Course calendar
| Course title | Course Time | Duration | Starts/Ends | Course Fee | In-Person | Online | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Basics (A1) | SummerENROL NOW | Tuesday 6:30 PM –8 PM | 12 weeks | 7 July– 22 September | € 180 | ✅ | ❌ | Trieste, Italy |
The Basics (A1) | AutumnENROL NOW | Wednesday 6:30 PM –8 PM | 12 weeks | 7 October– 23 December | € 180 | ✅ | ❌ | Trieste, Italy |
The Basics (A1) | Winter⏳ OPENS IN OCTOBER | Wednesday 6:30 PM –8 PM | 12 weeks | 13 January –31 March | € 180 | ✅ | ✅ | Trieste & Online |
Want to learn Persian? Fancy trying out a completely new alphabet? Want to take a deep dive into the infinite beauty of Persian poetry? Or just have a bit of a chat with your Afghan friends?
Are you interested in Iran or Afghanistan and believe that learning the language is the best way to get to know the region? Then our language course “Persian – The Basics (A1)” is just the thing for you.
Jump straight to our Course Calendar, and find the next available course:
Want to meet our teachers? Find out more about us:
Persian: The Alphabet and Basics in 12 Weeks
This is an introductory course for absolute beginners or those with very little knowledge of the Persian language.
- Focus: communication and use of all four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking)
- including the alphabet
- Term by term commitment
- Entry: first-come, first-served
- Term duration: 12 weeks
- Number of classes per week: 1 (online or in-person)
- Length of class: 90 minutes
- Recommended self-study and practice time: 1.5 – 2 hours per week
- Certificates of attendance and completion available
What to expect
We meet once a week – online or in person – and take a closer look at the Persian language together. We learn from scratch how to read and write using its alphabet, and soon you’ll realise that the Persian grammar isn’t that complicated. And before you know it, you will be able to form your own sentences and hold short conversations. In this course, we will start by quickly learning the Persian alphabet and pronunciation. We’ll then look at verbs and sentence structure, and you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to form your first sentences and read short texts. As we steadily build up our basic vocabulary, we’ll also learn to type in Persian on mobile phones and computers. Through songs and internet memes, we’ll stay right up to date with current developments in the Persian language. And of course, you’ll also learn the classic Persian expression of politeness: “May your hand not ache.”
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course you will be able to read simple Persian texts, write in Persian and hold short conversations. You will also be able to conjugate verbs you find in the dictionary in the present and past tenses. Here’s a quick recap:
- all the letters of the Persian alphabet
- correct pronunciation of Persian
- forming simple sentences of your own
- building a basic vocabulary
- set phrases for everyday situations
- typing in Persian on a mobile phone and computer
You have questions you want to ask us? Don’t hesitate to get in touch:
If you feel “Persian – The Basics (A1)” is just the right course for you, check out our course calendar and enrol now:
Topics
The course introduces you to the following functions and notions:
- Greetings
- Introducing yourself to friends and family
- Describing your nationality, age and profession
- Talking about your daily life, routines, hobbies, interests and expressing likes and dislikes
- Grocery shopping, inquiring about prices, size, quantity etc.
- Describing a dwelling, giving/asking for addresses
- Understanding information relevant to travel, holiday and staying in a hotel
- Ordering food or drink and paying the bill
By booking this language course, you are signing up for a 12-week group language course, which will take place once a week. The start date is indicated in the table above. In-person courses will be held in Trieste, Italy. The precise course venue will be communicated once enrolment has been completed. Classrooms are close to the city centre, and can easily be reached by bus, bicycle or car. Online courses will be held via Zoom, a digital meeting platform. We recommend downloading the app, but you can also join via your browser. You will receive the login details in a detailed preparatory email after booking. If you attend our courses regularly, you can receive a certificate of attendance.
Is Persian the same as Farsi? Where is Persian spoken?
Persian, like English, is a pluricentric language. This means that there are several standard varieties that coexist. Just as there are, for example, a Caribbean English, a British English and an Indian English, so there is Iranian Persian, Afghan Persian and Tajik Persian. The Persian spoken in Iran is usually called Farsi, that spoken in Afghanistan is called Dari, and that spoken in Tajikistan is called Tajik. In this course, we will focus on Iranian Persian, or Farsi, but we will also occasionally look across the border to Afghanistan. (Tajik is a case apart, as it is now written using the Cyrillic alphabet, unlike Farsi and Dari, which use the Arabic alphabet.)
Here is a map showing the areas where Persian is spoken:
About Us
I take great pleasure in teaching Persian as a foreign language and invite anyone interested to discover this rich and melodious language. Together, we will explore not only vocabulary and grammar, but also stories, everyday culture and culinary treasures. The course is open to anyone who is open to new perspectives – whether you have prior knowledge or not. Welcome!
I am a conference interpreter and translator for the Persian language, and I teach Persian as a Second Language. I have a teachers' diploma from the prestigious Saadi Foundation, and have gained teaching experience at the Department of Oriental Studies at the University of Freiburg. I make my lessons lively and varied, leaving plenty of scope for students to get involved and try things out.
Still not sure whether our language course “Persian – The Basics (A1)” is right for you? Book a free online presentation now!
Enrolment
You can register for our courses right here on the website. Check the Course Calendar to see when the next course starts, and fill in the enrolment form. You will then receive your course materials by email. Once you have paid our invoice, your registration for the language course is confirmed. You will receive a reminder from us in good time before the course starts. We look forward to welcoming you to one of our courses very soon.
Individual language classes
Is our Persian course programme not quite what you’re looking for? Are you a language enthusiast and would like personalised learning support? Do you have specific requirements regarding course content, learning pace and the level of proficiency you wish to achieve? Please get in touch. We’ll be happy to offer you your personalised Persian language experience.
Other language courses
Check out our overall language course programme on our overview page (in German):