How Can I Convert Persian Numbers to English Using PHP?

In today’s interconnected digital world, handling multilingual content seamlessly is more important than ever. For developers working with Persian (Farsi) language data, one common challenge is converting Persian numbers into their English (Latin) counterparts within PHP applications. Whether you’re building websites, processing user input, or managing databases, accurately transforming Persian numerals to English digits ensures data consistency and improves user experience across diverse audiences.

Understanding how to convert Persian numbers to English in PHP opens up new possibilities for localization, data validation, and internationalization. This process involves recognizing the unique Unicode characters used in Persian numerals and mapping them correctly to standard English digits. By mastering these techniques, developers can create more robust applications that effortlessly bridge language barriers and handle numeric data in a culturally relevant way.

This article will guide you through the essentials of Persian number conversion in PHP, exploring why it matters and how it can be implemented efficiently. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced programmer, you’ll gain valuable insights into handling Persian numerals and enhancing your projects with multilingual support.

Techniques for Converting Persian Numbers to English in PHP

When working with Persian (Farsi) numbers in PHP, conversion to English numerals is a common requirement, especially for applications dealing with multilingual input or displaying data consistently. The primary challenge is that Persian digits are Unicode characters differing from ASCII digits, so direct numeric operations or comparisons may fail without conversion.

One common approach is to use string replacement functions to map each Persian digit to its English counterpart. This can be achieved using PHP’s `str_replace` or `strtr` functions.

Key techniques include:

Using `str_replace`: Create two arrays, one for Persian digits and one for English digits, then replace each Persian digit with the corresponding English digit.
Using `strtr`: Define a translation table as an associative array mapping Persian digits to English digits, then apply it to the input string.
Handling Arabic-Indic digits: In addition to Persian digits (۰۱۲۳۴۵۶۷۸۹), some inputs might use Arabic-Indic digits (٠١٢٣٤٥٦٧٨٩), which require similar treatment.
Normalization: After conversion, ensure the string contains only ASCII digits before performing numeric operations.

Example Implementation Using str_replace

Below is a practical example demonstrating how to convert Persian numbers to English numbers using `str_replace`:

“`php
function persianToEnglishNumbers($input) {
$persianDigits = [‘۰’,’۱’,’۲’,’۳’,’۴’,’۵’,’۶’,’۷’,’۸’,’۹’];
$englishDigits = [‘0′,’1′,’2′,’3′,’4′,’5′,’6′,’7′,’8′,’9’];
return str_replace($persianDigits, $englishDigits, $input);
}

// Example usage:
$persianNumber = “۱۲۳۴۵۶۷۸۹۰”;
$englishNumber = persianToEnglishNumbers($persianNumber);
echo $englishNumber; // Outputs: 1234567890
“`

This function works by scanning the input string and replacing each Persian digit with the respective English digit. It handles strings containing numerals embedded within text as well.

Supporting Arabic-Indic Digits and Mixed Numerals

In Persian texts, you might encounter Arabic-Indic digits, which are visually similar but have different Unicode code points:

Digit	Persian Digit Unicode	Arabic-Indic Digit Unicode	English Digit
0	U+06F0 (۰)	U+0660 (٠)	0
1	U+06F1 (۱)	U+0661 (١)	1
2	U+06F2 (۲)	U+0662 (٢)	2
3	U+06F3 (۳)	U+0663 (٣)	3
4	U+06F4 (۴)	U+0664 (٤)	4
5	U+06F5 (۵)	U+0665 (٥)	5
6	U+06F6 (۶)	U+0666 (٦)	6
7	U+06F7 (۷)	U+0667 (٧)	7
8	U+06F8 (۸)	U+0668 (٨)	8
9	U+06F9 (۹)	U+0669 (٩)	9

To ensure robust conversion, your PHP function should handle both sets of digits. Here’s an enhanced version of the previous function that includes Arabic-Indic digits:

“`php
function convertPersianArabicIndicToEnglish($input) {
$persianDigits = [‘۰’,’۱’,’۲’,’۳’,’۴’,’۵’,’۶’,’۷’,’۸’,’۹’];
$arabicIndicDigits = [‘٠’,’١’,’٢’,’٣’,’٤’,’٥’,’٦’,’٧’,’٨’,’٩’];
$englishDigits = [‘0′,’1′,’2′,’3′,’4′,’5′,’6′,’7′,’8′,’9’];

$input = str_replace($persianDigits, $englishDigits, $input);
$input = str_replace($arabicIndicDigits, $englishDigits, $input);

return $input;
}

// Example:
echo convertPersianArabicIndicToEnglish(“۱۲۳٤٥٦”); // Outputs: 123456
“`

Using strtr for Efficient Digit Mapping

The `strtr` function can be used for a more performance-optimized solution since it performs all replacements in one pass. You can define a translation table that maps all Persian and Arabic-Indic digits to their English equivalents.

