Iranian Language
The official Iranian language is Farsi, but that is not the only language spoken in the country. Iran is a tapestry of many cultures and ethnicities, and as such, there are many different languages spoken in the country. Arabs, Kurds, Turks, and many other ethnicities have their own language, which they speak alongside the official Farsi. You should be aware of this great variety of languages when you travel Iran , but there is nothing to worry about, because your travel guide is sure to be able to speak the local language wherever you go Iran.
Learning Farsi
Farsi is part of the Indo-European family of languages. It uses the Arabic script for its alphabet, so to learn Farsi, the first step is learning the Arabic script. The Indo-Persian numerals are used to represent numbers in the Farsi language. Learning the numeral system and the alphabet is quite easy. You can use one of the many available online resources for learning Farsi before applying for an Iran visa .
Learning Farsi Alphabet
Before you go Iran, it is a good idea to learn the Farsi alphabet. By learning the Farsi alphabet, you will be able to use one of the many free online translation services to get around in cities, if you choose to travel Iran on your own without an Iran travel guide. Even if you plan to use an Iran travel guide, learning the Farsi alphabet might help you in an emergency.
Learn Farsi Numbers
If you plan to buy a souvenir of Iran , you are going to have to use the Iran currency, rial. Your Iran travel guide might not be available to help you at all times. You can shop easily on your own, if you learn Farsi numbers. Farsi uses the Indo-Persian numerals to represent numbers. You can find online resources to learn Farsi numbers.
Learn Farsi Phrases
Iranians use many Farsi phrases in their everyday conversations. While it might seem like a daunting task, if you learn Farsi phrases, you will be able to communicate with other people on a much higher level when you travel Iran. You can ask your Iran travel guide to teach you some of the most used Farsi phrases when you go Iran.
| English | Farsi Numbers | Persian Script |
| 0 Zero | sefr | صفر |
| 1 One | yek | يک |
| 2 Two | doe | دو |
| 3 Three | se | سه |
| 4 Four | chaar | چار |
| 5 Five | panj | پنج |
| 6 Six | shesh | شش |
| 7 Seven | haaft | هفت |
| 8 Eight | haasht | هشت |
| 9 Nine | noh | نه |
| 10 Ten | dah | ده |
| 11 Eleven | yaazdah | يازده |
| 12 Twelve | davaazdah | دوازده |
| 13 Thirteen | sizdah | سيزده |
| 14 Fourteen | chaardah | چارده |
| 15 Fifteen | poonzdah | پونزده |
| 16 Sixteen | shoonzdah | شونزده |
| 17 Seventeen | heftdah | هفتده |
| 18 Eighteen | hejdah | هجده |
| 19 Nineteen | noozdah | نوزده |
| 20 Twenty | bist | بيست |
| 30 Thirty | see | سی |
| 40 Forty | chel | چل |
| 50 Fifty | panjaa | پنجا |
| 60 Sixty | shast | شصت |
| 70 Seventy | haftaad | هفتاد |
| 80 Eighty | hashtaad | هشتاد |
| 90 Ninety | navad | نود |
| 100 Hundred | sad | صد |
| 1,000 Thousand | hezaar | هزار |
| 10,000 Ten Thousand | dah hezaar | ده هزار |
| 100,000 Hundred Thousand | sad hezaar | صد هزار |
| 1,000,000 Million | yek million | يک مليون |
| Plus | be al`aveh | به علاوه |
| Minus | menhaa | منها |
| More (than) | bishtar az | بيشتر از |
| Less (than) | kamtaar az | کمتر از |
| Approximately | taqribaan | تقريباً |
| First | avaal | اول |
| Second | dovom | دوم |
| Third | sevom | سوم |
- The numbers four and six can be written two different ways depending on the calligraphic style.
- Numbers are written from left to right (as in English).
