Skip to content
- 80+ essential Farsi hospital and medical vocabulary words
- Hospital departments in Persian — emergency, surgery, laboratory, and more
- Doctor-patient conversations in Farsi — real dialogues for 4 clinical scenarios
- How to describe pain and symptoms to a Persian-speaking doctor
- Navigating the Iranian healthcare system — what to expect and how it differs
- Pharmacy communication in Persian — prescriptions, dosage instructions, medications
- Emergency phrases for immediate medical situations
Hospital Vocabulary in Farsi: Medical Conversations and Healthcare Guide
Knowing the word for hospital in Persian is a starting point. Being able to tell a doctor where it hurts, describe your symptoms accurately, understand a diagnosis, and follow medication instructions — that is what you actually need when health is at stake.
This guide goes beyond a vocabulary list. It covers the complete language of healthcare in Persian — the words, the phrases, the conversation patterns, and the cultural context that shapes how medical care is delivered and received in Iran and Persian-speaking communities worldwide.
A note for healthcare professionals: This guide is particularly useful for doctors, nurses, medical interpreters, and paramedics who work with Persian-speaking patients. The dialogue examples and question formats are designed for real clinical use — not just language learning exercises. For a searchable reference tool, see the Persian Medical Dictionary.
| Farsi Script | Pronunciation | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| بیمارستان | Bimārestan | Hospital | Literally “sick-place” — بیمار (sick person) + ستان (place) |
| اورژانس | Orzhāns | Emergency / A&E | From French urgence — the Iranian emergency number is 115 |
| مطب | Matab | Doctor’s clinic / Surgery | Private clinic — different from hospital (بیمارستان) |
| داروخانه | Dārukhāne | Pharmacy / Chemist | Literally “medicine-house” — widely available in Iranian cities |
| دکتر / پزشک | Doktor / Pezeshk | Doctor | دکتر is colloquial; پزشک is formal. Both are correct. |
| پرستار | Parastār | Nurse | Literally “the one who cares/tends” |
| متخصص | Motakhasses | Specialist / Consultant | Always followed by the specialty: متخصص قلب = cardiologist |
| بیمار | Bimār | Patient / Sick person | بیمار in English means patient — same root: بیمارستان |
| آمبولانس | Āmbulāns | Ambulance | Call 115 for ambulance in Iran |
| بیمه درمانی | Bime-ye darmāni | Health insurance | بیمه = insurance; درمانی = medical/treatment-related |
| نسخه | Noskhé | Prescription | Also means “manuscript” or “recipe” — context determines meaning |
| پرونده پزشکی | Parvande-ye pezeshki | Medical record / File | — |
| Farsi Script | Pronunciation | English | Clinical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| سر | Sar | Head | سردرد = headache (sar + dard) |
| مغز | Maghz | Brain | ام آر آی مغز = brain MRI |
| چشم | Cheshm | Eye | — |
| گوش | Gush | Ear | درد گوش = earache |
| دهان | Dahān | Mouth | — |
| گلو | Galu | Throat | گلودرد = sore throat |
| گردن | Gardan | Neck | — |
| قلب | Ghalb | Heart | بیماری قلبی = heart disease |
| ریه | Riye | Lung | — |
| معده | Ma’de | Stomach | دل = colloquial stomach/belly |
| کبد | Kabd | Liver | — |
| کلیه | Koliye | Kidney | سنگ کلیه = kidney stone |
| پشت / کمر | Posht / Kamar | Back | کمردرد = back pain — very common complaint |
| سینه / قفسه سینه | Sine / Ghafase-ye sine | Chest | قفسه سینه = chest cavity; سینه = breast/chest |
| شکم | Shekam | Abdomen / Belly | Colloquial for stomach/abdomen |
| دست | Dast | Hand / Arm | Covers both hand and arm in common usage |
| پا | Pā | Foot / Leg | Covers both foot and leg — specify زانو (knee) or مچ (ankle) for precision |
| استخوان | Ostkhān | Bone | شکستگی استخوان = bone fracture |
| Farsi Script | Pronunciation | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| درد | Dard | Pain | اینجا درد میکنه = it hurts here |
| تب | Tab | Fever | تب دارم = I have a fever |
| سرگیجه | Sargizhé | Dizziness | — |
| تهوع | Tahavo’ | Nausea | حالت تهوع دارم = I feel nauseous |
| استفراغ | Estefrāgh | Vomiting | — |
| سرماخوردگی | Sarmā-khordegi | Common cold | Literally “cold-eating” — one of the most common ailments |
| سرفه | Sarfe | Cough | سرفه میکنم = I am coughing |
| تنگی نفس | Tangi-ye nafas | Shortness of breath | Literally “tightness of breath” — critical symptom |
| خستگی | Khastegi | Fatigue / Tiredness | — |
| بیاشتهایی | Bi-eshtehāyi | Loss of appetite | — |
| خونریزی | Khunrizi | Bleeding | — |
| تورم | Toram | Swelling | — |
Build Confidence in Persian Healthcare Situations
Vocabulary alone is not enough for real medical conversations. Danaa School’s native tutors practise medical dialogues, pronunciation, and clinical communication with you in personalised lessons. Book a free trial.
