Persianary Review: iOS Persian Dictionary with Depth

Level: All levels | Time: As needed | Cost: Free + premium | Best for: iOS users, Persian dictionary on mobile

What Is Persianary?

Persianary is an iOS dictionary app built specifically for Persian. It offers comprehensive English-Persian and Persian-English lookups with detailed entries, example sentences, verb conjugation tables, and audio pronunciation. The free version covers basic lookups; premium unlocks advanced features.

What Works

This is what a Persian dictionary app should look like. The entries include example sentences showing how words are actually used, not just bare translations. Verb conjugation tables are a standout feature. When you look up "raftan" (to go), you get every conjugation form laid out cleanly. For a language where verb forms change dramatically, this is invaluable.

The iOS design is polished. Search is fast, results are clean, and the app feels native rather than a web wrapper. Audio pronunciation for common words helps with the vowel ambiguity that Persian script creates.

Where It Falls Short

iOS only. Android users are locked out entirely, which cuts the potential audience significantly. The premium features feel like they should be in the free version. Verb conjugations and some example sentences require payment.

The offline capability is limited in the free tier. If you're traveling in Iran where internet can be spotty, you need the premium version for reliable offline access.

Layer 2: Dictionary-Specific Breakdown

Who Should Use This

iOS users who want a proper Persian dictionary app. Learners who look up words frequently and want conjugation tables readily accessible. Worth the premium if you're serious about daily Persian study.

The Verdict

Persianary is the best Persian dictionary app on iOS. The conjugation tables alone justify the download. The premium price is fair for the features. Just a shame it's not on Android, where most of the world's Farsi learners probably are.

For vocabulary learning beyond dictionary lookups, ZabanYar's SRS turns lookups into long-term memory.

Full disclosure. ZabanYar is my own app. I built it, so treat any recommendation of it on this page as an interested one rather than an independent verdict. Everything else here is my honest read, and you are welcome to check it against someone else's.

Get it wrong and the worst that happens is a warm laugh and a story they’ll tell for years. Get it right — refuse the tea twice, accept on the third — and you’ll watch a face open up. You didn’t just speak Persian. You played the game.