Responding to Thanks and Offers with خواهش می‌کنم | Farsi Grammar

Persian خواهش می‌کنم does not have one meaning that can be read from the words alone. After someone thanks you, it looks backward and means “you’re welcome.” Before an invitation or while yielding space, it points forward and means “please / go ahead.” The preceding social action and the formula’s place in the sequence select the interpretation.

This page therefore teaches adjacency pairs: a first turn makes a response relevant, and the second turn shows how it was understood. The reusable inventory and placement of لطفا، ممنون، متشکرم, and ببخشید belongs on Thanks, Apologies, and Courtesy. Extended apology and repair belongs on Apologizing and Repairing, while request construction belongs on Making Requests without Sounding Abrupt.

Read the Turn Before the Formula

First social action	Response turn	Meaning selected
thanks for a completed benefit	خواهش می‌کنم	you’re welcome / not at all
host opens space or offers a seat	خواهش می‌کنم، بفرمایید	please / go ahead
offer of food, help, or service	بله، ممنون	clear acceptance
offer not accepted	نه، ممنون	clear courteous refusal
thanks or a small apology	اختیار دارید	deferential minimization: “not at all”

English uses different expressions—you’re welcome, please, go ahead—where Persian can reuse خواهش می‌کنم.

After Thanks: خواهش می‌کنم Looks Back

When the preceding turn thanks someone for help already given, خواهش می‌کنم closes the thanking sequence. It denies that the favor creates a debt and can be expanded with کاری نکردم “I didn’t do anything” or وظیفه بود “it was my duty.”

— ممنون که در پیدا کردن نشانی کمکم کردید. — خواهش می‌کنم، کاری نکردم.

— mamnun ke dar peydâ kardan-e neshâni komak-am kardid. — khâhesh mi-konam, kâri na-kardam.

— Thank you for helping me find the address. — You’re welcome; it was nothing. (polite standard response pair)

— خیلی ممنون که گزارش را زود فرستادید. — خواهش می‌کنم، خوشحالم که به‌موقع رسید.

— kheyli mamnun ke gozâresh râ zud ferestâdid. — khâhesh mi-konam, khoshhâl-am ke be-mowqe' resid.

— Thank you very much for sending the report early. — You’re welcome; I’m glad it arrived on time. (professional polite exchange)

— دمت گرم که منتظرم موندی. — خواهش می‌کنم، منم تازه رسیده بودم.

— dam-et garm ke montazer-am mundi. — khâhesh mi-konam, man-am tâze reside budam.

— Thanks a lot for waiting for me. — No problem; I’d only just arrived myself. (informal, regional: Tehran)

The first speaker’s thanks fixes the response value. No invitation follows from خواهش می‌کنم here.

💡

When خواهش می‌کنم follows thanks, translate the pair, not the phrase: thanks → you’re welcome.

Before an Invitation: خواهش می‌کنم Points Forward

A host, receptionist, or chairperson can use خواهش می‌کنم immediately before بفرمایید or another invitation. Here it does not answer thanks; it creates permission and yields space, a seat, the floor, or the next action.

— می‌توانم داخل بیایم؟ — خواهش می‌کنم، بفرمایید؛ در باز است.

— mi-tavânam dâkhel biyâyam? — khâhesh mi-konam, be-farmâyid; dar bâz ast.

— May I come in? — Please, come in; the door is open. (polite standard invitation)

خواهش می‌کنم شما اول بفرمایید؛ من بعد از شما صحبت می‌کنم.

khâhesh mi-konam shomâ avval be-farmâyid; man ba'd az shomâ sohbat mi-konam.

Please, you go first; I’ll speak after you. (polite turn-yielding)

— این صندلی خالیه؟ — آره، خواهش می‌کنم، بشین.

— in sandali khâli-ye? — âre, khâhesh mi-konam, beshin.

— Is this chair free? — Yes, please, sit down. (informal familiar exchange; Tehran copula)

In the final exchange, بشین establishes familiar singular address. The response formula itself does not specify person; the surrounding verb does.

Offers Need Explicit Acceptance or Refusal

An offer creates a choice. Bare ممنون acknowledges the kindness but may leave the decision unclear if the physical action does not resolve it. Add بله to accept and نه to refuse.

— چای دارچینی میل دارید؟ — بله، ممنون؛ نصف فنجان.

— chây-e dârchini meyl dârid? — bale, mamnun; nesf-e fenjân.

— Would you like cinnamon tea? — Yes, thank you; half a cup. (polite acceptance)

— برات یه تکه دیگه کیک بیارم؟ — نه، ممنون؛ واقعا سیرم.

— barât ye tekke dige keyk biyâram? — na, mamnun; vâqe'an sir-am.

— Shall I bring you another piece of cake? — No, thanks; I’m really full. (informal, regional: Tehran refusal)

— اگر بخواهید، تا ایستگاه می‌رسانمتان. — بله، ممنون؛ خیلی کمکم می‌کنید.

— agar bekhâhid, tâ istgâh mi-rasânam-etân. — bale, mamnun; kheyli komak-am mi-konid.

— If you like, I can drive you to the station. — Yes, thank you; that would help me a lot. (polite offer and acceptance)

English thanks sometimes implies “yes” and sometimes “no.” Persian ممنون has the same potential ambiguity. Explicit polarity is the reliable strategy whenever practical consequences depend on the answer.

A Refusal Is a Completed Response

In Iranian guest-host interaction, an offer may be repeated once because the host wants to show generosity or check that the refusal is genuine. But نه، ممنون is still a refusal, not a hidden request to insist indefinitely. Burden and relationship determine whether one gentle renewed offer is appropriate; repeated pressure removes the guest’s choice.

