In Iran people call sellers as “Kam Ensaf”, it means they have lacked in fairness, and it's why you should know how to bargain for fairer prices especially in touristy areas.
Clearly, there are some things you don’t need to bargain over, such as bus, plane, hotels and metro tickets, or even restaurants bills, because the government has set the price for it.
In this post, we tell you some Farsi expressions, which can help you to deal with money-related stuff while you are in Iran.
Some general phrases you can use to bargain in Farsi
-How to ask the price.
Qaimat in Chand ast?
قیمت این چند است؟
SELLER: The price is 10000 tomans.
Qaimat in Dah hezar toman ast.
قیمت این ده هزار تومان است.
It is too expensive, give me a discount.
Kheily geraan ast, be man takhfif bede?
خیلی گران است, به من تخفیف بده.
SELLER: Okay for you it is 9000 tomans.
Bashe, baraye shoma Noh hezar toman.
باشه, برای شما نه هزار تومان.
It’s still too much, is it possible for 5000 toman?
Na kheily geran ast, Panj hezar toman chetor ast?
نه خیلی گران است, پنج هزار تومان چطور است؟
-Some more phrases that will come in handy:
Is that your last price?
Qaimate akharesh hamin ast?
قیمت آخرش همین است؟
Can you lower the price?
Kamtar raah daarad?
کمتر راه دارد؟
Is there any discount?
Takhfif daarad?
تخفیف دارد؟
-In addition to talking, you can use other strategies such as walking away to see if they call you.
Usually, they call and they will give you the last price because they know if the next shop is cheaper, you will buy it there.
-It’s essential to know the Persian numbers for understanding the prices
Here is how to say and write the numbers:
1 _ Yek – ۱
2 _ Dow – ۲
3 _ Seh – ۳
4 _ Chahar – ۴
5 _ Panj – ۵
6 _ Shish _ ۶
7 _ Haft _ ۷
8 _ Hasht _ ۸
9 _ Noh _ ۹
10 _ Dah _ ۱۰
11 _ Yaazdah _ ۱۱
12 _ Davazdah _ ۱۲
13 _ Sizdah _ ۱۳
14 _ Chaharda _ ۱۴
15 _ Ponzdah _ ۱۵
16 _ Shanzdah _ ۱۶
17 _ Hifda _ ۱۷
18 _ Hizhdah _ ۱۸
19 _ Noozdah _ ۱۹
20 _ Bist _ ۲۰
-If you know from one to twenty, the rest of the Persian numbers are easier to learn.
30 _ Si _ ۳۰
40 _ Chehel _ ۴۰
50 _ Panjah _ ۵۰
60 _ Shast _ ۶۰
70 _ Haftad _ ۷۰
80 _ Hashtad _ ۸۰
90 _ Nawad _ ۹۰
100 _ Sad _ ۱۰۰
-Now you know the Farsi numbers from one to one hundred, to connect the numbers you use the word O. For example, to say 75, you say “Haftad O Panj”, 44 is “Chehel O Chahar”, 89 is “Hashtad O Noh”, and so on.
In the Farsi language, one thousand is “hezar”. Here are a few examples:
Yek Hezar = One thousand (۱۰۰۰)
Dow Hezar = Two thousand (۲۰۰۰)
Dah Hezar = Ten thousand (۱۰۰۰۰)
Beest Hezar = Twenty thousand (۲۰۰۰۰)
Seeh Hezar = Thirty thousand (۳۰۰۰۰)
Now let’s use O to connect the numbers
Seeh O Yek Hezar = Thirty-one thousand (۳۱۰۰۰)
Seeh O Panj Hezar = Thirty-five thousand (۳۵۰۰۰)
-Let’s move to one hundred thousand and above. It is very simple, just like how you say it in English.
Yek Sad Hezar = One hundred thousand (۱۰۰۰۰۰)
Dow Sad Hezar = Two hundred thousand (۲۰۰۰۰۰)
You also need to learn the Persian numbers from a million up. You might be modest and feel it won’t be necessary, but don’t be fooled by the flattering figures, as in Iran one million Rials are just around 15 USD.
Yek>Dow>Seh>
-Now you are ready to bargain in Farsi, and while you might not be qualified enough to respond to some taarof, by knowing the numbers in Persian, you will still be able to understand and set your own prices.