Do I really not need the alphabet?
Really. Spoken Farsi and written Farsi differ systematically — Tehran says mikhâm beram where the page says mikhâham beravam. You learn the spoken version by ear, written in a simple, consistent romanization. A free 8-lesson bonus module teaches the script later, built on words you already know by sound.
Which Farsi is this?
Colloquial Tehrani Persian — the Iranian standard you hear in films, music, family kitchens and the Los Angeles diaspora. Not Dari or Tajik, and not newsreader Farsi (though you get a guided taste of the formal register later, so announcements aren't alien).
Who is speaking?
The English host explains; every Farsi line is a native Iranian voice — a different one for each character. The host never pronounces a new Farsi word, on principle: you should never learn a sound from a non-native mouth.
How much time does it take?
About forty minutes per lesson: a 5–8 minute video, a 10–15 minute drill you can do on a walk, and a short PDF. Three lessons a week is the pace the course is designed for; the drills replay well on a review day.
I grew up hearing Farsi. Is this too basic?
Heritage learners usually understand far more than they can produce. The drills force production, the culture notes explain the things nobody explained, and Units 2–3 (the verb machine, taarof at the bill, directions, the clock) are where most heritage speakers find the gaps. Start at Lesson 11 if Unit 1 feels easy.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes — it's a website that installs like an app. Videos and drills play on iPhone and Android, the drills are audio-only — phone in your pocket — and progress is saved on your device.
The learner
The coach
The wildcard
The boss