Book a Free Trial Lesson →| Farsi Script | Pronunciation | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| دارو | Dāru | Medicine / Drug | The general word for any medication |
| قرص | Ghors | Tablet / Pill | — |
| شربت | Sharbat | Syrup / Liquid medicine | Sharbat also means a sweet drink — context determines meaning |
| آمپول | Āmpul | Injection / Ampoule | — |
| سرم | Serum | IV drip / Saline | — |
| واکسن | Vāksan | Vaccine | — |
| پانسمان | Pānsemān | Dressing / Bandage | — |
| عمل جراحی | Amal-e jarrāhi | Surgical operation | عمل کردن = to operate |
| بیهوشی | Bihushi | Anaesthesia | Literally “without consciousness” |
| آزمایش خون | Āzmāyesh-e khun | Blood test | — |
| سونوگرافی | Sonugrāfi | Ultrasound | — |
How the Iranian Healthcare System Works
If you are communicating with Persian-speaking patients or planning to access healthcare in Iran, understanding how the system functions is as important as the vocabulary:
- Two-tier system. Iran has both public (دولتی — dolati) and private (خصوصی — khosusi) healthcare. Public hospitals are subsidised but often overcrowded. Private clinics and hospitals offer faster access and are used by many middle-class Iranians for non-emergency care.
- The referral system (سیستم ارجاع). For specialist care, patients typically need a referral (ارجاع — erjā’) from a general practitioner. Emergency cases bypass this through اورژانس (emergency).
- Prescription culture. Iranian pharmacies (داروخانه) dispense some medications without prescription that would require one in Western countries. Over-the-counter antibiotic use is more common. For serious conditions, always get a نسخه (prescription).
- Family accompaniment. Iranian patients almost always attend hospital appointments with family members. It is culturally expected for immediate family to be present — not just for support but to participate in discussions about diagnosis and treatment. Plan for this in clinical settings.
- Respect and formality. Doctors are addressed as آقای دکتر (Āghāye Doktor — Mr/Sir Doctor) or خانم دکتر (Khānom Doktor — Ms/Dr) — both men and women. This formality is maintained throughout the consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hospital in Farsi is بیمارستان (Bimārestan) — literally “sick-place.” It is a compound of بیمار (bimār — sick person/patient) and ستان (-estān — place, the same suffix as in پاکستان, ایران, etc.). The emergency department specifically is اورژانس (Orzhāns) — call 115 for ambulance in Iran.
The most direct expression is درد دارم (Dard dāram — I have pain). To point to a specific location: اینجا درد میکند (Injā dard mikonad — it hurts here) while pointing to the area. To describe intensity: درد شدیدی دارم (Dard-e shadidi dāram — I have severe pain).
به دکتر نیاز دارم (Be doktor niyāz dāram) — I need a doctor. In an emergency: کمک کنید! (Komak konid! — Help!) followed by به آمبولانس زنگ بزنید (Be āmbulāns zang bezanid — Call an ambulance). The Iranian ambulance number is 115.
Find Your Ideal Teacher
At Danaa School, you can choose your Farsi tutor from a selection of qualified and experienced teachers. Begin an exceptional journey into the world of Persian language!
Book Your Trial Lesson
Want to Learn Farsi at Danaa School?
Here are the best resources for you!
