A Dialogue between Leyla and Her Mother

boos

kiss

beeyā beboosamet

come here so I can kiss you

delam barāt tang shodé

I’ve missed you

man ham hameentor

me too

bastani

ice cream

rāh

way/the road

tasādof

car accident

ya’nee chee?

what does it mean?

ay vāy

oh no

estelāh

it can be called

joz’ee

trivial/insignificant

khodā rā shokr

thank god

nayoomadam

I have not come

nayoomadee

You have not come

beeroon

outside

khaylee delam barāt tang shodé bood!

I missed you so much!

rāh chetor bood?

how was the road?

khaylee tool kesheed

it took a long time

chetor?

how come

too rāh yek tasādof shodé bood.

There was an accident on the road

ay vāy, badjoor bood?

Oh no, was it bad

na, bé estelāh ‘fender bender’ bood

No, it was what they call a 'fender bender'

‘fender bender’ yanee chee?

What is a 'fender bender'?

khob, ya'nee joz’ee bood

Well, it means it was minor

māmān joon eenjā hastan?

is grandmother here?

na, hanooz nayoomadan

She hasn’t come yet

emshab meeyān ké bā ham shām bokhoreem

She'll come tonight so we can eat dinner together

too khooné yā beeroon?

at home or out?

na azizam, khooné shām meekhoreem.

No dear, we'll eat at home.

māmān joon shām dorost kardan.

Grandmother made dinner.

hālā beeyā too bā ham yek chāi bokhoreem.

Now come inside so we can have tea together.

bah bah, alān cheghadr chāi meechasbé!

Wow, tea would be wonderful right now!