Are you having trouble with the pronunciation of certain consonants when you speak?
Do you mix up short and long vowel sounds?
As a Persian tutor with years of experience, I understand the challenges that adult learners face when trying to master a new language.
In this post, I mentioned two top mistakes of Persian learners in terms of pronunciation. Here, I’ll give you a quick tip on how to fix each of these issues.
It’s not a secret though. My students achieved great results based on believing in this straightforward tip and here I am sharing it with you.
Table of contents:
1) Take Persian classes
2)Read texts that come with audio
3) Watch movies and Listen to podcasts that come with transcription or subtitles
1) Take Persian classes:
1.1) On-on-One classes:
Of course, since language learning is an interactive process, it's important to have a language partner to practice with. So taking "one-on-one" classes is pretty helpful. If you want to improve your conversational skills, it's a good idea to take classes or sessions that involve only one teacher/instructor and one student. Then your classes will be personalized and tailored to your specific needs and pace.
1.2) Take group classes:
Group classes can help improve pronunciation in several ways:
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Peer feedback: When students practice speaking in a group, they can give each other feedback on pronunciation, helping each other identify and correct errors.
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Exposure to different accents: In a group class, students can hear and imitate different accents, which can help them develop a more natural-sounding accent themselves.
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Practice in context: Group classes can provide opportunities for students to practice speaking in different contexts, such as in conversations, presentations, or debates. This can help them apply their pronunciation skills in real-life situations.
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Group drills: Group drills can help students practice specific sounds, intonation patterns, or rhythm in a fun and engaging way.
Overall, group classes can provide a supportive and motivating environment for students to improve their pronunciation skills, while also allowing them to learn from each other's experiences and perspectives.
(besides having Persian speaker around you and your teacher)
ake classes with Teachers that teach in Persian. Yes!!! I'm pretty serious about it!
2) Read texts that come with audio.
If you already have a text but need to check how to spell correctly, use AI voice generators. I recommended the best One available (so far) for Persian language on this post.
3) Watch Persian movies with subtitles
3.1) Purchase a Membership in IMVBOX
It seems to be content-rich and provides subtitle options in both Farsi and English (I think Persian subtitles were originally developed for our deaf fellows). Plus, one of my students got a big fat discount on their yearly subscription. (67%)
You can activate subtitles and watch Iranian Movies.
3.2) Find Movie theatres in your town that offer Persian movies
I was informed by my students that there are movie theaters in Paris and Rome that regularly offer Persian movies, even on a weekly basis.
Lastly, if your listening skills are better than your speaking; interms of pronunciation, here are two tips for you to improve:
4) Listen to Persian Podcasts
Chain and Conversation
If you just began learning Persian, and you're looking for a fun and engaging way to improve your Persian pronunciation and vocabulary? Look no further than the "Chai and Conversation" podcast! Hosted by native Persian speaker Leyla Shams, this podcast features casual conversations about everyday topics, with a focus on language learning.
Not only will you hear authentic Persian pronunciation, but you'll also have the chance to practice your own listening and speaking skills. And with new episodes released regularly, you'll never run out of content to explore.
So grab a cup of tea and tune in to "Chai and Conversation" for an enjoyable and effective language learning experience!
My recommendations for above Upper-intermiediates and Bilinguals that want to improve their vocabulary while learning how to pronounce the new words:
ChannelB and BPlus
- Both podcasts are hosted by the talented Ali Bandari, who speaks with excellent pronunciation, pace and accuracy.
Bplus, in which he narrates great stories (mainly crime, and thrillers, but based on reality), and Bplus in which he gives a brief summary of non-fiction books to his Persian-speaking audience. If you prefer to listen to his podcasts, you can find them on Castbox, GooglePodcasts
Lastly, Let me remind you that to master anything, you need Repetition and consistency. So apart from exposing yourslef to any Contents in Persian, you'll need to try to feel comfortable with using them by repeating them in different contexts.
Some tips for mastering Persian sounds:
For Consonants: You can try to make lists of pairs of words that use the sounds you find challenging and practice repeating those. Record yourself so you can hear whether you’re making any progress.
Learn how to pronounce خ /kh/ here.
For Vowels: Make practice word lists like the ones you made for the consonant sounds and practice the sounds that are difficult for you.
I have many brilliant students who can now easily and correctly pronounce these two mostly mistaken alphabets, by practicing for a long time. Their native languages vary.
Please share your own experience and let me know what helped you to improve your Persian pronunciation.
