How to Say Most Common Words in Farsi

Co-authored by Mahdi Mohajeri and Jennifer Mueller, JD

Last Updated: December 9, 2024 Fact Checked

Farsi, also known as Persian, is spoken by around 110 million people around the world and is the official language of Iran, Afghanistan (where it is known as Dari), and Tajikistan (where it is known as Tajiki). The language is also spoken in nearby countries, such as Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan, as well as throughout the Arab world. If you would like to learn how to speak Farsi, start with basic greetings and conversation. Knowing essential vocabulary can also help you understand more Farsi. If you are traveling in a country where Farsi is spoken, you may also need to know how to ask for help. Movafagh bāshid! (Good luck!)^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Adding Essential Vocabulary

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1
Start with baleh and nakheyr for "yes" and "no." These are 2 of the most basic words in any language, and essential if you're navigating in an area where Farsi is spoken. If someone offers you something, add "thank you" to the end by saying nakheyr, mamnūnam.^{[2]
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- Be careful using these words if you don't completely understand what the person said. You might try nemidānam (I don't know) or nemifahmam (I don't understand).
Tip: When speaking casually to people you know or people your own age, you can shorten nakheyr to na.
2
Learn the days of the week. If you're traveling, you'll need to know the days of the week so that you know when to be somewhere or when you need to check out of your lodging.^{[3]
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- Sunday: yek shanbeh یکشنبه
- Monday: do shanbeh دوشنبه
- Tuesday: seh shanbeh سه شنبه
- Wednesday: chahār shanbeh چهارشنبه
- Thursday: panj shanbeh پنج شنبه
- Friday: jom'e جمعه
- Saturday: shanbeh شنبه
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3
Pick up other words to describe dates and times. You're not always going to use the day of the week to tell someone when something happened or is going to happen. You might want to say dirooz (yesterday), emrooz (today) or farda (tomorrow).^{[4]
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- The word for day is rooz (روز.) If something happened in the morning, you would use the word sobh (صبح). The word for evening is asr (عصر), while the word for night is shab (شب).
- You might also use hālā (حالا), which means "now," or ba'dan (بعداً), which means "later."
4
Count to 10 in Farsi. Counting to 10 is one of the first things you typically learn in any language. To count from 1 to 10 in Farsi, say yek, do, seh, chahār, panj, shesh, haft, hasht, noh, dah.^{[5]
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- Ordinals are also important, especially if people are talking about dates. Aval (اول) means "first," dovom (دوم) means "second," and sevom (سوم) means "third."

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Basic Conversation

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1
Use Salām (سلام) to say "hello" in most settings. The word "Salām" literally translates to "peace" and is used as a general greeting throughout the Muslim world. This greeting is appropriate to use with anyone, at any time of day.^{[6]
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- Another common greeting in Farsi is dorood (درود). This is an older, more traditional greeting that means "hello."
- If you're greeting someone who is entering your home, you might also say Khosh āmadid! (!خوش آمدید), which means "welcome."
Greetings for Specific Times of Day:

Good morning: Sobh bekheyr! (!صبح بخیر)

Good evening: Asr bekheyr! (!عصر بخیر)

