50 Common Farsi Phrases for Beginners (with Pronunciation)

Greetings matter in Farsi. Iranians value warmth and politeness, so knowing these common Farsi phrases makes a great first impression.

1. سلام (salaam), Hello
2. صبح بخیر (sobh bekheyr), Good morning
3. عصر بخیر (asr bekheyr), Good afternoon
4. شب بخیر (shab bekheyr), Good night
5. خداحافظ (khodahafez), Goodbye
6. به امید دیدار (be omid-e didar), Hope to see you again
7. حال شما چطور است؟ (hal-e shoma chetor ast?), How are you? (formal)
8. چطوری؟ (chetori?), How are you? (informal)
9. خوبم، ممنون (khoobam, mamnoon), I'm fine, thank you
10. خوش آمدید (khosh amadid), Welcome

"Salaam" is the most useful one. It works in any situation, formal or informal, any time of day.

Iranian culture has a tradition of elaborate politeness called "taarof." These courtesy phrases come up constantly in daily life.

1. ممنون (mamnoon), Thank you
2. خیلی ممنون (kheyli mamnoon), Thank you so much
3. متشکرم (moteshakkeram), I am grateful
4. خواهش می‌کنم (khahesh mikonam), You're welcome / Please
5. ببخشید (bebakhshid), Excuse me / I'm sorry
6. لطفاً (lotfan), Please
7. عذر می‌خوام (ozr mikham), I apologize
8. قابلی نداره (ghabeli nadareh), Don't mention it
9. نوش جان (noosh-e jan), Bon appetit
10. دست شما درد نکنه (dast-e shoma dard nakoneh), Thank you for making this (literally: may your hand not hurt)

Taarof includes things like offering something you may not intend to give, or declining something you want. Phrases like "ghabeli nadareh" (it's not worthy of you) reflect this tradition of humility.

These practical phrases keep a conversation going.

1. اسم من ... است (esm-e man ... ast), My name is ...
2. اسم شما چیست؟ (esm-e shoma chist?), What is your name?
3. از آشنایی شما خوشبختم (az ashenayi-ye shoma khoshbakhtam), Nice to meet you
4. بله (baleh), Yes
5. نه (na), No
6. نمی‌دانم (nemidunam), I don't know
7. می‌فهمم (mifahmam), I understand
8. نمی‌فهمم (nemifahmam), I don't understand
9. فارسی بلد نیستم (farsi balad nistam), I don't know Farsi
10. کمی فارسی بلدم (kami farsi baladam), I know a little Farsi
11. لطفاً آهسته‌تر صحبت کنید (lotfan aheste-tar sohbat konid), Please speak more slowly
12. این چیست؟ (in chist?), What is this?
13. کجا؟ (koja?), Where?
14. کی؟ (key?), When?
15. چرا؟ (chera?), Why?

Tip: "Kami farsi baladam" (I know a little Farsi) delights native speakers every time.

Numbers are essential for shopping, telling time, and getting around.

1. یک (yek), One
2. دو (do), Two
3. سه (seh), Three
4. چهار (chahar), Four
5. پنج (panj), Five
6. شش (shesh), Six
7. هفت (haft), Seven
8. هشت (hasht), Eight
9. نه (noh), Nine
10. ده (dah), Ten
11. چند؟ (chand?), How many? / How much?
12. این چقدر است؟ (in cheqadr ast?), How much does this cost?
13. گران است (geran ast), It's expensive
14. خیلی خوب (kheyli khoob), Great
15. باشه (basheh), OK / Alright

Note: "noh" (nine) and "na" (no) are both spelled نه in some contexts. Tone and context make the difference clear.

These phrases are lifelines when traveling.

For help: "komak" (کمک) means "help." "Dastshui kojast?" (دستشویی کجاست؟) means "where is the bathroom?" "Bimarestan kojast?" (بیمارستان کجاست؟) means "where is the hospital?"

For directions: point and say "inja" (اینجا) for "here" and "anja" (آنجا) for "there."

At restaurants: "menu lotfan" (منو لطفاً) for "menu please," "ab mikham" (آب می‌خوام) for "I want water," and "hesab lotfan" (حساب لطفاً) for "check please."

Food vocabulary is some of the most practical to learn. Sharing meals is central to Iranian social life.

Pulling the right phrase under pressure is the hard part. Here are the ones learners reach for most often, grouped by where they actually use them.

At the airport or train station:

• بلیط من اینجاست (belit-e man inja-st), Here is my ticket
• پروازم چه ساعتی است؟ (parvazam che sa'ati ast?), What time is my flight?
• چمدان من کجاست؟ (chamedan-e man kojast?), Where is my luggage?

