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ࡊࡉࡔࡅࡀࡓࡀࡊ ࡄࡀࡍࡅࡆ ࡋࡀ ࡉࡀࡃࡉࡏࡀ
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ࡅࡓࡅࡃ ࡐࡉࡅࡀࡎࡕࡀࡍ

at launch · Language · fa · Iranian, Southwestern

ࡐࡀࡓࡎࡉ (ࡐࡀࡓࡎࡉ)

فارسی · Arab script, written right to left. Spoken in Throughout Iran; the language of the state and of the wider diaspora.

iranians.globalThis variety

fa · Arab · right to left · at launch

Language · fa · Iranian, Southwestern · at launch

ࡐࡀࡓࡎࡉ (ࡐࡀࡓࡎࡉ)

فارسی · Arab script, written right to left. Spoken in Throughout Iran; the language of the state and of the wider diaspora.

See the courses

On the mapWhere spokenrecordedCourses17
ࡄࡔࡀ
ࡀࡊࡀࡃࡉࡌࡉ126 ࡃࡀࡓࡎࡉࡀ, ࡄࡀࡍࡅࡆ ࡄࡉࡑ ࡐࡕࡉࡇ ࡋࡎࡀࡁࡕࡌࡀࡃࡀࡍࡉ3 ࡊࡅࡔࡉࡔࡉࡀ, 5 ࡁࡀࡓࡍࡀࡌࡉࡀࡌࡉࡓࡀࡎ116 ࡉࡅࡌࡉࡀ ࡋࡌࡉࡍࡕࡀࡓ, 40 ࡓࡔࡅࡌࡉࡀ ࡖࡕࡀࡓࡉࡊࡄࡀࡁࡓࡉࡀ88 ࡀࡉࡍࡉࡀ ࡌࡒࡀࡁࡋࡉࡀ, ࡄࡀࡍࡅࡆ ࡄࡉࡑ ࡄࡀࡃࡉࡎࡉࡀ ࡌࡒࡀࡉࡌࡉࡀࡐࡉࡋࡂࡉࡀࡁࡌࡉࡁࡍࡉࡀ. ࡄࡀࡍࡅࡆ ࡄࡉࡑ ࡌࡒࡀࡁࡋࡀ
ScriptArabright to leftat launch

Record

ࡐࡀࡓࡎࡀࡉࡀ
فارسیPersian (Farsi) · Arab
Code
ࡐࡀࡓࡎࡀࡉࡀ
Family
Iranian, Southwestern
Where
ࡁࡊࡅࡋࡇ ࡉࡓࡀࡍ; ࡋࡉࡔࡀࡍࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡋࡊࡅࡕࡀ ࡅࡖࡂࡀࡋࡅࡕࡀ ࡓࡀࡁࡕࡀ
Phase
at launch
ࡊࡀࡉࡎࡅࡕࡀ
not yet measured
Codes are BCP 47 language and script subtags.

Courses that teach it

17 in the catalogue
Persian script and reading (ZWNJ, nasta'liq)IDCDC-PER-01 · Outline ready, not open yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Persian A1IDCDC-PER-02 · Outline ready, not open yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Persian A2 to B1IDCDC-PER-03 · Planned, outline not written yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Persian B2 to C1IDCDC-PER-04 · Planned, outline not written yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Persian through poetryIDCDC-PER-05 · Outline ready, not open yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Persian for interpreters (medical, legal)IDCDC-PER-06 · Planned, outline not written yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Persian language 101IDCDC-PER-09 · Outline ready, not open yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Judeo-Persian heritageIDCDC-LNG-08 · Planned, outline not written yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Islamic Iran and the Persian renaissanceIDCDC-HIS-03 · Planned, outline not written yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
The Persianate worldIDCDC-HIS-12 · Planned, outline not written yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Iranians in Europe, North America and the Persian GulfIDCDC-DIA-03 · Planned, outline not written yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Modern Persian literatureIDCDC-LIT-05 · Planned, outline not written yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Persian literature and poetry 101IDCDC-LIT-08 · Outline ready, not open yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Persian paintingIDCDC-ART-04 · Planned, outline not written yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Persian cuisine and its regionsIDCDC-FOD-01 · Outline ready, not open yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Intergenerational dialogueIDCDC-WEL-02 · Planned, outline not written yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Caring for elders abroadIDCDC-WEL-03 · Planned, outline not written yet
ࡐࡕࡅࡇ
Courses from the Academy catalogue; a course opens for enrolment one by one after review.

