50 Farsi Phrases Every Tourist Needs (Printable Cheat Sheet)
50 must-know Farsi phrases for tourists in Iran. Printable cheat sheet with pronunciation for greetings, directions, food, and emergencies.
Last summer I watched an Australian couple at the Isfahan bazaar try to buy saffron using Google Translate. The phone kept translating "how much" as چقدر. cheghad. which is correct but formal. The shopkeeper heard the textbook Persian and quoted them triple the price. Tourist tax, activated. If they'd said چنده؟. chande?. the casual two-syllable version every Iranian uses. the interaction would have gone differently. Maybe not the local price, but closer.
That's the problem with most Farsi phrasebooks: they teach you the formal, written version of phrases that sound stilted when spoken. What follows is the real version. the way actual Iranians speak, organized by the situations you'll encounter on the ground.
This is a spoke in the travel Farsi series. Print this page, save it to your phone, or screenshot the tables. Whatever works. just don't leave home without it.
The Absolute Essentials (10 Phrases)
If you learn nothing else, learn these. They cover greetings, gratitude, and the three questions you'll ask a hundred times.
| # | Farsi | Pronunciation | English | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | سلام | salâm | Hello | Always. Works for everyone, everywhere. |
| 2 | مرسی | mersi | Thanks | Casual thanks. From French. Used constantly. |
| 3 | خیلی ممنون | kheyli mamnun | Thank you very much | When someone really helped you. |
| 4 | ببخشید | bebakhshid | Excuse me / Sorry | Getting attention, apologizing, passing through. |
| 5 | بله | baleh | Yes | Formal yes. Casual: âre (آره). |
| 6 | نه | na | No | Simple no. Be firm. first no might be ignored (ta'arof). |
| 7 | لطفاً | lotfan | Please | Before or after a request. |
| 8 | چنده؟ | chande? | How much? | Shopping, taxis, restaurants. |
| 9 | کجاست؟ | kojâst? | Where is...? | Add a place name before it. |
| 10 | خداحافظ | khodâhâfez | Goodbye | Standard farewell. Casual: fe'lan (فعلاً) = "for now." |
Getting Around (10 Phrases)
Iran's public transport runs in Farsi. GPS apps are in Persian script. Taxi drivers negotiate in rapid-fire spoken Persian. These phrases save you.
| # | Farsi | Pronunciation | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | میخوام برم به... | mikhâm beram be... | I want to go to... | The phrase that gets you in a taxi. |
| 12 | دربست | darbast | Private (taxi) | Means "door closed". whole car for you. |
| 13 | اینجا نگه دارید | injâ negah dârid | Stop here | Point + say this. Driver gets it. |
| 14 | مستقیم | mostaghim | Straight | For giving directions. |
| 15 | راست / چپ | râst / chap | Right / Left | Essential for taxi navigation. |
| 16 | نزدیکه؟ | nazdike? | Is it close? | Before committing to a walk. |
| 17 | ایستگاه مترو کجاست؟ | istgâh-e metro kojâst? | Where's the metro station? | Tehran metro is cheap and efficient. |
| 18 | تا اونجا چقدره؟ | tâ unjâ cheghaddre? | How much to there? | Negotiate before getting in. |
| 19 | گم شدم | gom shodam | I'm lost | Say this and someone will help. Guaranteed. |
| 20 | میشه روی نقشه نشون بدید؟ | mishe ru-ye naghshe neshun bedid? | Can you show me on the map? | Hand over your phone with Google Maps open. |
Eating & Drinking (10 Phrases)
Iranian food culture runs on verbal exchanges. Many restaurants. especially kebab shops and traditional places. don't have printed menus. You ask what's available, they tell you, you order. These phrases handle it.
| # | Farsi | Pronunciation | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | چی دارید؟ | chi dârid? | What do you have? | Opens the ordering conversation. |
| 22 | یکی از این لطفاً | yeki az in lotfan | One of these, please | Point and say this. Works everywhere. |
| 23 | بدون گوشت | bedun-e gusht | Without meat | For vegetarians. Add: man giyâhkhâr-am (I'm vegetarian). |
| 24 | آب لطفاً | âb lotfan | Water, please | Tap water is safe in most cities. |
| 25 | چای لطفاً | châi lotfan | Tea, please | Iran runs on tea. They'll probably offer it free. |
| 26 | حساب لطفاً | hesâb lotfan | Check, please | The bill. Prepare for ta'arof. they may refuse. |
| 27 | خیلی خوشمزه بود | kheyli khoshmaze bud | It was delicious | Magic words. Say them after every meal. |
| 28 | دست شما درد نکنه | daste shomâ dard nakone | Bless your hands | The power phrase. Thank the cook personally. |
| 29 | حساسیت دارم به... | hassâsiyat dâram be... | I'm allergic to... | Follow with: nuts (âjil), dairy (labaniyât), wheat (gandom). |
| 30 | نوش جان | nush-e jân | Bon appetit (to your soul) | Said to others before eating. Beautiful phrase. |
The full food vocabulary guide covers 100+ food words if you want to go deeper. For restaurant-specific dialogue, see the survival dialogues post.
