The Persian word از (az) corresponds to the English preposition "from" and is one of the most frequently used words in the Persian language. This versatile preposition indicates origin, source, separation, or starting point in both physical and abstract contexts.
Definition: از (az) is a preposition meaning "from," indicating: -
Point of origin or departure -
Source or cause -
Material composition -
Time starting point -
Comparison or distinction
Q: What does از (az) mean in Persian? A: از (az) is the Persian equivalent of the English preposition "from." It indicates origin, source, separation, or starting point. It can be used with places (from Tehran), times (from morning), people (from my friend), and abstract concepts (from happiness).
In this lesson, you'll encounter از in various contexts showing its versatility. The examples progress from simple physical origins to more complex abstract uses, helping you understand how Persian speakers conceptualize relationships of origin and separation.
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Subject: Persian Language Learning -
Level: Beginner to Intermediate -
Focus: Preposition از (az) -
Target Audience: English-speaking autodidacts -
Learning Objectives: Master the use of از in various contexts
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از (az) is always written separately from the word that follows -
Unlike English, از can combine with other prepositions to create compound meanings -
از appears in many idiomatic expressions that don't directly translate to English -
The pronunciation is a simple "az" with a short 'a' sound -
از is essential for expressing origin, source, and separation in Persian
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30.1 I من (man) came آمدم (āmadam) from از (az) the - school مدرسه (madrese) early زود (zud) today امروز (emruz)
30.2 She او (u) received دریافت کرد (daryāft kard) a یک (yek) letter نامه (nāme) from از (az) her - friend دوستش (dust-ash)
30.3 The - train قطار (qatār) departs حرکت میکند (harekat mikonad) from از (az) Tehran تهران (Tehrān) at در (dar) eight هشت (hasht) o'clock ساعت (sā'at)
30.4 This این (in) carpet فرش (farsh) is است (ast) from از (az) Isfahan اصفهان (Esfahān)
30.5 From از (az) morning صبح (sobh) until تا (tā) night شب (shab) he او (u) works کار میکند (kār mikonad)
30.6 The - children بچهها (bache-hā) ran دویدند (davidand) away - from از (az) the - dog سگ (sag)
30.7 I من (man) learned یاد گرفتم (yād gereftam) Persian فارسی (Fārsi) from از (az) my - grandmother مادربزرگم (mādar-bozorg-am)
30.8 Water آب (āb) flows جاری میشود (jāri mishavad) from از (az) the - mountain کوه (kuh) to به (be) the - valley دره (darre)
30.9 She او (u) translated ترجمه کرد (tarjome kard) the - poem شعر (she'r) from از (az) Persian فارسی (Fārsi) to به (be) English انگلیسی (Engelisi)
30.10 From از (az) among میان (miyān) all همه (hame) the - students دانشآموزان (dānesh-āmuzān) he او (u) is است (ast) the - best بهترین (behtarin)
30.11 The - news خبر (khabar) spread پخش شد (pakhsh shod) from از (az) person نفر (nafar) to به (be) person نفر (nafar)
30.12 He او (u) borrowed قرض گرفت (qarz gereft) money پول (pul) from از (az) the - bank بانک (bānk)
30.13 From از (az) here اینجا (injā) to تا (tā) there آنجا (ānjā) is است (ast) two دو (do) kilometers کیلومتر (kilomet'r)
30.14 Many بسیاری (besyāri) from از (az) the - guests مهمانها (mehmān-hā) arrived رسیدند (residand) late دیر (dir)
30.15 I من (man) heard شنیدم (shenidam) this این (in) story داستان (dāstān) from از (az) my - father پدرم (pedar-am)
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30.1 من از مدرسه زود امروز آمدم. I came from school early today.
30.2 او یک نامه از دوستش دریافت کرد. She received a letter from her friend.
30.3 قطار از تهران در ساعت هشت حرکت میکند. The train departs from Tehran at eight o'clock.
30.4 این فرش از اصفهان است. This carpet is from Isfahan.
30.5 از صبح تا شب او کار میکند. From morning until night he works.
30.6 بچهها از سگ دویدند. The children ran away from the dog.
30.7 من فارسی از مادربزرگم یاد گرفتم. I learned Persian from my grandmother.
30.8 آب از کوه به دره جاری میشود. Water flows from the mountain to the valley.
30.9 او شعر از فارسی به انگلیسی ترجمه کرد. She translated the poem from Persian to English.
30.10 از میان همه دانشآموزان او بهترین است. From among all the students he is the best.
30.11 خبر از نفر به نفر پخش شد. The news spread from person to person.
30.12 او پول از بانک قرض گرفت. He borrowed money from the bank.
30.13 از اینجا تا آنجا دو کیلومتر است. From here to there is two kilometers.
