a ..... as in account, or cati ..... as “e” in bestu ..... as "o” in short
á ..... as in arm í ..... as “ee” in meetú ..... as “oo” in moon
aw .. as “ow” in mown
These four letters are pronounced “z”: dh, ḍ, ẓ, z.
These three letters are pronounced “ss”: th, ṣ, s.
These two letters are pronounced “t”: ṭ, t.
These two letters are pronounced “h”: ḥ, h.
Kh is pronounced like the “ch” in Scotch loch.
Zh is pronounced like “s” in pleasure.
Q and gh are almost unpronounceable by Americans. The sound is a deep gutteral not unlike the sound made in gargling at the base of the throat; substitute a “g,”, a “k,”, or a Parisian “r”.
Áh is pronounced approximately as in rah-rah or hurrah.
The other letters and combinations are the same as in English; e.g., ch as in church, and j as in John.
Note that ‘ represents a sort of silent “uh”, produced in the chest; the same applies some-what to ’ , which represents a pause; the word Bahá’í should include the pause prior to final í: Ba-há...ee.
Stress every syllable equally, then repeat the word more rapidly, and you will not go too far wrong.
In the syllable “eh”, used so frequently in what follows, the “e” is pronounced like "e” in set, and the “h” is aspirated.
Do not swallow the “h’s”; breathe them. Ṭihrán is Teh-Ron. Alláh-u-Abhá is Alláh-ho-Abhá.
N.B. Usually mispronounced by Americans is the syllable “ar”; this does not rhyme with we are. It rhymes with the “ar” in Harry: Ṭabarsí is pronounced: Ta-bar-see.
The translations and definitions of terms appearing here are from the writings of Shoghi Effendi, wherever available. Other sources included the Bahá’í World volumes, standard Persian and Arabic dictionaries, encyclopedias such as Hughes’ Dictionary of Islám and the Shorter Encyclopedia of Islám, various English translations of the Qur’án, R. A. Nicholson’s Commentary on the Mathnawí, E. G. Browne’s A Literary History of Persia, and Gobineau’s Trois Ans en Asie.
Abbreviations are as follows:
BNBahá’í News
BWBahá’í World
DBThe Dawn-Breakers
GlThe Gleanings...from Bahá’u’lláh
GPBGod Passes By, by Shoghi Effendi
L. Hist.Literary History of Persia, by E. G. Browne
PDCPromised Day is Come, by Shoghi Effendi
PUPPromulgation of Universal Peace, by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
r.w.Rhymes with
SAQSome Answered Questions, by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
SVSeven Valleys, by Bahá’u’lláh
SWEpistle to the Son of the Wolf, by Bahá’u’lláh
Tr. Narr.A Traveller’s Narrative, by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
(See E. G. Browne, Episode of the Báb)
WOBWorld Order of Bahá’u’lláh, by Shoghi Effendi
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