English proverbs (B) پښتو متلونه

C

(533) Calamity is the touch stone of a brave mind.
(٥٣٣) په مصيبت کې د بهادرۍ پته لګي.
(534) Calamities make great talkers.
(٥٣٤) مصيبتونه په خلکو خبرې کوي.
(535) Calculate well before you speak.
(٥٣٥) اول سوچ کوه بيا وايه.
(536) Call a spade a spade.
(٥٣٦) سپين ته سپين او تور ته تور ويل.
(537) Call not the devil; he will come fast.
(٥٣٧) د شېطان نوم مه اخله سمدستي راځي.
(538) Care follows increasing wealth and the desire for greater things.
(٥٣٨) چې څومره دولت زياتېږي هومره ورسره لالچ او فکر هم زياتېږي.
(539) Can the Ethiopian change his skin?
(٥٣٩) تور رنګ په صابون نه سپينېږي.
(540) Cares passes every age.
(٥٤٠) سودايي د سودا نه نه خلاصېږي.
(541) Carrion crows bewail the dead sheep and then eat them.
(٥٤١) کارغان اول شور کوي بيا مردارى خوري.
(542) Cast not dust into the well that gives you water.
(٥٤٢) په کوم لوښي کې چې خورې په هغې کې غول مه کوه.
(543) Cast not forth the old water till the new comes in.
(٥٤٣) چې تر څو دې نوې مزدوري نه وي موندلې د زړې نه لاس مه وينځه.
(544) Catch not at the shadow and lose the substance.
(٥٤٤) غوږ يې بچ کاوه پوزه يې پرې شوه.
(545) Catch the bear before you sell his skin.
(٥٤٥) خيالي پلاوونه مه پخوه.
(546) Caution is the parent of safety.
(٥٤٦) د حفاظت لپاره احتياط ضروري دى.
(547) Chance contrives better than we ourselves.
(٥٤٧) په دنيا د چانس حکومت دى.
(548) Chance makes relations; choice makes friends.
(٥٤٨) خپلوي په تصادف او دوستي په خوښه جوړېږي.
(549) Change your pleasure, but never change your friends.
(٥٤٩) شغل بدلوه خو دوستان مه بدلوه.
(550) Changing of words is lighting of hearts.
(٥٥٠) يو بل ته په حال ويلو زړونه سپکېږي.
(551) Charity begins at home.
(٥٥١) اول ځان دى بيا جهان دى.
(552) Charity gives herself rich; covetousness hoards itself poor.
(٥٥٢) انسان په خېرات ورکولو شتمن او په لالچ کولو غريب ښکاري.
(553) Chastity once tarnished can be restored by no art.
(٥٥٣) د ښځې په لمن چې يو ځل داغ ولګېده بيا نه پاکېږي.
(554) Cheat me in the price, but not in the goods.
(٥٥٤) ګران يې راکه خو ښه راکه.
(555) Cheats never prosper.
(٥٥٥) د دوکې انجام ناکامي!
(556) Child is the father of man.
(٥٥٦) د نن ماشومان د سبا پلاران دي.
(557) Children and fools tell the truth.
(٥٥٧) د ماشومانو او احمقانو په خوله کې خبره نه ټينګېږي.
(558) Children are certain care, but very uncertain comforts.
(٥٥٨) په ماشومانو به ته پام خامخا کوې خو په تا؟ خداى خبر!
(559) Children are poor man’s riches.
(٥٥٩) د غريب دولت د هغه بچي دي.
(560) Children are what you make them.
(٥٦٠) د ماشومانو مازغه د سپينې پاڼې په څېر وي چې څه پرې ليکې پرې ليکل کېداى شي.
(561) Chips of the same block.
(٥٦١) د يوې سوړې ماران.
(562) Choose neither a woman nor linen by candle light.
(٥٦٢) ښځه او رخت د ورځې په رڼا کې ګوره بيا يې اخله.
(563) Choose not a house near an inn, or in a corner.
(٥٦٣) کور مه د بازار په څنګ کې اخله مه يې ترې ليرې.
