Farsi Small Talk Phrases

Imagine that you are in a Persian speaking country for the first time. You would like to communicate with locals in their own language, have a nice greeting and a Farsi small talk, and befriend them to learn more about people’s daily life. So you may have the following questions in your mind:

  • How can I start a conversation (Farsi small talk) when I am in a gathering whereas I do not know people?
  • How can I introduce myself?
  • What kind of greeting is formal and which one is friendlier?
  • Is it acceptable to start talking to unknown people when I am in a bus or train?
  • What kind of questions may people ask me when they greet me for the first time?

In this section, you will find answers to these questions. But before going to persian expressions and farsi phonetics, let’s learn some important facts about topics that Iranian choose to start a conversation.

GREETINGs - Farsi Greeting and Small Talk

Farsi Small Talks about Weather and Personal Interests

– In many countries, people talk about weather as an opening for their conversations. You can follow the same routine in Iran since climate is not a controversial topic and keeps you in the safe side. However, Iranians in their Farsi small talks prefer to talk about more serious topics even when they are in a taxi or bus, such as climate change, pollution, social problems, and economy. Don’t get surprised but we are not used to starting our day by saying “what a lovely weather”, unless it rains or snows which happens rarely in most parts of Iran.

– When you are in a taxi or bus, you may face questions like “where are you from?”, “how old are you?”, “are you married?”, why are you learning Farsi/ traveling in Iran?”, “what do you think about Iran?”. Asking these personal questions is not considered rude for Iranians. So try not to get annoyed. If you do not feel like answering, ask them to guess the answers by saying “šomâ či fekr mikonid?” which means “what do you think?”

– If you are invited to an Iranian party or dinner, get prepared to eat a lot. Iranians are usually hospitable. They believe that a guest is sent by God, and they show their respect to the guests by serving and entertaining them. It is very common to serve fruit, tea and sweets before dinner. Moreover, dinner is usually served very late, around 10 pm.

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Farsi Small Talk and Greeting Phrases

English Pronunciation Farsi Sound
Hello, hi salâm سَلام
good morning sobh be xeyr صُبح بِخِیر
good day ruz be xeyr روز بِخِیر
good evening ‘asr be xeyr عَصر بِخِیر
How are you? hâletun četore(h)? حالِتون چِطوره؟
how is it going? xubi? خوبی؟
I am fine, thanks xubam, mamnun خوبَم، مَمنون
not bad bad nistam بَد نیستَم
what’s up?/ any news? če(h) xabar? چه خَبَر؟
it is an answer to “what’s up?” salâmati سَلامَتی
I am …. man …. hastam مَن … هَستَم
my name is… esm-e man … e(h). اِسمِ مَن …ـه
what’s your name? esm-e šomâ čiye(h)? اِسمِ شُما چیه؟
what’s your name? esmet čiye(h)? اِسمِت چیه؟
nice too meet you az âšnâyitun xošhâl šodam اَز آشناییتون خوشحال شُدَم
me too man ham hamintor مَن هَم هَمینطور
pleasure to meet you xošvaqtam خوشوَقتَم
Where are you from? šomâ kojâyi hastid? شُما کُجایی هَستید؟
Which country are you from? šomâ ahl-e kodum kešvarid? شُما اَهلِ کُدوم کِشورید؟
I’m from France. man ahl-e farânse(h) hastam. مَن اَهلِ فَرانسه هَستَم
how old are you? čand sâletune(h)? چَند سالِتونه؟
I am 28 man bist-o hašt sâlame(h) مَن بیست و هَشت سالَمه
what do you do? če(h) kâre(h) hasti? چه کاره هَستی؟
what is your occupation šoqlet či-ye(h) شُغلِت چیه؟
I’m an engineer. man mohandes hastam مَن مُهَندِس هَستَم

