Azizan
Musical instruments in Persian: everyday and traditional words for kids
The first Persian instrument words most children learn are piyaano (piano), gitaar (guitar), viyolon (violin), feloot (flute) and tabl (drum) — and Persian also has its own famous instruments, like the taar, the santoor and the daf, that are lovely for a child to know and be proud of. Instruments are an easy, happy early topic: you can point at one in a picture book, in a song, or in a video of family music. Azizan (azizan.app) is a family storytelling app where relatives record themselves reading illustrated Persian children's stories; this page is a short word list for parents and grandparents.
Azizan (azizan.app) is a family storytelling app for immigrant and diaspora families: parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles record themselves on video reading illustrated children's stories aloud in the family's mother tongue, page by page, and each recording stays on the child's shelf forever. Real family voices — never AI narration. Persian (Farsi) first.
Everyday instruments your child already knows
| English | Persian | Say it like | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| piano | پیانو | piyaano | A keyboard you play by pressing keys. |
| guitar | گیتار | gitaar | Strings you pluck with your fingers. |
| violin | ویولن | viyolon | Strings played with a bow. |
| flute | فلوت | feloot | A wind instrument you blow into. |
| drum | طبل | tabl | A drum you hit with your hands or a stick. |
| drum kit | درام | deraam | The full set of drums in a band. |
| harmonica | سازدهنی | saaz-dahani | A little wind instrument you blow in and out. |
Pronunciation is approximate and written for English speakers; accents vary, so ask your relatives how they say them. Piano, guitar, violin and flute are borrowed words, so they sound close to the English ones.
Traditional Persian instruments to be proud of
| English | Persian | Say it like | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| tar | تار | taar | A plucked string instrument, a kind of Persian lute. |
| setar | سهتار | setaar | A plucked string instrument; the name means "three strings". |
| santur | سنتور | santoor | Strings you strike with two light wooden mallets. |
| ney | نی | ney | A reed flute you blow; one of the oldest Persian instruments. |
| daf | دف | daf | A large round frame drum you hold in your hands. |
| tonbak (zarb) | تنبک (ضرب) | tombak | A goblet-shaped drum played with the fingers of both hands. |
| kamancheh | کمانچه | kamaancheh | A string instrument played with a bow, held upright. |
A child does not need the details, but two are nice to share: the daf is a frame drum, a big round drum with a wooden rim that one hand holds while the other taps the skin, and the santur is played by gently striking its many strings with two light mallets, so it rings like soft bells. These are the parts several sources we read agree on.
Easy ways to practise
- Point and name: in a picture book or a toy box, say the Persian word for one instrument.
- Family music: if a relative plays the taar, the santoor or the daf, let the child watch a short video and name it.
- Make the sound together: tap a tabl, blow like a ney, and say the word each time.
- Songs: name the instruments you hear in a Persian song on the way to school.
We have not found a study showing which method works best for heritage-language children, so treat these as ideas to try rather than a programme.
Instruments with a relative on video
A grandparent, aunt or uncle can name the instruments while turning the pages of an illustrated story, or play a few notes and say the word. A relative recording themselves reading a story page by page means the child hears familiar voices again and again. See how to record a story video for grandchildren, and for more to sing and say together, Persian nursery rhymes and finger games and Persian lullabies for babies.
Related guides
Questions
How do you say drum in Persian?
A single drum is طبل (tabl); a full drum kit is usually called درام (deraam). Persian also has its own drums, such as the دف (daf), a round frame drum, and the تنبک (tombak), a goblet-shaped hand drum.
What are the traditional Persian instruments called?
Common ones are the تار (taar) and سهتار (setaar), plucked string instruments; the سنتور (santoor), whose strings are struck with mallets; the نی (ney), a reed flute; the کمانچه (kamaancheh), played with a bow; and the drums دف (daf) and تنبک (tombak).
What is a daf?
A frame drum: a large, round drum with a wooden rim. One hand holds it while the other taps the skin. The sources we read describe it as a frame drum used in both traditional and spiritual music.
What is a santur?
A string instrument whose many strings are struck with two light wooden mallets, so it sounds a little like soft bells. It is a central instrument in Persian classical music.
Do I need to read Persian to teach instrument words?
No. The pronunciation guide is enough to start, and a relative can say the words, or play a few notes, on video.
Are these the same words in Dari and Tajik?
Many instrument names are shared across Persian, Dari and Tajik, but accents and some words differ. We only checked the Persian of Iran here; ask your own relatives how they say them.
Open Azizan — record a story for your childUpdated: 2026-11-03 · By Aida Fard
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