Farsi, a beautiful and complex language, can be challenging for non-native speakers to master. Here are 15 common mistakes often made and how to avoid them. You can also watch the video of this article to practice pronunciation in Persian.
Video of 15 common mistakes in Farsi
1. Incorrect Pronunciation of Vowels
- Example: Mispronouncing “آی باکلاه” (a:) as “الف” (e) in words like “آب” (water), اُردَک (or-dak) or “duck”. This is because in Persian, short vowels or صداهای کوتاه like “-َ, -ِ, -ُ” are not written or spelled out, which makes it rather confusing for non-Persian speakers to pronounce Persian vocabulary with these vowels accurately.
- Tip: Practice the correct pronunciation with a native speaker or use online Persian resources like LELB Society with over 4,500 English and Persian lessons with videos and tutorials.
2. Misuse of Tenses
- Example: Saying “من میرم” (I go) instead of “من رفتم” (I went) to describe a past action.
- Tip: Learn the different tenses and when to use them appropriately. At LELB Society, there are over 10 video lessons on different tenses in Farsi or انواع زمان ها در دستور زبان فارسی.
3. Incorrect Gender Agreement
- Example: Saying “
- Tip: Pay attention to the gender of pronouns and make sure adjectives, pronouns, and verbs agree.
4. Confusing Verbs
- Example: Using “خوردن” (to eat) instead of “نوشیدن” (to drink) when talking about drinking water.
- Tip: Practice using verbs in different contexts and tenses.
5. Incorrect Use of Prepositions
- Example: Saying “من در مدرسه هستم” (I am in school) instead of “من با دوستم هستم” (I am with my friend) when talking about being with a friend.
- Tip: Learn the correct usage of prepositions and their meanings.
6. Misusing Articles
- Example: Saying “یک آب” (a water) instead of “آب” (water) because water is an uncountable noun.
- Tip: Understand the rules for using articles in Farsi.
7. Incorrect Word Order
- Example: Saying “کتاب قرمز” (red book) instead of “قرمز کتاب” (red book) because the adjective usually comes before the noun in Farsi.
- Tip: Learn the correct word order in Farsi sentences.
8. Using Colloquial Expressions
- Example: Saying “چشم” (okay) instead of “بله” (yes) in a formal setting.
- Tip: Be aware of the different registers of Farsi and use appropriate language.
9. Overusing English Loanwords
- Example: Saying “کپی” (copy) instead of “نسخه” (copy) when referring to a document.
- Tip: Try to use Farsi words whenever possible.
10. Neglecting Dialectal Differences
- Example: Using the word “خنده” (laughter) in a Tehran dialect, which might not be understood in a dialect from another region.
- Tip: Be aware of the different dialects of Farsi and their unique features.
11. Forgetting to Conjugate Verbs
- Example: Saying “خوردن” (to eat) instead of “میخورم” (I eat) to express present tense.
- Tip: Practice conjugating verbs in different tenses and moods.
12. Misusing Plural Forms
- Example: Saying “کتابها” (books) instead of “کتابها” (books) with the correct diacritics.
- Tip: Learn the rules for forming plurals in Farsi.
13. Incorrect Use of Pronouns
- Example: Saying “او” (he/she) instead of “آن” (it) to refer to a non-human object.
- Tip: Pay attention to the gender and number of pronouns.
14. Mispronouncing Proper Nouns
- Example: Mispronouncing the name of the city “تهران” (Tehran) as “تیهران”.
- Tip: Practice pronouncing proper nouns correctly.
15. Not Practicing Regularly
- Example: Not speaking Farsi regularly with native speakers or using language learning apps, like LELB Society.
- Tip: The more you practice, the better you will become.
