Learn some more useful phrases and tips for shopping
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| INTRODUCTION |
| In Iran, bargaining is a very common thing. Especially because you are a tourist, you’ll get things much cheaper if you can bargain for them. The only places you can’t haggle are big shopping centers, and stores that sell items with price tags. However, small clothing stores and open markets are up for bargaining. Flea markets are called jome bazar in Iran. |
| GRAMMAR POINT |
| Normally, if you are interested in buying something, you say, “Excuse me, how much is this?”. |
| Bebakhshid gheymate in chandeh? |
| As soon as they tell you the price, you can start bargaining to lower it. Don’t be shy, ask “Could I get it for cheaper?”: |
| Misheh arzoontar bedin? |
| Let’s break it down: |
| (slow) Mi – she ar – zoon – tar be - din? |
| Once more: |
| Misheh arzoontar bedin? |
| The first word, mishe, you already know, means “is it possible?” |
| The second word, arzoontar, means “cheaper.” |
| (slow) ar – zoon - tar |
| arzoontar |
| The third word, bedin, means “give.” |
| (slow) be - din |
| bedin |
| Put it all together and we have |
| (slow) Misheh arzoontar bedin? |
| Misheh arzoontar bedin? |
| ・ |
| Another way to express the feeling that something is too expensive and you want to start haggling is with |
| Ooo, kheili gerooneh! |
| “Oh, it’s too expensive!” |
| (slow) Ooo, khei – li ge – roo - neh! |
| Kheili here means “very.” |
| geroon means “expensive”; with an e at the end this means “is expensive.” |
| (slow) Ge – roo - neh |
| gerooneh |
| Ooo, kheili gerooneh ! |
| ・ |
| From this point the vendor will begin to haggle, and the result is in your hands! The first thing the vendor might say now is |
| Chand mikhain? |
| which means “How much do you want [to pay]?”. |
| Chand means “how much.” |
| (slow) Chand |
| Chand |
| Mikhain means “you want.” |
| (slow) Mi-khain |
| Mikhain |
| ・ |
| You can ask the vendor |
| “What’s your lowest price?” |
| Kamtarin gheymat shoma chandeh? |
| Let’s break that down: |
| (slow) Kam – ta – rin ghey – ma – te sho – ma chan - deh? |
| And again at natural speed: |
| Kamtarin gheymat shoma chandeh? |
| The first word, kamtarin, means “the least, the lowest.” |
| (slow) kam-ta-rin |
| kamtarin |
| The next word, gheymat, you will remember is “price.” |
| The next word, shoma, means “your.” |
| (slow) sho-ma |
| shoma |
| Put it all together and you get |
| Kamtarin gheymat shoma chandeh? |
| “What’s your lowest price?” |
| Bargaining is very common in Iran, so it’s normal to ask the price over again and again until the vendor drops the price to the one you want. |
| ・ |
| Now imagine that you are at a jome bazar. You want to buy a bag, but not at the merchant’s price, let’s say that’s 15 tooman; you’d rather suggest your own price, let’s say 10 tooman. |
| After Kamtarin gheymat shoma chandeh? which means “What’s your lowest price?”, you might say |
| Man dah tooman midam, which means “I’ll give ten tooman”. |
| Let’s break it down: |
| (slow) man dah tooman mi - dam. |
| Once more: |
| Man dah tooman midam. |
| Dah tooman means “ten tooman,” of course. |
| And midam means “I will give.” |
| (slow) mi - dam |
| midam |
| (slow) Man dah tooman midam. |
| Man dah tooman midam. |
| ・ |
| When haggling, this is all you need to get your point across. If the merchant refuses you, slowly walk away, and in 90% of cases they will give in. |
| Bashe dah tooman bedeh. |
| This means “OK, give ten toman.” |
| (slow) Bashe dah tooman bedeh. |
| Bashe dah tooman bedeh. |
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