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
The script
4 sections4
How letters join: shared shapes, dots, and gaps
≈ 3 min
What you'll learn
- Most letters join to neighbours and change outline at the join.
- Many letters share one base shape; dots distinguish the sound.
- Seven letters do not join to the letter that comes next as you read from right to left.
- A small visual gap can therefore occur inside one word.
- Persian added پ چ ژ گp ch zh g to the Arabic-derived alphabet.
One joining letter in four positions
- بbeb as in bedOne boat-shaped bowl with one dot below.
- بisol
- بـinit
- ـبـmed
- ـبfin
باباbâbâ“dad”
The join strokes are not extra letters. They show where the neighbour attaches.
Several letters share one drawing; the dots make them different
| Family | Sounds |
|---|---|
| ب پ ت ثb p t s | one bowl; dots below or above |
| ج چ ح خj ch h kh | one hooked bowl |
| د ذd z | one bent stroke |
| ر ز ژr z zh | one falling stroke |
| س شs sh | three teeth |
| ص ضs z | one heavy bowl; same modern Persian sounds as other s/z letters |
| ط ظt z | one upright bowl |
| ع غ' gh | one curved shape; a dot distinguishes gh |
| ف قf gh | a small loop; dot pattern distinguishes them |
| ک گk g | g adds a stroke to k |
Seven letters that stop the next join
| Letters | What to notice |
|---|---|
| ا د ذ ر ز ژ وâ d z r z zh v/u | They may join to the letter before them, but not onward to the next letter. |
“Before” and “next” refer to reading order: right to left.
One word can contain a gap
درختderakht“tree”
د | ر | خت
Both د and ر stop the next join. The two gaps do not create extra words.
پرندهparande“bird”
پر | ند | ه
ر stops the join before ن, and د stops the join before final ه. It is still one word.
A letter that stops a join can connect to the letter on its right, but not to the next letter on its left.
Count words, not gaps
- How many words are in درخت?
A narrow break after a non-joiner is not a space.
Show answer +Hide answer −
One word: درختderakht“tree”. - How many words are in پرنده?
Show answer +Hide answer −
One word: پرندهparande“bird”.