Skip to content
- 60 Farsi words for clothing — everyday wear, traditional dress, accessories, and fabrics
- Every word with Persian script (فارسی), romanisation, and example sentence
- Traditional Persian clothing — چادر, شال, قبا and their cultural context
- Colours and fabrics in Farsi — essential for shopping and conversation
- How to use clothing vocabulary in real Persian sentences
Clothing in Persian — 60 Farsi Words for Fashion, Dress & Traditional Wear
Whether you are shopping in Tehran's Grand Bazaar, describing what to wear to a Persian wedding, or simply building everyday Farsi vocabulary, clothing words are among the most practical you can learn. This guide gives you 60 Farsi words for clothing — with Persian script, romanisation, meaning, and the cultural context that makes each word stick. For learners who want to go beyond vocabulary lists into real Persian conversation, our online Farsi programme at Danaa School builds this vocabulary into living language skills.
How to use this guide: Each table shows the English word, the Persian script (read right to left), the romanisation (how to pronounce it), and where relevant, an example of how the word is used. Persian clothing vocabulary divides naturally into everyday wear, traditional dress, accessories, and fabrics — each section below covers one category.
Everyday Clothing in Persian — لباس روزمره
These are the clothing words you use most often in Persian daily life — the vocabulary for getting dressed, describing what someone is wearing, and talking about shopping.
| English | Persian | Romanisation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clothing / clothes | لباس | lebās | The general word for clothing. لباس پوشیدن = to get dressed |
| Shirt | پیراهن | pirāhan | Used for any shirt or blouse — men's or women's |
| T-shirt | تیشرت | ti-short | Borrowed from English — very common in modern Farsi |
| Trousers / pants | شلوار | shalvār | The general word for any trousers. شلوار جین = jeans |
| Jeans | جین / شلوار جین | jin / shalvār-e jin | جین alone is the colloquial shorthand |
| Dress | لباس / پیراهن | lebās / pirāhan | Context distinguishes a dress from a shirt — پیراهن زنانه = women's dress |
| Skirt | دامن | dāman | Also means "hem" or "lap" in classical Persian poetry |
| Jacket | کت | kot | Borrowed from French "coat" — کت و شلوار = suit |
| Suit | کت و شلوار | kot-o-shalvār | Literally "jacket and trousers" |
| Coat / overcoat | پالتو | pālto | Borrowed from French "paletot." Also کاپشن (kāpshen) for lighter coats |
| Jumper / sweater | پلیور | polivr | Borrowed from French "pull-over" |
| Cardigan | ژاکت | zhāket | Borrowed from French "jaquette" |
| Underwear | لباس زیر | lebās-e zir | Literally "under-clothes" |
| Socks | جوراب | jurāb | جوراب ساق بلند = stockings / knee-length socks |
| Pyjamas | پیژامه | pijāmeh | Originated in Persian/Urdu — the English "pyjamas" comes from Farsi پایجامه (pāy-jāmeh = leg-garment) |
Shoes & Accessories in Persian — کفش و لوازم
| English | Persian | Romanisation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoes | کفش | kafsh | The general word. کفش پوشیدن = to put on shoes |
| Boots | چکمه | chakmeh | Also means "boot" as in army boot |
| Sandals | صندل | sandal | Identical to the English word — both come from Greek |
| Slippers | دمپایی | dampāyi | Literally "foot-covering" — the household slipper |
| Trainers / sneakers | کتانی | ketāni | Named after canvas (کتان — ketān) fabric originally used |
| Hat | کلاه | kolāh | کلاه گذاشتن سر کسی = idiom for deceiving someone |
| Scarf (head) | روسری | rusari | Literally "head-cover" — the everyday headscarf in Iran |
| Scarf (neck) | شال گردن | shāl-e gardan | شال = shawl (from Persian شال) + گردن = neck |
| Belt | کمربند | kamarband | کمر (waist) + بند (band/strap). The English "cummerbund" comes from this Persian word |
| Bag / handbag | کیف | kif | کیف دستی = handbag; کیف پول = wallet (literally "money-bag") |
| Sunglasses | عینک آفتابی | eynak-e āftābi | عینک = glasses + آفتابی = sunny. عینک alone = regular glasses |
| Watch | ساعت | sā'at | Also means "hour" and "clock" — context determines which |
| Ring | انگشتر | angoshtar | From انگشت (finger). انگشتر ازدواج = wedding ring |
| Necklace | گردنبند | gardanband | گردن (neck) + بند (band/string) |
| Earrings | گوشواره | gushvāreh | گوش (ear) + وارِه (carrying suffix) |
Traditional Persian Clothing — لباس سنتی ایرانی
Persian traditional dress varies significantly by region, era, and occasion. These are the most important terms for understanding Iranian cultural dress — essential for anyone studying Persian history, literature, or culture alongside learning Farsi online.
