As explained in a previous blog post, nāz can be a somewhat slippery word to translate for Persian language learners. It is only through exploring the contexts in which it is used and the mood or state which it encompasses, can one begin to grasp its meaning and be able to, in turn, use it correctly.
Therefore, in this post, we will share some of the ways in which you can use nāz as a verb (with the Spoken Persian in Iran), covering: nāz kardan, nāz kešīdan, nāz dāštan and nāz kharidan.
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The most literal use of nāz kardan can be used in the same way as the English expression “to kiss, stroke, make it better.” In this context, nāz has a similar meaning of navāzeš [نوازش] which translates as “caress.”
For example, when a child, having fallen down, begins to cry, much the same way you could say “come here, let me kiss it better” in English, in Persian you could say:
“biyai, nāz-eš konam tā khub šhe“
..بیا نازش کنم تا خوب شه
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In the scenario with Ava and Sara below, we can become familiar with how nāz kardan, nāz keshīdan, nāz dāštan and nāz kharidan. Before reading the scenario, it is also important to understand that from the beginning, Maryam’s answer is yes – but she wanted to achieve another aim or wish that she had. In order to achieve said wish, Maryam “nāz mi konad”. Ava, in turn, ‘pulls’ or ‘buys’ the “nāz” of Maryam in order to please her or fulfil her wishes.
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Ava: Shall we go to the cinema today?
Sara: No, I don’t feel like it
Ava: Oh, how come?
Sara: I’m tired.
Ava: If you come I will buy you one of those tasty, colourful ice-creams that are filled with chocolate, too!
Sara: Okay, I’ll come!!
آوا: ميای امروز بريم سينما؟
سارا: نه حوصله ندارم
آوا: چرا آخه؟
سارا: آخه كسلم
آوا: اگه بيای برات ازون [از آن] بستنيی‌های خوشمزه رنگی رنگی پر از شكلاتم ميخرم ها
سارا: باشه ميام
Our next scenario is between a mother and a daughter. In this situation, the girl is unhappy about the fact that it is her turn to do the dishes, especially, as she has homework to do as well. So, when her mum invites her to Bahar’s house she declines — even though she would actually like to go. What she doesn’t want to do, is go to Bahar’s, do her homework and do the dishes! Here, we see her mum tell her to “nāz nakon” (don’t say you don’t feel like going to Bahar’s, it’s the dishes that are the issue!) and that she will do the dishes for her daughter instead.
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Mother: Shall we go to Bahar’s house today?
Girl: No, I don’t feel like it
Mother: Why not?
Girl: Because I don’t feel like it, the whole evening I have stuff to do
Mother: Fine, *don’t nāz, come, let’s go and I’ll do the dishes tonight
*come on, don’t be like that
مادر: امروز ميای بريم خونه بهار؟
دختر: نه حال ندارم
مادر: چرا ؟
دختر: خب حوصله ندارم ديگه، كلی شب هم كار دارم
مادر: خب ديگه ناز نكن، بيا بريم من شب ظرف‌ها را ميشورم
A mother promises her child that “tomorrow, I will make you your favourite food for lunch” and he is really happy. But that morning, the mum tells him off, saying “why did you make your clothes dirty?” and the child gets upset. Now, it’s lunchtime and she has prepared his favourite dish. Even though he really loves this dish, he doesn’t eat it. So, his mother says to him “why are you ‘nāz’ing? [why are you being like that?] Don’t nāz, [Don’t be like that] come and eat your food.” Really, the child is sulking in such a way, as if to say, “I’m not going to eat your cooking anymore because you told me off and shouted at me.” So, now, the mum is pulling his nāz so that they will make up and eat together.
یه مادری به بچه‌اش قول میده که <من فردا برای نهار غذای مورد علاقه‌اتو درست می کنم> و بچه خیلی خوشحال میشه. اما صبحش٬ مادر بچه‌رو دعوا میکنه و میگه <چرا لباستو کثیف کردی؟> و بچه ناراحت میشه. حالا٬ وقت نهار شده و مادر غذای مورد علاقه‌اشو آماده کرده٬ بچه با این حال خیلی غذا رو دوست داره اما نمیخورتش*. بعد٬ مادر بهش میگه <چرا داری ناز میکنی٬ ناز نکن و بیا غذاتو بخور.> در واقع٬ این بچه قهر کرده اینطوریه که <من دیگه دستپخت تورو نمیخورم چون تو من را دعوا کردی و سرم داد زدی> و حالا٬ مادرش داره نازش رو بکشه تا آشتی کنند و با هم دیگر غذا رو بخورند
*Here, we see نمیخورتش rather than نمیخوره‌اش. This ‘t’ is a small buffer that does not change the meaning of the verb + pronoun construction [that means: غذا را خورد]. For example: زدتش means او را زد [he hit him].
My mother always “pulls the nāz” of her children, for example, if there are times that we are not in the mood, she will “pull our nāz” until we are in a good mood. For example, she will make us our favourite sweet treats and snacks or will tell us stories until we are in a good mood and laughing.
مادر من هميشه ناز فرزندانش را زياد ميكشه، مثلا اگر يه وقتایی ما حوصله نداشتيه باشیم خيلی ناز ما رو ميكشه تا سر حال بشیم، مثلا برامون شيرينی يا خوراكی‌های مورد علاقه مونو درست ميكنه يا برامون حرف ميزنه و داستان تعريف ميكنه تا ما سر حال بشیم و بخنديم
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دوتا عاشق یک قرار عاشقانه دارند و از قبل باهم برنامه ریختند که غروب خورشید رو کنارهم دیگه در کنار ساحل ببینند. وقتی که هم دیگر رو می بینند تنها مهلت کمی برای این دیدار دارند٬ پسره به دختره* میگه <بیا ببوسمت>. دختره میگه <نه> . اینجا٬ دختره داره ناز میکنه .یه جورایی اینطوری که هر دو تا شون برنامه داشتند که هم دیگر رو هنگام غروب خورشید کنار ساحل ببینند و زمان کمی هم برای ملاقاتشون دارند و خوبه که هم دیگر رو ببوسند اما دختره اولش می گه <نه> واسه اینکه او داره ناز می کنه. پس حالا٬ پسره باید نازش رو بکشه (یا بخره) تا این دختر قبول کنه بهش یک بوسه بده
*Here, the ‘ه’ gives the meaning of ‘اون/آن’ and is not to be confused with the ‘ه’ spoken form of ‘است’
Two lovers have a date – that they’d planned together beforehand – to watch the sunset together by the coast. When they see each other and have just a little time left, the boy says to the girl “come on then, let’s have a kiss.” The girl says, “no”. Here, the girl is ‘nāz’ing**. It’s like, they both planned to meet each other on the beach at sunset and there’s only a little time to see each other and it would be nice to kiss each other, but at first the girl is saying “no” because she is ‘nāz’ing. So now, the boy should pull (or buy) her ‘nāz,’ so that this girl will agree to give him a kiss
**Here, we can translate nāz kardan as ‘playing coy’
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In Urdu we have an expression, naaz uthaanaa, meaning “to bear the airs or whims of another” and also naazaan hona, “to give oneself airs (about); to be conceited (about); to pride oneself (on)”.
(Source: A Dictionary of Urdu, Classical Hindi and English by John Platts)