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Iranian Persian

Iranian Languages

Iranian Persian, also called Western Persian or Western Farsi, is the variety of the Persian language spoken in Iran and by others in neighboring countries, as well as by Iranian communities throughout the world.

Facts
ISO 639-3 Code
pes 2
Speaker Count
83,000,000 2
Ethnologue total figure, 2021-2023.
Status
Living 2
Wikipedia article on Iranian Persian: a currently spoken living language with an active native-speaker population; checked 2026-09-27.
Region
Iran 2
Browse and compare
Word Order
SOV 3
Tone
Not Tonal 4
Difficulty for an English Speaker
Category III 5
Classification
Language Kind
Safe 1
Official Status
Official Language 2
Connections

In Family

Indo-European, Language Families
Source Wikipedia: Iranian Persian

Written In

Arabic Script, Scripts

Persian is written in the Perso-Arabic script, an extended form of the Arabic alphabet.

In the Other Atlases

Original Language Of

A Separation

Also in Film and Media Atlas: a work originally in this language.

A Taste of Cherry

Also in Film and Media Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Close-Up

Also in Film and Media Atlas: a work originally in this language.

It Was Just an Accident

Also in Film and Media Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Persepolis

Also in Film and Media Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Taxi (2015 film)

Also in Film and Media Atlas: a work originally in this language.

The Circle

Also in Film and Media Atlas: a work originally in this language.

The Cow (1969 film)

Also in Film and Media Atlas: a work originally in this language.

The Salesman (2016 film)

Also in Film and Media Atlas: a work originally in this language.

There Is No Evil

Also in Film and Media Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Attar of Nishapur

Also in Literature Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Conference of the Birds

Also in Literature Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Divan-e Hafez

Also in Literature Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Ferdowsi

Also in Literature Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Gulistan (Saadi)

Also in Literature Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Masnavi

Also in Literature Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Mirza Ghalib

Also in Literature Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Nizami Ganjavi

Also in Literature Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Source Nizami Ganjavi (Wikipedia)Lead, language
Quote, Lead, language
greatest romantic epic poet in Persian literature
Omar Khayyam

Also in Literature Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

Also in Literature Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Sanai

Also in Literature Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Source Sanai (Wikipedia)Lead, language
Quote, Lead, language
one of the pioneers of Persian Sufi poetry
Shahnameh

Also in Literature Atlas: a work originally in this language.

The Rubaiyat

Also in Literature Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Source Ruba'i (Wikipedia)Lead paragraph
Quote, Lead paragraph
in Persian poetry

Located In

Iran

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is located.

Found In

Asia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Glottolog
Sources
1. Glottolog: Western Farsi (Glottolog languoid west2369)
GlottologEndangerment, AES status
Quote, Endangerment, AES status
AES status: not endangered
View the Source
2. Wikipedia: Iranian Persian
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Lead section
    Iranian Persian ..., Western Persian or Western Farsi, is the variety of the Persian language spoken in Iran and by others in neighboring countries, as well as by Iranian communities throughout the world.
  • Infobox: iso3
    pes
  • Lead section
    Iranian Persian serves as the predominant and official spoken language in Iran, with 61.5 million mother tongue speakers in 2023 and 17.2 million second language speakers in 2021.
  • Infobox: region
    West Asia
  • Infobox, Official language in
    Iran
View the Source
3. WALS Online (World Atlas of Language Structures): Persian / Order of Subject, Object and Verb (WALS datapoint)
WALS Online (World Atlas of Language Structures)Datapoint page
Quote, Datapoint page
Feature: Order of Subject, Object and Verb by Matthew S. Dryer Value: SOV
View the Source
4. WALS Online (World Atlas of Language Structures): Persian / Tone (WALS datapoint)
WALS Online (World Atlas of Language Structures)Datapoint page
Quote, Datapoint page
Feature: Tone by Ian Maddieson Value: No tones
View the Source
5. Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center: Languages Offered - Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center
Defense Language Institute Foreign Language CenterLanguages Offered
Quote, Languages Offered
Category III languages, 48 week-long courses: Persian Farsi
View the Source
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