar and nist should be taken seriously. nist is a contraction of ne + ast and pendaar is the present stem of pendaastan which results from the collapse of the phrasal Middle Persian verb pad ed dashtan. In addition, one may find similarities between any two languages!


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## arashmordad

Really? I actually thought that it was written *نیست* (you have to excuse me, I did'nt grow up writing Farsi).


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## arsham

arashmordad said:


> Really? I actually thought that it was written *نیست* (you have to excuse me, I did'nt grow up writing farsi).


The spelling is correct, but it used to be pronounced with a long e the same way shir (lion) was articulated. (N.B. in Middle Persian na was pronounced ne with long e)


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## arashmordad

Oh I see thank you. It is like the original pronunciation of *ایران* (Iran) was actualy "EYran" instead of "EEran".

another cognate maybe:
*baga, bog, boq (old way of saying God or Divinity)* = Slavic lang. _bog_


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## Shompola

Persian, beh, behtar, behtarin
English, good, better best

Coincidence?


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## todosmentira

Interesting to compare with Albanian, actually two of my students in my English class, an Albanian and an Iranian sitting together found many words the same or similar, although I believe a lot of them came to Albanian as loan words via the Ottoman (Osmani) administration,rather than shared pIE roots.

porsesh, porseju (question) = Ru. prosit (to ask),vopros (question); Sp. pregunta; Grk. parakalo (ask); PIE prs,presk- (question)

Alb. - porosis (to order)

derækht (tree) = Lat. drus; Ru. derevo; Pol drzewo; PIE dero,doru,dru

Alb. - dru (tree)

mush (mouse) = Eng. mouse, PIE mus

Alb. miu (mouse)

kerm (worm) = Sanskrit krmi; PIE krmis

Alb.  krimb  (worm)

zanu (knee) = Fr. genou; Lat. genu; Anct Grk. gonu; PIE genu

Alb. gju (knee)

gav, gau (cow) = Eng. cow; PIE gwous

Alb. ka (ox)


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## arashmordad

another similarity between albanian and farsi

Farsi.........         Alb.
*ku? (where?)* = ku? (_where?_)


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## HUMBERT0

arashmordad said:


> ^^ thank you, all the help I can get is great
> "_kule_" can also be used for "backpack" in Persian sometimes.


En español "culo" significa "trasero/nalgas"
In Spanish "culo" means "butt/ass"

Pero también tenemos "culata" la parte trasera, hablando de un arma "le salió el tiro por la culata"
But we also have "*culata*" the back area, backend, talking about a gun "the shot came out the *back* (it backfired)"


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## Subhash Kumar

mush (mouse) = Sanskrit mooshak
zanu (knee) = Sanskrit jaanu
gav, gau (cow) = Sanskrit go, gau
dær (door) = Sanskrit dwaar
zende (alive), zendegi (life), Anct. Pers. jiva (life) = Sanskrit jeevan (life), jeevit (alive), jeev (living being)


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## Orion7

æst, est (to be, is) = _esmu, esi, esam, esat_ 'I am, thou art, we are, you are'
madær (mother) = _māte; madara_ 'bedstraw'
pedær (father) = _papus_ 'papa'
bæradær, bradær (brother) = _brālis, brātaris_
næ, ne (no) = _ne, nē, ne'e, nep_
ne-/næ- (prefix to make verb negative) = _ne-_
to, tu (you) = _tu_
mæn (i,me,mine) = _mans, man, manim, manī_
no, nu, nau, nava, novin (new) = _nauns, nauna_
setare, ester (star) = _stars_ 'beem'
jævan (young) = _jauns_
morde (dead, death) = _mirt, mirdināt, mērdēt_ 'to die, to make die'; _smirdēt_ 'to stink'; _smārds_ 'smell'
dadæn (to give) = _dot [duot], dod [duod], dāvāt, dāstīt, dāsns_
porsesh, porseju (question) = _prasīt, prašņāt_
æz, ze, z (from) = _iz, iz-_
derækht (tree) = _darva_ 'pitch, tar'
gærm (warm) = _garme_
gav, gau (cow) = _govs [guovs]_
kerm (worm) = _ķirmis, cērme; kurmis_ 'mole'
naf (navel) = _naba_
gush (ear) = _auss_
pa (foot) = _pēda, pēds_
ab, ap, ava, aua (water) = _aka_ '(watter) well', _avots_ '(watter) spring'; (river ending) _-ava_, like _Daugava, Abava, Vircava_.
atæsh, azær, azer (fire) = _ātrs_ 'quick'
mah (moon) = _mēness; mēnesis_ 'month'
che (what) = _kas, kā_
dær (door) = _durvis, duravas_
zæmin/zemin (Earth), Zeme (ancient Iranic god of the Earth) = _zeme, Zeme_
zende (alive), zendegi (life), Anct. Pers. jiva (life) = _dzīve, dzīvata; dzīvs_
læb (lip) = _lūpa_
meydan (city/park square or center) = _mežs < *medjas_ 'wood'
bæd (bad) = _bēda_ 'sorrow, care'