| English | Persian | Romanisation | Cultural Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chador | چادر | chādor | Full-length loose outer garment covering the body — literally means "tent." Also means "sheet" or "canopy" in everyday Farsi. Standard covering for women in formal religious contexts in Iran. |
| Headscarf / hijab | روسری / حجاب | rusari / hejāb | روسری is the everyday Farsi word for headscarf; حجاب is the Arabic-origin term for the Islamic concept of modest covering |
| Qaba / robe | قبا | qabā | A long outer robe worn by men — historically the formal dress of Iranian nobility and clergy. Still worn by religious scholars. |
| Shalvar (traditional trousers) | شلوار سنتی | shalvār-e sonati | Loose-fitting traditional trousers — varied significantly by region. The Kurdish and Bakhtiari styles are particularly distinctive. |
| Jāmeh (garment) | جامه | jāmeh | Classical Persian word for garment or clothing — used throughout Persian poetry. In Rumi's Masnavi, جامه چاک (torn robe) is an image of the mystic undone by love. |
| Termeh (fabric) | ترمه | termeh | A woven Persian fabric from Kashmir and Yazd — used for formal robes, tablecloths, and decorative textiles. Characteristic paisley/boteh pattern. |
| Shawl | شال | shāl | The English word "shawl" comes directly from Persian شال. Historically woven in Kashmir and exported through Iran to Europe. |
| Pateh (embroidered cloth) | پته | pateh | Traditional hand-embroidered textile from Kerman — featuring intricate floral patterns. A high-value Persian craft item. |
Why پیژامه (pyjamas) and شال (shawl) are English words from Persian
Two of the most common English clothing words come directly from Farsi: پیژامه (pijāmeh) → "pyjamas" (from پایجامه — pāy-jāmeh, literally "leg garment") and شال (shāl) → "shawl." Both entered English through the British trade with India and Iran in the 17th–19th centuries. The word "cummerbund" (کمربند — kamarband) and "khaki" (خاکی — khāki, meaning "earth-coloured") also come from Persian. Understanding these etymological connections is one of the rewards of studying the Persian language — the connections to English are more numerous than most learners expect.
Colours in Persian — رنگها
Colour words are essential for describing clothing in any language. In Persian, colours follow simple grammar: the colour word comes after the noun — کفش قرمز (red shoes), پیراهن آبی (blue shirt).
| Colour | Persian | Romanisation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | قرمز | qermez | The word قرمز comes from the word for "crimson" — a rich red dye |
| Blue | آبی | ābi | Literally "water-coloured" — from آب (water). آبی روشن = light blue; آبی تیره = dark blue |
| Green | سبز | sabz | Also means "fresh," "alive," and "green" in nature — سبزه (greenery) |
| Yellow | زرد | zard | Also means "pale" or "wan" — زرد شدن = to turn pale (with fear or illness) |
| White | سفید | sefid | In Persian mythology, white hair (موی سفید) is associated with age and wisdom |
| Black | سیاه | siyāh | سیاهپوش = dressed in black (mourning). لیست سیاه = blacklist |
| Grey | خاکستری | khāksotari | Literally "ash-coloured" — from خاکستر (ashes) |
| Brown | قهوهای | qahve-yi | Literally "coffee-coloured" — from قهوه (coffee) |
| Pink | صورتی | surati | Literally "face-coloured" — from صورت (face) |
| Orange | نارنجی | nārenji | From نارنج (bitter orange). The English word "orange" ultimately derives from Sanskrit via Persian نارنگ |
| Purple | بنفش | banafsh | From بنفشه (violet flower) — purple takes its name from the violet in Persian |
| Gold | طلایی | talāyi | From طلا (gold). Used for golden-coloured clothing and accessories |
Fabrics & Materials in Persian — پارچه و جنس
| English | Persian | Romanisation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fabric / cloth | پارچه | pārcheh | The general word for fabric or material. پارچهفروشی = fabric shop |
| Cotton | پنبه | pambeh | Also means "cotton wool" / absorbent cotton. پنبهای = cotton (adjective) |
| Silk | ابریشم | abrisham | Iran has a 2,000-year silk production history — the Silk Road passed through Persia |
| Wool | پشم | pashm | پشمی = woollen. Used for traditional rugs (قالی) as well as clothing |
| Leather | چرم | charm | Iranian leather goods — especially from Tabriz and Isfahan — are historically renowned |
| Linen | کتان | ketān | کتانی (canvas/linen) is also the word for trainers/sneakers |
| Velvet | مخمل | makhmal | A luxury fabric historically produced in Persian court workshops |
| Denim | دنیم | denim | Borrowed from French/English — widely used in modern Farsi |
Useful Clothing Phrases in Persian
Knowing individual words is one thing — using them in natural Persian sentences is another. These phrases appear in everyday shopping, getting dressed, and describing what people are wearing.
