Good Job in Persian: 20 Ways to Say Well Done (and How to Reply)

The most common way to say “good job” in Persian is آفرین (âfarin), which works like “well done” or “bravo” for anyone, from a child to a colleague. With friends, Iranians often say دمت گرم (damet garm, “nice one”). To praise someone’s hard work, say خسته نباشید (khaste nabâshid) or دستت درد نکنه (dastet dard nakone).

Persian has no single word-for-word match for “good job.” Instead, it has a family of phrases, and the right one depends on who you are talking to and what they did: passed an exam, cooked dinner, finished a long shift, or scored a goal. Below you will find each phrase with pronunciation, what it literally means, when Iranians actually say it, and how to reply when someone says it to you. Phrases marked “spoken” are the everyday forms; formal versions are given where they differ.

Good job in Persian: the 20 phrases at a glance

آفرین (âfarin): the all-purpose “well done”

آفرین (âfarin) Listen is the word to learn first. A teacher says it when a student answers correctly, a parent says it when a toddler stacks a tower of blocks, and a manager can say it to an employee who handled a difficult client. Stress falls on the last syllable: â-fa-RIN. It is an old Persian word connected to the idea of praise and blessing, and it has no slang flavor at all, so you cannot go wrong with it.

Iranians often add a second phrase to make the praise specific:

• آفرین، خیلی خوب بود (âfarin, kheyli khub bud): well done, that was very good.
• آفرین، درسته (âfarin, dorost-e, spoken): well done, that’s right. Typical in class.
• آفرین، عزیزم (âfarin, azizam): well done, sweetheart. For children and loved ones.
• صد آفرین (sad âfarin) Listen: literally “a hundred bravos,” a warmer, bigger well done.

A close cousin is بارک‌الله (bârakallâ) Listen, a phrase of Arabic origin meaning roughly “God bless.” In everyday speech it is usually pronounced bârikallâ, and it sounds a little old-fashioned: you hear it from grandparents, older teachers and in films. It still means simply “bravo.”

Neutral praise: “that was great”

If you want to praise the result rather than the person, use an adjective with بود (bud, “was”). These work in any register, from a family dinner to a business meeting:

• خیلی خوب بود (kheyli khub bud): that was very good.
• عالی بود (âli bud) Listen: that was excellent. In the present tense, spoken: عالیه (âliye, “it’s excellent”).
• فوق‌العاده بود (fogholâde bud): that was amazing.
• کارت عالی بود (kâret âli bud): your work was excellent. Polite or plural: کارتون عالی بود (kâretun âli bud, spoken), کارتان عالی بود (kâretân âli bud, formal).

For something that is truly excellent, say کارت حرف نداره (kâret harf nadâre) Listen. Literally “your work has no words,” meaning nobody could find anything to criticize. It is spoken Persian; the written form is کارت حرف ندارد (kâret harf nadârad). It is a favorite compliment for a mechanic, a hairdresser, a cook or any skilled worker. For more words like عالی and محشر, see our guide to compliments in Persian and how to reply.

Casual and slang: “nice one,” “you nailed it”

With friends, siblings and teammates, Iranians switch to warmer, more colorful phrases. These are spoken only; you would not write them in an email to your boss.

دمت گرم (damet garm)

دمت گرم (damet garm) Listen literally means “may your breath be warm.” It is a mix of “good job,” “thanks” and “good on you,” and Iranians use it constantly: a friend helps you move, a coworker covers your shift, someone tells a good joke. To say it to more than one person, or a bit more politely, use دمتون گرم (dametun garm). It is friendly street language, so avoid it with elders or in formal settings unless you know the person well.

ایول (eyval)

ایول (eyval) Listen is slang for “awesome,” “way to go” or “yes.” It often pairs with damet garm: ایول، دمت گرم (eyval, damet garm). It is very common among young people and in texting. More slang is in our Persian slang guide.

گل کاشتی (gol kâshti) and ترکوندی (tarkundi)

گل کاشتی (gol kâshti) Listen literally means “you planted a flower.” It is said when someone does something impressive: a great presentation, a perfect parallel parking job, a winning goal. You will also hear it said with irony when someone makes a mess of things, so the tone matters.

