In this page, you will be presented with some handy tips on guessing the pronunciation of Persian words. Persian writing system is a consonant alphabet. It has only letters for consonants. Vowels are marked with diacritics or a certain combination of consonants. Here are the letters of Persian alphabet:
ا - |
ر r |
ف f |
ب b |
ز z |
ق gh |
پ p |
ژ zh |
ک k |
ت t |
س s |
گ g |
ث s |
ش sh |
ل l |
ج j |
ص s |
م m |
چ ch |
ض z |
ن n |
ح h |
ط t |
و v |
خ kh |
ظ z |
ه h |
د d |
ع ø |
ی y |
ذ z |
غ gh |
Characteristics of Persian Alphabet
- Only 3 letters indicate more than one sound: ا (a), و (v) and ی (y).
- ا denotes no particular sound. At word initial, by means of diacritics, it can denote â a e o but elsewhere, it always denotes â.
- The sound â is always denoted. At word initial, it is denoted with the diacritic ~ placed above ا i.e. آ. Elsewhere, ا always denotes â.
- The sounds a and e are never denoted with letters but with a certain diacritic.
- The case of the sound o is generally like a and e but sometimes, it is denoted with و (v).
- The sounds u and ow are always denoted with و (v).
- The sound i is always denoted; with ای (ay) at word initial and with ی (y) elsewhere.
Hints for Guessing Pronunciation
- ا anywhere except at word initial, always denotes â.
- Initial ی always denotes y
- ی between two letters (except for ا and و) almost always denotes i
- Final ی almost always denotes i
- Initial و always denotes v
- و between two letters (except for ا and ی) almost always denotes u
- Final و almost always denotes u
- یی always denotes yi
- Final ه, except before ا, ی and و, typically denotes e.
- ای at word initial almost always denotes i.
Examples
Word | Transcription | Clues | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|---|
ایران | ayran | irân | irân |
ویزا | vyza | vizâ | vizâ |
بانک | bank | bânk | bânk |
پارکینگ | parkyng | pârking | pârking |
تیم | tym | tim | tim |
فوتبال | fvtbal | futbâl | futbâl |
آمریکایی | amrykayy | âmrikâyi | âmrikâyi |
واکس | vaks | vâks | vâks |
مادر | madr | mâdr | mâdar |
برادر | bradr | brâdr | barâdar |
خاکی | khaky | khâki | khâki |
بازار | bazar | bâzâr | bâzâr |
گیتار | gytar | gitâr | gitâr |
ماهواره | mahvarh | mâhvâre | mâhvâre |
رادیو | radyv | râdyu | râdiyo |
تلویزیون | tlvyzyvn | tlvizyun | televizyun |
اینترنت | ayntrnt | intrnt | internet |
رستوران | rstvran | rsturân | resturân |