Q: “Is Persian (Farsi) hard to learn?”
A: Any language can be tricky to learn, and mastering a language may take many years. Some people believe that Persian is not really hard to learn, but can be challenging to master. I believe, however, that it all depends on you. The key to learning any language is patience and persistence, and Persian is no exception. Some of my students find it difficult to proceed in the middle of the program, while others find the challenge attractive and rewarding. Here is a sample email I have received from one of my motivated students:
“Tina jan-
I just participated (and understood) my first “real” Farsi conversation! A fellow student had hurt his mouth 5 days ago and was asking my instructor for advice. I followed it, asked questions, extended sympathy and so forth. I only made one mistake that I know of, accidentally getting too familiar (“to” rather than “shoma”) with my teacher. This feels great!”
Q: “How does an online class work?”
A: My online classes are very flexible and suit almost all busy people with an interest in learning Persian. ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD you are, you can set your own days/hours and take as many classes as you want. You won’t have to commute or be worried about getting stuck in traffic. You will get whatever you need to get from a language class without having to leave the comfort of your own home/office. If you’d like to focus on a specific skill, we will adjust the learning material accordingly, and if you come to the class with no priorities in mind, I will offer you a step-by-step program that will cover all the four language skills you need (speaking, reading, writing, and listening).
Q: “How fast will I be able to learn Persian (Farsi)?”
A: Based on my experience, a student’s progress in conversational Persian is directly affected by the following factors:
– The number of languages she already knows/speaks
– Her psychological readiness to sound funny while speaking
– The number of hours she can spend doing her listening exercises at home
– The level of her exposure to native speakers of Persian
– Her mathematical intuition (to understand the grammar) and musical aptitude (to develop a native-like accent)
– Her capacity to stay committed to long-term goals
Q: “What if I decide to stop learning after a while?”
A: You are absolutely free to stop learning whenever you want. I will not charge you a termination fee. However, NO refund is possible after buying either a single class or a discount package.
Q: “What if I have to cancel a particular class?”
A: If you have to cancel a scheduled class, you need to let me know at least 24 hours ahead of time. You can simply email me and ask for rescheduling the class. Unlike most language institutes, I will not charge you a cancellation fee unless you go for a last-minute cancellation (less than 24 hours before the class starts). In this case, you will be charged the whole fee of the class.
Usually, there are no limits to the number of sessions you can cancel, but you cannot cancel more than 2 sessions in a row. If you cannot attend your class for a few weeks, you have to let me know about your plans for resuming your class at a later date. If you just quit without notification, I will automatically assume that you are not willing to continue and will give your days/hours to other students.
Q: “What if I have questions while studying?”
A: I offer constant support to my students even after their graduation as Advanced Speakers. You can always email me your questions and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible. You will not be charged for the regular electronic correspondence that is related to the content of our lessons or to the general process of learning.
Q: “After all, is it really worth it to learn Persian?”
A: It depends on your perspective. You can always learn something “more practical”, but it is not going to replace the unique experience of learning Persian for you. In fact, nothing will be quite as rewarding as learning about one of the most ancient cultures in the world through the language of that culture, loaded with history, poetry, and philosophy.
Moreover, learning Persian can help you gain an insight into the hopes and dreams of the people living in that part of the world – people who may seem so different from you, but in fact, are not that different from you. You may find yourself being able to understand them and connect with them in many surprising ways. Moreover, learning Persian can always pave the way for you to learn Arabic, Kurdish, Pashto, Urdu, or some other languages which are spoken in the Middle East.
Last but not least, if you are trying to switch jobs or do something you are passionate about, learning Persian can be an intelligent choice professionally.
Q: “I have a question other than what was mentioned above.”
A: You can always email me, and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.