12 Common English Mistakes by Persian Speakers (and How to Fix Them)

1. Word‑for‑Word Translation from Persian

One of the most common errors is translating a Persian sentence exactly word for word into English. The problem is that English and Persian don’t just have different words – their sentence‑building logic is different too.

Wrong: I have stress.

Correct: I’m stressed. / I’m under stress.

In Persian we might say “stress daram”, but in English we don’t usually say “have stress”. Rather than translating word for word, it’s better to work with natural English phrases.

Practical tip: Whenever you want to translate a sentence, first ask yourself: “Would a native English speaker actually say this?”

2. Tense and Verb Mistakes

Tenses in English aren’t just for showing “past” and “present”; they’re also used to express continuity, completion, and connection to another time. Many Iranians learn tenses in a very simple, one‑dimensional way, which leads to errors.

Wrong: I go yesterday.

Correct: I went yesterday.

Wrong: I have seen him yesterday.

Correct: I saw him yesterday.

Why does this mistake happen? Because in Persian the verb’s relationship to time isn’t as rigidly marked. To fix this, it’s better to learn tenses inside sentences and real situations, not just from a chart.

3. Using Long, Persian‑Style Sentences

Many learners think a professional sentence means a long sentence. But in good English, simplicity and clarity are more important than complexity.

Wrong: I want to drink a glass of water because I am feeling very much thirsty now.

Correct: I’m thirsty. Can I have some water?

Natural English is usually shorter, more direct, and less wordy. If you want to speak more fluently, break your ideas into smaller chunks.

Trick: Instead of squeezing everything into one sentence, use two simple ones. This makes your speech smoother and reduces mistakes.

4. Preposition Errors

Prepositions like in, on, at, for, to are a real nightmare for Persian speakers because they have no direct, one‑to‑one equivalent in Persian.

Wrong: I’m good in English.

Correct: I’m good at English.

Wrong: She arrived Tehran.

Correct: She arrived in Tehran.

One of the best ways to learn prepositions is to memorise them together with the whole phrase, not in isolation. For example: “good at”, “interested in”, “afraid of”, “arrive in”.

Golden rule: If you’re unsure between two options, remember that prepositions usually cannot be directly translated from Persian.

5. Overusing “very”

Many learners rely only on “very” for emphasis. This makes sentences sound repetitive, weak, and low‑quality.

Wrong: very very good

Correct: excellent / amazing / fantastic / great

Wrong: very tired

Correct: exhausted

Native speakers usually use more precise, stronger words instead of “very”. This makes your language more professional and shows off your vocabulary range.

Exercise: Every time you want to write “very”, first try to find a stronger adjective.

6. Confusing Similar Words

English has many words that look alike but have different meanings and uses. One common Iranian mistake is paying attention only to the surface similarity of words.

Example:

classic = timeless, iconic, long‑lasting

classical = relating to classical music or a classical style

Wrong: classic music

Correct: classical music

To reduce this error, learn words in real sentences, not just as a vocabulary list.

7. Phrasal Verb Mistakes

Phrasal verbs like turn on, give up, look after are used heavily in conversation, but their word order confuses many Persian speakers.

Wrong: Turn on it.

Correct: Turn it on.

Wrong: Give it up.

Correct: Give up smoking. / Give it up.

The key point is that some phrasal verbs are separable and others are not. This difference must be learned together with examples.

Best approach: Learn each phrasal verb with a real‑life example and situation.

8. Forming Questions the Persian Way

In Persian you can turn a statement into a question simply by raising your intonation. In English, that’s not enough – you must build the correct question structure.

Wrong: You like coffee?

Correct: Do you like coffee?

Wrong: He is coming tomorrow?

Correct: Is he coming tomorrow?

To form a question in English, you usually need to use the appropriate auxiliary verb. This is one of the key differences between Persian and English.

Tip: If your sentence starts with am / is / are / do / does / did / can / will, you’ve probably built the question correctly.

9. Dropping the Third‑Person “s”

One of the classic mistakes is forgetting the “s” at the end of the verb in third‑person singular sentences.

Wrong: He work hard.

Correct: He works hard.

Wrong: She live in Tehran.

Correct: She lives in Tehran.

This mistake seems small, but it’s very noticeable in English. To solidify it, every time you make a sentence with he / she / it, quickly double‑check the verb ending.

10. Direct Translation of Persian Idioms

Some phrases are perfectly natural in Persian, but their direct translation into English sounds strange or completely wrong.

Wrong: Open the TV.

Correct: Turn on the TV.

Wrong: I have problem with him.

Correct: I have a problem with him.

Language isn’t just words; it also has fixed expressions. If you learn idioms without context, the chance of this error increases.

Solution: Instead of memorising single words, learn whole expressions.

11. Using Persian‑English Hybrid Words

Sometimes a Persian learner takes a word from Persian and assumes it has a direct English equivalent, when in fact that word either doesn’t exist or isn’t used in that situation.

Example: “card reader” for a payment terminal

Better: POS terminal / card machine

Such mistakes usually come from mental translation and a lack of sufficient exposure to real English.

Suggestion: For any word you use often, check its real‑world usage inside full sentences.

12. Fear of Mistakes and Long Pauses

Perhaps the biggest mistake isn’t even linguistic; it’s the fear of making mistakes. Many learners freeze up mid‑sentence because they’re afraid their sentence will be wrong.

The problem is that these long pauses make your conversation unnatural, tiring, and stressful.

Solution: Instead of aiming for a long, complex sentence, say a short, correct one. If you’re not sure exactly what to say, use short, reliable structures.

Example:

Instead of: “I was wondering if you could perhaps help me with this issue.”

Say: “Can you help me?”

In conversation, clarity matters more than showing off complexity.

Final Exercise to Fix These Mistakes

To make sure these 12 mistakes don’t remain just an article you read, do this exercise:

1. Write 3 simple English sentences every day.
2. Check each sentence carefully for tense, prepositions, and the third‑person “s”.
3. Read the sentences out loud.
4. If possible, record your voice and listen back.
5. Write down any repeated mistakes in a separate notebook.

This method is simple but incredibly effective, because instead of just “knowing” what the mistake is, you’re actually fixing it in your real performance.