— باز هم غذا بکشیم؟ — نه، ممنون، خیلی خوشمزه بود ولی دیگه جا ندارم. — حتما، پس براتون چای میارم.

— bâz ham ghazâ bekeshim? — na, mamnun, kheyli khoshmazze bud vali dige jâ na-dâram. — hatman, pas barâ-tun chây miyâram.

— Shall we serve you more food? — No thank you; it was delicious, but I have no room left. — Of course; then I’ll bring you tea. (informal-polite guest-host exchange)

The host accepts the food refusal and offers a different, lower-burden option. This preserves warmth without turning courtesy into coercion. The broader offer cycle is covered on Offering and Inviting.

اختیار دارید Minimizes Debt or Offense

اختیار دارید literally invokes the other person’s authority, but conventionally answers thanks or a small apology with “not at all / please don’t mention it.” It is deferential (polite/formal-neutral) and can sound ceremonious among very close friends.

— بابت زحمتی که کشیدید عذر می‌خواهم. — اختیار دارید، اصلا زحمتی نبود.

— bâbat-e zahmati ke keshidid ozr mi-khâham. — ekhtiyâr dârid, aslan zahmati na-bud.

— I’m sorry for the trouble you went to. — Not at all; it was no trouble. (deferential polite response)

— خیلی لطف کردید که من را رساندید. — اختیار دارید، مسیر خودم بود.

— kheyli lotf kardid ke man râ rasândid. — ekhtiyâr dârid, masir-e khod-am bud.

— It was very kind of you to give me a ride. — Not at all; it was on my way. (polite modest response)

This formula can minimize a small imposition. It should not erase serious harm or prevent a necessary repair.

Service Encounter

— می‌شود این نسخه را هم برایم چاپ کنید؟ — بله، حتما. — خیلی ممنون. — خواهش می‌کنم؛ پنج دقیقه‌ی دیگر آماده می‌شود.

— mi-shavad in noskhe râ ham barâ-yam châp konid? — bale, hatman. — kheyli mamnun. — khâhesh mi-konam; panj daqiqe-ye digar âmâde mi-shavad.

— Could you print this copy for me too? — Yes, certainly. — Thank you very much. — You’re welcome; it’ll be ready in five minutes. (polite service sequence)

The employee’s خواهش می‌کنم follows thanks, so it closes that pair. The following timing information begins a new move.

Common Mistakes

1. Using bare خواهش as English “please”

❌ خواهش این فرم را امضا کنید.

Incorrect — bare خواهش cannot serve as the ordinary courtesy formula; the fixed response/prompt is خواهش می‌کنم.

✅ — ممنون که فرم را بررسی کردید. — خواهش می‌کنم؛ فرم آماده‌ی امضاست.

— mamnun ke form râ barrasi kardid. — khâhesh mi-konam; form âmâde-ye emzâ-st.

— Thank you for checking the form. — You’re welcome; the form is ready to sign. (response after thanks)

2. Translating “you’re welcome” with خوش آمدید

⚠️ — از راهنمایی‌تان ممنونم. — خوش آمدید.

— az râhnamâyi-tân mamnun-am. — khosh âmadid.

— Thank you for your guidance. — Welcome. Both expressions are grammatical, but خوش آمدید welcomes an arrival; it does not answer thanks.

✅ — از راهنمایی‌تان ممنونم. — خواهش می‌کنم، امیدوارم مفید باشد.

— az râhnamâyi-tân mamnun-am. — khâhesh mi-konam, omidvâr-am mofid bâshad.

— Thank you for your guidance. — You’re welcome; I hope it is useful. (natural response pair)

3. Leaving an offer’s polarity ambiguous

⚠️ — برات قهوه بیارم؟ — ممنون.

— barât qahve biyâram? — mamnun.

— Shall I bring you coffee? — Thanks. This may be understood from the situation, but it does not explicitly accept or decline.

✅ — برات قهوه بیارم؟ — بله، ممنون؛ با شیر لطفا.

— barât qahve biyâram? — bale, mamnun; bâ shir lotfan.

— Shall I bring you coffee? — Yes, thanks; with milk, please. (explicit informal acceptance)

4. Treating refusal as permission to keep pressing

⚠️ مهمان سه بار گفت «نه، ممنون»، پس باید تا قبول کند اصرار کنم.

mehmân se bâr goft ‘na, mamnun’, pas bâyad tâ qabul konad esrâr konam.

The guest said ‘no, thank you’ three times, so I should insist until they accept. The sentence is grammatical, but the social inference turns hospitality into pressure.

✅ مهمان گفت «نه، ممنون»، پس انتخابش را پذیرفتم و موضوع را عوض کردم.

mehmân goft ‘na, mamnun’, pas entekhâb-ash râ paziroftam va mowzu' râ avaz kardam.

The guest said ‘no, thank you,’ so I accepted the choice and changed the subject. (respectful response)

Key Takeaways

After thanks, خواهش می‌کنم means “you’re welcome”; before an invitation, it means “please/go ahead.”
An offer requires a decision: use بله، ممنون to accept and نه، ممنون to decline when clarity matters.
اختیار دارید is a deferential way to minimize a small favor or imposition.
A polite refusal is a completed response, not automatic permission for unlimited insistence.
Interpret courtesy expressions through their position in a two-turn sequence.

Now practice Farsi

Reading grammar gets you part of the way. The exercises are where it sticks — free, no signup needed.

Start learning Farsi →