Learn 8 new Business English Idioms from ESL Teacher Shelley Lipke. Her speciality classes teach Business English and CELPIP and IELTS tests for adults. She is a level 2 CELPIP certified Instructor

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8 Business English Idioms you should know!

Hi everyone, I am Sara and this is Persian made EZ, episode 3.

“Khabar” and its plural form “khabar-(h)ā” is the news in Persian.
So we say, “che khabar?”, or “che khabar-(h)ā?” to say, “what’s the news?”, “what’s new?”, or “what’s up?”.
 
To this we often say “salāmat-i!”. 
Salāmat-i means health, and in this context we use it to say, “not much!”. 

We can also respond to “che khabar?” and “che khabar-(h)ā?” with, “hich-chi(z), salāmat-i!”, literally, “nothing, just health!”.

And then we can ask, “to che khabar?” (informal), or “shomā che khabar?” (formal/plural), and “to che khabar-hā?” (Inf.), or “Shomā che khabar-hā?” (frm./pl.).

Let’s practice!

Dialogue 1

Salām! Chetor i? Che khabar?
Salām! Khub am, merci! Salāmat-i! To che khabar?
Hich-chi(z), salāmat-i! 

Dialogue 2

Salām! Khub i? 
Salām! Bad nistam, kheili mamnun! To khub i?
Merci, che khabar-hā? 
Hich-chi(z), salāmat-i! To che khabar-hā?
Salāmat-i! 

Persian Script

چه خَبَر؟ / چه خَبَرها؟: what’s new? / what’s up?
سَلامَتی: not much!, lit. health!
هیچی، سَلامَتی: nothing, just health!
تو چه خَبَر(ها)؟ / شُما چه  چه خَبَر(ها)؟: what’s new with you? / what’s up with you?

Latin Script

Che khabar? / Che khabar-hā?: what’s new? / what’s up?
Salāmat-i!: not much!, lit. health!
Hich-chi(z), salāmat-i!: nothing, just health!
To che khabar(-hā)? / Shomā che khabar(-hā)?: what’s new with you? / what’s up with you?

Persian Made Easy 

Persian Made Easy, Episode 3

Hi everyone, I am Sara and this is Persian made EZ, episode 2. 

One way to say “how are you?” in Persian is to use, “chetor i?” and, “chetor in?”.

We use “chetor i”, with the “i” ending, when we’re talking to one person in an informal setting, for example when talking to a friend or family.

And we use “chetor in”, with the “in” ending, either when we’re talking to one person in a formal setting, or to more than one person in both formal and informal situations. 

It's also very common in person to ask, “khub i?” and, “khub in?” when we're greeting each other.

“Khub” means “good”, “well”, or “fine”, so “khub i?” and “khub in?” literally mean, “are you fine?” or, “are you doing well?”

You can also put “khub i?” and “khub in?” together with “chetor i?” and “chetor in?”, and greet each other like this: 

Salām! Chetor i? Khub i? (Informal, Singular)

Or

Salām! Chetor in? Khub in? (Formal / Plural)

We can answer “chetor i?” and “khub i?” with, “khub am, merci!” and, “khub am, kheili mamnun!”, or, “bad nistam, merci!” and, “bad nistam, kheili mamnun!”.

And then we can ask, “to chetor i?” and, “to khub i?” or, “shomā chetor in?” and, “shomā khub in?”.

Now let’s practice! 

Dialogue 1

Salām! Chetor i? 
Salām! Khub am, merci! To chetor i?
Khub am, kheili mamnun! 

Dialogue 2

Salām! Chetor i? Khub i?
Salām! Bad nistam, kheili mamnun! To khub i?
Khub am, merci! 

Persian Script

سَلام: hello, hi
چِطوری / چِطورین: how are you
خوبی / خوبین: are you fine, are you doing well
خوبَم: I'm fine
بَد نیستَم: I'm not bad
مِرسی: thanks
خِیلی مَمنون: thank you so much

Latin Script 

Salām: hello, hi
Chetor i? / Chetor in?: how are you?
Khub i? / Khub in?: are you fine?, are you doing well?
Khub am: I’m fine
Bad nistam: (I’m) not bad
Merci: thanks
Kheil mamnun: thank you so much

Persian Made Easy, Episode 2

Hi everyone, I am Sara and this is Persian made EZ. 
Let's begin with Persian greetings.

“Salām” in Persian is “hi”, and “khosh-bakht am” is “nice to meet you”.

As a response to “khosh-bakht am”, we can say “khosh-bakht am” back, or “ham-chenin”.
“Ham-chenin” means “likewise”.

So if someone says, “Salām, khosh-bakht am!”, you can say “Salām, khosh-bakht am!”, or “Salām, ham-chenin!”.

Persian Script 

سَلام: hello, hi
خوشبَختَم: nice to meet you
هَمچِنین: likewise

Latin Script 

Salām: hello, hi
Khosh-bakht am: nice to meet you 
Ham-chenin: likewise
