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Persian for free
Why learn Persian?
Persian is one of the 67 languages you can learn on Lingocard with frequency-ranked flashcards, spaced repetition, and live speaking partners. Build vocabulary and pronunciation at your own pace, on web and mobile.
In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Persian is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Persian belongs to the Indo-European (Iranian) family - if you enjoy it, a natural next step is Kurdish or Pashto.
The 50 most common Persian words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Persian sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | از | ahz | from |
| 2 | به | beh | to |
| 3 | که | keh | that (conjunction) |
| 4 | در | dar | in |
| 5 | این | een | this |
| 6 | را | rah | (object marker) |
| 7 | با | bah | with |
| 8 | آن | ahn | that |
| 9 | بودن | boo-DAN | be |
| 10 | من | man | I |
| 11 | تو | toh | you |
| 12 | او | oo | he / she |
| 13 | ما | mah | we |
| 14 | شما | shoh-MAH | you |
| 15 | چه | cheh | what |
| 16 | برای | bah-RAH-yeh | for |
| 17 | هم | ham | too |
| 18 | یک | yek | one |
| 19 | نه | nah | no |
| 20 | اما | am-MAH | but |
| 21 | اگر | ah-GAR | if |
| 22 | یا | yah | or |
| 23 | هر | har | every |
| 24 | سال | sahl | year |
| 25 | زمان | zah-MAHN | time |
| 26 | روز | rooz | day |
| 27 | خوب | khoob | good |
| 28 | بزرگ | boh-ZORG | large |
| 29 | انسان | en-SAHN | person |
| 30 | دانستن | dah-nes-TAN | know |
| 31 | گفتن | gof-TAN | say |
| 32 | کردن | kar-DAN | do |
| 33 | رفتن | raf-TAN | go |
| 34 | دیدن | dee-DAN | see |
| 35 | دادن | dah-DAN | give |
| 36 | جدید | jah-DEED | new |
| 37 | چیز | cheez | thing |
| 38 | خیلی | KHEY-lee | very |
| 39 | دو | doh | two |
| 40 | اولین | av-vah-LEEN | first |
| 41 | خواستن | khahs-TAN | want |
| 42 | کجا | koh-JAH | where |
| 43 | چرا | cheh-RAH | why |
| 44 | پس | pas | then |
| 45 | آنجا | ahn-JAH | there |
| 46 | کار | kahr | work |
| 47 | زندگی | zen-deh-GEE | life |
| 48 | اکنون | ak-NOON | now |
| 49 | دیگر | dee-GAR | other |
| 50 | چیزی | chee-ZEE | thing |
Useful phrases in Persian
- سلام · sa-LAAM · Hello / Good day
- حال شما چطور است؟ · haal-e sho-MAA che-TOR ast · How are you?
- متشکرم · mo-te-SHAK-ke-ram · Thank you
- لطفاً · lot-FAN · Please
- اسم من ... است · esm-e man ... ast · My name is...
- ... کجاست؟ · ... ko-JAAST · Where is...?
- خداحافظ · kho-dah-HAH-fez · Goodbye
- ببخشید · beh-bakh-SHEED · Excuse me
- نمیفهمم · neh-mee-FAH-mam · I don't understand
- میتوانید به من کمک کنید؟ · mee-tah-vah-NEED beh man ko-MAK ko-NEED · Can you help me?
- قیمتش چند است؟ · ghey-mah-TASH chand ast · How much is it?
- تا فردا! · tah far-DAH · See you tomorrow!
Learn Persian with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Persian, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global Persian learning community
Collaborate with native Persian speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
Are you an educator? Teach Persian online · Create an online Persian school · Build a Persian curriculum
Frequently asked questions about learning Persian
How difficult is it to learn Persian?
How difficult Persian is depends on your background, but every language becomes manageable with consistent daily practice. Focusing on the most frequent words first means you can understand and say a lot early on. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Persian is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Persian?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Persian?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level in Persian within 8-18 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 110 million people across 3 countries speak Persian, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Persian vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Persian pronunciation hard?
Every language has a few sounds that take practice, but Persian pronunciation becomes consistent with regular listening and speaking. Hearing the language often matters more than memorising rules.
How do I get Free Persian speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Persian alphabet first?
If Persian uses a different script, learning it early unlocks reading - and it's usually faster than people expect. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.