Translate Persian to English
Persian text appears in Iranian business correspondence, academic papers, news from Iranian media, poetry and literature, and messages from the large Iranian diaspora in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. The Arabic-derived script reads right-to-left. Paste your text above.
Common Persian to English translations
| Persian | English | Pronunciation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| سلام | Hello | sah-LAHM | ||
| صبح بخیر | Good morning | sobh beh-KHAYR | ||
| مرسی / ممنون | Thank you | mer-SEE / mahm-NOON | ||
| لطفاً | Please | lot-FAHN | ||
| این چنده؟ | How much is this? | een CHAN-deh | ||
| دستشویی کجاست؟ | Where is the bathroom? | dahst-SHOO-yee ko-JAHST | ||
| متوجه نمیشم | I do not understand | moh-teh-VAH-jeh neh-MEE-shahm | ||
| میتوانید کمکم کنید؟ | Can you help me? | mee-tah-VAH-need ko-MAH-kahm KO-need | ||
| چای میخواهم | I would like tea | chai mee-KHAH-hahm | ||
| صورتحساب، لطفاً | The bill, please | soo-raht-heh-SAHB lot-FAHN | ||
| خوشوقتم | Nice to meet you | khosh-VAHG-tahm | ||
| خداحافظ | Goodbye | kho-DAH-hah-fez | ||
| من به دکتر نیاز دارم | I need a doctor | mahn beh dok-TOR nee-YAHZ DAH-rahm | ||
| ببخشید | Excuse me | beh-bakh-SHEED |
Tips for Persian to English translation
Persian text is written right-to-left. When copying the translation to another application, ensure the text direction is set correctly. Most modern software handles this automatically.
Persian uses a connecting script where letters change shape based on position (initial, medial, final, isolated), similar to Arabic. The translator reads all forms correctly.
Spoken Persian (especially in Tehran) differs from formal written Persian. Colloquial forms shorten verbs and drop syllables: mikham instead of mikhaham (I want). The translator handles both registers.
Persian poetry is extremely important in the culture. If translating literary text, be aware that automated translation may miss metaphors, wordplay, and poetic structures that are central to the meaning.
About the Persian language
Persian is an Indo-European language belonging to the Iranian branch, making it a distant cousin of English. It has been a language of literature, poetry, and scholarship for over a thousand years. The works of Rumi, Hafez, Saadi, and Ferdowsi are considered among the greatest in world literature. Persian was the lingua franca of much of the Islamic world from the 9th to the 19th century.
Iran has about 87 million people and Persian is also spoken in Afghanistan (as Dari, about 25 million speakers) and Tajikistan (as Tajik, about 8 million, written in Cyrillic script). The Iranian diaspora is significant in the US (especially Los Angeles, sometimes called “Tehrangeles”), Canada, UK, and Germany. Persian cuisine, cinema (internationally acclaimed directors like Asghar Farhadi), and music maintain a global cultural presence.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Unlimited.
Yes. All Persian characters including پ, چ, ژ, گ.
Yes.
No. Persian needs its own translator.
Good for everyday texts. Poetry and literary texts benefit from expert review.
Standard Persian and Dari are largely interchangeable in writing. Both work.
Visit our English to Persian page.
No.
The Arabic script was adopted after the Islamic conquest of Persia in the 7th century, replacing the older Pahlavi script.
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Looking for the reverse? Try English to Persian translation.
