پل · a bridge between two languages
You already know thousands of these words.
Persian took tens of thousands of words from Arabic: ketāb, vaqt, elm, sāʾat. Start from them — learn how Arabic says what you already say, where the meaning moved, and which words only look familiar.
Choose your direction
426 words · 16 patterns · 10 dialogues
Where to start
- پ چ ژ گScriptOne alphabet, two readings: the four extra Persian letters, ی/ي and ک/ك, and the letters Persian pronounces alike.
- کتابWordsEvery entry in both languages with root, IPA, relation and a confidence grade.
- مَفْعُولPatternsRecognise Arabic word patterns inside Persian, broken plurals, and whole root families.
- مَرْحَبًاPhrasesTen everyday dialogues in Modern Standard Arabic, line by line with Persian.
- ؟PracticeSpaced repetition plus quizzes on roots, false friends and letter sounds.
Not every familiar word means the same thing
Every entry says how far you can trust it.
- Same meaning
Persian took the Arabic word and kept its meaning.
کتابكِتَابbook - Shifted meaning
Same word, but the meaning has moved. Overlaps, with a twist.
ادارهإِدَارَةfa: office, government department · ar: administration, management - False friend
Looks the same, means something else. Watch out.
تعطیلتَعْطِيلfa: closed; a holiday (taʾtilāt 'vacation') · ar: disruption, breakdown, putting out of action - Persian → Arabic
This one went the other way: from Persian into Arabic.
بوستانبُسْتَانgarden, orchard - Persian coinage
Built in Persian from Arabic parts. Arabic doesn't say it this way.
متأسفانهمُتَأَسِّفfa: unfortunately · ar: regretful, sorry (adjective only) - Different word
The two languages use unrelated words here.
آبمَاءwater
Etymologies follow Dehkhoda and Moʻin for Persian, Wehr and Lane for Arabic, and Asbaghi for Persian words in Arabic. Each is graded certain, probable or disputed.