ترکوندی (tarkundi) comes from the verb “to make something burst,” and it means “you killed it” or “you crushed it.” It is youthful slang for a great performance, a concert, an exam or a party. Its cousin محشر بود (mahshar bud) means “that was awesome.”

A small grammar point: -et and -etun

Many of these phrases end in a possessive suffix. -ت (-et) means “your” for one person you know well; -تون (-etun, spoken) or -تان (-etân, written) is the polite or plural “your.” So دمت گرم becomes دمتون گرم, and دستت درد نکنه becomes دستتون درد نکنه (dastetun dard nakone). If you are unsure which to use, the polite form is always safe. Our lesson on Persian pronouns and possessive endings explains the full system.

Praising effort: خسته نباشید and دستت درد نکنه

English speakers often say “good job” when what they really mean is “thank you for working so hard.” Persian has dedicated phrases for this, and they are among the most used expressions in the language.

خسته نباشید (khaste nabâshid)

خسته نباشید (khaste nabâshid) Listen literally means “may you not be tired.” It recognizes someone’s effort, and Iranians say it all the time: to a cashier at the end of the day, to a teacher after class, to a taxi driver when getting out, to colleagues leaving work, to a family member who has just come home. With a friend, use the informal خسته نباشی (khaste nabâshi). It is so tied to effort that some Iranian learners of English translate it as “good job” or “don’t be tired.” Say it with a smile, and it works as both a greeting and a thank-you.

دستت درد نکنه (dastet dard nakone)

دستت درد نکنه (dastet dard nakone) Listen means “may your hand not hurt.” You say it to someone who made or did something for you with their hands: cooked a meal, fixed your bike, wrapped a gift, helped you carry boxes. The polite spoken form is دستتون درد نکنه (dastetun dard nakone), and the written form is دستتان درد نکند (dastetân dard nakonad). It is half praise and half thanks; our post on thank you in Persian covers the thanking side in detail.

زحمت کشیدی (zahmat keshidi)

خیلی زحمت کشیدی (kheyli zahmat keshidi) means “you went to a lot of trouble.” The polite form is خیلی زحمت کشیدید (kheyli zahmat keshidid). Guests say it to a host after a big meal, and students say it to a teacher who prepared extra material.

دست مریزاد (dast marizâd)

دست مریزاد (dast marizâd) Listen is a traditional, slightly literary phrase meaning roughly “may your hand never tremble.” It praises skilled handiwork: a carpet, a piece of calligraphy, a beautifully cooked dish, a fine musical performance. It sounds respectful and a little poetic, and older people especially appreciate it.

At work: praising colleagues and employees

In an Iranian office, praise is usually polite and uses the plural “you” (شما, shomâ), even with people you see every day. Useful phrases:

The written phrase با تشکر از زحمات شما is a standard way to close a work email. For more office words, see the vocabulary list around the office in Persian.

For kids and students

Iranian parents and teachers praise often, and the vocabulary is affectionate:

• آفرین، پسرم (âfarin, pesaram, “well done, my son”) and آفرین، دخترم (âfarin, dokhtaram, “well done, my daughter”). Teachers and older people use these with children who are not their own, too.
• ماشالله (mâshâllâ) Listen: an expression of admiration, often said when praising a child. It is from Arabic and is also written ماشاءالله.
• بهت افتخار می‌کنم (behet eftekhâr mikonam) Listen: I’m proud of you.
• همین‌طوری ادامه بده (hamintori edâme bede): keep it up. Polite or plural: ادامه بدید (edâme bedid, spoken).
• تو می‌تونی (to mituni): you can do it.
• آفرین، بیست گرفتی (âfarin, bist gerefti): well done, you got a 20.

That last one needs a note. Iranian schools grade on a scale from 0 to 20, so بیست (bist, “twenty”) is a perfect score, the way an American might say “an A-plus.” Iranians use “bist” loosely to mean “perfect.” If you teach Persian to children, our tips on how to teach your child Persian pairs well with these phrases.