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## mercury62

Some Persian Words Common With Other Indoeuropean Languages ( Cognate Words 


KISS , persian boosse , spanish beso , french baiser , italian bacio ,  lithuanian bucinys /  THUNDER , persian tondar , german donner / KNEE , persian zanu , hindi janu , french genou / BREAST , persian sineh , italian seno , french sein / CRY , persian geryeh , swedish grata , french cri , german schrei /  SHAME , persian sharm , german scham , swedish scam / TYPHOON , persian toophan / rain persian baran / THROAT , persian galoo , italian gola , hindi gela , slovenian grlo , polish gardlo , croatian grlo  / BALD , persian kal , italian calvo , german kahl , dutch kaal , catalan calb , finnish kalju , spanish calvo / CORPSE , persian lasheh , german leiche , hindi lash / ON FOOT , persian piadeh , french a pied , italian a piedi / ENOUGH , persian bass , italian spanish basta / GOOSE , persian ghaaz , danish gas , swedish gas , spanish ganso , slovenian gos /  LICK , persian liss , polish lizac , slovenian lizati / MORGUE , persian marg = death /  DEAD , persian mordeh , french mort , italian morto / JACKAL , persian shaghal , finnish sakaali , french chacal , italian sciacallo , swedish schakal / THAT ,  persian ke , french que , italian che , hindi ki /  WHO , persian ki , french qui , italian che /  WHAT , persian che or che chizi , italian che cosa  /  MOTHER persian madar , italian madre , spanish madre , french mere , swedish mor , slovenian mati  /  FATHER , persian pedar , italian padre , german vater , dutch vader  /  DAUGHTER , persian dokhtar , german tochter , dutch dochter , danish datter /  TOOTH , persian dandan , italian dente , french dent , lithuanian dantis / TWO , persian do , spanish dos , italian duo , lithuanian du , hindi do , french deux / FIVE , persian panj , hindi panch , greek penta / SIX , persian shish or shesh / EIGHT , persian hasht , german acht , irish ocht , hindi aat / NINE , persian noh , italian nove ,  hindi no , french neuf , german neun , irish naoi , swedish nio / NEW , persian no , german neu , italian nuovo , hindi neya , irish nua , norvegian nye , romanian nou / NO , persian nah , romanian nu , lithuanian ne / PONDER , persian pendar / INTER , persian andar , dutch onder , german unter / STAR , persian setareh , dutch ster , italian stella , german stern / IS , persian ast , german ist , french est , spanish es / BROTHER , persian baradar , german bruder / NOT , persian nist , german nicht / YOU or THOU , persian to , italian tu , slovenian ti , german du , hindi to / NAME , persian naam , german name , hindi naam , italian nome , french nom / MOUSE , persian mush , italian mouse (pronounced mu - ze ) , dutch muis , croatian mish / WATER , persian aab , in rural persian "o" ,  french eau / CHIN , persian chaaneh / DOOR , persian dar , dutch deur / YOUNG , persian javan , italian giovani , french jeune / EARTH , persian zamin or zemin , russian zimliah / COW , persian gav , sanskrit go or gau /  YOKE , persian yough , german joch / DEVIL , persian div , italian diavolo / STAND , persian istadan , lithuanian stendas / NAVEL , persian naf , icelandic nafla , estonian naba , finnish napa , german nabel /  NAVE , persian nav , italian navata , french nef  / LIP , persian lab , spanish labio , italian labbro , portoguese labio /


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## mercury62

Adding two more words to my last some 50 words :
STATE , persian : ostan , polish : stan , croatian : stanje , icelandic : astand  
SISTER , persian : khahar (  but written khwahar ) and in rural persian pronounced khwaer , welsh : chwaer (literally pronounced khwaer )...to listen to the audio of chwaer, google for  " wales/learnwelsh/welsh " then search there for word sister and then use " Click here for non embedded player "....by the way you can corroborate most of those 52 words translations by using google translate


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