Good night: Shab bekheyr! (!شب بخیر)
2
Ask Hāleh shomā chetor ast? (حال شما چطور است؟) for "How are you?" After saying "hello," it's common in Persian cultures to ask about the other person's well-being. If the other person asks you first, you might reply Man khoobam (.من خوبم), which means "I'm doing well."^{[7]
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- If you're talking to a close friend or someone your age or younger, you might try Hālet chetoreh? (حالت چطوره؟), which is very informal.
3
Introduce yourself by saying Esmeh man... ast (.اسم من است). To tell the person your name, say "Esmeh man," then your name, followed by "ast." For example, if your name is Sarah, you would say "Esmeh man Sarah ast." To ask the other person's name, say Esmeh shomā chist?^{[8]
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- When the other person tells you their name, you might say Az molāghāteh shomā khoshbakhtam. (.از ملاقات شما خوشبختم), which means "nice to meet you." You can also simply say "khoshbakhtam."
4
Explain that you only speak a little Farsi. If you're just learning Farsi but still want to have a conversation, you might say Fārsim khub nist (فارسیم خوب نیست), which means "I can't speak Persian/Farsi well." You might also say misheh āhesteh tar sohbat konid? or "Could you speak more slowly?" if you're having trouble understanding the person.^{[9]
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- You could add nemifahmam (نمی‌فهمم), which means "I don't understand."
- If you would feel more comfortable talking in English, you might ask Engelisi baladid? (انگلیسی بلدید؟) or "Do you speak English?"
5
Express your gratitude by saying mamnūnam (ممنونم) for "thank you." This is a relatively formal way to say "thank you" in Persian. Persians also say merci, like the French. However, this is considered a more casual expression.^{[10]
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- If the person thanks you, reply khāhesh mikonam(خواهش می‌كنم), which means "you're welcome."
- Other polite words in Farsi include moteassefam (sorry), lotfan (please), and bebakhshid (excuse me).
6
End a conversation with khodā hāfez (خداحافظ) for "goodbye." When you're ready to part ways, this is a basic way to say "goodbye." You could also say bedrood (بدرود), which also means "goodbye."^{[11]
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- In the morning, you might also say Roozeh khoobi dāshteh bāshid! which means "Have a nice day!"^{[12]
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- If the person continues to talk to you, you might say man bāyad beravam, which means "I have to go."^{[13]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Asking for Help

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1
Start with Bebakhshid to get someone's attention. This word means "excuse me," and is the polite way to get someone's attention before asking them a question. Then you might say Mitavānid beh man komak konid?, which means "Can you help me?"^{[14]
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- You might also say Man ahleh injā nistam if you want to tell the person "I'm not from here."
2
Use man komak niāz dāram to ask pointedly for help. This phrase literally means "I need help," so if you have a problem, saying this will alert them. However, you should probably be prepared to explain your problem in Farsi. Otherwise, ask Engelisi baladid? or "Do you speak English?"^{[15]
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- You might also say Komakam konid! which means "Help me!" Save this for times when something more serious is going on – not for times when you just need to ask directions or find the restroom.
3
Get directions if you're lost. It can be hard to get around in an unfamiliar place, especially when all the signs are in a language you're just starting to learn. Say Man gom shodeh am to tell someone that you are lost. Then show the person where you want to go. Having a written name, map, or photo can help.^{[16]
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- If the place you're looking for is nearby, you might say Mitavānid beh man neshān dahid? which means "Can you show me?"
- If you just want to know where the nearest bathroom is, ask dashtshooyi kojāst? It's generally best to ask someone who is the same gender as you.
4
Say man mariz hastam (من مریض هستم) if you feel sick. This phrase lets those around you know that you're not feeling well. If you're really bad off, you might also say Man beh doktor niāz dāram, which means "I need a doctor."^{[17]
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- In an emergency situation, you might say Yek doktor khabar konid! (Call a doctor!) or āmbolāns rā khabar konid! (Call an ambulance!).
Tip: If you're in an emergency situation and don't feel comfortable describing your needs in Farsi, say Injā kasi Engelisi midānad? which means "Is there someone here who speaks English?"

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How do you say "Happy new year!" in Farsi?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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"Happy new year!" in Farsi is "Sale noo mobarak!" For Nowruz, the Persian New Year, you would say "Eide shoma mobarak!"

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How do you say "restaurant" in Farsi?

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The word for "restaurant" in Farsi is "resturân," pronounced similarly to the English word.

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What does "bey" mean in Farsi?

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"Bey" is a Turkish title for a chieftain or leader. The same title is also used for leaders of small tribal groups in Iran and other Farsi-speaking communities.

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"Salām" (which literally translates to "peace") is a general greeting throughout the Muslim world that you can say to anyone, at any time of day.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

To become fluent, listen to the radio or watch videos in Farsi. I strongly recommend learning the informal way to read, write, and speak the language as it will help you understand what others say.
Farsi has loads of idioms and "mini-idioms". Be sure to check them out so you can better understand those who speak the language natively.
The term "Persian" is outdated so it's best to use "Farsi" when describing the language spoken in countries like Iran.

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