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🛒 Supermarket Farsi Dictionary — Part 4 of 10
Bakery, Frozen Food & Ready Meals in Farsi
From sangak at the bakery to frozen pizza in the freezer aisle — teach your child the bakery words in Farsi that every Persian family uses at the supermarket.
👧 Ages 5–14
🌍 Heritage Families
📖 45+ New Words
🫓 Bakery + 🧊 Frozen
Series progress
~170 / 200+ words covered
Persian Breads — نانهای ایرانی (naan-haa-ye i-raa-ni)
Bread is sacred in Persian culture — these are the types you'll find at a نانوایی (bakery)
| English | فارسی | Pronunciation | Quick note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏪 | Bakery (Bread Shop) | نانوایی | naa-na-vaa-yi | The place where Iranians buy fresh bread daily. Every neighbourhood has one. Literally "bread-making place." |
| 🫓 | Sangak Bread | نان سنگک | naan-e san-gak | Whole wheat flatbread baked on hot stones. سنگ means "stone" — so sangak means "little stones." |
| 🫓 | Taftoon Bread | نان تافتون | naan-e taaf-toon | Soft, round bread with a slightly chewy texture. Similar to naan but thinner. Baked in a tandoor oven. |
| 🥖 | Baguette / French Bread | نان باگت | naan-e baa-get | Borrowed from French. Popular in modern Iranian bakeries and sandwich shops. |
| 🍞 | Sliced Bread / Toast Bread | نان تُست | naan-e tost | The packaged bread found in supermarkets. Kids know this one from breakfast toast. |
| 🫓 | Sweet Bread | نان شیرمال | naan-e shir-maal | Enriched bread made with milk, sugar, and saffron. Soft and slightly sweet — a breakfast favourite. |
| 🥯 | Fancy Bread / Rolls | نان فانتزی | naan-e faan-te-zi | General term for Western-style soft breads, hamburger buns, and dinner rolls. فانتزی is borrowed from "fantasy." |
| 🥖 | Breadcrumbs | آرد سوخاری | aard-e soo-khaa-ri | Used for coating and frying. Literally "fried flour." Found in the baking aisle. |
Culture note: In Iranian culture, bread is considered sacred. Iranians never throw bread away — if a piece falls on the ground, it is picked up and kissed. The word نان (naan) is one of the first words every Persian child learns. Going to the نانوایی (bakery) to buy fresh hot bread is a daily family ritual — and a perfect moment to practise Farsi with your child.
📖 Already learned نان, بربری, and لواش? Those were covered in Part 2 — Grains & Bread. This section teaches the remaining bread types you'll find at a Persian bakery.
Pastries & Bakery Items — شیرینی تر و نانهای شیرین (shi-ri-ni-ye tar)
The glass display case at the bakery — the words your child will point at
| English | فارسی | Pronunciation | Quick note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🧁 | Cream Puff | نان خامهای | naan-e khaa-me-i | A classic Persian bakery treat. Filled with whipped cream and dusted with powdered sugar. |
| 🍰 | Wet Pastry / Layered Pastry | شیرینی تر | shi-ri-ni-ye tar | The general term for cream-filled, layered pastries. "تر" means "wet" — because they contain cream. |
| 🍩 | Doughnut | دونات | do-naat | Borrowed from English. Kids recognise this instantly — great for confidence. |
| 🥐 | Croissant | کروسان | kro-saan | Borrowed from French. Growing popular in modern Iranian bakeries. |
| 🧁 | Cupcake | کاپکیک | kaap-keyk | Another English loan word. Easy for kids learning Farsi — sounds almost the same. |
| 🥧 | Tart / Pie | تارت | taart | Fruit tarts and cream tarts are popular in Persian bakeries. |
| 🍰 | Sponge Cake | کیک اسفنجی | keyk-e es-fen-ji | اسفنج means "sponge" — a fun word for kids. This is the base cake used in many Persian birthday cakes. |
| 🍞 | Rusk / Dried Toast | نان سوخاری | naan-e soo-khaa-ri | Thin, crispy twice-baked bread. Often dipped in tea at breakfast. A Persian comfort food. |
| 🥖 | Breadstick / Grissini | نانچوبی | naan-e choo-bi | Literally "stick bread." Crunchy and served with dips or soups. |
🗣️ Bakery phrases to practise
I want fresh bread.نان تازه میخوام.naan-e taa-ze mi-khaam.
Is the sangak ready?سنگک آمادهست؟san-gak aa-maa-de-st?
Two breads, please.دو تا نان لطفاً.do taa naan lot-fan.
Can I have a cream puff?یه نان خامهای میخوام.ye naan-e khaa-me-i mi-khaam.
This bread is hot!این نان داغه!in naan daa-ghe!
Baking Ingredients — مواد شیرینیپزی (ma-vaad-e shi-ri-ni-pa-zi)
The baking aisle — what you need to make cakes and pastries at home
| English | فارسی | Pronunciation | Quick note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🫧 | Yeast | مخمر | mo-kham-mer | What makes bread rise. Also called خمیرمایه (kha-mir-maa-ye). |
| 🧪 | Baking Powder | بیکینگ پودر | bey-king poo-der | Borrowed from English. Used in cakes and muffins. |
| 🟤 | Cocoa Powder | پودر کاکائو | poo-der-e kaa-kaa-o | For chocolate cakes and hot chocolate. Kids love spotting this in the baking aisle. |
| 🌸 | Vanilla Extract | وانیل | vaa-nil | Essential for Persian cakes and cookies. Sounds similar to the English word. |
| 🫙 | Dough | خمیر | kha-mir | The raw mixture before it becomes bread or pastry. A fun word for kids who help in the kitchen. |
| 🥄 | Powdered Sugar / Icing Sugar | پودر قند | poo-der-e ghand | For dusting pastries and making icing. قند also means sugar cube. |
| 🫕 | Starch / Cornstarch | نشاسته | ne-shaas-te | Used as a thickener in soups and to make Persian Ferni (milk pudding). |
| 💧 | Rosewater | گلاب | gol-aab | The secret ingredient in Persian baking. Literally "flower water." Used in cakes, rice, and tea. |
Culture note: گلاب (rosewater) is the signature flavour of Persian baking. While Western bakers reach for vanilla, Iranian bakers reach for rosewater. The city of Kashan is famous for producing the finest rosewater in the world. If your child ever asks "why does Grandma's cake taste different?" — the answer is almost always گلاب.
