Formal and informal Persian

Hi, Cyrus the Great. Welcome to the place.

وانده جان که او این جا استادمان زبان فلرسی و ترانه های فارسی است، یک کمک بزرگ است. من از او خیلی متسکرم. حلا، من می بینم که شما هم بسیار خوب هستید. برای مردم که می خواستند مثل من فارسی یاد بگیرند، وانده و شما و اشخاس دیگر این جا شانس هستند

When learning Farsi, we see "different Persians", as you describe it "bookish manner" and conversational Persian. I am From Turkey and Persian is learned mainly because of Masnavi of Mevlana and other Persian poets like, Sadi, Hafız etc. So, Persian of older times is still important here. If I am not mistaken, we also talk about "classical Persian", "modern Pesian" and "colloquial Persian". As far as I see, daily colloquial Persian is widely used in songs, and in internet writings. This is a bit confusing for me, because it sometimes takes me a long time to realise "mishe" means "mishavad"!
What I would like to know is this: Can I ignore this daily Persian? Do you say "Irun" instead of Iran in formal Persian? Or if I spoke "like a book", would I sound too artificial? Saying "mi khaham" seems more proper to me than saying "mikham", am I wrong?
And, why are you trying to change this beautiful language?

Dear Hassan:

As you know since the constitutional revolution of Iran, Persian literature changed a lot [Modern Persian beings from here]; part of the change is that tough and difficult words were omitted gradually and poems became much more similar to the daily way of talking or the so called colloquial Persian so they became very easier to understand. And now we reached a point that some songs are even slangier than normal conversations that we have. So yes you are right, especially in songs colloquial Persian is very popular and sometimes songwriters that live abroad [in Los Angeles for example!] write tooooooo slangy songs. As far as I know it happens for all languages, they change but what you called “old Persian” is still very lovely and of course important in Iran too.
Do you use the same language that you use for talking to your friends in your newspapers? Of course not, so you are changing your language too, aren’t you? I think it is inevitable but we should try not to lose our original and as you said beautiful language.
Anyway, I must say that like it or not you cannot ignore colloquial Persian [of course if you want to talk with Persians!]. About the word “Iran” both in formal and informal forms it is pronounced as “ee-run” while ee-roon [Iran] or ee-roo-nee [Iranian. (Have you heard dokhtar irooni by Andy?)] sound very slangy, I’m 20 years old and I have never said ee-roon! [except those times that wanted to say something funny or mock somebody!], but generally you would seem so funny if you speak in a bookish manner in everyday conversations. I can’t imagine that what would happen if you go to a bakery in Iran and say: bebakhshid Man yek adad nun mikhuham! Even the most polite and sophisticated people would say something like this: bebakhshid ye doone noon mikhastam. So although it is hard you should, can and must try to learn.
Hope you luck!



Excuse me if I can't help a lot, I'm a little busy because of final exams but in the summar I would have more free time.

"bebakhshid Man yek adad nun mikhuham!" yes! This is my Persian! This is what we are learning here.

Of course, I understand you. Time is changing and languages are also changing. We have to upgrade ourselves in accordance with this change.

So, it is wise to be here. Being among the young generation will help me catch up with the modern attitudes.

Today, I have translated "boro boro" ,for example, into Turkish. To my surprise, it is khayli easy. Hala, mikham ki "sehra sehra davida am" be Turki tarcuma konam. Fikr konam ki tarjumaye in ahank khahad kami sakht shod. Amma, anha ra khayli dust daram ve o ra hamisha gush midam.
If I am not wrong, the words of this song is 700 years old! Impressive, isn't it?

"the constitutional revolution of Iran in 1324"
Cyrus, Can you tell me about this revolution and the Iranian calendar, please?

Oh, so you are also busy with final exams! Here in Turkey, most of the universities are doing the final exams, too. May God help you.