Pashto (پښتو), also called Pakhto, Pashtu, Pakhtu, Paxto, Paxtu, Pushto, Pushtu, Pukhtu, or Puxtu, is the first official language of Afghanistan spoken by the majority ethnic population of the country, the Pashtuns or Pashtoons, in Pashtunkhwa (North West Frontier) Province of Pakistan and by the Pashtun Diaspora around the world (an estimate says that 40 hundred thousands Pashtuns live only in Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest city). This ancient language belongs to the Eastern-Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian language family. There is a particular focus on learning this literature-rich language of the Afghans due to the ongoing war on terror and the increasing interest of the world to learn about the language, the Pashtuns, their culture and customs.

 Learning Pashto is as learning any language of the world: the learners have to have an interest in the language and its culture, willingness to learn and access to resources they need. As the Pashto language has never enjoyed patronage of any emperor or any powerful and independent state throughout history, but had been a target of the regional powers until late, and has managed to survive through continuous attempts against its existence, there are not as much learning resources available for it as for the other languages of the world. Yet enough books of grammar, about the usage of the language, and dictionaries from Pashto to other languages and vice versa have been written and printed and are available today that can help those who are keen to achieve their goals.

 Fortunately, for Pashto learners around the world who do not have access to the printed material, there are online resources which can be proved helpful and useful in improving their reading, writing and speaking skills of Pasho. There are websites which have free libraries where you may find books about Pashto grammar, usage, general information, proverbs, idioms, etymology, etc. On other websites you can listen to music, news programs, and political discussions and so on. Regular visits to these websites and practicing your reading and writing will improve your skills in no time.

 Useful websites

 www.qamosona.com. Qamoos (قاموس) or seend (سيند) means dictionary in Pashto. This website has several free dictionaries from/to Pashto. You can download them or use tehm online.

 www.mylanguageexchange.com. On this website you can find or become a language partner. If you are English speaking and want to find someone who speaks Pashto for language and help exchange, just sign up and do a search. You will find Pashto speaking people who want to meet English speaking people to improve their English. There are other similar websites, such as www.sharedtalk.com, which you can find by googling ‘language partner.’

 Reading Pashto

 To identify Pashto alphabets and their sounds, this wikipedia article may help you (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pashto_language). And this is more useful (http://www.omniglot.com/writing/pashto.htm). Here are complete lessons with pronunciations and pictures. (http://www.afghanan.net/pashto/pashto/learn/phon.htm). After identifying the alphabets, you can visit these websites to read Pashto articles and discussions: www.tolafghan.com, www.benawa.com, www.taand.com, and www.romaal.com. Pajhwok Afghan News (www.pajhwok.com) publishes the same news stories in both English and Pashto and in Dari as well. But you have to subscribe to access. www.tolafghan.com has a library (کتابتون) where you access free books. And there is a forum (د بحث فورمونه) where you can discuss things with other members, primarily Pashtuns. The same you can do at www.khyberwatch.com forum.

 Listening to Pashto

 Listening to Pashto programs can improve your understanding and speaking skills of the language. www.bbcpashto.com, www.voadeewa.com, and www.azadiradio.org can help you in this. You can listen to Pashto music on www.mastana.net and watch videos on www.youtube.com. Several more websites also have similar content which you can find by searching on google. (Do not search for sex or pornographic material in Pashto as you will find nothing).

 The use of Pashto ya (د پښتو ياگانو استعمال)

 There are five yas (ياگانې) used in Pashto: ى، ي، ې، ئ، ۍ Following are some examples for the proper usage of each:

 ى is called small ya and is used primarily in singular words. It is silent if it comes after alif (ا), for example, خداى (God), ځاى (place). Examples of its usage in singular words:

 سړى (man); منګى (pottery water-pot); ملګرى (colleague)

زما ورور زما ملګرى هم دى

My brother is also my colleague.

 Hint: In the Pashto script that is used in Pakistan, ے is used instead of ى. So they write the above words like this: سړے, منګے, ملګرے.