(564) Christmas comes but once a year.
(٥٦٤) اختر هره ورځ نه راځي.
(565) Circumstances alter cases.
(٥٦٥) حالات معاملات بدلوي.
(566) Cleanliness is a fine life-preserver.
(٥٦٦) پاکوالى نيم ايمان دى.
(567) Claw me and I will claw thee.
(٥٦٧) ته له ما جار، زه له تا جار.
(568) Cleanliness is next to godliness.
(٥٦٨) پاکوالى بزرګۍ سره په دويمه درجه دى.
(569) Cleverness seeks cleverness.
(٥٦٩) اوسپنه په اوسپنه غوڅېږي.
(570) Close sits my shirt, but closer my skin.
(٥٧٠) خپل خپل او پردى پردى وي.
(571) Come not to the counsel uncalled.
(٥٧١) بې غوښتنې مشوره مه ورکوه.
(572) Companionship with a powerful person is never to be trusted.
(٥٧٢) د زورور په دوستۍ اتبار مه کوه.
(573) Coming events cast their shadows before hand.
(٥٧٣) د نر ځوى په زانګو کې پته لګي.
(574) Comparisons are odious.
(٥٧٤) مقايسې خوا بدوونکې وي.
(575) Condition makes and condition breaks.
(٥٧٥) حالات جوړول کا او حالات ماتول کا.
(576) Confidence begets confidence.
(٥٧٦) د زړه نه زړه ته لار وي.
(577) Conscience is a god to all mortals.
(٥٧٧) ضمير د ټولو انسانانو خداى دى.
(578) Consider that a friend may be made out of an enemy.
(٥٧٨) د دښمن نه هم دوست جوړېدلى شي.
(579) Confidence, like the soul, never returns thither whence it has departed.
(٥٧٩) د اعتبار مثال د روح دى، چې يو ځل لاړ، لاړ.
(580) Conscience places a bridle upon the tongue.
(٥٨٠) ضمير د ژبې قېضه ده.
(581) Confidence placed in another often compels confidence return.
(٥٨١) د اعتبار نه اعتبار پېدا کېږي.
(582) Contented with your lot, you will live wisely.
(٥٨٢) په خپل قسمت قانع اوسه ژوند به دې ښه تېرېږي.
(583) Counsel is never out of date.
(٥٨٣) مشوره هر وخت اخله.
(584) Courage is often caused by fear.
(٥٨٤) که ګور ګران دى د مړي ناکام دى.
(585) Courtesy costs nothing.
(٥٨٥) په ښو اخلاقو خرچه نه کېږي.
(586) Courtesy is cumbersome to him that knows it not.
(٥٨٦) په شرم دې هغه وشرمېږي چې په شرم پوهېږي.
(587) Courtesy on one side only lasts not long.
(٥٨٧) يو طرفه اخلاق تلپاتې نه وي.
(588) Courts have no almanacs.
(٥٨٨) د ځنګل د پاچا خپله خوښه ده چې بچي راوړي که اګۍ!
(589) Covetousness breaks the bag.
(٥٨٩) لالچ هيڅ ګټه نلري.
(590) Covetousness is generally incureable.
(٥٩٠) تمه هيڅ علاج نلري.
(591) Cowardice is the mother of cruelty.
(٥٩١) ډارنتيا د ظلم مور ده.
(592) Crafty men deal in generalities.
(٥٩٢) مکار خلک نېغه خبره نه کوي.
(593) Creep before you gang.
(٥٩٣) له منډې وړاندې تلل زده کړه.
(594) Criticism is easy and art is difficult.
(٥٩٤) تنقيد کول اسان دي، کار کول ګران.
(595) Crooked by nature is never made straight by education.
(٥٩٥) د سپي لکۍ په زور نه سمېږي.
(596) Crust cows have short horns.
(٥٩٦) خداى دې خره له ښکر نه ورکوي.
(597) Custon is the guide of the ignorant.
(٥٩٧) جاهلان په زړو کيسو پسې ګرځي.
(598) Cut your coat according to your cloth.
(٥٩٨) د خپل څادر سره پښې غځوه.