| English Greetings | Farsi Greetings | Persian Script |
| Hi! | Salam! | سلام |
| Good morning! | Sobh Be Kheyr! | صبح بخیر |
| Good evening! | Assr be kheyr! | عصر بخیر |
| Welcome! (to greet someone) | Khosh Amaadid! | خوش آمدید |
| How are you? | Shoma chetor hastin? | شما چطور هستین |
| I’m fine, thanks! | Man khoobam, Mamnoon! | من خوبم.ممنون |
| And you? | Va shoma ? | و شما؟ |
| Good/ So-So. | Khoob | خوب |
| Thank you (very much)! | Mamnoon | ممنون |
| You’re welcome! (for “thank you”) | Khahesh Mikonaam | خواهش میکنم |
| Hey! Friend! | Hey! Refiq! | هی ! رفیق |
| I missed you so much! | Delaam baraat kheyli taang shode | دلم برات خیلی تنگ شده |
| What’s new? | Che khabaar? | چه خبر؟ |
| Nothing much | Khabaari nist | خبری نیست |
| Good night! | Shab be kheyr | شب بخیر |
| See you later! | Baadan mibinamet | بعدأ میبینمت |
| Good bye! | Bed-rood | بدرود |
| I’m lost | Man gom shodaam | من گم شدم |
| Can I help you? | Mitoonam ke komaketoon konam | میتونم که کمکتون کنم؟ |
| Can you help me? | mishe komakam konid? | میشه کمکم کنید؟ |
| Where is the (bathroom/ pharmacy)? | (dashtshooyi/darookhane) kojast? | (دستشویی/داروخانه) کجاست؟ |
| Go straight! then turn left/ right! | Mostaqim boro,
baad be chap/rast bepich |
مستقیم برو،
بعد به چپ/راست بپیج |
| I’m looking for john. | Man donbale “john” migardam | من دنبال “جان” می‌گردم |
| One moment please! | Yek lahzeh lotfan | یک لحظه لطفا |
| Hold on please! (phone) | Yek lahzeh lotfan | یک لحظه لطفا |
| How much is this? | Gheymatesh chand ast? | قیمتش چند است ؟ |
| Excuse me …! (to ask for something) | Bebakhshid | ببخشید |
| Excuse me! ( to pass by) | Bebakhshid | ببخشید |
| Come with me! | Ba man bia | با من بیا |
| Do you speak (English/ Farsi)? | shoma (Englisi/Farsi) harf mizanid? | شما (انگلیسی/فارسی) حرف میزنید ؟ |
| Just a little. | kami. | کمی. |
| What’s your name? )informal)
What is your name? (formal) |
Esmet chie?
esme shoma chie? |
اسمت چیه؟ ( غیر رسمی )
اسم شما چیه؟ (رسمی ) |
| My name is … | esme man… hast | اسم من …هست |
| Mr…/ Mrs.…/ Miss… | Aqay…/Khanoom…/Doshizeh… | آقای ../خانم…/دوشیزه… |
| Nice to meet you! | Az molaqate shoma khosh vaqtam | از ملاقات شما خوش وقتم |
| You’re very kind! | Shoma kheyli mehrban hastid (formal)
Shoma kheyli mehraboonid (informal) |
شما خیلی مهربان هستید
شما خیلی مهربونید |
| Where are you from? | ahle koja hastid? | اهل کجا هستید؟ |
| I’m from (America/ Iran) | Man az (America/ Iran) hastam | من از (آمریکا / ایران) هستم |
| I’m (American) | Man “America”i hastam | من (آمریکا)یی هستم |
| Where do you live? | Shoma koja zendegi mikonid? | شما کجا زندگی میکنید |
| I live in (America/ Iran) | Man dar (America/ Iran) zendegi mikonam | من در (آمریکا / ایران) زندگی میکنم |
| Did you like it here? | Aaz inja khoshetoon oomade ? | از اینجا خوشتون اومده؟ |
| Iran is a wonderful country | Iran keshvare jalebi Hast | ایران کشور جالبی هست |
| What is your job? | Shoqle shoma chie? | شغل شما چیه؟ |
| I am a (translator/ businessman) | Man (motarjjem/ tajjer) hastam. | من (مترجم / تاجر) هستم |
| I like Farsi | Man az farsi khoshaam miaad | من از فارسی خوشم میآد |
| I’ve been learning Farsi for 1 month | Man yek mah hast ke farsi yad migiraam | من یک ماه هست که فارسی یاد میگیرم |
| Oh! That’s good! | Oh, che khoob! | اوه ! خوبه |
| How old are you? | Chand salet hast? | چند سالت هست؟ |
| I’m (twenty, thirty…) years old. | Man (bist/ Si) saal daraam | من (بیست/سی) سال دارم |
