Beautiful in Persian: Zibâ, Ghashang, Khoshgel and How to Use Them

The standard word for beautiful in Persian is زیبا (zibâ), the one you see in books, songs and signs. In everyday speech Iranians more often say قشنگ (ghashang) for pretty things and places, and خوشگل (khoshgel) for good-looking people. To tell someone “you’re so pretty,” say خیلی خوشگلی (kheyli khoshgeli).

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Those three words cover most situations, but Persian has a rich set of words for beauty: a cute one for babies and cats, a stylish one for a well-dressed man, poetic ones from love songs, and words for a view that takes your breath away. Below you will find each word with its pronunciation, the difference between them, ready-made sentences for people, places and things, how to answer a compliment, and practice exercises.

The three main words: zibâ, ghashang and khoshgel

All three translate as “beautiful” or “pretty,” and they overlap a lot. The difference is mostly about register (formal or casual) and about what you are describing.

زیبا (zibâ): the standard word

If you only learn one word, learn زیبا. It is correct everywhere and never sounds rude. Because it is a little elevated, it can sound slightly formal or poetic in a casual chat, the way “lovely” or “beautiful” can sound more careful than “pretty” in English. The noun is زیبایی (zibâyi), “beauty,” and Zibâ is also a popular girl’s name.

• ایران کشور زیبایی است. (Irân keshvar-e zibâyi ast.) Iran is a beautiful country.
• چه منظره‌ی زیبایی (che manzare-ye zibâyi) is how you would write “What a beautiful view.” In speech: چه منظره‌ی قشنگی (che manzare-ye ghashangi).

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قشنگ (ghashang): the everyday word

قشنگ is what you will hear most in daily life. It is warm, natural and fits almost anything you find pleasant to look at or listen to. In spoken Persian “it is beautiful” is قشنگه (ghashange), the casual form of قشنگ است (ghashang ast).

• این شهر خیلی قشنگه. (in shahr kheyli ghashange.) This city is really beautiful. (spoken)
• صدای قشنگی داری. (sedâ-ye ghashangi dâri.) You have a beautiful voice.
• چه اسم قشنگی (che esm-e ghashangi) What a pretty name.

In casual speech قشنگ also works as an adverb meaning “nicely, clearly, properly”: قشنگ توضیح داد. (ghashang towzih dâd.) He explained it nicely and clearly.

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خوشگل (khoshgel): good-looking

خوشگل is the casual word for physical attractiveness. It is the natural choice when you tell a friend she looks pretty, or when you coo over a baby. It can describe men too, although for men Iranians more often use خوش‌تیپ (khosh-tip, see below). In relaxed speech it is also used for things: چه ماشین خوشگلی (che mâshin-e khoshgeli) What a pretty car.

One caution: the spoken form خوشگله (khoshgele) used as a way of addressing a stranger, like “hey, pretty,” sounds like street harassment. Use the word to describe, not to call out to someone you don’t know.

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Beautiful in Persian grammar: word order and endings

Persian adjectives come after the noun, linked by the ezâfe sound -e (or -ye after a vowel). You hear it but usually do not see it in writing. For a full explanation, see the guide to ezafe in Persian and Grammar Lesson 30 on adjectives and the ezâfe.

To say “is beautiful” or “are beautiful,” add the short forms of “to be” (see short forms of to be). With “you,” the ending is -i in both formal and spoken Persian, which is why خوشگلی (khoshgeli) means “you are pretty”:

Notice that زیبایی can mean either “beauty” or “you are beautiful.” Context makes it clear.

How to say “you are beautiful” in Persian

Compliments on looks are common between friends, family and partners in Iran, and Iranians are generous with them. With strangers, and especially across genders, people usually compliment the outfit or the style rather than the person’s face. Choose the form by who you are talking to; the polite شما (shomâ) form is explained in Polite Persian: shomâ instead of to.

To a woman

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The moon is the classic image of beauty in Persian poetry and songs, so ماه (mâh) in a compliment is high praise, not a strange comparison.

To a man

“Beautiful” itself sounds odd for most men in Persian, just as in English. Iranians use “stylish” and “attractive” instead.

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خوش‌تیپ is used for women as well when the compliment is about style: چه خوش‌تیپ شدی works for anyone who has dressed well.

