بیهمت (Bi himmat)
What does بیهمت (Bi himmat) mean? بیهمت (Bi himmat) is a Dari moderate that translates to “lazy / spiritless / good-for-nothing” in English.
Literal Translation
without ambition / without drive
Meaning & Usage
"lazy / spiritless / good-for-nothing"
Himmat combines ambition, drive, effort, and courage into a single concept — the willingness to strive for something. 'Bi himmat' is someone who has given up, who makes no effort, who drifts through life without trying. In a country where survival itself requires daily effort, having no himmat is pathological.
Examples in the Wild
جوان بیهمت، نه درس میخوانی نه کار میکنی. (Jawan bi himmat, na dars mekhwani na kaar mekuni. - Spiritless young man, you neither study nor work.) — Elder to unemployed youth.
When to Use It
Context
- Casual conversations with friends
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- Direct confrontation (use with caution)
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
Afghan proverbs repeatedly praise himmat: 'himmat-e mardaan, madad-e khodaa' (the effort of men earns God's help). Being bi himmat is a failure so fundamental that it invites divine abandonment. Parents use it to motivate teenagers. Elders use it about young men who aren't working or studying. It's the Afghan equivalent of 'what are you doing with your life?' condensed into a single word. In refugee and diaspora communities, it's especially pointed — people who risked everything to reach a new country have no patience for those who waste the opportunity.
More in Dari 🇦🇫
View all →خواهرتو گایدم (Khwahareto gaydam)
“I fucked your sister”
Declaring sexual intercourse with the target's sister.
لعنتی (Lanati)
“damn / goddamn / cursed”
Someone upon whom God's curse (la'nat) has fallen. In everyday use it functions exactly like the English 'damn' — versatile, moderate, and everywhere. 'In telefon-e lanati' (this damn phone) is something every Kabuli says daily. But in its religious sense, being cursed by God is eternal damnation.
بد کاره (Bad kara)
“whore / sex worker (euphemism)”
The Afghan euphemism for a sex worker — someone whose 'work' (kaar) is 'bad.' It's the word people use when they want to accuse a woman of prostitution without using the explicit 'jenda' (whore) or the formal 'fahisha.' The euphemistic nature actually makes it more common in everyday speech, because it's considered less vulgar to say.
دیوث (Dayus)
“cuck / shameless bastard”
A man who is indifferent to his wife's adultery, or actively pimps her out.
پفیوز (Pofyooz)
“limp dick / useless bastard”
An old word for a useless, pathetic man with no backbone.
تف به رویت (Tof ba royet)
“I spit in your face / you disgust me”
The verbal equivalent of spitting in someone's face — the ultimate gesture of contempt and disgust. In many cultures spitting expresses disgust, but in Afghan culture it's particularly loaded because the face (roo) represents honor, dignity, and public reputation. Spitting on someone's face destroys their roo permanently.
نامرد (Namard)
“coward / traitor / backstabber”
This is one of the most loaded words in Afghan masculinity. It doesn't just mean coward — it means someone who broke a promise, betrayed a trust, or abandoned someone in need. A namard is someone whose word means nothing. In a culture built on oral agreements and personal honor, this can end friendships and start blood feuds.
الاغ (Olagh)
“jackass / stubborn fool”
A second word for donkey — used interchangeably with 'khar' but with a slightly more literary, formal register. It's the donkey-insult you'd hear from an educated person rather than a street vendor. Same meaning: stupid, stubborn, and unable to learn. Afghan Dari borrowed 'olagh' from Turkish, while 'khar' is pure Persian.