Shopping & Bargaining (10 Phrases)
Bazaars don't have price tags. Fixed-price shops do. The rule: if it's a covered bazaar with stalls, negotiate. If it's a modern shop with shelves, the price is the price.
| # | Farsi | Pronunciation | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | این چنده؟ | in chande? | How much is this? | Point at what you want. |
| 32 | گرونه | gerune | It's expensive | Say it even if it's cheap. It's the opening move. |
| 33 | تخفیف میدید؟ | takhfif midid? | Can you give a discount? | Always ask. Always. |
| 34 | آخرین قیمتتون چیه؟ | âkharin gheymat-etun chie? | What's your final price? | Cuts to the chase after back-and-forth. |
| 35 | فقط دارم نگاه میکنم | faghat dâram negâh mikonam | Just looking | To escape a persistent shopkeeper. |
| 36 | میشه ببینمش؟ | mishe bebinamesh? | Can I see it? | Before touching things in a glass case. |
| 37 | دوتا میخوام | do-tâ mikhâm | I want two | Change the number: se-tâ (3), chahâr-tâ (4). |
| 38 | کارت قبول میکنید؟ | kârt ghabul mikonid? | Do you take cards? | Most shops do (Iranian bank cards). Foreign cards: no. |
| 39 | صرافی کجاست؟ | sarrâfi kojâst? | Where's the currency exchange? | You'll need cash. International cards don't work in Iran. |
| 40 | ممنون، نمیخوام | mamnun, nemkhâm | Thanks, I don't want it | Polite refusal. May need to repeat 2-3 times. |
Emergencies & Safety (5 Phrases)
You probably won't need these. Iran is statistically safe for tourists. But accidents happen, and knowing how to ask for help in Farsi can matter.
| # | Farsi | Pronunciation | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | کمک! | komak! | Help! | Universal. Shout it. |
| 42 | بیمارستان کجاست؟ | bimârestân kojâst? | Where's the hospital? | 115 = ambulance number. |
| 43 | پلیس لازم دارم | polis lâzem dâram | I need the police | 110 = police number. |
| 44 | درد دارم | dard dâram | I'm in pain | Point to where. They'll understand. |
| 45 | داروخونه کجاست؟ | dârukkhune kojâst? | Where's the pharmacy? | Pharmacies in Iran are knowledgeable and accessible. |
Social & Cultural (5 Phrases)
These aren't survival phrases. they're connection phrases. They turn you from a tourist into a guest. Iranians will remember you for using them.
| # | Farsi | Pronunciation | English | Cultural Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | قابل نداره | ghâbel nadâre | It's not worthy (of you) | Ta'arof phrase. When someone thanks you for a gift. |
| 47 | قربونت (برم) | ghorboonet (beram) | I'd sacrifice myself for you | Term of endearment. Used casually like "dear." |
| 48 | ایران خیلی قشنگه | Irân kheyli ghashange | Iran is beautiful | Say this and watch faces light up. |
| 49 | من فارسی بلد نیستم | man Fârsi balad nistam | I don't speak Farsi | Ironic: saying this phrase IS speaking Farsi. |
| 50 | عکس بگیرم؟ | aks begiram? | Can I take a photo? | Ask before photographing people. Always. |
The Money Situation
A critical note: Iran uses ریال (riyâl) officially but everyone speaks in تومان (tomân). One toman = ten rials. When someone says "this is ده تومن" (dah tomân. ten toman), they mean 100,000 rials. It's confusing for the first day. By day three it's second nature.
The Persian numbers guide covers counting and the toman/rial system in full. For the bazaar, know these: یک (yek, 1), دو (do, 2), سه (se, 3), پنج (panj, 5), ده (dah, 10), بیست (bist, 20), پنجاه (panjâh, 50), صد (sad, 100).
Pronunciation Tips for Travelers
Three sounds that matter most for being understood:
The "kh" sound (خ): Like clearing your throat. Not "k" and not "h." Practice with خوب (khub. good). The pronunciation guide has the full breakdown.
The "gh" sound (ق/غ): Deeper in the throat than "kh." French speakers have this sound. Practice with قشنگ (ghashang. beautiful).
Stress: Persian stress almost always falls on the last syllable. sa-LÂM, not SÂ-lam. mer-SI, not MER-si. Get this right and comprehension goes up dramatically.
Before You Go
Download these phrases to your phone. Screenshot the tables above or save this page for offline reading. Iran's internet is unreliable. filtered sites, slow VPN, and spotty mobile data outside cities mean you can't always Google a phrase on the spot.
ZabanYar works completely offline. download the travel vocabulary pack before your trip and drill the 50 phrases with spaced repetition. Two weeks of 10-minute daily sessions is enough to have these in your active memory.
For deeper situational guides. full dialogues with cultural context. the travel hub links to posts on taxis, restaurants, bazaars, hotels, and emergencies.
FAQ
What are the most important Farsi phrases for tourists in Iran?
Is Farsi hard to pronounce for English speakers?
Should I learn the Persian script before traveling to Iran?
Do Iranians understand if I use formal textbook Farsi?
Can I use these phrases in Afghanistan or Tajikistan?
Fifty phrases won't make you fluent. But they'll make you understood, connected, and respected. The difference between a tourist who points and a traveler who tries bebakhshid, in chande? is the difference between being charged double and being invited for tea. Take the twenty minutes to learn the essentials. Your trip will thank you.
Planning a trip? I do travel Farsi crash courses on Preply. a few sessions focused on your itinerary gets you ready faster than any phrasebook.
This post is part of our Essential Farsi for Traveling in Iran series. Start there for the full travel phrasebook.
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.
A teacher from Tabriz, based in Milano. 5.0 on Preply across 42 reviews, 1,100+ lessons taught. He curates the growing dictionary behind this site.