| Persian | Romanisation | English |
|---|---|---|
| این لباس رو میپوشم | in lebās ro miposham | I'll wear this outfit |
| این سایز مناسب من نیست | in sāyz monāseb-e man nist | This size doesn't fit me |
| قیمتش چقدره؟ | qimatashe chaqadre? | How much does it cost? |
| میتونم امتحان کنم؟ | mitoonam emtehān konam? | Can I try it on? |
| رنگ دیگهای دارید؟ | rang-e dige-yi dārid? | Do you have it in another colour? |
| این لباس به تو میاد | in lebās be to miyād | This outfit suits you |
| لباست خیلی شیکه | lebāsat kheli shike | Your outfit is very stylish |
| چه رنگی میپوشی؟ | che rangi mipooshi? | What colour are you wearing? |
From Vocabulary Lists to Real Persian Conversation
Knowing the words is the first step. Using them naturally in conversation — knowing when to say روسری vs حجاب, or پیراهن vs لباس — requires a native speaker who can hear your pronunciation and correct it in real time. At Danaa School, our native Farsi tutors teach vocabulary in cultural context, so every word you learn carries the meaning behind it.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main Farsi word for clothes or clothing is لباس (lebās). It is used for any garment or outfit — لباس پوشیدن means "to get dressed" and لباس درآوردن means "to get undressed." In classical Persian, جامه (jāmeh) is used for garment, and this word appears throughout Persian poetry including Rumi and Hafez.
Traditional Persian clothing varies by region and era. Key terms include چادر (chādor — the full-length outer covering), قبا (qabā — a long formal robe for men), شلوار سنتی (shalvār-e sonati — traditional loose trousers), and ترمه (termeh — a woven patterned fabric used for formal dress). The word لباس سنتی (lebās-e sonati) means "traditional clothing" in general.
To ask "what are you wearing?" in Persian: چی پوشیدی؟ (chi poshidi? — informal, past tense: "what did you put on?") or چی میپوشی؟ (chi mipooshi? — informal, present: "what are you wearing?"). In more formal speech: چه لباسی پوشیدید؟ (che lebāsi poshidid? — formal plural).
Several everyday English clothing words come from Persian: "pyjamas" from پایجامه (pāy-jāmeh — leg garment); "shawl" from شال (shāl); "cummerbund" from کمربند (kamarband — waist-band); "khaki" from خاکی (khāki — earth-coloured); and "seersucker" from شیر و شکر (shir-o-shakar — milk and sugar, describing the striped fabric). This Persian-to-English clothing vocabulary transfer happened primarily through British trade with the Indian subcontinent and Iran.
In Persian, colour adjectives come after the noun — the opposite of English. So "red shoes" is کفش قرمز (kafsh-e qermez — shoes red) and "blue shirt" is پیراهن آبی (pirāhan-e ābi — shirt blue). The linking sound -e (called ezāfe) connects noun and adjective. For shades, add روشن (light) or تیره (dark): آبی روشن = light blue, آبی تیره = dark blue.
