Every March, my phone fills with messages from non-Iranian friends asking the same thing: “How do I say Happy Nowruz?” I send them the phrase. They copy-paste it to their Iranian partner, colleague, or friend. The Iranian on the receiving end lights up. because someone cared enough to Google “Persian holiday greetings” and actually use one.
That one phrase does more than a gift card ever could.
This is the cheat sheet: 25 Persian holiday phrases organized by celebration. what to text, what to say in person, and which register to use. Nowruz, Chaharshanbe Suri, Yalda, and the universal phrases that work for any Iranian holiday. Bookmark this page. You’ll use it every year.
Nowruz Phrases
Nowruz (Persian New Year, March 20-21) is the big one. These six phrases cover you from the first text to the last family visit.
۱. عید شما مبارک!. eyd-e shomâ mobârak!. Happy holiday! (formal)
The standard, safe, works-everywhere Nowruz greeting. Use shomâ (formal you) with anyone older than you, your boss, or someone you’ve just met.
۲. عیدت مبارک!. eydet mobârak!. Happy holiday! (informal)
The casual version. -et replaces shomâ. For friends, siblings, your Iranian partner. This is what you’ll see in text messages and Instagram stories.
۳. سال نو مبارک!. sâl-e now mobârak!. Happy New Year!
Interchangeable with eyd mobârak during Nowruz. Slightly more specific since it references the new year directly.
۴. سال خوبی داشته باشید. sâl-e khubi dâshteh bâshid. May you have a good year (formal)
A warm wish, slightly more personal than mobârak. Good for heartfelt messages.
۵. امیدوارم سال خوبی باشه. omidvâram sâl-e khubi bâsheh. I hope it’s a good year (casual)
The spoken version. Use this in conversation with friends.
۶. صد سال به این سالها. sad sâl be in sâl-hâ. May you celebrate a hundred years like this
The fancy one. Pulls out emotional weight. Use this with grandparents, parents, or anyone you want to make tear up slightly.
eyd-e shomâ mobârak bâshad, sâl-e khobi dâshteh bâshid
عید شما مبارک باشد، سال خوبی داشته باشید
May your holiday be blessed, may you have a good year
Chaharshanbe Suri Phrases
Chaharshanbe Suri. the fire festival the week before Nowruz. These three cover you.
۷. چهارشنبه سوریتون مبارک!. châhârshanbeh suri-tun mobârak!. Happy Chaharshanbe Suri! (polite)
The standard greeting for the night.
۸. زردی من از تو، سرخی تو از من!. zardi-ye man az to, sorkhi-ye to az man!. My yellowness to you, your redness to me!
The fire-jumping chant. You say this while jumping over flames. or stepping over candles, if you live in a European apartment like me.
۹. امشب آتیش داری؟. emshab âtish dâri?. Do you have fire tonight?
What friends text each other on Chaharshanbe Suri evening. Translation: “Are you setting up a bonfire? Can I come?”
Yalda Night Phrases
Yalda Night. the winter solstice, longest night of the year, December 20-21.
۱۰. یلداتون مبارک!. yaldâ-tun mobârak!. Happy Yalda! (polite)
۱۱. یلدات مبارک!. yaldât mobârak!. Happy Yalda! (casual)
۱۲. شب یلداتون به خیر و خوشی. shab-e yaldâ-tun be kheyr o khoshi. May your Yalda Night be blessed and joyful
The formal, heartfelt version. Send this to your Iranian partner’s parents and watch your stock rise instantly.
Eid Phrases (Eid-e Fetr / Eid-e Qorbân)
These work for both Eid-e Fetr (end of Ramadan) and Eid-e Qorbân (Feast of Sacrifice). They’re used across the Muslim world, but in Iran the phrasing is distinctly Persian.
۱۳. عید فطر مبارک!. eyd-e fetr mobârak!. Happy Eid al-Fitr!
۱۴. عید قربان مبارک!. eyd-e qorbân mobârak!. Happy Eid al-Adha!
۱۵. عیدتون مبارک، قبول باشه. eyd-etun mobârak, qabul bâsheh. Happy Eid, may [your fasting/prayers] be accepted
The qabul bâsheh part is key. it acknowledges the religious observance (fasting during Ramadan, or the sacrifice of Qorbân) and wishes for its spiritual acceptance.
