Although written with Arabic script, Persian is an Indo-European language and relatively easy to learn. Many of the patterns will be familiar to you if you have learned other European languages and many simple words are quite similar. They also use many Arabic loan words but with persian grammatical form.
To learn the language I recommend "Colloquial Persian" by Abdi Rafiee.
Agha Rafiee also teaches classes in London here
A pirated versian of the old edition is also available in Teheran. Go to Enghelab Square and search (Google won't help you here!).
Basic Survival Words
Where is the...?: ...kojaast?
Some Common Words
hello: saalam
I: man
you: to (to)(informal)(singular, slang)- shoma(formal singular,plural).
we: maa.
please: lotfan
thankyou: tashakor or merci or mamnoon "or" kheilee mamnoon.
goodbye: khodaa-haafez.
where: kojaa.
when: key(kei)
why: cheraa
whats wrong: chi shod
nothing: hichchi
friend: doost
money: pul
beautiful: zibaa(zee-baa)
Pretty: Ghashang / (Khoshgel)/ magbool
smart: bahoosh (baaa-whosh) or zerang
car: masheen
colour: rang
girl: dokhtar (dokh-tar)
boy: pesar/ bacha
Father: pedar
Mother: maadar
I want: mikham (mee-kham)
I don't know: Nemeedoonam (Nemi- Doonam) or nemifahmam (I don't understand)
grandmother: maamaan bozorg
good: khoob "or" khoobee
lady: khaanoom (khaa-noom)
man: aagha/mard
what: chi
OK: khob or baashe
bathroom: hammaam)/tashnaab
tree: derakht
hospital: beemarestan (bimarestan)/ shaf-a-khana
fizzy drink : nooshaabeh/nooshedanee
pizza: peetza
sandwich : saandehvich
water: aab
help: komak
hand: dest
foot: paay
sport: varzesh
city: shahr
country: keshvar
music: moosighi
book: ketaab
what time is it?: saa`at chande?
excuse me: bebakhshid
goodbye: khodaa hafez or khodaa negahdaar
see you later: ba`dan mibinamet
don't: nakon
how: chetouri
food: ghazaa
i love you: Aasheghetam (aash-egh-ett-amm) or man toro doostet daram (Dooset daaram_ common way to say "i love you"_ )
thing: cheez
darling: azizam (az -zi-zam)
my love: eshgheman (esh-ghe-man)
clothes: lebaas
play: baazi
shopping: kharid (khar-eed)
house: khaane
dog: sag
cat: gorbeh/ peshack
fish: maahee
black: seeyah
white: sefeed
green: sabz
red: ghermez/sork
blue: aabee
pink: sooratee/ sherchaee
yellow: zard
brown: ghahve-ee
picture: aks