Writing

1 script

Its own names

فارسیfārsī
right to left

ࡊࡅࡈࡅࡈ

Arab
Persian alphabetا ب پ ت ث ج چ ح
32 letters
  • Perso-Arabic script with پ چ ژ گ; ZWNJ (U+200C); Persian digits; nasta'liq tradition

From one script to another

Persian to Latin, ALA-LC (2012)Letter by letter. Short vowels are not written in Persian, so a full romanisation needs them supplied from a dictionary. و and ی are read as consonants at the start of a word or beside a vowel letter, otherwise as long vowels.
Persian orthography (Dastur-e khatt-e fārsi)Academy of Persian Language and Literature
ࡋࡓࡀࡎࡕࡉࡀࡆࡌࡀࡉ
Names in the language's own writing; each sample keeps its direction.

Resources

10 resources
Loghatnameh Dehkhoda (the Dehkhoda dictionary)dictionary · Dehkhoda Lexicon Institute, University of Tehran · link not checked
ࡋࡓࡀࡎࡕࡉࡀࡆࡌࡀࡉ
A Comprehensive Persian-English Dictionary (Steingass, 1892)dictionary · Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago · checked 2026-10-23
ࡕࡀࡏࡉࡃ ࡄࡅࡀ
Approved terms (Farhang-e vāzhe-hā-ye moṣavvab)terminology · Academy of Persian Language and Literature · link not checked
ࡋࡓࡀࡎࡕࡉࡀࡆࡌࡀࡉ
Universal Dependencies: Persian Seraji treebankcorpus · Universal Dependencies · checked 2026-10-23
ࡕࡀࡏࡉࡃ ࡄࡅࡀ
Digital librarylibrary · National Library and Archives of Iran · link not checked
ࡋࡓࡀࡎࡕࡉࡀࡆࡌࡀࡉ
Encyclopaedia Iranicareference · Center for Iranian Studies, Columbia University · link not checked
ࡋࡓࡀࡎࡕࡉࡀࡆࡌࡀࡉ
BBC Persianmedia · BBC World Service (United Kingdom) · checked 2026-10-23 · Public broadcaster.
ࡕࡀࡏࡉࡃ ࡄࡅࡀ
DW Persianmedia · Deutsche Welle (Germany) · checked 2026-10-23 · Public broadcaster.
ࡕࡀࡏࡉࡃ ࡄࡅࡀ
Radio Fardamedia · Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (United States) · checked 2026-10-23 · Publicly funded broadcaster.
ࡕࡀࡏࡉࡃ ࡄࡅࡀ
Glottolog: Western Farsireference · Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology · checked 2026-10-23
ࡕࡀࡏࡉࡃ ࡄࡅࡀ
Each resource shows whether its link was checked. A resource without a checked link is labelled to verify.

Linguistics

family, dialects, sounds and standing
Family
Indo-European, then Classical Indo-European, then Indo-Iranian, then Iranian-Nuristani, then Iranian, then Southwestern Iranian, then Middle-Modern Persian, then Modern Southwestern Iranian, then Farsic-Caucasian Tat, then Farsic
Codes
ISO 639-3 pes · macrolanguage fas · Glottolog west2369
Dialects
Western Farsi: Central Persian, Eastern Persian, Northern Persian, Southern Persian (63 listed in all)
Standing
Western Farsi: not endangered (1 (National)) ࡕࡀࡍࡀࡅࡉ
Sounds
23 consonants and 6 vowels, after Majidi and Ternes 1991 · the inventory ࡕࡀࡏࡉࡃ ࡄࡅࡀ

b d d̠ʒ f ɡ ɣ h j kʰ l m n pʰ r s ʃ tʰ t̠ʃ v x z ʒ ʔ æ ɒ e i o u

Farsic
ࡕࡀࡏࡉࡃ ࡄࡅࡀ
ࡁࡃࡅࡒ, ࡀࡅࡎࡉࡐ ࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡀࡅ ࡂࡅࡆࡀࡓࡔ
ࡏࡅࡃࡓࡀࡍ ࡋࡌࡉࡁࡃࡀࡒ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡌࡉࡍࡉࡀࡍ

ࡌࡅ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡁࡀࡕࡀࡓ. ࡍࡀࡈࡓࡀ ࡒࡀࡓࡉࡀ ࡋࡐࡉࡕࡒࡀࡊ ࡅࡁࡀࡃࡉࡒ ࡋࡀࡉࡍࡀ. ࡃࡀࡐࡀ ࡁࡀࡎ ࡁࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡌࡉࡕࡇࡋࡉࡐ. ࡔࡅࡌࡀࡊ ࡋࡀ ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡌࡀࡓ.

