100 Absolutely Necessary Farsi Phrases to Survive in Iran

You may have heard that Iranians speak “Persian” or “Farsi” and you might be wondering about the differences between Farsi and Persian. Well, Farsi is Iran’s official language; though many dialects and languages are spoken in the country, people all over the country know and speak Farsi. In this article, you’ll learn necessary Farsi phrases for your next trip to Iran.

Are the street signs just in Farsi?

If you plan to visit Iran and you don’t know Farsi, you might be worried about reading the street signs. But, the good news is that you don’t need to know Farsi to read the street signs because, in most cases, they are written in both Farsi and English.

Street Signs are both in Farsi and English, Don’t Worry! | © keremcan* / Flickr

Can I use google translate?

If you’re trying to translate words, phrases, and very short sentences, it works pretty well. For long sentences, however, you might end up with some weird or funny collection of words. But the main disadvantage is that it won’t pronounce Farsi words and, since you most probably can’t read Farsi scripts, it won’t be useful (unless you’re trying to translate something from Farsi to another language or showing the text on your phone).

So, it seems useful to learn some essential but easy Farsi phrases to help you communicate while you’re in Iran. Here, we have prepared you a quick list which you might want to bookmark for your future use!

Read also: Customs in Iran

Farsi phrases for meeting/greeting

Hello, hi | Salam | سلام

How are you? | Chetori? | چطوری ؟

Fine, thank you | Khubam, Mersi | خوبم ، مرسی

Nice to meet you | Khoshvaghtam | خوشوقتم

Goodbye | Khodahafez | خداحافظ

See you | Mibinamet | میبینمت

Good morning | Sobh Bekheir | صبح بخیر

Good evening | Asr Bekheir | عصر بخیر

Goodnight | Shab Bekheir | شب بخیر

What’s your name? | Esmet Chie? | اسمت چیه؟

My name is ~ | Esme Man ~ Ast | اسم من ~ است

How old are you? | Chand Salete? | چند سالته ؟

Basic Farsi Phrases

Yes | Are | آره

No | Na| نه

Thank you | Mersi | مرسی

You’re welcome | Khahesh Mikonam | خواهش میکنم

Excuse me/Pardon | Bebakhshid | ببخشید

I’m sorry | Ozr Mikham | عذر میخواهم

Do you speak English? | Englisi Baladi? | انگلیسی بلدی؟

Help | Komak | کمک

I don’t understand | Nemifahmam | نمیفهمم

Where is the toilet? | Dastshoyi Kojast? | دستشویی کجاست؟

Please | Lotfan | لطفا

Farsi Phrases at Restaurant

Can I look at the menu, please? | Mishe menu ro bebinam lotfan? | میشه منو رو ببینم لطفا؟

I’m a vegetarian | Man giah kharam | من گیاهخوارم

Please clear the table | Lotfan miz ro tamiz konid | لطفا میز رو تمیز کنید

The check, please |‌ Surathesab lotfan | صورت حساب لطفا

It was delicious | Khoshmaze bud | خوشمزه بود

Breakfast | Sobhane | صبحانه

Lunch | Nahar | ناهار

Dinner | Sham | شام

Abbasi Traditional Persian Restaurant, Kashan, Iran | © CamelKW / Flickr

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Farsi Phrases for Shopping

How much is this? | Gheimatesh chande? | قیمتش چنده؟

That’s too expensive | Kheyli gerune | خیلی گرونه

Expensive | Gerun | گرون

Cheap | Arzun | ارزون

Can I have a bag? | Kise darid? | کیسه دارید؟

Taking a cab

Taxi | Taksi | تاکسی

How much does it cost to get to ~ ? | Ta ~ cheghadr mishavad? | تا ~ چقدر میشود؟

Taxi or تاکسی in Iran

Directions Phrases in Farsi

How do I get to ~? | Chetor beravam be ~? | چطور بروم به ~؟

Train station | Istgahe ghatar | ایستگاه قطار

Bus station | Istgahe otobus | ایستگاه اتوبوس

Taxi station | Istgahe taksi | ایستگاه تاکسی

Airport | Forodgah | فرودگاه

Consulate | Sefarat | سفارت

Downtown | Markaz-e shahr | مرکز شهر

Hotel | Hotel | هتل

Restaurant | Resturan | رستوران

Café | Cafe | کافه

Sites to see | Jahaye didani | جاهای دیدنی

Can you show me on the map? | Mishe ruye naghshe neshunam bedi? | میشه روی نقشه نشونم بدی؟

Street | Khiabun | خیابان

Farsi Phrases for Emergency Survival

I’ll call the police | Ba police tamas migiram | با پلیس تماس میگیرم

I’m lost | Gom shodam | گم شدم

I lost my bag | Kifam ro gom kardam | کیفم رو گم کردم

I’m sick | Halam khub nist | حالم خوب نیست

I’ve been injured | Asib didam | آسیب دیدم

Can I use your phone? | Mitunam az telephonetun estefade konam? | میتونم از تلفنتون استفاده کنم؟

I need a doctor | Pezeshk mikham | پزشک میخواهم

Numbers

1 | Yek | ۱

2 | Do | ۲

3 | Se | ۳

4 | Chahar | ۴

5 | Panj | ۵

‌6 | Shesh | ۶

7 | Haft | ۷

8 | Hasht| ۸

9 | Noh | ۹

10 | Dah | ۱۰

100 | Sad | ۱۰۰

1000 | Hezar | ۱۰۰۰

1000000 | Yek milion | ۱۰۰۰۰۰۰

Numbers in Farsi

Time

Now | Alan | الان

Later | Badan | بعدا

Before | Ghablan | قبلا

Morning | Sobh صبح

Noon | Zohr | ظهر

Evening | Asr | عصر

Night | Shab | شب

Today | Emruz | امروز

Yesterday |‌Diruz |دیروز

Tomorrow | Farda | فردا

Last week |‌Hafteye gozashte | هفته ی گذشته

This week | In hafte | این هفته

Next week | Hafteye ayande | هفته ی آینده

Week Days

Saturday | Shanbe | شنبه

Sunday | Yekshanbe | یکشنبه

Monday | Doshanbe | دوشنبه

Tuesday | Seshanbe | سه شنبه

Wednesday | Chahar shanbe | چهار شنبه

Thursday | Panjshanbe | پنج شنبه

Friday | Jome | جمعه

Farsi Phrases for Romance and Love

I love you | Dooset daram | دوست دارم

I love you | Asheghetam | عاشقتم

I like you | Behet alaghe daram | بهت علاقه دارم

You’re so beautiful | To kheili khoshgeli | تو خیلی خوشگلی

You’re so handsome | To kheili khoshtipi | تو خیلی خوشتیپی

Baby | Azizam | عزیزم

My love | Eshgham | عشقم

You stole my heart | Delamo bordi | دلمو بردی

Don’t break my heart | Delamo nashkan | دلمو نشکن

Hafiz, one of the greatest poets in Iran

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Hafez Love Poem

And to finish here’s a part of a beautiful Persian poem about love(Eshgh) from Hafiz.

راهیست راه عشـــق کـــه هیچش کـــــناره نیست

آن جـــا جــز آن کـــه جـان بسپارند چـاره نیست

هر گه که دل به عشق دهی خوش دمی بود

در کار خیر حاجت هیچ استخاره نیست…

Which translates to:

Love’s path is Path whereof the shore is none:
And there, unless they surrender their soul, remedy is none.
Every moment that to love thou givest thy heart is a happy moment,
In the right work, need of praying to God to be directed aright is none.