Afghan Persian

Introduction to Afghan Persian (Dari) – Part 1: General remarks and phonology
Persian (referred to as ‘Dari’) is one of the two official languages of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, alongside Pashto. The modern territory of Afghanistan constitutes what is often referred to as ‘Greater Khorasan’ by some scholars and cultural activists and was the centre of Persian literary and cultural activities and Perso-Islamic learning right from

Introduction to Afghan Persian (Dari) Part 2 – Vocabulary and Expressions
Having become acquainted with the phonology of Afghan Persian, it is time to learn some of the differences in vocabulary between it and Iranian Persian. Again, learners must always keep in mind the complex linguistic backgrounds of Afghan Persian speakers. While the official register of Persian in Afghanistan differs little from that in Iran, a

Introduction to Afghan Persian Part 3 – Grammar
Last week we had a brief overview of the main lexical differences between Afghan Persian and Iranian Persian. I forgot to mention one very important point – the names of months used in Afghanistan.The calendar most currently in use in Afghanistan is the Solar Hijri Calendar identical to the one used in Iran. The difference
Tajik Persian

Iskandar Ding: Introduction to Tajik Persian 1 – the Alphabet
Not many learners of Persian have realised that modern Persian, in fact, currently has two official alphabets – the Perso-Arabic one many are familiar with, and the Cyrillic, used to write Tajik. The debate on whether Tajik is a separate language from Persian is a socio-political one and has drawn much controversy both within Tajikistan

Iskandar Ding: Introduction to Tajik Persian 2 – Differences in Pronunciation
Tajik Persian has a few phonetic and phonological idiosyncrasies which speakers and learners of Iranian Persian may not be immediately used to. In this post I will talk about some of the main differences. Bear in mind, however, that Tajik Persian, like Persian varieties elsewhere, is not ‘one language’, but consists of many regional dialects/accents.

Iskandar Ding: Introduction to Tajik Persian 3 – Differences in Vocabulary
Although formal Tajik and formal Iranian are largely identical in terms of vocabulary, many differences exist in everyday words. To go through every difference would be out of the scope of this blog post, so this week we will learn about some of the most basic and interesting differences which will help you communicate more

Introduction to Tajik Persian 4 – Differences in Grammar
The Persian language, at its core, represents a continuum of regional dialects standardised in history through convergence and literary prestige, and in modern times through nation building. Although Iranian Persian, Afghan Persian, and Tajik Persian came from one and same literary standard moulded through a long history of common usage, the three Persian-speaking nation states

Complicated Calendar Conversions
Complicated Calendar Conversions You may have realised already that the Persian-speaking world uses multiple calendar systems. Now, I’m going to be honest with you, converting dates between the Gregorian calendar (January, February, etc.), the Islamic calendar, and the Persian calendar can be a bit of a nightmare. Indeed, it might make you wonder how a
Iranian Persian

Spoken Persian in Iran
If you eavesdrop on a conversation between two Persian speakers speaking the Farsi of Iran, or listen to any informal programme on the radio or television, then you will soon realize that spoken Persian is quite different from the written language. This is, of course, true of any language, especially of the vernacular of the

How to Use Nāz Day-to-Day
As explained in a previous blog post, nāz can be a somewhat slippery word to translate for Persian language learners. It is only through exploring the contexts in which it is used and the mood or state which it encompasses, can one begin to grasp its meaning and be able to, in turn, use it

Using Expressions Day-to-Day: Water P.1
Learn how to use 5 Persian expressions in everyday conservation, complete with Persian and English audio.

Using Expressions Day-to-Day: Water P.2
Another 5 expressions for the Using Expressions Day-to-Day: Water series

Using Expressions Day-to-Day: Water P.3
Another 5 expressions for the Using Expressions Day-to-Day: Water series

Using Expressions Day-to-Day: Water P.4
We bring another five Persian expressions used in Iran, with audio and dialogue to improve your everyday speaking and listening, too.