How to Say Hello in Persian (Farsi)

Salam is hello at every hour and to every person. You can say it to a cousin at midnight, to a shopkeeper at noon and to your grandfather at the door. Nobody will hear it as too casual or too stiff, which makes it the safest first word you can learn in Persian.

Say it with the stress on the second syllable and a long, open a, the way you say the a in father: sa-LAAM. Keep the first syllable short and light. The l is soft and the m closes the word, so it sounds nothing like the English word psalm.

On the phone, people often pick up with Alo, and then follow it with Salam once they know who is calling. Between friends Salam can be the whole greeting, said with a smile and a nod. Between family it usually starts a short exchange, which the next section covers.

A Persian hello is rarely just one word. Right after Salam comes a small exchange about how you are, and everyone knows the script. You ask Chetori? (how are you), the other person answers Khoobam (I'm good), usually adds Merci, and hands the question back with To chetori?

That hand-back matters. If someone asks how you are and you answer without asking in return, the exchange feels unfinished. To chi? (what about you) and To chetori? both do the job. Between friends you will also hear Khoobi? (doing good?), a shorter way to ask that sounds warm and quick.

You do not have to say anything deep. The exchange is a ritual, like the English How are you? and Fine, thanks. Answer Khoobam even if you are tired. People who want the real answer will ask again a minute later.

English splits hello into good morning, good afternoon and good evening. Persian does not. Salam covers the whole day, and from the afternoon on it is the only greeting most people use.

The one time of day that has its own greeting is the morning. Sobh bekheir means good morning, and you can say it from the moment you wake up until about lunch. At the other end of the day, Shab bekheir means good night. It is what you say when the evening is ending or someone is going to bed, so it works as a goodbye more than a hello.

That leaves you with three words for a whole day: Sobh bekheir in the morning, Salam all day, Shab bekheir at night. Our guide to good morning and good night has the replies people give to each.

Salam does not change when you greet an older person. What changes is the word for you. Persian has two: the friendly to, for friends, cousins and anyone younger, and the respectful shoma, for grandparents, elders and strangers.

So the elder version of How are you? is Chetorin? instead of Chetori?, with the ending -in in place of -i. It is a tiny change, and it is the one that tells your grandfather you were raised well. Add Shoma in front when you hand the question back: Shoma chetorin?

If you are not sure which to use with someone, go with the respectful one. Nobody has ever been offended by shoma, and an older person will often tell you to relax into to once you know each other.

Picture the visit. You ring the bell at your grandmother's house and she opens the door. You say Salam, Maman Bozorg, and she answers with a Salam of her own, usually with a warm word for you. Older family members often greet younger ones with Azizam, which means my dear.

She will ask how you are, using to because you are younger than she is: Chetori? You answer the respectful way, because she is your elder: Khoobam, merci. Shoma chetorin? Many families add a hug or a kiss on the cheek on top of the words. Follow the other person's lead and you will be fine.

Then the second round starts: how is the family, how was the drive, are you hungry. That part of a Persian hello can go on for a while, and it is a good sign. It means you are being welcomed, not hurried.