This is used to denote the unlikeliness of something happening. So unlikely that until the time that water goes up and the frog sings (Avaze) Abou-ata, this thing will not happen.
Avaze-Abou-ata is an offshoot of ‘Dastgâh Shur’, Dastgâh refers to a modal style in Persian music. For an explanation of Abou-ata visit here.
به معنای کار غیر ممکن٬ اتفاق غریب الوقوع
It means an impossible task, a strange occurrence
Photo by Mobin Jahantark on Unsplash
به عنوان مثال٬ میخوام واسه رفتن به ایران ویزا بگیرم٬ ولی در شرایط فعلی امکان ناپذیره. از دوستم میپرسم <به نظرت کی می تونم ویزا بگیرم؟> و دوستم بهم میگه <هر وقت که آب سرْ بالا بره٬ قورباغه هم ابو عطا بخونه توهم میتونی ویزا بگیری».ب
As an example, I want to get a visa to go to Iran, but in the current circumstances it’s impossible. I ask my friend “In your opinion, when can I get a visa?” and my friend says “when pigs fly, you’ll be able to get a visa”.
یا به معنای وقتی گل نی… به معنای که این ماجرا امکان ناپزیره چون گیاه نی هیج وقت گل نمی ده.ی
Or, it (when pigs fly) means when the bamboo/reed’s flower…which means that this situation is impossible because bamboo never sprout flowers.
آب از دریا بخشیدن shares the same meaning as از كيسه‌ی خليفه بخشيدن, however, it must be said that the latter is more commonly used (and, as such, this is the one that will be spoken about for this example).
These expressions are used to describe somebody who gives away to others that which does not belong to them. In English, a person like this would be described as being ‘cheeky,’ or as someone who is ‘generous’ with another’s money or resources (the use of generous here, of course being ironic).
از کسیه ای خلیفه‌ی بخشیدن dates back to 786–809 and the reign of Harun Al-Rashid, the fifth Abbasid Caliph. The story revolves around Al-Rashid, his uncle and his Iranian vizier, Jafar al-Barmaki who earnt the admiration of Al-Rashid when he forgave Al-Rashid’s uncles debts and provided him with a living, but all from the purse of the Caliph!
سارا یک ساله که تو خونهی خواهرش زندگی می کنه و از اون پول تو جیبی میگیره. با این حال هر شب دوستاشو به صرف شام و نوشیدنی دعوت می کنه. دختره اصلا عین خیالشم نیست انگار داره از کیسهی خلیفه میبخشه.ا
Sara has been living for a year at her sister’s house and regularly dips into her sister’s pocket. Every night she invites her friends for dinner and drinks. This girl doesn’t care at all. She is so cheeky. [But, then it’s easy to be generous with someone else’s money).
Lit: It’s as if she is giving from the Caliph’s purse.
Photo by Mohsen Ameri on Unsplash. Sari, Mazandaran Province, Iran
به معنای شهر٬ روستا یا مکان بی رونق و بی آبادی
Meaning a town or village or place which isn’t prosperous or well-developed.
گلبانگ مسلمانی refers to the call to prayer. گلبانگ is a synonym for ترانه (song) نغمه (song, chant).
Photo by Azin Javadzadeh on Unsplash
بعضی وقتا پسرا رو برای سربازی می فرستن مناطق دور و محروم٬ جایی که نه آبه نه آبادی نه گلبانگ مسلمانی.م
Sometimes boys are sent to remote and deprived regions for their military service, where there is nothing around for miles.
به معنای فرصت انجام کاری رو از دست دادن یا ناتوان بودن در جبران یه چیزی یا کاری
Meaning that the opportunity to do something or make up for something has passed.
It literally means that once the water has gone into the stream and it does not come back out.
ندا بعد از آن بی احترامی كه به خانوادهی همسرش كرد ديگر نتوانست اعتبار و احترام سابق خود را به دست بياورد. همسرش به او گفت آب رفته را نميی توان به جوی باز آورد.پی
Neda, after being disrespectful toward her husband’s family, is unable to get back her previous standing and respect. Her husband said to her that it [the situation] is past the point of return.
آب و روغنش را زیاد کردن; آب و تاب دادن; لِفت و لعاب دادن; آب و روغن دادن; پیاز داغ چیزی رو زیاد کردن
به معنای اغراق کردن; غلو کردن
For this expression, one can find many colourful synonyms which are all worthy of including and breaking down.
آب و روغن + (ش) را زیاد کردن – means to increase the oil and water to something, to add more flavour or ingredients.
آب و تاب دادن or چیزی را با آب و تاب شرح دادن means to explain something lustrously, with embellishments, to embellish a story (to relate something with added detail – the detail being positive).
لفت و لعاب دادن – This alludes to the process of re-coat or re-glazing a pan. لعاب means glaze or enamel. To add a shiny veneer to a story.
Lastly, پیاز داغ چیزی رو زیاد کردن means to add more sautéed onions, a staple in Iranian dishes. Sautéed onions being delicious and tasty, again alludes to the idea of making something more sound more palatable or appealing by exaggerating or adding embellishments.
In addition, this example uses another idiom – چیزی آش دهن سوزی بودن.
آش meaning soup, دهن mouth, سوزی burning.
So, literally, something is “mouth-burning”. This alludes to when someone is making a very delicious meal and they can’t wait for it to cool down and so, in their eagerness to eat the meal, they end up burning their mouths. It follows then that when something is not very tasty, you are not in a rush to eat it and, therefore, it will not burn your mouth.
This is used in several contexts, and can mean something is tasty (in it’s positive form), In it’s negative form it can mean that something is unattractive and in the context of marriage it can be used when someone has received a proposal but is not particularly interested in the person who has given it.
هفتهی پیش خالهام زنگ زد به مامانم و گفت که یه پسره پولدار خوشگل تحصیلکرده قراره بیاد خواستگاریش. یک ساعت تمام داشت از پسره تعریف میکرد٬ ولی من قبلا پسره رو دیده بودم و همچین آش دهنسوزی هم نبود٬ خالم فقط داشت آب و روغنشو زیاد میکرد.ت
Last week, my aunt called my mom and told her that a good-looking, well-educated and well-off boy was going to come to propose. She complimented the boy for an entire hour, but I’ve seen the boy before and he isn’t that tempting, my aunt was just laying it on thick.
This expression harks from the use of water-powered mills in Iran. The process in which the water causes the wheel to turn is very noisy. When the water is prevented from reaching the mill, the millstone stops turning and, the noise ceases. This process of stopping the millstone and the noise became an expression that refers to when there has been a commotion or hubbub that, after a time, ceases and calm is restored once again.
به معانی وقتی که شرایط به حالت عادی برگشت.م
Meaning when things have gone back to normal
به عنوان مثال٬ بعد از اينكه خبر دزدی از بانک در همهی شهر پیچید، دزدها تصميم گرفتند كه به پولهای دزدیده شده دست نزنند تا وقتی كه آبها از آسياب بيفته و ديگه كسی اين دزدی رو یادش نباشه.م
After news of the bank robbery reverberated around the city, the thieves decided not to touch the stolen money until things had blown over and (the robbery) had been forgotten about.
Photo by Joran Quinten on Unsplash
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