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How Azeri is written in Iran
In Iran, Azeri is written in the same Perso-Arabic script as Persian, with a few extra marks for vowels that Persian does not have. If you can read Persian, you are already most of the way there. This first lesson explains how the system works.
In this lesson
In Iran, Azeri is written in the same Perso-Arabic script as Persian, with a few extra marks for vowels that Persian does not have. If you can read Persian, you are already most of the way there. This first lesson explains how the system works.
Key words and phrases
| Persian | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| آذربایجان تۆرکجهسی | Azərbayjan türkjəsi | Azerbaijani Turkish (Azeri) |
| عرب الیفباسی | ərəb əlifbası | Arabic-based alphabet |
| لاتین الیفباسی | latın əlifbası | Latin alphabet |
| سسلی | sait | vowel |
| سسسیز | samit | consonant |
| یازی | yazı | writing, script |
| اوخوماق | okhumag | to read |
Same letters, more vowels
Azeri in Iran uses the 32 letters of the Persian alphabet. The big difference is vowels: Azeri has nine (a, ə, e, ı, i, o, ö, u, ü), and, unlike Persian, it usually writes them, because vowel harmony makes them essential to the meaning.
There are two writing traditions: the Perso-Arabic script, used in Iran, and the Latin alphabet, used in the Republic of Azerbaijan since 1991. This course teaches the first and bridges to the second in Unit 4.
Spelling varies
There is no single official Azeri spelling in Iran. A widely used standard, followed by many publishers, adds marks to و and ی to distinguish vowels, but many writers simplify. This course shows the common standard and points out the usual variants.
Reading practice: familiar words
Words you can read with your Persian, now with their Azeri meanings.
| 1 | سلام | salam hello |
| 2 | کیتاب | kitab book |
| 3 | بازار | bazar bazaar |
| 4 | آتا | ata father |
| 5 | آنا | ana mother |
| 6 | بالا | bala child |
Good to know. Notice کیتاب, “book”: Persian writes کتاب without the i, but Azeri writes it out. Writing vowels is the single biggest difference between the two spelling systems.
Practice
- How many vowels does Azeri have?
Show answer
Nine.
- Which script is used for Azeri in Iran?
Show answer
The Perso-Arabic script.
- Which script is used in the Republic of Azerbaijan?
Show answer
The Latin alphabet.
- Why does Azeri usually write vowels when Persian does not?
Show answer
Because vowel harmony makes them essential to the meaning.
Next. Next, the vowels and their extra letters.