30.14 بسیاری از مهمانها دیر رسیدند. Many from the guests arrived late.
30.15 من این داستان از پدرم شنیدم. I heard this story from my father.
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30.1 من از مدرسه زود امروز آمدم.
30.2 او یک نامه از دوستش دریافت کرد.
30.3 قطار از تهران در ساعت هشت حرکت میکند.
30.4 این فرش از اصفهان است.
30.5 از صبح تا شب او کار میکند.
30.6 بچهها از سگ دویدند.
30.7 من فارسی از مادربزرگم یاد گرفتم.
30.8 آب از کوه به دره جاری میشود.
30.9 او شعر از فارسی به انگلیسی ترجمه کرد.
30.10 از میان همه دانشآموزان او بهترین است.
30.11 خبر از نفر به نفر پخش شد.
30.12 او پول از بانک قرض گرفت.
30.13 از اینجا تا آنجا دو کیلومتر است.
30.14 بسیاری از مهمانها دیر رسیدند.
30.15 من این داستان از پدرم شنیدم.
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The Persian preposition از functions similarly to English "from" but has some unique characteristics that English speakers must understand.
Basic Usage: -
Physical Origin: از indicates the starting point of movement -
از خانه آمدم (az khāne āmadam) - I came from home -
Source or Cause: Shows the origin of something -
از ترس لرزید (az tars larzid) - He trembled from fear -
Material Composition: Indicates what something is made of -
از طلا ساخته شده (az talā sākhte shode) - Made from gold -
Time Starting Point: Marks the beginning of a time period -
از دیروز (az diruz) - from yesterday -
Partitive Use: Indicates "some of" or "from among" -
بعضی از مردم (ba'zi az mardom) - some of the people
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Word Order: English speakers often place از incorrectly. Remember it must come BEFORE the noun it governs. -
Incorrect: مدرسه از آمدم -
Correct: از مدرسه آمدم -
Overuse with Verbs: Some Persian verbs that translate as "from" in English don't need از -
فرار کردن (farār kardan) means "to flee from" but doesn't require از -
Correct: از دست او فرار کرد (fled from his hand) -
Compound Prepositions: از combines with other words to create new meanings -
از طرف (az taraf) - on behalf of -
از نظر (az nazar) - from the point of view of -
از روی (az ru-ye) - out of (emotion/reason)
Unlike English, Persian از: -
Cannot be placed at the end of a sentence (no stranded prepositions) -
Must be written as a separate word (never attached) -
Can begin a sentence more naturally than English "from" -
Combines with تا (tā) to mean "from...to"
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Identifying the Source: Ask "where/what is the origin?" -
Placement: Put از immediately before the source -
Compound Expressions: Learn common از combinations as units -
Idiomatic Uses: Some uses don't translate directly -
از بس (az bas) - because of so much -
از کجا (az kojā) - from where/how would I know
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Type: Simple preposition -
Position: Always precedes its object -
Writing: Always separate from following word -
Combines with: -
تا (tā) for "from...to" -
Other prepositions for compound meanings -
Common phrases: -
از این رو (az in ru) - therefore -
از آن جایی که (az ān jāyi ke) - since, because -
از بین رفتن (az beyn raftan) - to disappear
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The preposition از reflects deep cultural concepts in Persian society. Its use extends beyond simple physical origins to express complex social and emotional relationships.
Social Hierarchy and Respect: When Persians say از شما ممنونم (az shomā mamnunam - "I am grateful from you"), the use of از emphasizes the source of gratitude more strongly than the English "to you." This reflects the Persian cultural emphasis on acknowledging the source of good things in one's life.
Emotional Expression: Persians often use از to express emotions in ways that seem unusual to English speakers. For example, از دست تو (az dast-e to) literally means "from your hand" but expresses frustration with someone's actions. This indirect way of expressing negative emotions reflects Persian politeness culture.
Religious Context: In religious texts and prayers, از frequently appears in phrases like از خدا میخواهم (az khodā mikhāham - "I ask from God"), emphasizing the divine as the source of all blessings. This usage reinforces the cultural importance of recognizing sources of benefit.
Idiomatic Richness: Persian has numerous idioms using از that don't translate directly. از خود بیخود شدن (az khod bikhod shodan - "to become beside oneself from oneself") means to lose control with emotion. These expressions show how از helps create vivid, poetic meanings in everyday speech.
Regional Variations: In different regions of Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, the pronunciation and usage of از can vary slightly. Afghan Persian (Dari) speakers might use it in combinations that Iranian speakers find archaic, preserving older forms of the language.
For English speakers learning Persian, mastering از means understanding not just grammar but also Persian ways of conceptualizing relationships, origins, and causation.