Big achievements: congratulations

When someone passes an exam, gets a job or graduates, “good job” turns into congratulations. Say تبریک می‌گم (tabrik migam) Listen, spoken for “I congratulate you”; the formal form is تبریک می‌گویم (tabrik miguyam). For a new car, house or baby, Iranians say مبارکه (mobârake, “congratulations, may it be blessed”). The two often go together: آفرین، تبریک می‌گم (âfarin, tabrik migam). Our full guide to congratulations in Persian has phrases for every occasion.

A word of caution: some online dictionaries list خوش به حالت (khosh be hâlet) as “good for you.” It actually means “lucky you” and comments on someone’s luck, not their effort. Said in the wrong tone, it can sound envious, so it is not a substitute for “good job.”

How to reply when someone says “good job”

Iranian manners value modesty. Accepting praise with a flat “thanks” is fine, but a small polite deflection sounds more natural. This is part of taarof, the Persian art of politeness.

لطف دارید (lotf dârid) Listen is the most versatile reply. قربونت (ghorbunet) is short for قربونت برم (ghorbunet beram), literally “may I be sacrificed for you,” an affectionate everyday thanks among friends and family; it sounds dramatic in English, but in Persian it is as light as “thanks, love.” Listen

Culture notes: praise the Iranian way

Praise and the evil eye

Many Iranians believe that strong admiration, especially with a hint of envy, can bring bad luck, an idea called چشم‌زخم (cheshm-zakhm, “the evil eye”). That is why people often add ماشالله (mâshâllâ) when they praise a baby, a child’s grades or someone’s new home: it shows the praise comes with goodwill. If you compliment a child in Iran, adding mâshâllâ will sound warm and natural.

Praise the cook, always

Food is where praise matters most. After a home-cooked meal, guests say دستتون درد نکنه (dastetun dard nakone) to the host, usually more than once. Leaving without saying it would feel cold.

“Don’t be tired” is not a comment on how you look

Learners sometimes worry that خسته نباشید implies the other person looks tired. It does not. It is pure appreciation for effort, and you can say it to someone who has done only a little work, like a shopkeeper who just wrapped your order. For how spoken and written forms differ in phrases like these, see spoken vs. written Persian.

Tips for sounding natural

• Match the register. آفرین and خسته نباشید are safe with anyone. Save دمت گرم, ایول and ترکوندی for friends.
• Use the polite “you” with strangers and elders. Switch -et to -etun: دمتون گرم, دستتون درد نکنه.
• Combine phrases. Iranians rarely stop at one: آفرین، دستت درد نکنه، خیلی خوب بود (âfarin, dastet dard nakone, kheyli khub bud).
• Say it out loud. Use the Listen buttons, then repeat. Our guide to improving your Persian pronunciation helps with sounds like kh and gh.

Many of these expressions, with example dialogues, are collected in 1000 Most Common Farsi Phrases. To test your everyday phrases, try the Persian greetings quiz.

Common questions

How do you say “good job” in Farsi?

Say آفرین (âfarin), meaning “well done” or “bravo.” It works with anyone. With friends, دمت گرم (damet garm) is common, and to praise hard work, say خسته نباشید (khaste nabâshid).

What does “afarin” mean in Persian?

آفرین (âfarin) means “well done,” “bravo” or “good job.” Teachers, parents and bosses all use it, and it has no slang or rude meaning. For extra warmth, say صد آفرین (sad âfarin).

What does “damet garm” mean?

دمت گرم literally means “may your breath be warm.” In practice it means “nice one,” “good on you” or “thanks, mate.” It is casual, so use it with friends and peers rather than elders or in formal settings.

What does “khaste nabashid” mean?

خسته نباشید (khaste nabâshid) means “may you not be tired.” It appreciates someone’s effort and is said to workers, teachers, drivers and colleagues, often at the end of a task or day. Reply with سلامت باشید (salâmat bâshid) or ممنون (mamnun).

How do you say “I’m proud of you” in Persian?

The spoken form is بهت افتخار می‌کنم (behet eftekhâr mikonam). In written or formal Persian, say به شما افتخار می‌کنم (be shomâ eftekhâr mikonam).

How do you say “well done” in Persian slang?

Common slang options are ایول (eyval), ترکوندی (tarkundi, “you killed it”) and گل کاشتی (gol kâshti, “you nailed it”). Use them only with friends.

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