Learn to read Farsi
A short, active path into reading Farsi: learn the Persian script in useful groups, decode words before revealing their pronunciation, follow the verb to the end, and read a small story before opening your first book.
Read eight useful words from a small sound guide
- The sound guide below contains every consonant needed for the first eight words.
- Long vowels are visible; short vowels must be supplied.
- Each hint supplies an unwritten short vowel; this is guided reading, not a test from nothing.
- Try each word once, reveal it, say it, and notice its letters. You will meet the same words again later.
- Two of the words show a narrow break inside them. Read them as one word; the next section explains the break.
Only the letter sounds needed for these words
| Letter | Sound to try |
|---|---|
| آ / اâ | the open vowel near father |
| بb | b |
| نn | n |
| سs | s |
| گg | g as in go |
| رr | a brief tapped r, not the usual English r |
| هh / final e | h, or e at the end of some words |
| خkh | the rasp in Scottish loch |
| دd | d |
| تt | t |
| پp | p |
| جj | j as in jam |
| لl | l |
Read from right to left. Two of the eight words — درختderakht and پرندهparande — look as though they contain a space. They do not: some letters simply refuse to join onward, which the next section covers. And a word’s a, e, or o vowels may still be missing.
Eight words for the first story
Use the sound guide and the short-vowel hint. Work from right to left, then reveal and say the whole word.
- آب
â + b
Show answer +Hide answer −
آبâb“water” - نان
n + â + n
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نانnân“bread” - سگ
s + hidden a + g
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سگsag“dog” - گربه
g + hidden o + r + b + final e
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گربهgorbe“cat” - خانه
kh + â + n + final e
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خانهkhâne“house” - درخت
d + hidden e + r + kh + t
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درختderakht“tree” - پرنده
p + hidden a + r + hidden a + n + d + final e
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پرندهparande“bird” - جنگل
j + hidden a + n + g + hidden a + l
Show answer +Hide answer −
جنگلjangal“forest”