Directions

1. راه رفتن به سمت راست یا چپ؟

   rāh raftan be samt-e rāst yā chap?

   Go to the right or to the left?

   Usage

   Used when lost to confirm which direction to go

   Grammar Note

   "Samt" means direction/side. "Be samt-e rast" means "toward the right." "Be taraf" is a synonymous alternative

2. مستقیم بروید

   mostaqim beravid

   Go straight ahead

   Usage

   Used when giving or receiving directions to go straight

   Grammar Note

   "Beravid" is the polite imperative of "raftan" (to go). With friends, use "bero". "Hamin-tor mostaqim" adds "just keep going straight"

3. من کجا هستم؟

   man kojā hastam?

   Where am I here?

   Usage

   Used when lost or confirming current location on a map

   Grammar Note

   "Koja" is the interrogative "where". In Persian, question words remain in their sentence position. "Hastam" is the first person singular present of "budan" (to be)

4. چقدر راه مانده؟

   cheqadr rāh mānde?

   How far is it still?

   Usage

   Used to ask how much farther the destination is

   Grammar Note

   Literally "how much road remains?" Distance answers come in "kilometer" or "daqiqe piade-ravi" (minutes on foot)

5. نزدیک‌ترین ایستگاه مترو کجاست؟

   nazdiktarin istgāh-e metro kojāst?

   Where is the nearest metro station?

   Usage

   Used in cities with metro systems like Tehran to ask for the nearest station

   Grammar Note

   Superlative: "nazdik" (near) → "nazdiktar" (nearer) → "nazdiktarin" (nearest). "Kojast" contracts "koja + ast" (where + is)

6. ببخشید، آیا این آدرس را می‌شناسید؟

   bebakhshid, āyā in ādres rā mishenāsid?

   Excuse me, do you know this address?

   Usage

   Used when showing a written address or map and asking for help finding it

   Grammar Note

   "Bebakhshid" is the most common "excuse me". "Mishenāsid" is polite 2nd person of "shenakhtan" (to know a person/place). Distinguishable from "danestan" (to know facts)

7. در کنار مسجد است

   dar kenār-e masjed ast

   It is next to the mosque

   Usage

   Used to describe a location using a landmark like a mosque

   Grammar Note

   "Dar kenar" is a locative preposition phrase. Other useful ones: "ruberuye" (opposite), "posht" (behind), "jeloy" (in front of). Mosques are common landmarks in Iran

8. یک نقشه دارید؟

   yek naqshe dārid?

   Do you have a map?

   Usage

   Used at hotels or tourist offices to ask for a map

   Grammar Note

   "Darid" is the polite 2nd person plural of "dashtan" (to have). "Aya" can introduce questions, but rising intonation alone also works

9. اینجا را در گوگل مپ پیدا می‌کنم

   injā rā dar gugel map pidā mikonam

   I'll find this on Google Maps

   Usage

   Used to indicate you will use your phone's navigation to find the location

   Grammar Note

   Persian present tense also covers near-future actions. "Peyda kardan" is a compound verb meaning "to find." Note: VPN may be needed in Iran; offline maps are helpful

10. دور است یا نزدیک؟

    dur ast yā nazdik?

    Is it far or near?

    Usage

    A simple question to first gauge how far the destination is

    Grammar Note

    A simple binary question. Answers: "dur ast" (it is far) or "nazdik ast" (it is near). Often followed by "piade mishe raft?" (can we walk there?)

11. سمت راست

    samt-e rāst

    Right (direction)

    Usage

    Hold this up to a driver mid-journey; rāst alone also means "true/correct", so samt (side) is kept

12. سمت چپ

    samt-e chap

    Left (direction)

    Usage

    Hold this up to a driver mid-journey

13. مستقیم

    mostaqim

    Straight ahead

    Usage

    The one-word version to hold up when there is no time to read a sentence; the polite sentence is mostaqim beravid

14. برگردید

    bargardid

    Go back

    Usage

    Show this to a driver who has gone too far; polite plural imperative

15. نگه دارید

    negah dārid

    Stop / pull over

    Usage

    Show this where you want to get out of a taxi — the standard way to signal a stop in Iran

16. شمال

    shomāl

    North

    Usage

    For directions on a map or address; in casual Iranian speech shomāl can also mean the Caspian coast region

17. جنوب

    jonub

    South

    Usage

    For directions on a map or address

18. شرق

    sharq

    East

    Usage

    For directions on a map or address; street names use the adjective form sharqi

19. غرب

    gharb

    West

    Usage

    For directions on a map or address; street names use the adjective form gharbi

20. ایستگاه اتوبوس

    istgāh-e otobus

    Bus stop

    Usage

    Point to ask where the bus stop is; the intercity coach station is terminal

21. مترو

    metro

    Metro / subway

    Usage

    Point to look for a metro station; Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan all have lines

22. سفارت

    sefārat

    Embassy

    Usage

    For getting to your embassy after losing a passport; sefārat-e zhāpon is the Japanese embassy

23. عابر بانک

    āber bānk

    ATM

    Usage

    For finding a cash machine; the machines themselves are labelled khodpardāz — note foreign cards do not work in Iran

24. صرافی

    sarrāfi

    Currency exchange

    Usage

    For finding an exchange office — cash exchange is how travellers get money in Iran

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