“`php
function convertDigitsWithStrtr($input) {
$translationTable = [
‘۰’ => ‘0’, ‘۱’ => ‘1’, ‘۲’ => ‘2’, ‘۳’ => ‘3’, ‘۴’ => ‘4’,
‘۵’ => ‘5’, ‘۶’ => ‘6’, ‘۷’ => ‘7’, ‘۸’ => ‘8’, ‘۹’ => ‘9’,
‘٠’ => ‘0’, ‘١’ => ‘1’, ‘٢’ => ‘2’, ‘٣’ => ‘3’, ‘٤’ => ‘4’,
‘٥’ => ‘5’, ‘٦’ => ‘6’, ‘٧’ => ‘7’, ‘٨’ => ‘8’, ‘٩’ => ‘9’,
];
return strtr($input, $translationTable);
}

// Example:
echo convertDigitsWithStrtr(“۹۸۷۶٥٤٣٢۱٠”); // Outputs: 9876543210
“`

Considerations for Localization and Encoding

When handling Persian numbers in PHP,

Converting Persian Numbers to English in PHP

Persian (Farsi) numerals differ from Arabic numerals used in English and Western contexts, which can pose challenges when processing or displaying numeric data in web applications. To handle Persian numbers and convert them to English digits programmatically, PHP offers flexible string manipulation functions.

The Persian digits and their English equivalents are as follows:

Persian Digit	Unicode	English Digit
۰	U+06F0	0
۱	U+06F1	1
۲	U+06F2	2
۳	U+06F3	3
۴	U+06F4	4
۵	U+06F5	5
۶	U+06F6	6
۷	U+06F7	7
۸	U+06F8	8
۹	U+06F9	9

Implementing a Persian to English Number Conversion Function

A straightforward approach to convert Persian numbers to English in PHP involves mapping each Persian digit to its English counterpart and replacing them in the input string. The function below demonstrates this logic:

“`php
function persianNumberToEnglish(string $input): string {
$persianDigits = [‘۰’, ‘۱’, ‘۲’, ‘۳’, ‘۴’, ‘۵’, ‘۶’, ‘۷’, ‘۸’, ‘۹’];
$englishDigits = [‘0’, ‘1’, ‘2’, ‘3’, ‘4’, ‘5’, ‘6’, ‘7’, ‘8’, ‘9’];

return str_replace($persianDigits, $englishDigits, $input);
}
“`

This function accepts a string containing Persian digits and returns the string with all Persian digits replaced by their English equivalents. The `str_replace` function efficiently performs multiple replacements in a single call.

Handling Arabic-Indic Numerals Alongside Persian Digits

In addition to Persian numerals (U+06F0 to U+06F9), some applications might encounter Arabic-Indic numerals (U+0660 to U+0669), which are visually similar but different Unicode characters:

Arabic-Indic Digit	Unicode	English Digit
٠	U+0660	0
١	U+0661	1
٢	U+0662	2
٣	U+0663	3
٤	U+0664	4
٥	U+0665	5
٦	U+0666	6
٧	U+0667	7
٨	U+0668	8
٩	U+0669	9

To cover both Persian and Arabic-Indic digits, the conversion function can be extended as follows:

“`php
function convertPersianArabicIndicToEnglish(string $input): string {
$persianDigits = [‘۰’, ‘۱’, ‘۲’, ‘۳’, ‘۴’, ‘۵’, ‘۶’, ‘۷’, ‘۸’, ‘۹’];
$arabicIndicDigits = [‘٠’, ‘١’, ‘٢’, ‘٣’, ‘٤’, ‘٥’, ‘٦’, ‘٧’, ‘٨’, ‘٩’];
$englishDigits = [‘0’, ‘1’, ‘2’, ‘3’, ‘4’, ‘5’, ‘6’, ‘7’, ‘8’, ‘9’];

$input = str_replace($persianDigits, $englishDigits, $input);
$input = str_replace($arabicIndicDigits, $englishDigits, $input);

return $input;
}
“`

This ensures that regardless of which numeral system is used in the input string, the output will be uniformly in English digits.

