In modern Farsi, we usually express wishes with the subjunctive mood. However, in formal speech, literature, blessings, and traditional toasts, Farsi preserves an older form known as the optative mood.
Expressing "May it be"
The word باد means "may it be". It is a historical third-person verb that does not change its form (it is invariant). You place it at the end of a sentence to offer a formal blessing or well-wish.
| May your days be auspicious! | روزگار شما خجسته باد!ruzgâr-e shomâ khojaste bâd! |
| May this union be blessed! | این پیوند فرخنده باد!in peyvand farkhonde bâd! |
Expressing "May it not be"
To express a negative wish ("may it not be" or "let it not be"), use مباد. Like its positive counterpart, it sits at the end of the phrase and never changes form. You will often see it paired with positive wishes to emphasize a blessing.
| May the days of the oppressor not endure! | روزگار ظالم پایدار مباد!ruzgâr-e zâlem pâydâr mabâd! |
| May their days always be bright, and may they not be dark! | روزگار آنان همواره روشن باد و تاریک مباد!ruzgâr-e ânân hamvâre rowshan bâd va târik mabâd! |
Traditional Toasts and Blessings
These optative verbs are extremely common in specific cultural contexts, such as holidays, formal ceremonies, or when wishing someone health and longevity. They pair frequently with adjectives like پاینده (enduring), مستدام (continuous), and گوارا (refreshing).
| May the new year be auspicious. | سال نو خجسته باد.sâl-e no khojaste bâd. |
| May this drink be refreshing. | این نوشیدنی گوارا باد.in nushidani govârâ bâd |
| May Iran be enduring and established! | ایران پاینده و برقرار باد!irân pâyande o bargharâr bâd! |
| May his shadow endure, and may he not be sick! | سایهی او مستدام باد و بیمار مباد!sâye-ye u mostadâm bâd o bimâr mabâd! |