Frozen Food — غذای منجمد (gha-zaa-ye mon-ja-mad)
The freezer section — essential words for the modern supermarket
| English | فارسی | Pronunciation | Quick note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🧊 | Frozen | منجمد / یخزده | mon-ja-mad / yakh-za-de | Two words: منجمد is formal, یخزده is everyday speech. یخ means "ice." |
| 🧊 | Ice | یخ | yakh | Short and easy. Also used in "یخچال" (yakh-chaal) — literally "ice hole" = fridge. |
| 🧊 | Fridge / Refrigerator | یخچال | yakh-chaal | One of Persian's most interesting compound words. "Ice + pit" = the place that keeps things cold. |
| ❄️ | Freezer | فریزر | fri-zer | Borrowed from English. Also called "فریز" in everyday speech. |
| 🥬 | Frozen Vegetables | سبزی منجمد | sab-zi-ye mon-ja-mad | Pre-cut frozen herbs for stews — every Iranian family has bags of these in the freezer. |
| 🍕 | Frozen Pizza | پیتزا منجمد | pit-zaa-ye mon-ja-mad | Kids' favourite freezer item. پیتزا sounds the same as English. |
| 🍟 | Frozen Chips / French Fries | سیبزمینی سرخکردنی | sib-za-mi-ni-ye sorkh-kar-da-ni | Literally "potato for frying." A long compound word — challenge older kids to say it fast! |
| 🐟 | Fish Fingers / Fish Sticks | ماهی سوخاری | maa-hi-ye soo-khaa-ri | Literally "fried fish." A freezer staple for busy weeknight dinners. |
| 🥟 | Frozen Dumplings / Samosa | سمبوسه | sam-boo-se | Triangular filled pastries — sold frozen or fresh. A popular Persian street food. |
Culture note: The word یخچال (yakh-chaal) has ancient roots. In old Persia, people actually built underground "ice pits" called یخچال to store ice through the summer — some of these structures are 2,400 years old and still standing. Iran literally invented the refrigerator concept thousands of years before electricity. When your child says یخچال, they're using a word that connects to ancient engineering.
Ready Meals & Convenience Food — غذای آماده (gha-zaa-ye aa-maa-de)
Quick meal words from the ready-to-eat section of the supermarket
| English | فارسی | Pronunciation | Quick note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥘 | Ready Meal / Prepared Food | غذای آماده | gha-zaa-ye aa-maa-de | آماده means "ready." Combined with غذا (food) to mean pre-made meals. |
| 🍜 | Instant Noodles | نودل (فوری) | noo-del (fow-ri) | Borrowed from English. فوری means "instant." Very popular with Iranian students. |
| 🥫 | Canned Tuna | تن ماهی | ton-maa-hi | Literally "tuna fish." One of the most consumed canned foods in Iran. |
| 🥫 | Canned Beans | لوبیا کنسروی | loo-bi-yaa-ye kon-ser-vi | کنسروی means "canned." Add it after any food to mean the tinned version. |
| 🍲 | Soup Packet / Instant Soup | سوپ آماده | soop-e aa-maa-de | "Ready soup." Just add water. Common brand in Iran: Alina. |
| 🌭 | Sausage | سوسیس | so-sis | Borrowed from German/French. Very popular in Iranian fast food — especially سوسیس بندری. |
| 🌭 | Salami / Cold Cut | کالباس | kaal-baas | Sliced processed meat used in sandwiches and breakfast. Borrowed from Russian "колбаса." |
| 🍔 | Hamburger (Patty) | همبرگر | ham-ber-ger | The frozen patty, not the full sandwich. Also called کتلت (kot-let) when homemade. |
| 🌯 | Wrap / Sandwich | ساندویچ | saan-do-vich | Borrowed from English but pronounced with a Persian twist. Kids love this word. |
🗣️ Frozen food & dinner phrases
Put it in the freezer.بذار تو فریزر.be-zaar too fri-zer.
Is there pizza in the freezer?تو فریزر پیتزا داریم؟too fri-zer pit-zaa daa-rim?
I want a sandwich.ساندویچ میخوام.saan-do-vich mi-khaam.
Dinner is ready!شام آمادهست!shaam aa-maa-de-st!
Heat it up in the microwave.بذار تو مایکروفر گرم شه.be-zaar too maa-ye-kro-fer garm she.
🧠 Bakery & freezer quiz!
Ask your child: "What's this in Farsi?" See how many they remember from the bakery aisle and the freezer section.
Bakeryنانوایی
Doughخمیر
Fridgeیخچال
Sausageسوسیس
Rosewaterگلاب
Cream Puffنان خامهای
Frozenیخزده
Tunaتن ماهی
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Part 3 — Snacks, Nuts, Dried Fruits & Sweets
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Part 5 — Cleaning & Household Items
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From نانوایی to یخچال — vocabulary comes alive in conversation.
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