4 Everyday Tips to Help You Practice Your Persian

So you want to learn Persian—you have to start from the beginning, right? Sometimes becoming fluent in a new language can seem like a very distant reality. But the truth is that with a bit of effort and consistent practice, it’s possible to understand and speak Persian in a reasonable period of time. Just remember, practice is key—it’s what helps you become fluent in Persian! Take a look at these tips below and see how fast your Persian skills improve.

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1. Watch as many movies as you can

Watching movies without subtitles helped to develop your listening skills. You will start recognizing words a lot more, learn how to pronounce them better and discover new ways to use vocabulary in different situations. If you start doing this, actually, you won’t understand all the dialogue right away—that’s normal! The important point is not to give up as you will get used to the language over time.

Start with something light and easy, like children’s programs, and later move on to more complicated storylines. Watching a series or movie with Persian subtitles is also a good idea, as you can learn how to spell the words and you won’t miss too many lines.

2. Pick out keywords in Persian podcasts and music

How often do you listen to music in Persian? Probably you also listen to Persian music sometimes. An exercise that is very helpful for developing your listening and vocabulary in Persian is grabbing a piece of paper and a pen and writing down all the Persian words you can understand while listening to music or Persian podcasts. The more you hear familiar words, the more you are able to understand the sentences. You’ll see that sometimes you’ll only get it on the third try, but this exercise is a handy trick for getting your brain used to the new idioms and common Persian phrases.

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3. Read books, blogs, and articles in Persian

If you enjoy reading about travel, technology, games, and sports on the web, so you can start reading them in Persian. Get into the habit of reading books and articles in Persian – read one a day in a magazine, newspaper, or even a blog. Try to read at least a book a month as this will help you get in touch with the Persian language on a daily basis. Plus, you will improve your reading and writing skills and increase your vocabulary.

4. Have plenty of conversations with Persian speakers

Even before studying abroad, you can communicate with Persian speakers in your hometown and start speaking Persian with them. You can realize that you can actually speak Persian. It’s very amazing how far you can get when studying a bit every day. Have communication with Persian speakers at home and abroad. In fact, this is as close as it gets to «the real world» and is the ultimate test of how fast you are improving.

Of course, studying abroad is the best way to immerse totally in the Persian language. Spend a few months improving your Persian in a Persian-speaking country such as Iran and you’ll have to practice every single day! If a native Persian speaker understands you and vice versa, this means that you made it!

Not there yet? Well, start practicing today.

Important Strategies:

A) Use Persian pronunciation exercises

One of the first things you should do when learning a new foreign language is study pronunciation because it’s pretty much easier to get it right at the beginning than try to fix it later on. This is why famous polyglot Gabriel Wyner says in his book Fluent Forever that pronunciation is the first thing you have to learn.

One of the most effective exercises to polish your pronunciation is to record your own voice. Maybe it sounds funny, but it will help you understand your weak points in language learning. Please listen closely to how you use intonation, rhythm, and stress in your sentences.

Want to learn more tips to practice your Persian pronunciation? Read our detailed guide on learning pronunciation.

B) Practice listening during downtime

We know, this exercise is straightforward but still crucial. A great way to learn a foreign language, even while you’re not studying, is to listen passively. In case you are too busy and overloaded with daily tasks and simply have no time for regular practicing, you can try to listen to Persian music or audiobooks during your spare time.

In your daily life, many activities don’t require deep thinking such as walking, running on a machine, or heading to work. Don’t waste these precious hours scrolling on your social media. If you’re really dedicated, your music player should contain the biggest part of songs in Persian. No matter what style you prefer, you should pay particular attention to the lyrics and do your best to understand the context of the song (and sing along, if you’re not shy!).

C) Make the most of podcasts

There are many reasons why podcasts can help you learn a foreign language. Did you know that there were studies that showed that listening to English helped learners’ pronunciation and speaking skills too? (It also works for Persian)

In fact, by listening to this type of content, you practice your skills and learn useful conversation starters about things that interest you the most such as arts, sports, politics, communications, etc. There are also specific podcasts that are suitable for Persian learners. By listening attentively, you can also improve your Persian speaking accuracy. You should begin paying attention to not only what is said but also how it is said.

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