Farsi translation: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What farsi translation is

A Farsi translator converts material between English and Farsi, handling right to left text and the formal conventions used for official or personal documents. Persian is spoken in Iran, and closely related varieties such as Dari in Afghanistan differ in vocabulary, so the readers' country matters.

Signs you need it

  • Your readers are in Iran or Afghanistan, and you need a text that uses the variety and style they expect.
  • You have an official, school or personal document that must be read in Farsi with exact terms.
  • You are publishing a website, product guide or course in Farsi and want it to read naturally.
  • You have a Farsi document that must be read in English for a business, legal or family purpose.
  • A machine translation has produced right to left text that breaks when placed in your English layout.
  • You need a formal document, such as a certificate or letter, that follows the expected conventions.

What the pro does

  • Confirms the readers' country, the variety of Farsi, and the level of formality the document needs.
  • Builds a glossary of names, product terms and titles, with the Farsi form of each.
  • Translates the text in the chosen variety, using the formal conventions the document type expects.
  • Checks the right to left layout, numbers and dates, so the text displays correctly in the final file.
  • Reviews the translation for natural phrasing, then returns the file with notes on the choices to approve.

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Word count or page count, and the number of documents.
  • Variety needed, such as Iranian Farsi or Dari for Afghan readers.
  • Subject complexity, such as legal, medical, technical or literary text.
  • Layout complexity, such as right to left tables, forms or mixed text.
  • Whether a second reviewer checks the Farsi text.
  • Deadline for delivery.

What a written quote should spell out

  • The word count or page count, and the language direction.
  • The variety of Farsi the translation targets.
  • The glossary step, and who approves the terms.
  • Whether the layout is checked for right to left display.
  • Whether a second review is included, and the file format returned.

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Which country will read this Farsi text, and which variety do they use?
  • What formal conventions does my document type need?
  • How do you check the right to left layout in the final file?
  • Will a second person review the Farsi text?
  • Can you keep the layout of my forms or tables?
  • Can you show a sample passage on a subject like mine?

Red flags

  • Uses one variety for readers in different countries without asking where they are.
  • Breaks the right to left layout and does not check it.
  • Changes names, dates or figures in the translation.
  • Sends a machine translation with no human review and presents it as professional work.
  • Cannot explain the variety or the conventions used in the text.

What you can do yourself

You can list the readers' country, the names and terms that must stay the same, and the formal conventions the document needs, then have a Farsi speaker from the readers' country read a draft. Hire a translator when the document is official, will be used in a legal or personal process, or contains technical terms where one wrong word changes the meaning.

Licenses and permits

Farsi translation is not commonly licensed, so a license is usually not required for this work. Check with the office or organization that will receive the document, since some set their own rules for accepted translations, and ask the translator for Farsi samples in your subject as proof of skill.

Farsi translation questions

Is Farsi the same as Dari?

They are closely related, and many speakers can understand each other, but they differ in vocabulary and some spelling. Dari is the variety used in Afghanistan. Tell the translator the readers' country so they choose the right variety.

How does right to left text affect my document?

Farsi is written from right to left, so tables, bullet points and numbers can display in unexpected places. Ask the translator to check the layout after translation.

Which conventions matter for official documents?

Official documents often need a formal register and a set of standard terms. Ask the receiving office what it expects, and give that list to the translator before work starts.

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