Persian: u vs. ishân

[DrLindenbrock]

Hi,
I've learned that ishân is the respectul and formal equivalent of u.
So, if I'm talking about my good friend with another good friend of mine, I could refer to him as u.
Conversely, if talking about my friend's father, I should use ishân.

So, my questions are:
- did I grasp the true difference between the two words and their correct usage?
- is it correct to say that you would use u when referring to people you talk to using to, and use ishân when referring to people to whom you speak using shomâ?
- is ishân really used this way, or does it sound very formal, or perhaps even typical of old-fashioned speech?

 

[Tisia]

Hi,
I've learned that ishân is the respectul and formal equivalent of u.
So, if I'm talking about my good friend with another good friend of mine, I could refer to him as u.
Conversely, if talking about my friend's father, I should use ishân.

So, my questions are:
- did I grasp the true difference between the two words and their correct usage?
- is it correct to say that you would use u when referring to people you talk to using to, and use ishân when referring to people to whom you speak using shomâ?
- is ishân really used this way, or does it sound very formal, or perhaps even typical of old-fashioned speech?

You are right in all you have said. if you just go accordingly you will do great

Tisia

 

[Bienvenidos]

Corretto!

(The one word in Italian I do know. I hope I'm using it right )

 

[DrLindenbrock]

Thank you both!
So I shouldn't feel funny in saying something like:
âyâ in mard pedarat ast? ishân boland ast!
if talking about my good friend's father, right?
Would using u actually be perceived as unrespectful?

"Corretto" in Italian is... correct ... but an Italian would probably use "giusto!" or "esatto!" instead.

 

[Bienvenidos]

"Corretto" in Italian is... correct ... but an Italian would probably use "giusto!" or "esatto!" instead.

Darn! I saw those in the dictionaries, too!

âyâ in mard pedarat ast? ishân boland ast!
if talking about my good friend's father, right?
Would using u actually be perceived as unrespectful?

Using išân is fine, and recommended, in that context.

 

[Alijsh]

So I shouldn't feel funny in saying something like:
âyâ in mard pedarat ast? ishân boland ast!
if talking about my good friend's father, right?

• well, when speaking with a friend I'll say:

این باباته؟ چقدر قدش بلنده / چه قد بلندی داره / چقدر قدبلنده​

in bâbâ-t-e? (in bâbâ-yat ast) - Is this your dad?
cheqadr qadd-eš boland-e (cheqadr qadd-aš boland ast) - literally: how tall his stature is!
che qadd-e boland-i dâre. (che qadd-e boland-i dârad) - literally: what a tall stature he has!
cheqadr qadboland-e (cheqadr qadboland ast) - literally: how tall he is!

• But when speaking formally I'll say:

ایشون پدرتون هستند؟ چقدر قدبلند هستند / چه قد بلندی دارند​

išun pedar-etun hastand? (išân pedar-etân hastand) - Is he your father?
cheqadr qadboland/bolandqad hastand - How tall he is!
che qadd-e bolandi dârand - what a tall stature he has!

• for išân (its spoken form is išun for us), 3rd person plural conjugation and personal suffix must be used.

• By the way, we don't say u in spoken but un (un is spoken form of ân) e.g. un goft (u goft). I think un is shortened of ân kas (that person).

• We have also vey (وی). It's used in bookish Persian as a polite form of u. For example, if you read newspaper, you'll always see vey in use.

• We never use âyâ in spoken. The tone of your speaking indicates you're asking a question. I think you understand it because in Italian, French and Spanish it must be also so.

- Hope you're not confused Please tell me which level of Persian you are in (intermediate, etc.) so as to regulate my posts with your level. Thanks.

 

[DrLindenbrock]

•
- Hope you're not confused Please tell me which level of Persian you are in (intermediate, etc.) so as to regulate my posts with your level. Thanks.

Thanks! Everything is very clear!
Well, to tell the truth, I don't really know in what level I'm in... I've never attended a regular course and I've never been to Iran (or Afghanistan or Tajikistan).
But I had no difficulty in following your post, so perhaps you can make the next one a little harder and see if I can keep up!
And yes, I know some of the features of colloquial Iranian Persian such as the omission of "âyâ" (yes, in Italian, Spanish and colloquial French it works as you said), the fact that "ast" becomes "e" etc.
Of course many of the ones you listed were unknown to me, so thanks again!
As for "vey" and its use in newspapers, what would be used when talking about a senior politician or government member? "vey" or "ishân"?
So when would "u" be used?
Thanks