Persian

Persian is written using a modified form of the Perso-Arabic script, adapted to represent the sounds of the Persian (Farsi) language. Its development accelerated after the Islamic conquest of Persia (7th century CE), when the Arabic script was adopted and expanded to suit Iranian phonology.

The Persian writing system is an abjad, meaning consonants are written explicitly while short vowels are usually omitted or inferred from context. Long vowels are represented with dedicated letters, and optional diacritics can be used for clarity in educational or religious texts.

The modern Persian alphabet contains 32 letters, including standard Arabic characters and additional letters such as پ, چ, ژ, and گ to represent sounds not found in Arabic.

Persian is written from right to left and is used in literature, administration, education, media, and digital communication in Iran and Persian-speaking communities worldwide. The script is highly cursive, with most letters connecting within words to form continuous flowing shapes.

One of the most distinctive features of Persian writing is its use of contextual letter forms. Characters change shape depending on whether they appear at the beginning, middle, end, or in isolation, creating a dynamic and visually fluid writing system.

Visually, Persian script is smooth and curved, often displayed in elegant calligraphic styles such as Nastaʿlīq, known for its diagonal flow and artistic composition. This style is closely associated with Persian poetry and classical literature.

In summary, the Persian script is a Perso-Arabic abjad adapted for Iranian phonetics, combining connected letterforms, contextual shaping, and calligraphic tradition into a refined and expressive writing system.