Basic Nouns

1. آب

   āb

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for drinking water, understood in any eatery or shop

2. غذا

   ghazā

   Food

   Usage

   The general word for food — a way into asking where you can eat

3. پول

   pul

   Money

   Usage

   The base word for anything about paying or changing currency

4. دستشویی

   dastshuyi

   Toilet

   Usage

   Essential when asking directions. The word alone usually does the job

5. دستمال کاغذی

   dastmāl-e kāghazi

   Tissue

   Usage

   Needed at toilets and street stalls that provide no paper

6. دارو

   dāru

   Medicine

   Usage

   Use it at a pharmacy while miming your symptom

7. چمدان

   chamedān

   Luggage

   Usage

   For checking, carrying or collecting bags — common at airports and hotels

8. کلید

   kelid

   Key

   Usage

   For room keys and locker keys

9. بلیط

   belit

   Ticket

   Usage

   Transport or entry tickets. Combine it with a number at the counter

10. پاسپورت

    pāsport

    Passport

    Usage

    Requested at check-in and currency exchange, and the word you need if it goes missing

11. تلفن

    telefon

    Phone

    Usage

    Usually covers both the device and the act of calling

12. شارژر

    shārzher

    Charger

    Usage

    For borrowing or buying one — often needed at a hotel front desk

13. ایستگاه

    istgāh

    Station

    Usage

    A landmark word when asking for directions

14. بیمارستان

    bimārestān

    Hospital

    Usage

    For when you fall ill — works as a destination in a taxi

15. پلیس

    polis

    Police

    Usage

    For theft or accidents. Even the bare word conveys urgency

16. مغازه

    maghāze

    Shop

    Usage

    The base word when asking where to buy something

17. اتاق

    otāq

    Room

    Usage

    For accommodation — checking vacancies or explaining a room number

18. جاده

    jādde

    Road

    Usage

    For asking the way, ideally while pointing at a map

19. خانواده

    khānevāde

    Family

    Usage

    A guaranteed small-talk topic. Add a number and the conversation keeps going

20. اسم

    esm

    Name

    Usage

    For confirming a booking or introducing yourself

21. سر

    sar

    Head

    Usage

    Body-part word for pointing out where it hurts; a headache is sardard

22. چشم

    cheshm

    Eye

    Usage

    Body-part word for the eye; on its own in speech cheshm also means "certainly, will do"

23. دندان

    dandān

    Tooth

    Usage

    Point to this for tooth pain; a dentist is dandaan-pezeshk

24. گلو

    galu

    Throat

    Usage

    Point to this for a sore throat; galoodard is throat pain

25. شکم

    shekam

    Belly / stomach

    Usage

    Point to this for belly pain; the stomach as an organ is me'de

26. پشت

    posht

    Back (body)

    Usage

    For back pain; the same word also works as the preposition "behind", so point at your own back

27. کمر

    kamar

    Lower back / waist

    Usage

    Point to this for lower-back pain; kamardard is lumbago

28. پا

    pā

    Leg / foot

    Usage

    Covers both leg and foot — point at your own body to say which

29. دست

    dast

    Hand / arm

    Usage

    Covers both hand and arm; use baazoo when you specifically mean the arm

30. قفسه سینه

    qafase-ye sine

    Chest

    Usage

    For chest pain; sine on its own can also mean breast, so the ribcage form is used here

31. هتل

    hotel

    Hotel

    Usage

    Point to this as a destination in a taxi; a cheap guesthouse is mosaaferkhaane

32. فرودگاه

    forudgāh

    Airport

    Usage

    Point to this as a taxi destination; Tehran splits international (Imam Khomeini) and domestic (Mehrabad) airports

33. ماشین آتش‌نشانی

    māshin-e ātashneshāni

    Fire engine

    Usage

    The vehicle itself; the fire service and its station are ātashneshāni

34. کنسولگری

    konsulgari

    Consulate

    Usage

    The mission in a provincial city; the embassy in the capital is sefārat

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