Vocabulary: Hello, how are you? What is your name? Pronouns.

Letters:

The following are the most common forms of greeting in Persian. There are several different registers of greetings in Persian on formal and casual levels. They may include references to third persons and employ various aspects of the Persian social etiquette, the taãrof. Greetings are often accompanied by smile and gestures, such as placing one's hand on the chest as a sign of gratitude. It is important to use the appropriate form (formal or casual) of greeting so as to not appear impolite and disrespectful.

A formal greeting is a must when addressing individuals who are older or have a higher— actual or perceived— social, professional or other status, unless your familiarity with and relation to the person allows you to deviate from this rule. A formal greeting is also usual when addressing strangers, but the casual form is sometimes used by strangers who belong to the same age group.

In Iran, upon greeting, women usually shake hands and kiss once on each cheek. Iranian men greeting each other would act the same way. However, if a man and a woman greet each other they don't kiss and might only shake hands, unless they are relatives or close acquaintances. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, Islamic customs prevent strangers of opposite sex (men and women) from shaking hands upon greeting. In such situations, a verbal greeting, polite smile and gentle bow are common.

hãleh shomã!/ or simply /hãleh shomã!/ . These are sometimes combined with a gentle nod or respectful smile.

In Unit 1 we will learn how to say hello, how to say your name, how to ask somebody's name, how to say nice to meet you and say good- bye. You will need those words to meet students of your Persian class and introduce yourself.

LISTEN AND REPEAT. At this point, you do not need to try and learn the Persian spelling of the words as you are not familiar with all the letters of the alphabet. Learn the pronunciation and meaning of the words. Listen to the audio and repeat each word several times aloud until you can easily pronounce it.