ي called big ya and is used primarily in plural words. Examples:

 سړي (men); منګي (pottery water-pots); ملګري (colleagues)

انجلۍ دوه منګي په سر کړي دي

The girl is carrying two water-pots.

 When it is not used at the end of the word, it is not necessary to be used only in plural words. Examples:

 مينه (love); حسينه (beautiful); مشين (machine)

 ې called soft ya and is used primarily in words with deep sound. Examples:

 سندرې (songs); پاڼې (pages); پستې (soft); وړې (small)

 When it is not used at the end of the word, it is not necessary to be used only in plural words. Examples:

 مېنه (house; fort); پېغله (a maid);

 ئ is another Pashto ya used only in words of command. Examples:

 لاړ شئ (go), مه ځئ (do not go), کار بس کړئ (stop working)

که غواړئ چې بريالي شئ نو زيار وکاږئ.

If you want to succeed, work hard.

 ۍ is the fifth and last ya used primarily in feminine words. Examples:

انجلۍ (a girl), سپوږمۍ (the moon), کورنۍ (a family).

ما د ښاپېرۍ کيسه ولوسته.

I read the fairy tale.

 Remember that this ya is used only at the end of the words.

 Pashto vocabulary

 Here is some general and technical Pashto vocabulary you may find helpful.

 Ghag (غږ): voice; sound

Atann (اتڼ): dance

Shaer (شاعر): poet

Kitab (کتاب): book

Tolga (ټولگه): collection

Loomray (لومړى): first

Chaap (چاپ): print

Daaley (ډالۍ): present; gift

Moar (مور): mother

Plar (پلار): father

Wror (ورور): brother

Khor (خور): sister

Aokhai (اوښى): brother-in-law

Kheena (ښينه): sister-in-law

Khusar (خسر): father-in-law

Khwakhey (خواښې): mother-in-law

Trah (تره): uncle (father’s brother)

Mama (ماما): uncle (mother’s brother)

Da trah zoye (د تره ځوى): cousin (male)

Da trah loor (د تره لور): cousin (female)

Wraz (ورځ): day

Shpah (شپه): night

Miasht (مياشت): month

Kall (کال): year

Halak (هلک): boy

Kor (کور): home; house

Zhond (ژوند): life

Khog, khozh (خوږ): sweet, dear

Zrah (زړه): heart

Lass (لاس): hand

Pakha (پښه): foot

Khidmat (خدمت): service

Dard (درد): pain

Leekwal (ليکوال): writer

Hewad (هېواد): country

Musiqi (موسيقي): music

Ghareeb (غريب): poor

Khukalai (ښکلى): smart

Khukale (ښکلې): beautiful, attractive

Jannat (جنت): paradise

Shpelai (شپېلۍ): flute

Shoondey (شونډې): lips

Rooh (روح): soul

Ghar (غر): hill

Zmaka (ځمکه): earth, land

Pattai (پټى): field

Jagrah (جګړه): war

Shkharah (شخړه): conflict

Deewa (ډيوه): candle

Zhaba (ژبه): tongue

Muska (موسکا): smile

Khanda (خندا): laugher

Mazi or ter wakh (ماضي يا تېر وخت): past

Ratloonkai (راتلونکى): future

Khoowanzai or Shoowanzai (ښوونځى): school

Wolaswali (ولسوالي): district

Welayat or ayalat (ولايت يا ايالت): province; state

Zaroorat or arrtiya ( ضرورت يا اړتيا): need

Maloomat (مالومات): information

 If you need anything else, or have a question or any suggestion, please write it down below in the comments section. I or someone else will answer your questions and will try to provide you the information you need. I hope we will have an informative and useful discussion here about how to learn Pashto. You also can post links to online materials that you think are useful for learning Pashto. If you are a Pashtun, and you are fluent in your language and have experience in teaching it or have time to teach it, write your name and email address in the comments section below and the Pashto learners will contact you.

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