نان

Lotfan nān-e tāzeh bekhar.

Please buy fresh bread.

نان (nān) means “bread” in Persian – but the word carries more cultural weight than the English translation suggests. Bread is not a side dish in Iran; it is the heart of the table, appearing at nearly every meal, from breakfast to dinner.

What are the main types of نان?

• سنگک (sangak) – Long, thin, oval. Baked on a bed of hot pebbles in a traditional oven, which gives it characteristic small dimples. Slightly sour from its natural starter.
• بربری (barbari) – Round and thick with parallel ridged lines on top. Slightly chewy. A breakfast favorite with feta cheese.
• لواش (lavāsh) – Thin, soft, and foldable. Often torn into pieces and used to scoop food.
• تافتون (tāftun) – Small thin rounds, crispier than lavash. Common in family meals.

Why does نان matter culturally?

Bread in Iran is treated with respect that goes beyond food. Traditionally, families never throw bread away – a dropped piece is picked up, kissed, touched to the forehead, and placed aside. In many homes, leftover bread is dried and stored for later use, turned into soup thickener, or given to neighbors for animals.

Bread plays a central role in expressions of hospitality. The phrase nān-o-namak khordan (نان و نمک خوردن – literally “to eat bread and salt [together]”) signals a bond of trust and shared meals.

How do you use نان in a sentence?

لطفاً نان تازه بخر.

Dar Irān nān bā har ghazā mikhorand.

In Iran, they eat bread with every meal.

در ایران نان با هر غذا می‌خورند.