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From the poetry of Hafez (14th century):
From از (az) the - garden باغ (bāgh) of - paradise بهشت (behesht) what چه (che) desire طلب (talab) do you have میکنی (mikoni) oh ای (ey) heart دل (del) / When که (ke) you تو (to) yourself خود (khod) are - from از (az) the - people اهل (ahl) of - this این (in) garden بوستان (bustān) / From از (az) this این (in) revolving گردان (gardān) dome گنبد (gonbad) expect توقع (tavaqqo') not مدار (madār) faithfulness وفا (vafā)
از باغ بهشت چه طلب میکنی ای دل که تو خود از اهل این بوستانی از این گنبد گردان توقع وفا مدار
"From the garden of paradise what do you desire, oh heart, When you yourself are from the people of this garden? From this revolving dome expect not faithfulness."
This excerpt from Hafez demonstrates the sophisticated use of از in classical Persian poetry. The poet uses از three times, each with increasing philosophical depth. The first usage (از باغ بهشت) indicates source in a questioning manner - what could one want "from" paradise? The second (از اهل) shows belonging or origin - you are already "from" the people of this garden. The third (از این گنبد گردان) warns against expecting loyalty "from" the revolving celestial dome, a metaphor for the changeable world.
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The first از introduces the source of desire (what do you want FROM paradise?) -
The second از indicates origin or belonging (you are FROM the people) -
The third از marks the source of expectation (expect not FROM this dome) -
Note how Persian word order differs from English, with the verb often coming at the end -
The poetic register allows some flexibility in word order for rhythm and rhyme
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30.16 Last گذشته (gozashte) year سال (sāl) I من (man) traveled سفر کردم (safar kardam) from از (az) London لندن (Landan) to به (be) Tehran تهران (Tehrān) for برای (barāye) the - first اولین (avalin) time بار (bār)
30.17 The - flight پرواز (parvāz) departed حرکت کرد (harekat kard) from از (az) Heathrow هیترو (Hitro) Airport فرودگاه (forudgāh) at در (dar) midnight نیمهشب (nime-shab)
30.18 From از (az) the - airplane هواپیما (havāpeymā) window پنجره (panjere) I من (man) could see میتوانستم ببینم (mitavānestam bebinam) the - lights چراغهای (cherāgh-hā-ye) of - cities شهرها (shahr-hā) below پایین (pāyin)
30.19 We ما (mā) flew پرواز کردیم (parvāz kardim) from از (az) over بالای (bālā-ye) Europe اروپا (Orupā) across از روی (az ru-ye) Turkey ترکیه (Torkiye) to به (be) Iran ایران (Irān)
30.20 Many بسیاری (besyāri) passengers مسافران (mosāferān) from از (az) different مختلف (mokhtalef) countries کشورها (keshvar-hā) were بودند (budand) on در (dar) the - flight پرواز (parvāz)
30.21 From از (az) the - moment لحظهای (lahze-i) that که (ke) I من (man) arrived رسیدم (residam) everyone همه (hame) was بود (bud) welcoming خوشآمدگو (khosh-āmad-gu)
30.22 I من (man) took گرفتم (gereftam) a یک (yek) taxi تاکسی (tāksi) from از (az) the - airport فرودگاه (forudgāh) to به (be) my - hotel هتلم (hotel-am)
30.23 From از (az) early اوایل (avāyel) morning صبح (sobh) the - streets خیابانها (khiyābān-hā) were بودند (budand) full پر (por) of از (az) life زندگی (zendegi)
30.24 The - aroma عطر (atr) of - fresh تازه (tāze) bread نان (nān) came میآمد (mi-āmad) from از (az) every هر (har) bakery نانوایی (nānvāyi)
30.25 From از (az) street خیابان (khiyābān) vendors دستفروشان (dastforushān) I من (man) bought خریدم (kharidam) traditional سنتی (sonnati) sweets شیرینی (shirini)
30.26 Stories داستانهایی (dāstān-hāyi) from از (az) ancient باستان (bāstān) times زمانهای (zamān-hā-ye) seemed به نظر میرسید (be nazar miresid) alive زنده (zende) in در (dar) the - bazaar بازار (bāzār)
30.27 From از (az) north شمال (shomāl) to تا (tā) south جنوب (jonub) the - country کشور (keshvar) offered ارائه میداد (erā'e midād) diverse متنوع (motanave') landscapes مناظر (manāzer)
30.28 I من (man) learned آموختم (āmukhtam) new جدید (jadid) words کلمات (kalamāt) from از (az) every هر (har) conversation گفتگو (goftegu)
30.29 Gifts هدایایی (hadāyāyi) from از (az) Iran ایران (Irān) filled پر کرد (por kard) my - suitcase چمدانم (chamedān-am) for برای (barāye) friends دوستان (dustān) back - home خانه (khāne)
30.30 From از (az) this این (in) journey سفر (safar) I من (man) gained به دست آوردم (be dast āvardam) memories خاطراتی (khāterāti) that که (ke) will خواهند (khāhand) last ماند (mānd) forever همیشه (hamishe)
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30.16 سال گذشته من از لندن به تهران برای اولین بار سفر کردم. Last year I traveled from London to Tehran for the first time.
