Understanding the Basics

Persian, or Farsi, is written using a script derived from Arabic. While it might seem daunting at first, with practice, you'll be surprised at how quickly you can grasp it.

Key Points:

• Right-to-left: Persian is written from right to left, unlike English.
• No capital letters: Persian doesn't differentiate between uppercase and lowercase letters.
• Vowels: Unlike English, Persian doesn't have letters for vowels. Instead, diacritics (small marks) are used to indicate vowel sounds.

The Persian Alphabet

Here's a simplified introduction to Persian letters. Remember, the shape of a letter can change depending on its position in a word (beginning, middle, or end).

Additional Notes

• The letters 'آ' and 'ئ' are considered variations of 'آ' and 'ی' respectively, and are often omitted in character counts.
• Vowel sounds are represented by diacritics placed above or below the consonants.
• The Persian alphabet is derived from the Arabic script, and many of the letters are shared between the two languages.

Practice Time

Let's try writing some simple words:

• آب (āb): water
• کتاب (ketāb): book
• مرد (mard): man
• زن (zan): woman

Remember:

• Start from the right side.
• Connect the letters smoothly.
• Practice writing these words multiple times.

Challenges and Tips

• Directionality: Getting used to writing from right to left can be tricky.
• Vowels: Understanding the vowel system takes time.
• Letter shapes: Different positions of a letter can be confusing.

Tips:

• Start with basic words and gradually increase difficulty.
• Listen to Persian pronunciation to help with letter sounds.
• Use flashcards or online resources to practice.
• Find a language partner to practice speaking and writing.