Lessons for English speakers

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.

13 core sections · ≈ 31 min + 4 optional lookups · ≈ 44 min with everything

Reading

3 sections

First reading with help: a dog finds water

≈ 3 min

What you'll learn

Read the Farsi line first, then use the pronunciation and English.
The person or animal acting normally comes early, and the action normally comes at the end.
Nearly every word carrying the scene’s main meaning has appeared above; one new ending and one new place word are explained first.
Re-read once without looking at the English.

Two new clues before the story

سگ کوچکsag-e kuchek“small dog”

سگ کوچکیsag-e kucheki“a small dog”

ـی-i introduces someone or something as “a” or “one.” It attaches to the end of the whole noun phrase.

اینجاinjâ

here

You will hear it joined to “is” in اینجاستinjâst“is here”.

First reading: pronunciation and English shown

یکی بود، یکی نبود.
yeki bud, yeki nabud.
Once upon a time.
سگ کوچکی در جنگل بود.
sag-e kucheki dar jangal bud.
There was a small dog in the forest.
سگ آب می‌خواست.
sag âb mikhâst.
The dog wanted water.
سگ به خانه رفت.
sag be khâne raft.
The dog went to the house.
گربه در خانه بود.
gorbe dar khâne bud.
The cat was in the house.
گربه گفت: «آب اینجاست.»
gorbe goft: “âb injâst.”
The cat said, “The water is here.”
سگ آب نوشید و گفت: «ممنون.»
sag âb nushid o goft: “mamnun.”
The dog drank the water and said, “Thank you.”

Three delayed recalls before the new story

جنگل
Show answer +Hide answer −
جنگلjangal“forest”
آب
Show answer +Hide answer −
آبâb“water”
گفت
Show answer +Hide answer −
گفتgoft“said”