Grammar in short

  • Word order is usually subject, object, verb.
  • Nouns have no grammatical gender.
  • The ezafe vowel -e links a noun to the words that describe it, as in ketāb-e man, my book.
  • A definite direct object takes rā after it.
  • The verb agrees with the subject in person and number. Subject pronouns are often left out.
  • The prefix mi- marks ongoing or habitual action. The prefix be- marks the subjunctive and the imperative.

to verify · Windfuhr (ed.). The Iranian Languages. Routledge.

Persian or Farsi

Speakers call the language fārsī. In English, ISO 639 and most libraries name it Persian. Farsi is also common in English, mostly for the language of Iran.

to verify · ISO 639-3 code tables. SIL International, registration authority.; Library of Congress. ALA-LC Romanization Tables: Persian, 2012 version.

One language, three standards

Persian of Iran, Dari of Afghanistan and Tajik of Tajikistan are mutually intelligible in their standard forms. Many linguists treat them as one pluricentric language. Glottolog and ISO 639-3 list them as three languages (pes, prs, tgk), and each state names its own standard.

to verify · Hammarström, Forkel, Haspelmath and Bank. Glottolog 5.3. Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.; Perry. A Tajik Persian Reference Grammar. Brill.; Windfuhr (ed.). The Iranian Languages. Routledge.

In law

The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Article 15) makes Persian the official language and script. It allows regional and tribal languages in the press and media, and the teaching of their literature in schools, alongside Persian.Constitute Project. Constitutions of the world, English translations.
ࡕࡀࡏࡉࡃ ࡄࡅࡀ

Speakers

ࡋࡀ ࡉࡀࡃࡉࡏࡀ
ࡌࡉࡏࡉࡀࡓ
speakers
ࡔࡉࡕࡀ
ࡋࡀ ࡌࡉࡕࡊࡀࡕࡁࡀ
ࡌࡀࡍࡁࡀࡏ
ࡄࡀࡍࡅࡆ ࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡋࡀࡉࡊࡀ. ࡋࡀ ࡉࡀࡃࡉࡏࡀ ࡌࡇࡀࡅࡉࡍࡉࡍ, ࡋࡀ ࡎࡁࡀࡓࡀ.
ࡅࡀࡆࡏࡉࡀࡕ
ࡋࡀ ࡉࡀࡃࡉࡏࡀ
ࡁࡃࡅࡒ, ࡀࡅࡎࡉࡐ ࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡀࡅ ࡂࡅࡆࡀࡓࡔ
ࡏࡅࡃࡓࡀࡍ ࡋࡌࡉࡁࡃࡀࡒ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡌࡉࡍࡉࡀࡍ

ࡌࡅ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡁࡀࡕࡀࡓ. ࡍࡀࡈࡓࡀ ࡒࡀࡓࡉࡀ ࡋࡐࡉࡕࡒࡀࡊ ࡅࡁࡀࡃࡉࡒ ࡋࡀࡉࡍࡀ. ࡃࡀࡐࡀ ࡁࡀࡎ ࡁࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡌࡉࡕࡇࡋࡉࡐ. ࡔࡅࡌࡀࡊ ࡋࡀ ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡌࡀࡓ.

No speaker figure has been verified for this platform yet. It stays unknown until a census or survey figure is checked with its measure, year and source.

Classification and standing from the sources named on each line. Where views differ, each view is shown with its sources.

ࡉࡀࡋࡉࡐ

7 courses
1
Persian script and reading (ZWNJ, nasta'liq)IDCDC-PER-01 · Outline ready, not open yet
2
Persian A1IDCDC-PER-02 · Outline ready, not open yet
3
Persian A2 to B1IDCDC-PER-03 · Planned, outline not written yet
4
Persian B2 to C1IDCDC-PER-04 · Planned, outline not written yet
5
Persian through poetryIDCDC-PER-05 · Outline ready, not open yet
6
Persian for interpreters (medical, legal)IDCDC-PER-06 · Planned, outline not written yet
7
Saturday-school teacher trainingIDCDC-PER-08 · Outline ready, not open yet
A course opens after its outline is reviewed. Until then it is listed with its state.

Key

labels and checks
  • verifiedA figure or claim read at its primary source by a steward or checkers from at least two communities.
  • secondaryA figure or claim cited through a reviewed work rather than read at its primary source.
  • to verifyA figure or claim whose source has not yet been read; it stays in the verification queue.
  • ࡋࡀ ࡉࡀࡃࡉࡏࡀࡄࡀࡍࡅࡆ ࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡋࡀࡉࡊࡀ. ࡋࡀ ࡉࡀࡃࡉࡏࡀ ࡌࡇࡀࡅࡉࡍࡉࡍ, ࡋࡀ ࡎࡁࡀࡓࡀ.
A steward checks the source before anything changes. You are not named.
Formats