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The American accent for Persian speakers

Your English is already good. If Persian is your first language, these are the American patterns worth your time first, and why.

Start with these patterns

Persian has a rolled R, and an American R is never rolled.

1. R is never rolled

   R touches nothingD touches once

   If your tongue tip touches, even once, hiring sounds like hiding.

   If you speak Farsi, your ر touches once or rolls. The English R does neither: right, very.

Then, for clear pronunciation

You may say stop as “estop”, and these pairs can sound alike: V and W, ship and sheep, bed and bad.

1. Finish the word, add no vowel

   last sound → said

   Without its T, note is no. With an added vowel, sport is support.

   If you speak Farsi, you may add an “e” before S and a consonant: “estop”. Start on the S: stop, state.

2. Very or berry?

   V teeth on lipB both lipsW round lips

   If both lips close, very sounds like berry. If they round, vine sounds like wine.

   If you speak Farsi, W may become V, so west can sound like vest. Make your lips round, with no teeth.

3. Ship or sheep?

   i shortee long

   Your mouth is relaxed for ship, with a little smile for sheep.

4. Bed or bad?

   e half-opena wide

   For bad, drop your jaw low, and make the vowel longer.

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