Persian language for travelling in Iran.
The Language of Poets, Romance and the old language of the Eastern courts. Persian is a language that spreads from Iran (Farsi), Afghanistan (Dari), Tajikistan (Tajik) and some parts of Iraq, Uzbekistan and more. It is softly spoken, smooth and sounds like music at times.
Of course, you can travel with English just fine when you travel to Iran. The level of English in Iran isn’t bad and the people are so helpful that even the language barrier doesn’t matter.
Iran is one of the countries that if you learn some small phrases, it will open a whole other side of the country. I’m not talking about becoming conversational but just learning simple things such as “How are you” “This is tasty” “I like Iran”… You know, simple fun phrases.
In this blog since it’s basic phrases for travel, i won’t cover the Persian alphabet, i will write everything in Latin alphabet but I will cover how to read Persian numbers too due to most menus and shops using Persian numbers for price plus if you use Snapp! (Iran Uber/ridesharing) the car number plates are with Persian numbers too.
Luckily, Persian is a gender-free language so everything here can be used for men, women, children, elders or anyone.
Thank you to Pardis Khodakarami for the audio tracks to this guide.
Pardis Khodakarami
Esfahan- Iran
Hello
Hello
Salam – سلام – Sa-lam
Goodbye
Khodahafez – خداحافظ – Khoda-ha-fez (Sometimes in speaking said like Khoda-fez)
Thank you
Thank you
There are a few ways to say this and they are all correct. Some are from European influence, Islamic influence and pure Persian.
Merci – مرسی – Merci (This is used like “Thanks”)
Mamnoon – ممنون – Mam-noon (This is typically a little more formal in real use)
Tashakor – تشکور – Tash-a-kor (You won’t hear this often but this is pure Persian and locals will respect you for using it.)
Sapas– ساپاس – Sa-pas (Another pure Persian form)
Yes/No
Yes
Bale – بله – Bal-eh
Na – نه – Na
How are you?
How are you? (There are 2 common ways)
Chetori? – چطوری؟ – Chet-ori? (Formal and directly “How are you?”)
Khoobi? – خوبی؟ – Khoo-bi? (Casual and means “Are you well/good?”) (You should respond with yes.. Bale)
I’m good (Response to Chetori?)
Man Khoobam – Man Khoo-bam
Me, You and Everyone
Me
Man – من – Man
You (Informal)
To – تو – To
You (Formal)
Shoma – شما – Shoma
He/She (No genders so its the same word)
Oo – او – Oo
What is your name?
What is your name?
Esm-e shomaa chiyeh? – اسم شما چیست؟ – Es-m-e shoma chi-yeh?
My name is Pardis
Esm-e man Pardis-e – اسم من پردیس – Es-meh man Pardis-eh
How much is this?
How much?
Chandeh? – چنده؟ – Chand-eh?
How much is this?
In chandeh? – این چنده؟ – In chand-eh?
Where is X?
Where is the X?
Supermarket kojast? – سوپرمارکت کجاست؟ – Supermarket ko-jast?
Toilet kojast? – توالت کجاست؟ – Toilet ko-jast?
Termnial otobus kojast? – ترمینال اتوبوس کجاست؟ – Terminal otobus ko-jast?
Istgahe taxi kojast – ایستگاه تاکسی کجاست – Ist-gah-eh tax-si ko-jast?
Istgahe metro kojast – ایستگاه مترو کجاست – Ist-gah-eh metro ko-jast?
I like Iran
I like Iran
Iran doost daram – ایران دوست دارم – Iran doost dar-am
I don’t like traffic
Traffic doost nadaram – ترافیک را دوست ندارم – Traffic doost na-dar-am
Food & Vegetarian
Delicious
Khoshmazast – خوشمزه است – Khosh-maz-ast
Food
Ghaza- غذا – Gha-za
Water
Aab– اب – Aab
Fruit
Mive– میوه – Mi-veh
Meat
Goosht– گوشت – Goo-sht
Vegetarian
Giyaahkhaar – گیاهخوار – Gi-ah-khor
Where are you from?
Where are you from?
Ahle kojaaid? – اهل کجایید؟ – Ah-le koja-ead (The most common way you’ll be asked)
Kadoom keshvari? – کدوم کشوری؟ – Kadoom kesh-vari (Don’t be surprised if asked this way. It means “Which country”)
I am from Australia
Man ahle Australia hastam – من اهل استرالیا هستم – Man ah-leh Australia Hast-am
Australia – Osteralia – Ost-er-alia – استرالیا
Austria – Otrish – Ot-rish – اترش
Afghanistan – Afghanestan – افغانستان
Argentina – Arzhantin – آرژانتین
Australia – Osteralia – استرالیا
Austria – Otrish – اتریش
Belgium – Belzhik – بلژیک
Brazil – Berezil – برزیل
Canada – kanada – کانادا
China – Chin – چین
England – Engelestan – انگلستان
France – Faranse – فرانسه
Germany – Alman – آلمان
Greece – Yunan – یونان
Iran – Iran -ایران
Ireland – Irland – ایرلند
Italy – Italiya -ایتالیا
Japan – Zhapon – ژاپن
Korea – Kore – کره
Malaysia – Malezi – مالزی
Mexico – Mekzik -مکزیک
Morocco – Marakesh -مراکش
Netherlands – Holand -هلند
New Zealand – Niyuzland – نیوزلند
Norway – Norvezh – نروژ
Poland – Ahestan-لهستان
Portugal – Porteghal -پرتغال
Russia – Rusiye – روسیه
Saudi Arabia – Arabestane – عربستان
Spaine – Spaniya – اسپانیا
Sweden – Sued – سوئد
Switzerland – Suis – سوئیس
Taiwan- Tayvan – تایوان
Thailand – Taland – تایلند
Turkey – Torkiye – ترکیه
Ukraine – Okrayn – اکراین
United States – Amrika – آمریکا
Learning the numbers is important due to if you use ride-sharing apps such as Snapp! The car registration will appear in Persian numbers because plates in Iran use Persian numbers with no Latin numbers. It can also be useful in cafes/restaurants when reading a menu or when in a supermarket or bazaar when they have the price written down too.
*Reading car registartion plates when in taxis or walking around can be a good way to practice. They follow the patter of: 2 numbers – 1 letter – 5 numbers
So in this photo: 67T48544
- ۱ – Yek
- ۲ – Do
- ۳ – Se
- ۴ – Chahar
- ۵ – Panj
- ۶ – Shesh
- ۷ – Haft
- ۸ – Hast
- ۹ – No
- ۱۰ – Da
Although it may seem daunting to learn, I managed to work out an easy way to memorise them.
- ۱ – Is one because it looks like 1
- ۲ – 2 only has one hook
- ۳ – 3 has 2 hooks can look like a 3 when placed sideways
- ۴ – looks like the letter F
- ۵ – Upside down love heart
- ۶ – looks like 9 but with a hard tucked-in tail
- ۷ – The word seVen has a V in it
- ۸ – Comes after seven but isn’t quite a V
- ۹ – same as 9