Language/Iranian-persian/Vocabulary/Drinks
Hi Iranian Persian learners! 😊
In this lesson, you will learn Iranian Persian words related to drinks. You will also learn a lot of interesting cultural facts about the beverages enjoyed in Iran. By the end of the lesson, you will be able to order drinks at a Persian café and impress your friends with your knowledge about Iranian culture. So let's get started!
Tea
Tea is the most popular beverage in Iran, and it is served generously to guests as a sign of hospitality. Iranian tea is usually black tea brewed with cardamom and served hot. Iranians serve tea with sugar cubes, called "Kand" in Iranian Persian, which is placed in the mouth and then sips tea through the dissolve sugar.
| Iranian Persian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| چای (Chay) | /t͡ʃɑːj/ | Tea |
| قند (Ghand) | /ɢænd/ | Sugar |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: یک فنجان چای با یک قاشق شکر لطفا. (Yek fenjan chay ba yek ghashoghe shakar lotfan.) (One cup of tea with one spoon of sugar, please.)
- Person 2: حتما، لطفا بیشتر بریزید. (Hatmana, lotfan bishtar beryezid.) (Sure, please pour more of it.)
Doogh
Doogh is a popular Iranian drink made of yogurt and water, usually served with traditional Iranian meals. It has a refreshing taste and is great for digesting heavy meals. It is also served as a welcome drink in Iranian parties and weddings. Doogh is often flavored with dried mint and sometimes a hint of salt.
| Iranian Persian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| دوغ (Doogh) | /duːɣ/ | Yogurt drink |
| نعنای خشک (Nana-ye khoshk) | /nænɑːje xoʃk/ | Dried mint |
| نمک (Namak) | /næmæk/ | Salt |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: دوغ دارید؟ (Doogh darid?) (Do you have Doogh?)
- Person 2: بله، با نعنای خشک یا بی نعنا؟ (Bale, ba nana-ye khoshk ya bi nana?) (Yes, with dried mint or without?)
- Person 1: خیلی خوبه با نعنای خشک. (Khili khobe ba nana-ye khoshk.) (It's great with dried mint.)
Sharbat
Sharbat is a traditional Iranian drink that is made by diluting fruit syrups with water and served cold during the summer months. The most popular flavors of sharbat include sour cherry, rose, and pomegranate. Iranians also enjoy Sharbat-e Sekanjebin, a drink made from vinegar and mint syrup.
| Iranian Persian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| شربت (Sharbat) | /ʃæɾbæt/ | Fruit syrup drink |
| ترشی (Torshi) | /t̪ɒːɾʃiː/ | Vinegar drink |
| سکنجبین (Sekanjebin) | /sekændʒebiːn/ | Mint syrup drink |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: شربت چی دارید؟ (Sharbat chi darid?) (What flavors of sharbat do you have?)
- Person 2: شربت آلبالو، شربت گلاب، و شربت انار داریم. (Sharbat-e albaloo, sharbat-e golab, va sharbat-e anar darim.) (We have sour cherry, rose, and pomegranate flavor.)
- Person 1: بیا با شربت آلبالو شروع کنیم. (Bia ba sharbat-e albaloo shoro konim.) (Let's start with sour cherry sharbat.)
Kahve
Despite the popularity of tea, coffee has a special place in Iranian culture. Iranians usually drink black coffee with cardamom, and it is often served with pastries or dates. Kahve, the Iranian word for coffee, is also sometimes served with saffron syrup for a decadent treat.
| Iranian Persian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| کافه (Kahve) | /kɑːfe/ | Coffee |
| هل (Hel) | /heɪl/ | Cardamom |
| شیر بادام زمینی (Shir-e badam-e zamin-i) | /ʃiːɾe bædæm ze miːni/ | Almond milk |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: یک فنجان قهوه با کاردموم لطفا. (Yek fenjan-e qahveh ba kardamom lotfan.) (One cup of coffee with cardamom, please.)
- Person 2: می‌خواید با شیر بادام زمینی؟ (Mikhayid ba shir-e barame zamin-i?) (Do you want it with almond milk?)
- Person 1: خیر، اینجا دانه قهوه‌ای دارید؟ (Kheir, injā dane-ye qahve-i darid?) (No, do you have coffee beans here?)
Black Tea vs. Herbal Tea
While black tea is the most consumed tea in Iran, herbal teas are also popular for their therapeutic and medicinal properties. Iranian herbal teas include Damask rose tea, green tea, chamomile tea, and mint tea. Iranians also drink saffron-infused tea as a natural remedy for mood disorders.
| Iranian Persian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| چای سیاه (Chay-e siyah) | /t͡ʃɑːj-e siːjɑːh/ | Black tea |
| چای گیاهی (Chay-e giyahi) | /t͡ʃɑːj-e ɡijɑːhi:/ | Herbal tea |
| ماش بادامی (Mash-e badami) | /mæʃ-e bædæmi/ | Damask rose tea |
| چای سبز (Chay-e sabz) | /t͡ʃɑːj-e sæbz/ | Green tea |
| چای بابونه (Chay-e babune) | /t͡ʃɑːj-e bæbuːne/ | Chamomile tea |
| چای نعنا (Chay-e nana) | /t͡ʃɑːj-e nɑːnɑː/ | Mint tea |
| چای زعفرانی (Chay-e zafarani) | /t͡ʃɑːj-e zæfæræni:/ | Saffron tea |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: آیا چای هربال دارید؟ (Aya chai herbal darid?) (Do you have herbal tea?)
- Person 2: بله، کدر گل و زعفران داریم. (Baleh, khak-e gol va zafaran darim.) (Yes, we have Damask rose and saffron-infused tea.)
- Person 1: من امروز یکی از چای‌های تقویتی‌تان خواهم خواست. (Man emrooz yeki az chay-haye taghaviy-e-tan khaham khast.) (I'll have one of your therapeutic teas today.)
Shira
Shira, or sweetened milk, is another popular drink in Iran, especially during religious ceremonies or celebrations. Iranians serve Shira with a variety of sweets or garnished with pistachios or almonds. It is more of a dessert than a beverage and is usually served warm.
| Iranian Persian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| شیرینی (Shirini) | /ʃiːɾiːniː/ | Sweet |
| شیر (Shir) | /ʃiːɾ/ | Milk |
| پسته (Pisteh) | /piːste/ | Pistachio |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: دو ظرف شیرا البته با پسته لطفا. (Do zarf-e shir-a albateh bā pistachios lotfan.) (Two bowls of Shira, with pistachios, please.)
- Person 2: تازه درست کردم. (Tāze dorost kardam.) (I just made it.)
Conclusion
In this lesson, you have learned the most common drinks in Iran and some cultural facts regarding how they are served and when they are consumed. As you practice these words and phrases, you will become more confident ordering drinks in Persian cafes and understanding Iranian culture. To improve your Iranian Persian Vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
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