| I have to go | Man bayad beraam | من باید برم |
| I will be right back! | Bar migardaam! | برمیگردم |
| Good luck! | Movafaq bashid | موفق باشید |
| Happy birthday! | Tavalodat mobarak | تولدت مبارک |
| Happy new year! | Sale no mobarak | سال نو مبارک |
| Merry Christmas! | Kirismass Mobarak | کریسمس مبارک |
| Congratulations! | Tabrik migaam | تبریک می گم |
| Enjoy! (for meals…) | Befarmaeid | بفرمایید |
| I’d like to visit Iran one day | Man dost daraam yek rooz iran ro bebinam | من دوست دارم که یک روز ایران رو ببینم |
| Say hi to John for me | Be “John” salame man ro beresoonid | به “جان” سلام من رو برسونید |
| Bless you (when sneezing) | Afiaat bashe | عافیت باشه |
| Good night, Sweet dreams! | Shab bekheyr, khaabe khoob bebini | شب بخیر. خواب خوب ببینی |
| I’m Sorry?! (if you don’t hear something) | Bebaakhshid?! | ببخشید؟! |
| Sorry (for a mistake) | Bebaakhshid | ببخشید |
| No problem! | Moshkeli nist | مشکلی نیست |
| Can you repeat please? | Mishe tekraar konid? | میشه تکرار کنید ؟ |
| Can you speak slowly? | Mishe aheste tar sohbat konid? | میشه آهسته تر صحبت کنید؟ |
| Write it down please! | Lotfan benevisid | لطفا یادداشت کنید |
| I Don’t Understand! | Motavajjeh nemishaam | متوجه نمیشم |
| I Don’t Know! | Nemidoonam | نمیدونم |
| I Have No Idea. | Nazaari nadaram | نظری ندارم |
| What’s That Called In Farsi? | Be Farsi chi mishe? | به فارسی چی میشه؟ |
| What Does “moshkeli” Mean In English? | “moshkeli” be engilisi chi mishe? | “moshkeli” به انگلیسی چی میشه؟ |
| How Do You Say “Please” In Farsi? | Shoma “please” ro be farsi chi migin? | شما “بليز” رو به فارسی چی میگین؟ |
| What Is This? | In chie? | این چیه؟ |
| My Farsi is bad. | Farsi e man bad hast | فارسی من بد است |
| I need to practice my Farsi | Man bayad farsi ro bishtar tamrin konaam | من باید فارسی رو بیشتر تمرین کنم |
| Don’t worry! | Negaran nabashid | نگران نباشید |
| Good/ Bad/ So-So. | Khoob/ bad/ motavaset | خوب / بد / متوسط |
| Big/ Small | Bozorg/ khoochaak | بزرگ / کوچک |
| Today/ Now | Emrooz/ Alaan | امروز/ الان |
| Tomorrow/ Yesterday | Farda/ dirooz | فردا / دیروز |
| Yes/ No | Bale/ na | بله/نه |
| Here you go! (when giving something) | Befarmaeid. | بفرمائید |
| Do you like it? | Khoshet miaad? | خوشت میاد؟ |
| I really like it/you! | Vaghaan azaash/azaat khoshaam miaad | واقعا ازش خوشم میاد |
| I’m hungry/ thirsty. | Man (goshne/ teshne) am | من گشنه ام / تشنه ام |
| In The Morning/ Evening/ At Night. | Sobh/ asr/ shab | صبح /عصر / شب |
| This/ That. Here/There | In/ aan. Inja/ Anjjaa | این / آن . اینجا / آنجا |
| Me
You Him/ Her. |
Man
To Oo/ Oo (Him & Her are same) |
من
تو او / او |
| Really! | Vaghaan! | واقعا |
| Look! | Negah kon! | نگاه کن ! |
| Hurry up! | Ajaale kon! | عجله کن ! |
| What? Where? | Chi? Koja? | چی؟ کجا؟ |
| What time is it? | Saat chaand hast? | ساعت چند است؟ |
| It’s 10/ 07:30pm. | Saat dah/ hafto si dagige asr | ساعت 10/هفت و سی دقیقه عصر |
| Give me this! | Ino be maan bede! | اینو به من بده |
| I love you! | Doset daraam! | دوست دارم |
| I feel sick. | Halaam khoob nist | من احساس ناخوشی میکنم |
| I need a doctor | Man be Doctor ehtiaaj daraam | من به دکتر احتیاج دارم |
| One, Two, Three | Yek/ do/ se | یک / دو / سه |
| Four, Five, Six | Chaar/ panj/ shesh | چهار / پنج / شش |
| Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten | Haft / haasht/ noh/ dah | هفت / هشت / نه / ده |
