A few notes about Shopping in Farsi

Notes:

  1. In Iran, we buy fruits, vegetables, herbs and dates (even packed ones) in kilos, so we usually ask their prices in kilos.
  2. In colloquial Farsi, there are two words that we add to numbers as quantity makers: dune(h) (singular) and “” (plural). For instance:

– čand- sib dâri?: do-. (Instead of “čand sib dâri?:-do”) which means: how many breads do you have? – two.

– čand- nun mixây?: ye(h)-dune(h). (Instead of saying yek) which means: how many breads do you want? – one.

  1. In Iran, when you are paying by card, the shopkeepers/cashiers may ask for your card’s pin code. Do not get surprised, and if you do not feel saying it aloud, just say “mishe xodam vâred konam” which means “can I enter it myself”. It does not mean that the sentence works everywhere, but you can give it a try. You practice some Farsi at least.
  2. We have a politeness formula to ask for something or to request: using “miše(h)” (is it possible) or “mitunid” (can you) at a beginning of a sentence. But we need present subjunctive in this kind of sentences. However, you can keep your request simple and still polite by adding “lotfan” (please) to simple present structure. For instance you can say both following sentences to ask for a glass of water:

– miše(h) ye livân âb bedi. = ye livân âb midi lotfan.

  1. In Farsi, there are frequent quantifiers such as “baste(h)” (package), “ja’be(h)” (box). But for some elements, we use a particular word. For instance, for a pack of cigarettes, we say “yek pâkat sigâr” but if you want to buy just one cigarette, you need to say “yek nax sigâr”. But don’t worry, they are not many.
If you want to know more about Shopping in Farsi,  you can see more phrases here.
To help you learn Persian, our experienced Farsi tutors in Farsimonde provide you with the best online Farsi classes and offer you the best Farsi learning methods.
shopping in Farsi - Shopping in Farsi
English Pronunciation Farsi Sound
kilo kilu کیلو
gram geram گِرَم
half-e kilo nim kilu نیم کیلو
two hundred grams devist geram دِویست گِرَم
box ja’be(h) جَعبه
pack pâkat پاکَت
package baste(h) بَسته
bottle botri بُطری
can quti قوطی
jar šiše(h) شیشه
slice boreš بُرِش
piece tekke(h) تِکّه
a pack of pasta yek baste(h) pâstâ یِک بَسته پاستا
a jar of olive yek šiše(h) zeytun یِک شیشه زِیتون
a bottle of oil yek botri roqan یِک بُطری روغَن
a box of tissue ye ja’be(h) dastmâl یه جعبه دستمال
trolley čarx-e dasti چرخ دستی
basket sabad-e xarid سَبَدِ خَرید
production date târix-e tolid تاریخِ تولید
expiry date tarix-e enqezâ تاریخِ اِنقِضاء
best before … behtarin târix-e masraf بِهتَرین تاریخِ مَصرَف
spoiled xarâb خَراب
rotten fâsed فاسِد
in cash naqd نَقد
by card bâ kârt با کارت

English Pronunciation Farsi Sound
how much is this? in čande(h)? این چَنده؟
how many čand tâ? چَند تا؟
how much čeqadr? چِقَدر؟
how much is a kilo of apple? sib kiluyi čande(h)? سیب کیلویی چَنده؟
how much is an ice-cream? bastani dune(h)-yi čande(h)? بَستَنی دونه ای چَنده؟
I want a ….. yek …. mixâm یِک …. می خوام
I need a …. yek …. lâzem dâram یک …. لازِم دارَم
I’d like a ….. yek …. mixâstam یک …. می خواستَم
can you give me that piece of cheese miše(h) un tikke(h) panir ro be man bedid? می شه اون تِکّه پَنیر رو به مَن بِدید؟
how many …. you’d like? čand tâ … mixâstid? چَند تا …. می خواستید؟
how much …. you’d like? čeqadr … mixâstid? چِقَدر …. می خواستید؟
where is ….? … kojâst? کُجاست؟ ….
where can I find ….? kojâ mitunam ….. peydâ konam? کُجا می تونَم …. پِیدا کُنَم؟
excuse me, don’t you have ….? bebaxšid …. nadârid? بِبَخشید …. نَدارید؟
….. is in the fridge …. tu yaxčâl-e(h). تو یَخچاله ….
…. is in the back shelf tu qafase(h)-ye poštiy-e(h) تو قَفَسه یِ پُشتیه
what is the expiry date? in tâ key târix masraf dâre(h)? این تا کِی تاریخ مَصرَف داره؟
it is expired in târixeš gozašte(h) این تاریخِش گُذَشته
these apples are spoiled in sib-hâ xarâb-and این سیب ها خَرابَند
this meat is rotten in gust fâsed šode(h) این گوشت فاسِد شُده
should I slice the bread? nun ro barâtun boreš bezanam? نون رو بَراتون بُرِش بِزَنَم؟
how many slices? čand tekkaš konam? چَند تِکّه اش کُنَم؟
can you cut this fish in 5 slices? miše(h) in mâhi ro panj tekke(h) koind می شه این ماهی رو پَنج تِکّه کُنید؟
do you need a plastic bag? kise(h) lâzem dârid? کیسه لازِم دارید؟
can you give me a plastic bag? ye kise(h) be man midid? یه کیسه به مَن می دید؟
do you have loyalty card? kârt-e ešterâk dârid? کارتِ اِشتِراک دارید؟
do you pay in cash? naqd pardâxt mikonid? نَقد پَرداخت می کُنید؟
do you pay by card? bâ kârt pardâxt mikonid? با کارت پَرداخت می کُنید؟
excuse me, you didn’t give me back the change bebaxšid, baqiye(h)-ye pulam ro nadâdid. بِبَخشید، بَقیه ی پولَم رو نَدادید
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I do not have change pul-e xord nadâram پولِ خُرد نَدارَم
can I pay in cash? mitunam naqd pardâxt konam? می تونَم نَقد پَرداخت کُنَم؟
can I pay by card? mitunam bâ kârt pardâxt konam? می تونَم با کارت پَرداخت کُنَم
your pin code? ramzetun? رَمزِتون؟
I enter the pin myself xodam ramz ro mizanam خودَم رَمز رو می زَنَم

For more information about banks, money and currency in Iran,  you can see this article