How to say yes and no in Persian

Yes and no look simple, but Persian has formal, casual, and deferential versions of each.

The clear, slightly formal yes is bale بله. In casual speech, people say are آره.

The polite yes

When someone asks you to do something, cheshm چشم works as a warm, deferential yes, closer to "of course, I'll do it" than a plain bale.

Saying no

Na نه is the everyday no. The more formal or emphatic form is nakheyr نخیر. Casually, na baba نه بابا can mean "no way" or "come on."

The gesture for no

Iranians often signal no with a quick upward tilt of the head, sometimes with a small "tsk." It can surprise learners, because the gesture alone, without any word, means no.

Start with bale and na, add are for casual speech and cheshm for polite agreement, and watch for the head tilt so a silent no does not slip past you.