Persian Lesson 2 – The Alphabet, Long Vowels
Persian Lesson 2 – The Alphabet, Long Vowels
Before beginning lesson two, I think it’s necessary to mention that each lesson is the continuation of the previous one. Consequently, you may find yourself unable to understand the new lessons perfectly if you ignore the previous lessons. So, I strongly recommend that you study the lessons step by step without skipping any of them. I’m sure you will make great progress in near future if you follow the instructions. In the case you followed the instructions as you are being told and still found it difficult to learn, then you would have the right to angrily blame me for wasting your time and I would certainly shut down this site forever! It’s a deal!Lesson 2 (Welcome back!)
Ok. How was lesson one? Was everything clear? If not, please let me know. Your suggestions will certainly improve the quality of this site to help you get most out of these pages.
Last week, we learned many things, such as short vowels, three big letters along with their small forms, the correct pronunciation of the letters and so on. We also learned how to write these letters. Do you remember those letters? Perfect! Now try to review them before we proceed.
Today, we are going to learn long vowels with the help of the same letters. Then, you will be able to pronounce each letter with six vowels (sounds, as used more frequent in Persian). From now on, make the habit of pronouncing each letter with these six vowels. If this is correctly done, you will become unbelievably fluent in learning and pronouncing the letters.
Ready? Let’s begin!
As you know, we have three long vowels in Persian. Although we can put some signs on or under the letters as we did it with the short vowels, I am trying to avoid doing this with the long vowels here. Therefore, we are not going to put some symbols on or under the letters. We can find these long vowels by detecting some letters. This will make it easier.
If you remember, I told you that all big letters come at the end of the words and may stand either attached or separated from other letters with only one exception. Today, we will see that exception.
Look at this letter. This is the big letter ‘A’ in Persian, which unlike all other big letters comes at the beginning of the words only. Do you still remember the big letter B and P? As you remember, they come at the end of the words and may stand either attached or separated from other letters. But, here, the big letter (the only exception) does not attach to other letters. It stands separated only.
The pronunciation of this letter is not so difficult. It has only one pronunciation, and does not accept any other short and long vowels. You have to pronounce it as /a:/ in arm.
In one word, this is the big letter ‘A’ in Persian and pronounced as /a:/ in arm.
Is that clear? If you need to know how the big letter is pronounced in Persian, click here to listen. Ok.
Long A
This one is the small letter ‘a’ in Persian. It may appear anywhere in words: beginning, middle, and in the end. This letter can accept all six main vowels, including short and long vowels.
Now that we are familiar with the long vowel /a:/ in Persian, we are ready to learn two other long vowels. Those are /i:/ as in see. And /u:/ as in two.
This is the big letter ‘Y’ in Persian. Only this letter can be pronounced as /i:/ sound. /i:/ as in see.
Note: like all other big letters, this comes at the end of the words and may stand either attached or separated. This can be pronounced as /i:/ Mostly when it is attached to other letters.
This one is the small letter ‘y’ in Persian. Like all other small letters, it comes at the beginning or middle of the words and accepts all six vowels.
The last one is the long sound /u:/.
As I told you before, some Persian letters have only one form. That is to say, their small and big forms are equal.
This letter is one of them. This is the only letter that may be pronounced as /u:/. /u:/ as in two.
I guess you may find these explanations a little bit confusing. Nevertheless, this is the only way to explain the long vowels. I am now trying to make it easier to understand through writing.
As you remember, this is ‘B’ in Persian: . Last week, we learned how to pronounce this letter with short vowels: . Toady we will pronounce it with the long vowels too.
1- this is pronounced as /ba:/ in barter.
2- this is pronounced as /bi:/ in beat.
3- this one is pronounced as /bu:/ in boot.
Now, try to pronounce with the help of these three long vowels. You will say: . Need help? Click here to listen.
Big B
Well done! Was it really difficult? Now, we pronounce the letter with the help of six main vowels. Ready? Don’t forget to read from right to left.
All B
From now on, we should pronounce each letter with these six sounds.
Now it’s your turn.
This is ‘p’ in Persian. Try to pronounce it with the six vowels. You will say: . Great job! If you need help, click here to listen.
All P
Finally, this is’T’ in Persian. Try to pronounce it with the six vowels. You will say: .
Still need help? Click here.
All T
All right. This is the end of lesson two. Please remember that the most difficult part of our job is pronouncing the letters with these six vowels, which is the start point of entering into a new language. We wouldn’t have this much problem after we learned the letters successfully. From next week, all we have to do is practicing some new letters with these vowels till we complete the letters. So, you may consider today’s lesson the most difficult one for weeks to come.
Alphabet
- lesson 1
- Persian Lesson 10 – Review, Subjective Pronouns
- Persian Lesson 2 – The Alphabet, Long Vowels
- Persian Lesson 3 – Letters from /alef/ to /he/
- Persian Lesson 4 – Letters /khe/ to /ze/
- Persian Lesson 5 – Letters /zhe/ to /za:d/
- Persian Lesson 6 – Letters /ta:/ to /ghæin/
- Persian Lesson 7 – Letters /fe/ to /ga:f/
- Persian Lesson 8 – Letters /la:m/ to /va:v/
- Persian Lesson 9 – Letters /he/ to /ye/, sokoon, tashdid
- Persian Writing – Useful Drills 1
- Persian Writing – Useful Drills 3
- Persian Writing – Useful Drills 4
- Persian Writing – Useful Drills 6
- Persian Writing – Useful Drills 7
- useful drills 2