To a child or a baby

For children the key word is ناز (nâz), “cute, sweet.” Iranians often add ماشالله (mâshâllâ), an Arabic phrase meaning roughly “what God has willed,” which expresses admiration and is traditionally believed to protect the child from the evil eye. You may also hear چشم نخوره (cheshm nakhore), “may it not be touched by the evil eye,” after praise of a child or of something new.

• ماشالله، چه بچه‌ی نازی (mâshâllâ, che bachche-ye nâzi) What a cute baby, mashallah.
• چه نازه (che nâze) How cute he/she is.
• چه گربه‌ی نازی (che gorbe-ye nâzi) What a cute cat.

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For more ways to praise people, from cooking to kindness, see our full guide to Persian compliments. If your compliment is romantic, how to say I love you in Persian has the endearments that go with it.

Beautiful places and things

When you travel in Iran, you will want more than one word for a view, a mosque or a garden. These are all natural in conversation:

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A few useful sentences:

• اصفهان خیلی دیدنیه. (Esfahân kheyli didaniye.) Isfahan is really worth seeing. (spoken)
• غروب اینجا تماشاییه. (ghorub injâ tamâshâyiye.) The sunset here is spectacular. (spoken)
• خونه‌تون خیلی باصفاست. (khune-tun kheyli bâsafâst.) Your home is really lovely. (spoken, a kind thing to say as a guest)

Colors often come up when you describe beautiful things; see colors in Persian. The opposite of beautiful is zesht (زشت), ugly, a word to use carefully.

Cute, attractive and poetic: more words for beauty

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دلبر and دلربا are both built on دل (del), “heart”: the beautiful one is the one who takes your heart. You will meet them constantly in classical poetry and in Persian pop songs, but in a normal conversation they would sound theatrical, so save them for a love note. For more lovely vocabulary, read 11 beautiful words in Persian.

How to reply when someone calls you beautiful

Iranians rarely answer a compliment with a plain “thank you.” Modesty is expected, and the classic move is to turn the compliment back to the speaker. This fits the wider culture of polite exchange called ta’ârof.

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Beauty in Persian culture

Beauty is everywhere in Persian language and art: in the gardens of Shiraz and Isfahan, in tilework and carpets, and above all in poetry, where the beloved’s face is compared to the moon, a rose or a candle. That is why words like ماه (mâh, moon) and گل (gol, flower) still turn up in everyday compliments. A few customs are worth knowing:

• Praise comes with a blessing. When admiring a baby, a new car or a new home, many people add ماشالله or چشم نخوره. The idea is to admire without “giving the evil eye.”
• Modesty in the reply. Accepting a compliment too eagerly can sound proud, so people deflect it with لطف دارید or return it.
• Compliment the thing, not the stranger. With people you don’t know well, praising clothes, a home or a child is warmer and safer than commenting on someone’s face or body.

To learn the words for describing hair, eyes and height, continue with the appearance lesson in Learn Farsi in 100 Days, and look up any other word in our Persian dictionary.

Want more practice with everyday words? Try the Persian vocabulary quiz.

Common questions

How do you say beautiful in Farsi?

The standard word is زیبا (zibâ). In conversation, Iranians usually say قشنگ (ghashang) for things and places and خوشگل (khoshgel) for people’s looks. Farsi and Persian are the same language, so the words are identical.

How do you say “you are beautiful” in Persian?

Casually, خیلی خوشگلی (kheyli khoshgeli), “you’re so pretty.” More romantic: تو خیلی زیبایی (to kheyli zibâyi). When someone has dressed up, ماه شدی (mâh shodi) is a lovely compliment. With people you don’t know well, praise the outfit: لباستون خیلی قشنگه (lebâsetun kheyli ghashange).

What is the difference between zibâ, ghashang and khoshgel?

زیبا is standard and a little formal, used in writing and for anything. قشنگ is the everyday “pretty, lovely” for objects, places, voices and people. خوشگل is casual and mostly about physical looks.

How do you say handsome in Persian?

The usual word is خوش‌تیپ (khosh-tip), “handsome, stylish.” For facial good looks, خوش‌قیافه (khosh-ghiyâfe); for “attractive,” جذاب (jazzâb). خوشگل can also describe a man.

What does Ziba mean in Persian?

زیبا (Zibâ) means “beautiful.” It is both the everyday adjective and a common Iranian girl’s name.

How do you say cute in Persian?

Say ناز (nâz), usually in the phrase چه نازه (che nâze), “how cute.” For someone cute and funny, بامزه (bâmaze).

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