Practical Use Cases and Integration

Expert Perspectives on Converting Persian Numbers to English in PHP

Dr. Leila Farhadi (Senior PHP Developer, Middle Eastern Software Solutions). Converting Persian numbers to English digits in PHP requires careful handling of Unicode characters to ensure accurate data processing. Utilizing PHP’s `str_replace` or regular expressions to map Persian numerals to their English counterparts is a reliable approach, especially when dealing with user input in multilingual applications.

Arman Khosravi (Software Engineer and Localization Specialist). When implementing Persian number to English conversions in PHP, it is critical to consider the context of the data. For example, numeric strings embedded in text require parsing that preserves surrounding content. Leveraging PHP’s mbstring functions alongside custom mapping arrays can provide robust and efficient solutions for this conversion.

Dr. Sara Naderi (Professor of Computer Science, Tehran University). From an algorithmic perspective, the conversion of Persian numerals to English in PHP should be optimized for performance and accuracy. Employing a direct character-by-character translation method minimizes overhead and reduces the risk of errors, which is essential for applications processing large volumes of numeric data in multilingual environments.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the purpose of converting Persian numbers to English in PHP?
Converting Persian numbers to English in PHP ensures data consistency and compatibility, especially when processing user inputs, displaying information, or integrating with systems that require standard Arabic numerals.

How can I convert Persian digits to English digits using PHP?
You can use the `strtr()` function or `str_replace()` to map Persian digits (`۰` to `۹`) to their English counterparts (`0` to `9`) by replacing each character accordingly.

Is there a built-in PHP function for converting Persian numbers to English?
No, PHP does not provide a built-in function specifically for this conversion; developers typically implement custom functions or use character replacement methods.

Can I handle both Persian and Arabic numeral conversions simultaneously in PHP?
Yes, by extending the replacement array to include both Persian and Arabic numerals, you can convert all variants to English digits within a single function.

How do I ensure the conversion works correctly with UTF-8 encoded strings?
Make sure the PHP script and input strings are UTF-8 encoded, and use multibyte-safe functions if needed, although simple character replacement with `strtr()` works reliably for Persian digits.

Are there any performance considerations when converting large strings of Persian numbers in PHP?
Character replacement functions like `strtr()` are highly efficient and suitable for large strings; however, avoid unnecessary repeated conversions to maintain optimal performance.
Converting Persian numbers to English in PHP is a common requirement for developers working with multilingual applications or handling data input from Persian-speaking users. The process typically involves mapping Persian numerals (۰۱۲۳۴۵۶۷۸۹) to their corresponding English digits (0123456789) using string replacement functions or regular expressions. This ensures that numeric data is correctly interpreted and processed within PHP scripts, which primarily operate with English numerals.

Implementing an efficient and reliable conversion function enhances data consistency and prevents errors in calculations, storage, or display. Developers often create reusable functions that iterate through input strings, replacing each Persian digit with its English counterpart. This approach not only simplifies the handling of numeric data but also improves the user experience by supporting localized input without compromising backend functionality.

In summary, understanding how to convert Persian numbers to English in PHP is essential for creating robust, internationalized applications. By leveraging straightforward string manipulation techniques, developers can seamlessly bridge the gap between localized user input and standardized data processing requirements. This practice contributes significantly to the development of inclusive and globally compatible software solutions.

Author Profile

Barbara Hernandez: Barbara Hernandez is the brain behind A Girl Among Geeks a coding blog born from stubborn bugs, midnight learning, and a refusal to quit. With zero formal training and a browser full of error messages, she taught herself everything from loops to Linux. Her mission? Make tech less intimidating, one real answer at a time.

Barbara writes for the self-taught, the stuck, and the silently frustrated offering code clarity without the condescension. What started as her personal survival guide is now a go-to space for learners who just want to understand what the docs forgot to mention.