Persian (/ˈpɜːrʒən/ or /ˈpɜːrʃən/), also known as Farsi (farsiفارسی [fɒːɾˈsiː]), is the main Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family. Farsi is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and some other regions which historically were Persian societies and considered part of Greater Iran. The language is written in the Persian alphabet, a modified variant of the Arabic script, which itself evolved from the Aramaic alphabet. The Persian language is classified as a continuation of Middle Persian, the official religious and literary language of the Sassanid empire, itself a continuation of Old Persian, the language of the Achaemenid empire.
The grammar is similar to that of many contemporary European languages. Having approximately 110 million Persian speakers worldwide, with the language holding official status in Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan; for centuries, Persian has also been a prestigious cultural language in other regions of Western Asia, Central Asia, and South Asia by the various empires based in the regions. Some of the famous works of Persian literature are Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, the works of Rumi, Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, Panj Ganj of Nizami Ganjavi, Divan of Hafez and the two miscellanea of prose and verse by Saadi Shirazi named Gulistan and Bustan.
English | Persian Pronunciation | Persian Equivalent |
Hi | Salaam | سلام |
How are you? | Haaletoun chetoreh? | حالتون چطوره؟ |
I am fine | Man khoubam | من خوبم |
Bad | Bad | بد |
And you? | Shomaa chetor? | و شما؟ |
Iran is beautiful | Iraan zibaast | ایران زیباست |
Thank you | Mamnoun | ممنون |
You are welcome | Qaabeli Nadaareh | قابلی نداره |
Enjoy your meal | Az qazaa lezzat bebarid | از غذا لذت ببرید |
Expression you say after eating | Noush-e jaan | نوش جان |
say to somebody who just took a Shower | Aafiat baashe | عافیت باشه |
The answer to that expression | Salaamat baashi | سلامت باشی |
Sorry | Sharmandeh | شرمنده |
Please | Lotfan | لطفا |
Excuse me | Bebakhshid | ببخشید |
No problem | Moshkeli nist | مشکلی نیست |
I | Man | من |
We | Maa | ما |
You/You (plural) | To/Shomaa | تو/شما |
He/She/It | Oou/Oou/Aan | او/او/آن |
They | Aanhaa | آنها |
What is your name? | Esme shomaa chiyeh? | اسم شما چیه؟ |
My name is Jordi | Esme man Jordi hast | اسم من جوردی هست |
How old are you? | Chand saletoune? | چند سالتونه؟ |
I am 30 years old | Man si saal daaram | من سی سال دارم |
Where are you from? | Az kojaa oomadi? | از کجا اومدی؟ |
I am from Barcelona | Az Baarcelonaa oomadam | از بارسلونا اومدم |
Where do you go? | Kojaa daari miri? | کجا داری میری؟ |
I go to Tehran | Man be Tehraan miram | من به تهران میرم |
We go to Tehran | Maa be Tehraan mirim | ما به تهران میریم |
Me too | Manam hamin-tor | منم همینطور |
Us too | Maa ham hamin-tor | ما هم همینطور |
Can we go with you? | Mitounim baa shomaa biaayeem? | میتونیم با شما بیایم؟ |
Center of the town | Markaz-e shahr | مرکز شهر |
Here | Injaa | اینجا |
There | Aanjaa | آنجا |
Let’s go | Bia Berim | بیا بریم |
Food | Qazaa | غذا |
Water | Aab | آب |
Big | Bozorg | بزرگ |
Small | Koochak | کوچک |
Milk | Sheer | شیر |
Coffee | Qahveh | قهوه |
Bread | Naan | نان |
Chicken | Morq | مرغ |
Tomato | Gojeh | گوجه |
Mushrooms | Qaarch | قارچ |
Rice | Berenj | برنج |
Beans | Loubiaa | لوبیا |
Potatoes | Sib zamini | سیب زمینی |
How much is it? | In chandeh? | این چنده؟ |
Juice | Aab-miveh | آبمیوه |
Tea | Chaay | چای |
Hot | Daaq | داغ |
Cold | Sard | سرد |
With sugar | Baa shekar | با شکر |
Without sugar | Bedoon-e shekar | بدون شکر |
Cheers | Be salaamati | به سلامتی |
Tent | Chaador Mosaferati | چادر مسافرتی |
Can I camp here tonight? | Mitounam emshab injaa otraaq konam? | میتونم امشب اینجا اتراق کنم؟ |
Where can I camp? | Kojaa mitounam chaador bezanam? | کجا میتونم چادر بزنم؟ |
Where can we camp? | Kojaa mitounim chaador bezanim? | کجا میتونیم چادر بزنیم؟ |
Monday | Do shanbeh | دوشنبه |
Tuesday | Se shanbeh | سه شنبه |
Wednesday | Chaahaar shanbeh | چهارشنبه |
Thursday | Panj shanbeh | پنج شنبه |
Friday | Jom’eh | جمعه |
Saturday | Shanbeh | شنبه |
Sunday | Yek shanbeh | یکشنبه |
Accommodation | Eqāmatgāh | اقامتگاه |
Toilet | Dastshouee | دستشویی |
Street | Khiābān | خیابان |
Help | Komāk | کمک |
Friend | Doust | دوست |
Buy | Kharid | خرید |
Ticket | Bilit | بلیت |
Cheap | Arzān | ارزان |
Expensive | Gerān | گران |
Today | Emrouz | امروز |
Tomorrow | Farda | فردا |
Yesterday | Dirouz | دیروز |
Open | Bāz | باز |
Closed | Basteh | بسته |
Beautiful | Zibaa | زیبا |
Very | Kheili | خیلی |
Sea | Daryā | دریا |
Man | Mard | مرد |
Woman | Zan | زن |
Castle | Qal’eh | قلعه |
Do you speak English? | Shoma Engelisi baladid? | شما انگلیسی بلدید؟ |
I don’t speak Farsi | Man Faarsi balad nistam | من فارسی بلد نیستم |
How do I get to…? | Chetour mitounam be …. Beram? | چطور میتونم به … برم؟ |
Left | Chap | چپ |
Right | Raast | راست |
Straight ahead | Mostaqim | مستقیم |
I understand | Fahmidam | فهمیدم |
I don’t understand | Nafahmidam | نفهمیدم |
I like Tehran | Man Tehran ro doust daram | من تهران رو دوست دارم |
I don’t like Tehran | Man Tehran ro doust nadaram | من تهران رو دوست ندارم |
I know | Midounam | میدونم |