Persian Vocabulary for a Trip to the Supermarket

Planning a trip to a Persian-speaking country and worried about navigating your way through the supermarket? Don’t worry! This article is here to help you get familiar with essential Persian vocabulary that will make your shopping experience smooth and enjoyable. Persian, also known as Farsi, is the official language of Iran and is widely spoken in Afghanistan and Tajikistan. With a few key words and phrases, you’ll be able to find what you need and even engage in basic conversations with the locals.

Basic Vocabulary

Before diving into specific categories, let’s start with some basic vocabulary that will be useful in any supermarket setting.

– **Supermarket**: سوپرمارکت (soopermarket)
– **Store**: فروشگاه (forooshgah)
– **Cashier**: صندوقدار (sandogh-dar)
– **Price**: قیمت (gheymat)
– **Discount**: تخفیف (takhfif)
– **Receipt**: رسید (resid)
– **Bag**: کیسه (kiseh)
– **Shopping Cart**: چرخ خرید (charkh-e kharid)

Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh produce is a staple in any supermarket. Here are some common fruits and vegetables you might want to buy:

Fruits

– **Apple**: سیب (sib)
– **Banana**: موز (moz)
– **Orange**: پرتقال (porteghal)
– **Grapes**: انگور (angoor)
– **Watermelon**: هندوانه (hendevaneh)
– **Strawberry**: توت فرنگی (toot farangi)
– **Lemon**: لیمو (limoo)
– **Peach**: هلو (holoo)
– **Pear**: گلابی (golabi)

Vegetables

– **Tomato**: گوجه فرنگی (gojeh farangi)
– **Potato**: سیب زمینی (sib zamini)
– **Onion**: پیاز (piaz)
– **Carrot**: هویج (havij)
– **Cucumber**: خیار (khiyar)
– **Spinach**: اسفناج (esfenaj)
– **Lettuce**: کاهو (kahoo)
– **Garlic**: سیر (sir)
– **Pepper**: فلفل (felfel)

Dairy Products

If you’re looking for dairy products, these terms will come in handy:

– **Milk**: شیر (shir)
– **Cheese**: پنیر (panir)
– **Butter**: کره (kareh)
– **Yogurt**: ماست (mast)
– **Cream**: خامه (khameh)
– **Egg**: تخم مرغ (tokhme morgh)

Meat and Seafood

For those who enjoy meat and seafood, knowing these words can be particularly useful:

Meat

– **Chicken**: مرغ (morgh)
– **Beef**: گوشت گاو (goosht-e gav)
– **Lamb**: گوشت بره (goosht-e barre)
– **Pork**: گوشت خوک (goosht-e khook)
– **Sausage**: سوسیس (soosis)
– **Ham**: ژامبون (zhambon)

Seafood

– **Fish**: ماهی (mahi)
– **Shrimp**: میگو (meygoo)
– **Crab**: خرچنگ (kharchang)
– **Lobster**: خرچنگ دریایی (kharchang-e daryayi)
– **Salmon**: سالمون (salmon)

Bakery and Grains

If you love baked goods and grains, these terms will help you locate them easily:

Bakery Items

– **Bread**: نان (nan)
– **Baguette**: باگت (baguette)
– **Cake**: کیک (keyk)
– **Pastry**: شیرینی (shirini)
– **Cookie**: بیسکویت (biskooyit)

Grains and Cereals

– **Rice**: برنج (berenj)
– **Wheat**: گندم (gandom)
– **Pasta**: پاستا (pasta)
– **Oats**: جو دوسر (jow dosar)
– **Corn**: ذرت (zorrat)

Beverages

Whether you’re looking for something to quench your thirst or a beverage to complement your meal, these words will be useful:

– **Water**: آب (ab)
– **Juice**: آبمیوه (abmiveh)
– **Tea**: چای (chai)
– **Coffee**: قهوه (ghahveh)
– **Soda**: نوشابه (nooshabeh)
– **Wine**: شراب (sharab)
– **Beer**: آبجو (abjo)

Snacks and Sweets

For those moments when you crave something sweet or a quick snack, these words will guide you:

– **Chocolate**: شکلات (shokolat)
– **Candy**: آبنبات (abnabat)
– **Chips**: چیپس (chips)
– **Nuts**: آجیل (ajil)
– **Ice Cream**: بستنی (bastani)

Household Items

Supermarkets are not just for food; they often carry a variety of household items as well. Here are some terms you might find useful:

– **Toilet Paper**: دستمال توالت (dastmal toalet)
– **Soap**: صابون (saboon)
– **Shampoo**: شامپو (shampoo)
– **Toothpaste**: خمیر دندان (khamir dandan)
– **Detergent**: شوینده (shoyandeh)
– **Cleaner**: پاک‌کننده (pak-konandeh)

Useful Phrases

Knowing individual words is great, but sometimes you need to put them together to form questions or sentences. Here are some useful phrases that can help you navigate the supermarket more effectively:

– **How much is this?**: این چنده؟ (in chandeh?)
– **Where can I find…?**: …کجا می‌تونم پیدا کنم؟ (koja mitoonam … peyda konam?)
– **Do you have…?**: …دارید؟ (dareed…?)
– **I need a bag.**: من یک کیسه لازم دارم. (man yek kiseh lazem daram.)
– **Can I pay by card?**: می‌تونم با کارت پرداخت کنم؟ (mitoonam ba kart pardakht konam?)

Practice Makes Perfect

To make the most out of your shopping experience, practice these words and phrases before you go. You can even create flashcards or use language-learning apps to help reinforce your memory. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you’re at the supermarket; most people will appreciate your effort to speak their language and will be more than happy to assist you.

Conclusion

With these essential Persian vocabulary words and phrases, you are now better equipped to handle a trip to the supermarket in any Persian-speaking country. Not only will you find what you need more efficiently, but you’ll also have the opportunity to engage with locals and make your shopping experience more enjoyable. Happy shopping!