At a restaurant or café:

• یک میز برای دو نفر لطفاً (yek miz baraye do nafar lotfan), A table for two, please
• این چی است؟ (in chi-e?), What is this?
• خیلی خوشمزه بود (kheyli khoshmaze bood), It was delicious

At a friend's house (Persian hospitality is intense):

• خانه شما زیباست (khane-ye shoma zibast), Your home is beautiful
• ممنون از دعوت (mamnoon az davat), Thank you for the invitation
• باید برم (bayad beram), I have to go

Shopping or in a taxi:

• این چقدر است؟ (in cheqadr ast?), How much is this?
• ارزان‌تر می‌شود؟ (arzantar mishe?), Can it be cheaper?
• لطفاً همین‌جا نگه دارید (lotfan hamin-ja negah darid), Please stop here

Learning phrases in context sticks better than learning them in isolation. Picture the situation before you say the words.

Phonetic spelling only takes you halfway. A few quick rules turn it into something Persian speakers actually recognize.

Sounds English speakers usually miss:

• kh (خ) is a back-of-throat sound, like the "ch" in Scottish "loch" or German "Bach." Common in khodahafez, khoob.
• gh (ق, غ) is even further back, almost a soft gargle. Common in gheymat (price), ghahve (coffee).
• a (ا at start) is usually like "a" in "father," not "a" in "apple." Salaam, not "sal-AM."
• e at word endings is pronounced (not silent). Khoobe is two syllables: "khoo-beh."

Free audio resources that help:

• Forvo.com, Native speakers pronounce individual Farsi words. Free and searchable.
• YouTube channel "Easy Persian", Street interviews in Iran with on-screen transliteration.
• Chai and Conversation podcast, Hosts speak slowly and explain each phrase.
• learnfarsi.app, Built-in audio on every vocabulary card to hear the phrase spoken.

Record yourself saying each phrase, then compare. You'll hear gaps you didn't notice while speaking.

A few of these phrases carry cultural weight that isn't obvious from translation.

Taarof shapes most polite exchanges. When a shopkeeper says "ghabel nadareh" (it's not worthy of you, meaning "it's on the house"), they don't expect you to accept. Insist on paying, usually two or three times. Read more in our guide to taarof.

"Cheshm" (چشم) literally means "on my eyes." It's used like "of course" or "will do." When you ask a favor and someone says "cheshm," they're committing warmly, not just acknowledging.

"Ghorban-e shoma" (قربان شما) means "I sacrifice myself for you." Sounds intense in English. In Farsi it's a casual sign-off in calls, closer to "take care" than anything literal.

"Khaste nabashi" (خسته نباشی) means "may you not be tired." Said when someone is working, finishing a task, or coming home from a long day. It has no good English equivalent.

Using these with the right tone shows you understand the culture, not just the words.

Save or screenshot this section. It covers the eleven phrases that handle the most common first-time situations:

• سلام (salaam), Hello
• ممنون (mamnoon), Thank you
• خواهش می‌کنم (khahesh mikonam), You're welcome
• لطفاً (lotfan), Please
• ببخشید (bebakhshid), Excuse me / Sorry
• بله (baleh), Yes
• نه (na), No
• نمی‌فهمم (nemifahmam), I don't understand
• چقدر؟ (cheqadr?), How much?
• کجاست؟ (kojast?), Where is it?
• خداحافظ (khodahafez), Goodbye

If a Persian speaker hears these eleven phrases used naturally, they'll switch into beginner-friendly Farsi for you, slowing down and rephrasing when needed.

How many Farsi phrases do I need to start a conversation? Around 30 to 50. The ones above cover greetings, courtesy, and survival situations. Once you can chain three or four together ("Salaam, hal-e shoma chetor-e? Mamnoon, khoobam"), you've crossed the threshold from memorizing to talking.

Is Farsi the same as Persian? Yes. "Farsi" is what speakers call it in Iran. "Persian" is the English name. They refer to the same language. Dari (Afghanistan) and Tajik (Tajikistan) are closely related variants.

Should I learn the Persian script or just phonetic spelling first? If you mainly want to speak and travel, start phonetic. Add the script later when you want to read signs, menus, and messages. The Persian alphabet has 32 letters and takes about two weeks of daily practice to read at a basic level.

Why do the same words sound slightly different? Written Farsi (formal) and spoken Farsi (colloquial) differ. "I go" is miravam in writing but usually miram in speech. This guide leans toward the spoken forms you'll actually hear, with formal versions noted where it matters.

How long until I can hold a basic conversation? With 15 minutes of daily practice, most learners hit basic conversational ability in 3 to 6 months. See our breakdown in how long does it take to learn Farsi?.

Memorizing is step one. Practice makes them stick.

Pick five phrases per day. Use them in imagined scenarios: greet yourself in the mirror, order an imaginary meal, or narrate your walk in Farsi.

Listen to native pronunciation. The transliterations here are approximations. Audio resources, YouTube channels, and Persian music train your ear for the real sounds.

Don't stress about perfection. Farsi speakers love it when foreigners try. Even a stumbling "salaam, hal-e shoma chetor ast?" gets met with warmth and encouragement.

For more on greetings specifically, see our complete guide to Farsi greetings. Planning a trip? Check out essential Farsi for travel to Iran. And learn the art of taarof, Persian politeness.

Ready to practice these phrases with spaced repetition? Start with our free Farsi vocabulary lessons and reinforce them daily.