30.17 پرواز از فرودگاه هیترو در نیمهشب حرکت کرد. The flight departed from Heathrow Airport at midnight.
30.18 از پنجره هواپیما من میتوانستم چراغهای شهرها پایین را ببینم. From the airplane window I could see the lights of cities below.
30.19 ما از بالای اروپا از روی ترکیه به ایران پرواز کردیم. We flew over Europe across Turkey to Iran.
30.20 بسیاری مسافران از کشورهای مختلف در پرواز بودند. Many passengers from different countries were on the flight.
30.21 از لحظهای که من رسیدم همه خوشآمدگو بود. From the moment that I arrived everyone was welcoming.
30.22 من یک تاکسی از فرودگاه به هتلم گرفتم. I took a taxi from the airport to my hotel.
30.23 از اوایل صبح خیابانها پر از زندگی بودند. From early morning the streets were full of life.
30.24 عطر نان تازه از هر نانوایی میآمد. The aroma of fresh bread came from every bakery.
30.25 از دستفروشان خیابان من شیرینی سنتی خریدم. From street vendors I bought traditional sweets.
30.26 داستانهایی از زمانهای باستان در بازار زنده به نظر میرسید. Stories from ancient times seemed alive in the bazaar.
30.27 از شمال تا جنوب کشور مناظر متنوع ارائه میداد. From north to south the country offered diverse landscapes.
30.28 من کلمات جدید از هر گفتگو آموختم. I learned new words from every conversation.
30.29 هدایایی از ایران چمدانم را برای دوستان خانه پر کرد. Gifts from Iran filled my suitcase for friends back home.
30.30 از این سفر من خاطراتی به دست آوردم که همیشه خواهند ماند. From this journey I gained memories that will last forever.
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30.16 سال گذشته من از لندن به تهران برای اولین بار سفر کردم.
30.17 پرواز از فرودگاه هیترو در نیمهشب حرکت کرد.
30.18 از پنجره هواپیما من میتوانستم چراغهای شهرها پایین را ببینم.
30.19 ما از بالای اروپا از روی ترکیه به ایران پرواز کردیم.
30.20 بسیاری مسافران از کشورهای مختلف در پرواز بودند.
30.21 از لحظهای که من رسیدم همه خوشآمدگو بود.
30.22 من یک تاکسی از فرودگاه به هتلم گرفتم.
30.23 از اوایل صبح خیابانها پر از زندگی بودند.
30.24 عطر نان تازه از هر نانوایی میآمد.
30.25 از دستفروشان خیابان من شیرینی سنتی خریدم.
30.26 داستانهایی از زمانهای باستان در بازار زنده به نظر میرسید.
30.27 از شمال تا جنوب کشور مناظر متنوع ارائه میداد.
30.28 من کلمات جدید از هر گفتگو آموختم.
30.29 هدایایی از ایران چمدانم را برای دوستان خانه پر کرد.
30.30 از این سفر من خاطراتی به دست آوردم که همیشه خواهند ماند.
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Geographic Movement: In travel narratives, از frequently pairs with به (to) to indicate routes: -
از لندن به تهران (from London to Tehran) -
از شمال تا جنوب (from north to south)
Time Expressions in Travel: از marks the starting point of travel experiences: -
از لحظهای که (from the moment that) -
از اوایل صبح (from early morning) -
از سال گذشته (from last year)
Source of Experiences: Travel writing uses از to indicate where experiences, learning, or observations come from: -
از پنجره هواپیما (from the airplane window) -
از هر گفتگو (from every conversation) -
از دستفروشان (from street vendors)
Common Travel Phrases with از: -
از راه رسیدن (to arrive from the road/journey) -
از سفر برگشتن (to return from a trip) -
از این طریق (from this way/by this means) -
از میان مردم (from among the people)
Compound Prepositions in Travel Context: -
از روی (over/across): از روی ترکیه (across Turkey) -
از بالای (from above): از بالای اروپا (from over Europe) -
از طریق (via/through): از طریق دوبی (via Dubai)
Cultural Note for Travel Writing: Persian travel narratives often emphasize the source of sensory experiences using از. This reflects the importance of acknowledging origins and sources in Persian literary tradition.
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This lesson is part of a comprehensive language learning series developed by the Latinum Institute, designed specifically for autodidacts seeking to master new languages through careful, systematic study.
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