نان و پنیر
nân-o panir
bread-and-cheese
phraseA2
Quick Reference
NÂN-o pa-NIR
bread-and-cheese
A2 — Elementary
نان و پنیر pronounced by Elyar
What it means
نان و پنیر (nân-o panir) literally means “bread and cheese.” It refers to the basic Iranian breakfast pairing and, by extension, any simple sustenance. A2 cultural vocabulary, useful for kitchens, breakfasts, and idiomatic phrases about modest living.
How to use it
- صبحونه نون و پنیر میخوریم (sobhune nun-o panir mikhorim) “we eat bread and cheese for breakfast”
- یه نون و پنیر بیار (ye nun-o panir biyâr) “bring some bread and cheese”
- با نون و پنیر سر میکنیم (bâ nun-o panir sar mikonim) “we get by on bread and cheese”
Common pairings
- نان و پنیر و سبزی (nân-o panir-o sabzi) “bread, cheese, and fresh herbs” (classic breakfast triple)
- نان و پنیر و گردو (nân-o panir-o gerdu) “bread, cheese, and walnuts”
- نان و پنیر و چای (nân-o panir-o châi) “bread, cheese, and tea”
Cultural note
The classic Iranian breakfast is sangak or barbari bread torn by hand, white feta-style پنیر, fresh سبزی (mint, basil, tarragon), and hot چای. The phrase نان و پنیر also signals humility: “we don’t have much, but you are welcome to share what we have.” Offering it to a guest is a quiet act of hospitality, not poverty.
References
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The classic Iranian breakfast is sangak or barbari bread torn by hand, white feta-style پنیر, fresh سبزی (mint, basil, tarragon), and hot چای. The phrase نان و پنیر also signals humility: "we don't have much, but you are welcome to share what we have." Offering it to a guest is a quiet act of hospitality, not poverty.Connected Words