We have somewhere around… a gizillion expressions in persian that make little to no sense when translated to English. Most of them if not all of them sound hilarious when translated, so I thought I’d share the laughter! Here are a few I came up with so far. I’ll be adding onto it for sure though.
“Namak Nashnas”
Translation: You don’t recognize my salt.
Actual Meaning: You’re ungrateful.
“Zamin khordam o pedaram daroomad”
Translation: I ate the ground and my father came out.
Actual Meaning: I tripped and I got screwed.
”Royeh tokhmeh cheshmam mizaramet”
Translation: I put you in the seed of my eyes.
Actual Meaning: You’re very important to me.
”Khodet roh beh kocheh alichap nazan”
Translation: Don’t hit yourself into Ali’s left alley.
Actual Meaning: Don’t pretend you don’t know.
”Dozarim tazeh oftad”
Translation: My cent/penny just fell.
Actual Meaning: I just got it (understood it).
”Pedar-sookhteh!”
Translation: Daddy burned!
Actual Meaning: Something along the lines of… That no-gooder!!
”Moordeh Shooreto bebaran!”
Translation: Take away the person that washes your dead body!
Actual Meaning: Something along the lines of… god damn you!
”Gleemet ro as ab dar beear!”
Translation: Pull your rug out of the water.
Actual Meaning: Get yourself out of this mess.
”Kharesh as poel gozashteh!”
Translation: His/Her donkey passed over the bridge!
Actual Meaning: She got through it!
”Cheh khaaky bar saram bereezam?!”
Translation: What kind of dirt should I pour on my head?!
Actual Meaning: What the hell am I going to do?!
”Ey zahr-e-maar!”
Translation: Poison of snake!
Actual Meaning: Similar to, shut up!
”Khaak bar saret!”
Translation: Dirt on your head!
Actual Meaning: Damn you!
”Maraz!”
Translation: Disease!
Actual Meaning: Again… similar to, shut up!
”Poorou.”
Translation: Full face.
Actual Meaning: Self-absorbed.
Mind Over Anner 