Muharram / Ashura Phrases
Muharram is a month of mourning in Shia Islam. The tone shifts from celebration to condolence. no mobârak here.
۱۶. تسلیت عرض میکنم. tasliyat arz mikonam. I offer my condolences (formal)
The standard phrase during Muharram, especially around Tâsu’â and ‘Âshurâ.
۱۷. عزاداریتون قبول. azâdâri-tun qabul. May your mourning be accepted
Said to someone who has participated in Muharram rituals.
۱۸. التماس دعا. eltemâs-e do’â. I ask for your prayers
A closing phrase used during religious periods. People say it when parting. essentially “pray for me.” You’ll hear it a lot during Muharram and Ramadan.
Universal Holiday Phrases
These four work for ANY Iranian celebration. Nowruz, Yalda, birthdays, weddings, engagements. They’re the Swiss army knives of Persian well-wishing.
۱۹. مبارک باشه!. mobârak bâsheh!. Congratulations! / May it be blessed!
Works everywhere. New baby? Mobârak bâsheh. New job? Mobârak bâsheh. Someone bought a car? Mobârak bâsheh. The most versatile phrase in the Persian celebration vocabulary.
۲۰. تبریک میگم!. tabrik migam!. Congratulations! (I congratulate you)
Slightly more active than mobârak. you’re explicitly offering congratulations rather than wishing blessedness. Both work. Mix them.
۲۱. خدا قوت!. khodâ qovvat!. God give you strength!
Said after someone has done something effortful. cooked a big meal, organized an event, hosted a gathering. Essential after attending someone’s Nowruz spread or Yalda table.
۲۲. انشالله که سال خوبی باشه. enshâllâh ke sâl-e khubi bâsheh. God willing, may it be a good year
The enshâllâh adds sincerity. This isn’t just a wish. it’s a prayer-wish hybrid that carries more emotional weight.
How to Use These: Texting vs In-Person
The register matters. Here’s the quick rule:
Texting an Iranian friend: Use casual forms. eydet mobârak, yaldât mobârak. Drop the shomâ. Add an emoji if you want. Keep it short.
Texting your partner’s parents: Use polite forms. eyd-e shomâ mobârak, the longer versions. Add sâl-e khubi dâshteh bâshid after the greeting. It shows effort. They will notice.
In person, at a gathering: Say it with eye contact and a handshake (or cheek kisses if the relationship is close). The verbal phrase plus the physical greeting is the package. Saying eyd mobârak while scrolling your phone is a taarof violation.
Instagram/social media: Sâl-e now mobârak with a haft-sin photo is the standard Nowruz post. Yaldâ mobârak with a pomegranate photo for Yalda. Iranians on social media are very specific about which greeting matches which holiday.
Three bonus phrases that aren’t holiday-specific but appear constantly during holiday gatherings: دستت درد نکنه (dastet dard nakoneh. may your hand not hurt, said to the cook/host), زحمت کشیدید (zahmat keshidid. you went to trouble, said when leaving someone’s home), and نوش جان (nush-e jân. bon appétit, literally “sweet to your soul”). Master these three and you’ll sound like you’ve been doing Iranian holidays your whole life. For the full set of everyday blessings, see the Persian toasts and blessings guide.
FAQ
How do you say Happy Nowruz in Farsi?
What do you say on Yalda Night?
Is there a difference between eyd mobârak and sâl-e now mobârak?
What does mobârak mean in Persian?
What should I say during Muharram in Iran?
Twenty-five phrases. That’s your toolkit for every Iranian holiday you’ll encounter. from the Nowruz text to your partner’s mom to the Yalda greeting that makes you look like you’ve done this before. The complete Persian holidays guide maps when each celebration happens, and the Nowruz deep dive covers the biggest one in detail.
If you want to practice saying these with correct pronunciation and the right taarof timing, I teach on Preply. We’ll role-play a Nowruz phone call to your partner’s grandmother. you greet, she responds with six phrases in three seconds, and we train your ear to keep up. It’s harder than it sounds.