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At passport control
Your first Persian conversation in Iran will probably be at passport control at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport. Officers often speak some English, but a few Persian phrases make arrival smoother and earn an immediate smile.
In this lesson
Your first Persian conversation in Iran will probably be at passport control at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport. Officers often speak some English, but a few Persian phrases make arrival smoother and earn an immediate smile.
Key words and phrases
| Persian | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| گذرنامه / پاسپورت | gozarnāme / pāsport | passport |
| ویزا / روادید | vizā / ravādid | visa |
| هدف سفر | hadaf-e safar | purpose of trip |
| توریستی | turisti | tourist (adjective) |
| کاری | kāri | business, work (adjective) |
| چند روز می‌مونین؟ | chand ruz mimunin? | how many days are you staying? |
| دو هفته | do hafte | two weeks |
| کجا اقامت دارین؟ | kojā eghāmat dārin? | where are you staying? |
| هتل | hotel | hotel |
| بار | bār | luggage |
| گمرک | gomrok | customs |
| چیزی برای اظهار ندارم | chizi barāye ezhār nadāram | I have nothing to declare |
Dialogue: At passport control
A British traveller hands over her passport at Imam Khomeini Airport.
| Officer | سلام. پاسپورت لطفاً. | Salām. Pāsport lotfan. Hello. Passport, please. |
| Traveller | سلام. بفرمایید. | Salām. Befarmāyid. Hello. Here you are. |
| Officer | هدف سفرتون چیه؟ | Hadaf-e safaretun chiye? What is the purpose of your trip? |
| Traveller | توریستی. می‌خوام اصفهان و شیراز رو ببینم. | Turisti. Mikhām Esfahān-o Shirāz ro bebinam. Tourism. I want to see Isfahan and Shiraz. |
| Officer | چند روز می‌مونین؟ | Chand ruz mimunin? How many days are you staying? |
| Traveller | دو هفته. | Do hafte. Two weeks. |
| Officer | کجا اقامت دارین؟ | Kojā eghāmat dārin? Where are you staying? |
| Traveller | هتلی تو خیابون ولیعصر. | Hoteli tu khiyābun-e Valiasr. A hotel on Valiasr Street. |
| Officer | خوش اومدین. | Khosh umadin. Welcome. |
Culture note. Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA) is about 50 km south of central Tehran. Keep your hotel address written in Persian on your phone: officers, taxi drivers and hotel staff will all find it useful.
Practice
- Say “here you are” as you hand over your passport.
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Befarmāyid.
- Answer “tourism” to the question about the purpose of your trip.
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Turisti.
- Say “I’m staying for ten days”.
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Dah ruz mimunam.
- What is gomrok?
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Customs.
- Say “I have nothing to declare”.
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Chizi barāye ezhār nadāram.
Next. Next, buying a SIM card and topping up.