How to say how are you in Persian

After salam, Iranians ask how you are, and the asking can go several rounds.

The casual way to ask is chetori? چطوری؟, how are you. Just as common is khoobi? خوبی؟, are you well.

The formal version

With elders, strangers, or in professional settings, use hale shoma chetore? حال شما چطوره؟, how are you (formal). You can also hear che khabar? چه خبر؟, what's new.

How to reply

A natural answer is khoobam, merci خوبم، مرسی, I'm good, thanks. Bad nistam بد نیستم means not bad. Always return the question with shoma? (and you?).

Why it repeats

In Persian, asking how someone is can repeat warmly: how are you, are you well, how is your family. This ahval-porsi is a courtesy, not impatience, and matching it makes you sound friendly rather than abrupt.

Learn chetori and khoobi first, keep khoobam merci ready as a reply, and you can hold the opening of almost any Persian conversation.