About Weather in Farsi

English Pronunciation Farsi Sound
day ruz روز
today emruz اِمروز
night šab شَب
tonight emšab اِمشَب
week hafte(h) هَفته
week-end âxar-e hafte(h) آخَرِ هَفته
month mâh ماه
year sâl سال
this year emsâl اِمسال
weather havâ هَوا
climate âb- o havâ آب و هَوا
cloudy abri اَبری
rainy bârâni بارانی
sunny âftâbi آفتابی
windy bâdi بادی
cold sard سَرد
warm garm گَرم
nice/good xub خوب
poluted âlude(h) آلوده
clean tamiz تَمیز
clean/sober pâk پاک
how is the weather? havâ četore(h)? هَوا چِطوره؟
how is the weather this weekend? âxar-e hafte(h) havâ četore(h)? آخَرِ هَفته هَوا چِطوره؟
today is …. emruz havâ … e(h) امروز هوا …… ـه
today is sunny emruz havâ âftâbiye(h) اِمروز هَوا آفتابیه
how poluted today is! čeqadr havâ âlude(h) ast چِقَدر هَوا آلوده اَست
this year weather wasn’t good at all emsâl havâ aslan xub nabud اِمسال هَوا اَصلاً خوب نَبود
this month hasn’t rained at all in mâh aslan barun nabâride(h) این ماه اَصلاً بارون نَباریده

In Iranian Party

English Pronunciation Farsi Sound
in a party dar mehmâni دَر مِهمانی
do you know Sara? to Sârâ ro mišnâsi? تو سارا رو می شناسی؟
I’d like to introduce you to my friend. mixâm be dustam mo’arefit konam می خام به دوستَم مُعَرِفیت کُنَم
this is Sara in Sârâ-st این ساراست
Sara! This is my friend Sârâ in dunstame(h) سارا! این دوستَمه
his name is Victor esmeš Viktor-e(h) اِسمِش ویکتوره
welcome to the party xeyli xoš umadi خِیلی خوش اومَدی
thanks mersi! !مِرسی
thanks for inviting me mersi az da’vatetun مِرسی اَز دَعوَتِتون
where are you from? šomâ kojâyi hastid? شُما کُجایی هَستید؟
I am from Belgium man Belžiki hastam مَن بِلژیکی هَستَم
do you live in Iran? dar iran zendegi mikoni? دَر ایران زِندِگی می کُنی؟
I am traveling in Iran barâ-ye gardeš be irân umadam بَرایِ گَردِش به ایران اومَدَم
do you know Persian? fârsi baladi? فارسی بَلَدی؟
I know Persian a little xeyli kam fârsi baladam خِیلی کَم فارسی بَلَدَم
how long have you been In Iran? čand vaqte ke irâni? چَند وَقته که ایرانی؟
It is three week that I am In Iran se(h) hafte(h)-ast ke irânam سه هَفته ست که ایرانَم
where have you been so far? Where have you been so far? تا حالا کُجاها رَفتی؟
I have been to Shirâz and Yazd man širâz o yazd raftam مَن شیراز و یَزد رَفتَم
what is your opinion about Iran? be(h) nazaret Irân četore(h)? به نَظَرِت ایران چِطوره؟
what do you think about Iran? darbâre-ye Irân či fekr mikoni? دَرباره یِ ایران چی فِکر می کُنی؟
In my opinion Iran is beautiful be nazaram Irân xeyli qašange(h) به نَظَرَم ایران خِیلی قَشَنگه
have some fruit befarmâyid mive(h) بِفَرمایید میوه
have some drink befarmâyid nušidi بِفَرمایید نوشیدَنی
have some food befarmâyid qazâ بِفَرمایید غَذا
the food is very delicious qazâ xeyli xošmaze(h)-st غَذا خِیلی خوشمَزه اَست
thanks for the food dastetun dard nakone(h) دَستِتون دَرد نَکُنه
bon apetite nuš-e jân نوشِ جان

Personal Interests and Hobbies in Farsi

English Pronunciation Farsi Sound
book ketâb کِتاب
movie film فیلم
music musiqi موسیقی
sport varzeš وَرزِش
game bâzi بازی
writer nevisande(h) نِویسَنده
singer xânande(h) خوانَنده
painter naqâš نَقّاش
actor/actress honarpiše(h) هُنَرپیشه
director kârgardân کارگَردان
what kind of book do you like? to če(h) jur ketâbi dust dâri? تو چه جور کِتابی دوست داری؟
who is your favourite director kârgardân-e mored-e ‘alâqat ki-ye(h)? کارگَردانِ موردِ عَلاقه اَت کیه؟
I like historical books man ketâb-e târixi dust dâram مَن کِتابِ تاریخی دوست دارَم
I like Kiârostami‘s movies. az filmhâye Kiyârostami xošam miyâd از فیلم هایِ کیارُستَمی خوشَم میاد
do you do sport? varzeš mikoni? وَرزِش می کُنی؟