A1.1 – First Contact with Persian

Getting to Know Persian

Persian, in Persian called “فارسی” (fârsi), is the main language of Iran and also one of the major languages of Afghanistan and Tajikistan. In Afghanistan it is usually called “دری” (dari), and in Tajikistan “تاجیکی” (tâjiki). In this course we focus on the standard Persian used in Iran, but you will still be able to communicate with many speakers in the region.

Persian is written from right to left and uses a script based on the Arabic alphabet, with a few extra letters. You will gradually learn these letters, how to connect them, and how to pronounce them. For now, you will see Persian words together with a simple Latin transcription, so you can read and say them even before you fully know the script.

Persian belongs to the Indo‑European language family. This means that English and Persian are very distant “cousins.” There are some very old shared roots, but most everyday words will feel new to you. However, Persian grammar is often simpler than learners expect. For example, there is no grammatical gender for nouns, and verb conjugation has many regular patterns that you will learn step by step.

Your First Persian Words

Before any grammar, it is helpful to have a few very basic words that you can recognize and say. At this early stage, do not worry about full sentences. Focus on the sound and look of the words and the idea that script goes from right to left.

Here are some essential “first contact” words. You are not expected to memorize all of them immediately. They will reappear later in more detail.

“Hello” in Persian is “سلام” (salâm). It is used in almost every situation, with friends, family, and strangers, at almost any time of day. This is probably the first word you will say when you meet a Persian speaker.

“Goodbye” is often “خداحافظ” (khodâhâfez). It literally contains the word for “God” (خدا khodâ) and means something like “may God protect you.” In everyday speech people say it very quickly, like “khodâfez.”

“Yes” is “بله” (bale) in a neutral or polite style. In informal speech you also hear “آره” (âre). “No” is “نه” (na).

“Please” and “you are welcome” are usually expressed with the same word, “خواهش می‌کنم” (khâhesh mikonam), literally “I request” or “I beg.” Another very common polite word is “مرسی” (merci) for “thank you,” borrowed from French, and also the native Persian “متشکرم” (motshakeram), more formal and polite.

To talk about yourself and others you need pronouns. The word “I” is “من” (man), “you” (singular) is “تو” (to), and “he / she / it” is “او” (u). The plural “we” is “ما” (mâ), “you” (plural) is “شما” (shomâ), and “they” is “آنها” (ânhâ) or in spoken Persian often “اونا” (unâ). You will study these in detail in a later unit, but it is useful to see them early as part of your first contact.

First Look at the Script

When you see Persian for the first time, it may look like a flowing line of curves and dots. Remember three key facts.

First, Persian is written from right to left. So the first letter of a word is on the right, and the line of text begins on the right side of the page. When you see “سلام” (salâm), your eyes should start from the right and move left.

Second, most letters in Persian connect to the letters before and after them. Words often look like one continuous shape. For example, in “سلام” several letters are joined together in a simple wave. Later you will learn that many letters have up to four forms: isolated, initial, medial, and final. These forms are the same letter, just written differently depending on position in the word.

Third, Persian uses an alphabet that mostly represents consonants and long vowels. Short vowels are often not written in everyday texts. For beginners this is a challenge, but in a teaching context we use Latin transcription or sometimes extra marks to show the vowels. For example, “سلام” is written without short vowels, but we write “salâm” in Latin letters so you can see how it sounds.

At this stage, your main job is to become comfortable looking at Persian words, knowing that they are read from right to left, and recognizing that many letters are joined together.

Sounds and Transcription

Persian has some sounds that are close to English, and some that are new. In this course we will use a simple transcription to help you pronounce them. It is not the full scientific system of linguistics, but a learner‑friendly guide. For example:

“a” often sounds like the “a” in “cat” or “father,” depending on position.
“â” is a long “a,” a bit like the “a” in “father,” but held slightly longer and with a stable quality.
“u” often sounds like “oo” in “food.”
“i” often sounds like “ee” in “see.”
“kh” represents a sound that does not exist in English, produced in the back of the mouth, like the “ch” in German “Bach” or Scottish “loch.” For example in “خداحافظ” (khodâhâfez).

You will learn the full vowel system and basic pronunciation rules in their own sections later. For now, just remember that each Persian word in this course will come with a Latin transcription that will guide your pronunciation as you get used to the new sounds.

How Persian Sentences Feel

Persian sentences normally follow a Subject Object Verb pattern. In English you say “I eat bread.” In Persian, the natural order is “I bread eat.” You will study this structure in detail in a later unit, but it is helpful to be aware of it from the very beginning so that you are not surprised when you see verbs at the end of sentences.

Persian also often omits the verb “to be” at the end when it is obvious or uses special endings attached to words instead of a separate verb. For example, to say “I am,” “you are,” “he is,” there are short endings that attach to nouns or adjectives. All of that belongs to later sections, but it is useful to know that many very short, common words in Persian are actually verb endings.

Formality and Politeness

From your first encounter with Persian, you will notice that polite language matters. The pronoun “you” has different forms, such as “تو” (to) for informal and “شما” (shomâ) for polite or plural. Using polite words like “بفرمایید” (befarmâid, roughly “here you go / please”) and “خواهش می‌کنم” (khâhesh mikonam, “please / you are welcome”) is considered very important in many situations.

You will learn the difference between formal and informal speech in detail later. At this level, just be aware that you may hear different versions of the same idea. For instance, “thanks” can be “مرسی” (merci) in a friendly, casual way or “متشکرم” (motshakeram) in a more formal or respectful way.

How to Approach This Level

At A1.1 you are building the foundations of your Persian. Your main tasks at this stage are simple but important.

You will become familiar with the Persian alphabet step by step, learn to recognize basic letters, and practice writing them by hand. You will discover how letters connect in words and how short and long vowels work. You will hear and repeat the basic sounds of Persian and begin to recognize them by ear.

Alongside the script, you will collect a first small set of words that you can say and understand without thinking too much. Simple greetings, polite phrases, pronouns, and numbers will give you the feeling that you can already do something in Persian, even before knowing all the rules.

It is very important not to rush through these first steps. Your progress later in the course will become much easier if you invest time now in practicing reading from right to left, copying words by hand, saying them out loud, and listening carefully to how native speakers pronounce them.

Key Rule for Beginners

As you begin to read and write Persian, keep one crucial rule always in mind.

This rule helps you avoid confusion when texts mix Persian and non‑Persian elements.

Vocabulary List for This Section

Persian words are given in Persian script, followed by transcription and English meaning.

فارسی (fârsi) Persian (language)
ایران (irân) Iran
سلام (salâm) hello
خداحافظ (khodâhâfez) goodbye
بله (bale) yes (neutral / polite)
آره (âre) yes (informal)
نه (na) no
مرسی (merci) thank you (informal / common)
متشکرم (motshakeram) thank you (formal / polite)
خواهش می‌کنم (khâhesh mikonam) please / you are welcome
من (man) I
تو (to) you (singular, informal)
او (u) he / she / it
ما (mâ) we
شما (shomâ) you (plural or polite)
آنها (ânhâ) they (more formal)
اونا (unâ) they (informal / spoken)
خدا (khodâ) God
بفرمایید (befarmâid) here you go / please (polite offer)
دری (dari) Dari (Afghan Persian)
تاجیکی (tâjiki) Tajik (language)