دهنت را ببند (Dahanet ra beband)
What does دهنت را ببند (Dahanet ra beband) mean? دهنت را ببند (Dahanet ra beband) is a Dari moderate that translates to “shut your mouth / zip it” in English.
Literal Translation
tie/close your mouth
Meaning & Usage
"shut your mouth / zip it"
A more physical, aggressive version of 'khafa sho' (shut up). The imagery is of literally tying someone's mouth shut — like muzzling an animal. It's ruder than 'chup bash' (be quiet) but less vulgar than 'goh nakhor' (don't eat shit). The middle ground of Afghan silencing expressions.
Examples in the Wild
دهنت را ببند، من گپ میزنم. (Dahanet ra beband, man gap mezanam. - Shut your mouth, I'm talking.) — Asserting authority in a conversation.
When to Use It
Context
- Casual conversations with friends
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- As a spontaneous exclamation
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
This phrase occupies the sweet spot between polite and profane that Afghan conversations navigate constantly. In a culture where telling someone to shut up is itself considered rude (you should ideally just let the elder finish talking), even the milder forms carry weight. 'Dahanet ra beband' is what you say when you've already tried polite hints and they didn't work.
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.