Meaning & use
Persian
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Meanings
noununcountable
The official language of Iran, also spoken in parts of Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
Grammar: No plural form; treat as a singular mass noun: Persian is spoken here.
Patterns
- speak Persian
- in Persian
She grew up in Tehran and speaks fluent Persian at home.
The manuscript was written in Persian and later translated into Arabic.
Many learners find Persian easier than Arabic because the grammar is simpler.
nouncountable
A person from Iran, or someone whose family originally came from Iran.
Grammar: Countable: one Persian, two Persians; capitalized.
Patterns
- a Persian from Iran
- the Persians
My neighbor is a Persian who moved to Canada ten years ago.
The Persians built a huge empire in ancient times.
She is proud of her Persian heritage and celebrates Nowruz every year.
adjectivebefore a noun
Relating to Iran, its people, its language, or its culture.
Grammar: Comes before the noun: Persian food, Persian history. Not used after a verb.
Patterns
- Persian food
- Persian history
- Persian carpet
We ate Persian food at a restaurant near the station.
She is studying Persian history at university.
The museum has a beautiful collection of Persian carpets.
nouncountable
A breed of long-haired cat with a round face and a flat nose.
Grammar: Countable: a Persian, two Persians. Capitalized because it comes from the breed name.
Patterns
- a Persian cat
- own a Persian
Their Persian sleeps on the sofa all day.
Persians need daily brushing to keep their long fur clean.
He bought a white Persian for his daughter's birthday.
Word forms
| plural | Persians |
|---|
Common combinations
- Persian carpet
- The Persian carpet in the living room is over a hundred years old.
- Persian Gulf
- The Persian Gulf is an important region for oil shipping.
- Persian cat
- Her Persian cat has a very flat face and needs special care.
- speak Persian
- He can speak Persian, Arabic, and English.
- Persian Empire
- The Persian Empire was one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Farsi
- Use Farsi when you mean the modern language spoken in Iran; Persian is the more traditional English name and also covers the historical and cultural sense.
- Iranian
- Use Iranian for anything relating to the modern country of Iran; Persian often suggests the older empire, the language, or the cat breed.
Commonly confused: Persian or Farsi?
Persian vs Farsi
Farsi is the native name for the language, while Persian is the English word. In English, both are acceptable, but Persian is more common in academic and historical writing.
Practice
Which sentence uses Persian correctly?
Choose one answer.
When naming a language, use no article: speak Persian. Option 1 adds 'a', which is wrong for languages. Option 2 adds 'the', also wrong. Option 3 uses the plural 'Persians', which refers to people, not the language.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Persian”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.