Learn Persian with Chai and Conversation

In this lesson, we introduce one of the greats of Persian Sufi poetry, Omar Khayyam. Khayyam was a 12th century poet and a true renaissance man- in addition to being one of the most well known Iranian poets, he was also a famed mathematician and astronomer. This shouldn't be surprising, however, as these disciplines greatly informed one another. This poem, which we are calling khosh bāsh, or 'be g...

In this last part of our series on Forough Farrokhzad, we learn the final part of the selection of the poem we've been learning. In addition, we learn about three birds that feature prominently in the poem that play a large part in the symbolic structure of the poem. These birds are the crow (kalāgh), the eagle (oghāb), and the mythical Iranian bird, the seemorgh (seemorgh). As Forough Farrokhzad...

In this fourth part of the Persian language/Farsi lesson on Forough Farrokhzad's Fathé Bāgh, or Conquestion of the Garden, we go over the following section of the poem, along with all the vocabulary and phrases associated with the words learned: و صمیمیت تن هامان، در طراریو درخشیدن عریانیمانمثل فلس ماهی‌ها در آبسخن از زندگی نقره‌ای آوازیستکه، سحر گاهان فوارهٔ کوچک میخواند va sameemeeyaté tan hāman...

This lesson covers a section of the poem Conquest of the Garden, or Fathé Bāgh, by Forough Farrokhzad. This portion of the poem is: همه میترسندهمه میترسند، اما من و توبه چراغ و آب و آینه پیوستیمو نترسیدیم hamé meetarsandhamé meetarsandamā man o tōbé cherāgh o āb o āyeené payvasteemva natarseedeem Everyone is afraideveryone is afraid, but you and Ijoined with the lampand water and mirror and we wer...

This lesson is an introduction to one of Iran's most lauded modern poets, Forough Farrokhzad. An extremely influential voice in a time of great change in Iran, she wrote about the nature of being an artist and an independent woman in a society that often did not make these pursuits easy. Here we learn more details about this extraordinary woman's life, and analyze one of my favorite poems of hers,...

In the first part of our detailed study of Rumi's poem Rooz ō shab, we cover the first two lines, which are: dar havāyat bee gharāram rooz ō shabsar ze pāyat bar nadāram rooz ō shab We go over the vocabulary and phrases in this segment of the poem, and also learn some concepts that are related to the words we are learning. We also learn about the Sufi concept, dar havāyat, of the intimacy of breat...

In this lesson, we learn Rumi's poem Rooz ō shab. In this poem, the words rooz, day and shab, night, are repeated like a mantra. Even though Rumi was a 13th century Persian poet, his poems remain extremely relevant and relatable today. So, don't be intimidated by the unfamiliar sounding language. Over the next few weeks, we will dissect the words and phrases used in this poem until it sounds like...

In this final part of our Sohrab Sepehri dar golestāné series we cover the rest of the vocabulary covered in the poem. After this lesson, you will be able to understand the entirety of the selection of the poem we heard. 

In this lesson, we continue the study of Sohrab Sepehri's dar golestāné by learning more about the words and phrases in the middle section of our selection.

In this introductory lesson to Sohrab Sepehri's beautiful poem dar golestāné, we're joined by musician Fared Shafinury to talk about the general theme and meaning behind this poem. 

In the last lesson of this series, we talk about the importance of poetry in Persian culture, and talk about why we're learning this magical language in the first place. To find out more about Persian miniatures, check out the wikipedia page !

In this lesson, we learn the langauge associated with one of the most important parts of Persian culture- food. We learn vocabulary for different Persian dishes, how to consume Persian food, and how to talk about it afterwards. This lesson might make you hungry, somake sure to have at least a little something to eat before listening to it! Also, here are some links to some of our favorite Perisan...

In this lesson, we learn all the language associated with pregnancy, babies and small children.

In this lesson, we learn all the vocabulary associated with getting married in Persian! Includes the process of proposing, getting married, and language associated with the wedding ceremony. As promised, here are some links to some of our favorite Persian wedding songs!  Vigen, Shah Damad    vigen - shah damad original version, farsi   Shamaeezadeh, Ye Dokhtar Daram    Hassan Shamaeezadeh - Ye Dok...

Lesson 56 covers language needed for talking on the phone, including etiquette used in greetings and saying goodbye on the phone.

If you’re around Iranians often, chances are you’ll be invited to their homes. Iranians love hosting, and it’s common to invite someone over as soon as you meet them. So, let’s learn some of the language and etiquette that goes along with being hosted.

In this lesson, we learn common Persian sayings that often don't make sense in English. Expressions, idioms- these are what make a language unique! We also learn some common Persian insults.

Respect is a big deal in Persian culture- respect for your family, respect for elders, among other things. We've learned about tārof- but this type of etiquette is just one aspect of showing respect for others. In this lesson, we learn other ways respect is demonstrated in the Persian culture.

In this lesson, we continue our discussion of the Persian concept of 'tārof'- we learn different situation in which 'tārof' comes into play, and how to successfully navigate through these situations. These situations include being paid a compliment, making a financial transaction at a store, interacting with guests and hosts, and much more.  

In this lesson, we talk about one of the most important concepts when it comes to learning about Persian culture- the concept of tārof. Tārof is basically the code of etiquette Iranians use in all social situations, and it's quite culturally pervasive. While western culture also has rules of engaging with others, Persians take it to a whole new level. For someone unfamiliar with the concept, somet...