English Proverbs (A) پښتو متلونه

B

(428) Back again, like a bad penny.
(٤٢٨) بد عادتونه په اسانۍ سره نه ځي.
(429) Bad company is the devil’s net.
(٤٢٩) خراب ملګري د شېطان جال دى.
(430) Bad counsel confounds the adviser.
(٤٣٠) څوک چې اسمان ته لاړې توکي بېرته په هغه راپرېوځي.
(431) Bad customs are better broken up than kept up.
(٤٣١) د بدو رواجونو د پوره کولو نه پرېښودل غوره دي.
(432) Bad excuses are worse than none.
(٤٣٢) د درواغجنو بهانو نه يو “نه” ښه دى.
(433) Bald heads are soon shaven.
(٤٣٣) چې بخت خراب شي مصيبت صبر نه کوي.
(434) Barking dogs seldom bite.
(٤٣٤) چې ډېرې غوريږي هغه ورېږي نه.
(435) Bashfulness is an enemy to success.
(٤٣٥) په شرع کې شرم نيشته.
(436) Be a friend to thyself and others will be so too.
(٤٣٦) عزت کوه عزت به دې کېږي.
(437) Be always in time, too late is a crime.
(٤٣٧) چې ناوخته يې بدبخته يې.
(438) Be it weal or be it woe, it shall not be always so.
(٤٣٨) وختونه بدلېږي رابدلېږي، کله درياب کله کرياب.
(439) Be not ashamed of your handicraft.
(٤٣٩) په کار کې شرم نيشته.
(440) Be not the first to quarrel, nor the last to make it up.
(٤٤٠) په جنګ کې پېل مه کوه او په صلح کې ځنډ.
(441) Be spring in praising and more so in blaming.
(٤٤١) د چا ستاينه په احتياط کوه او نيوکه د هغې نه هم په زيات احتياط.
(442) Be surety, and danger is at hand.
(٤٤٢) ضمانت کې خطره خو وي.
(443) Be never so high, the law is above you.
(٤٤٣) د سر د پاسه سر شته.
(444) Bear and forbear.
(٤٤٤) د صبر مېوه خوږه وي.
(445) Beat the dot before the lion.
(٤٤٥) اول د مخامخ خطرې نه ځان خلاص کړه.
(446) Beauty and folly are often companion.
(٤٤٦) ښايست اکثر احمق وي.
(447) Beauty has a short date.
(٤٤٧) ښايست د ژمي ماځيګر دى تېر به شينه.
(448) Beauty is blossom.
(٤٤٨) د ګل عمر دوه ورځې وي.
(449) Beauty is potent but money is omnipotent.
(٤٤٩) ښکلا کې قوت شته خو د دولت قوت ته نه رسي.
(450) Beauty without grace is a violet without smell.
(٤٥٠) ښايست بې کماله لکه ګل بې خوشبويه.
(451) Bees that have honey in their mouth have stings in their tails.
(٤٥١) د ګل سره ازغي خامخا وي.
(452) Before old age my care was to live well, in old age, to die well.
(٤٥٢) په ځوانۍ کې د ښه ژوند او په پيرۍ کې د ښه مرګ فکر وي.
(453) Beggar’s bags are bottomless.
(٤٥٣) د سوالګر خېټه نه ډکېږي.
(454) Beggars must be no choosers.
(٤٥٤) زه دې دوکان ته نه پرېږدم ته وايې چې درانه يې وتله.
(455) Being on sea, sail; being on land, settle.
(٤٥٥) چې چېرې وسې په مذهب به د هغو شې.
(456) Believe that you have it, and you have it.
(٤٥٦) قناعت ستر دولت دى.
(457) Believe well and have well.
(٤٥٧) ښه کوه ښه به درسره کېږي.
(458) Bells call others to church, but enter not in themselves.
(٤٥٨) ملا بل ته مسئلې کوي پخپله پرې حملې کوي.
(459) Benefits please like flowers, while they are fresh.
(٤٥٩) ښه ژر هېرېږي.
(460) Best is best.
(٤٦٠) ښه ښه وي.
(461) Best is cheapest.
(٤٦١) چې نه پوهېږې ښه شى اخله.
(462) Best to bend while it’s twig.
(٤٦٢) عادتونه په ماشوموالي کې بدلېدى شي.
(463) Betrayers are hatred even by those whom they benefit.
(٤٦٣) غدار د هر چا بدي شي.
(464) Better a good expectation than a mean possession.
(٤٦٤) دنيا په امېد ولاړه ده.
(465) Better a penny with right than a thousand without.
(٤٦٥) يوه روپۍ حلاله د يو لک حرامو روپيو نه ښه ده.
(466) Better be alone than in ill company.
(٤٦٦) بدو خلکو سره د کېناستو نه ځانله ښه يې.
(467) Better be born lucky than wise.
(٤٦٧) عقل مه غواړه طالع غواړه رحمانه، عقلمند د طالعمنو نوکران دي.
(468) Better be half-hanged than ill-wed.
(٤٦٨) د بدلمنې ښځې نه لونډ ښه يې.
(469) Better be idle than ill-employed.
(٤٦٩) د بد کار کولو نه بېکاره ښه يې.
(470) Better be proficient in one art than smattered in a hundred.
(٤٧٠) په سلو کارونو کې د سر نښلولو نه د يو کار بشپړول ښه دي.
(471) Better deny at once than promise long.
(٤٧١) د نه پوره کېدونکو وعدو کولو نه “نه” کول ښه دي.
(472) Better do it than with it done.
(٤٧٢) د يو کار په باره کې د سوچ کولو نه ښه دا ده چې هغه کار وکړې.
(473) Better die once for all than live in continual terror.
(٤٧٣) د هرې ورځې د وېرې ډار نه مرګ ښه دى.
(474) Better go about than fall in a ditch.
(٤٧٤) په نېغه لار ځه که اوږده هم وي.
(475) Better go back than go wrong.
(٤٧٥) په غلطه لار د وړاندې تلو نه بېرته ستنېدل ښه دي.
(476) Better go to bed supperless than rice in debt.
(٤٧٦) په پور د خوړلو نه نهر ويده کېدل ښه دي.
(477) Better go to heaven in rags than to hell in embroidery.
(٤٧٧) د ناروا ګټې نه غريب ښه يې.
(478) Better go without medicine than call in an unskillful physician.
(٤٧٨) نيمچه حکيم پوره خطر دى.
(479) Better half an egg than an empty shell.
(٤٧٩) د خالي لوښي نه نيمه اګۍ هم ښه ده.
(480) Better ill-fed than ill-bred.
(٤٨٠) نهر ښه يې خو نه بې لارې.
(481) Better lose a jest than lose a friend.
(٤٨١) د داسې ټوکې کولو نه يې نه کول ښه دي چې دوست پرې خفه شي.
(482) Better short of pence than short of sense.
(٤٨٢) بې پېسو ښه يې نه بې عقله.
(483) Better still rise and fall.
(٤٨٣) د خپل څادر سره پښې غځول ښه دي.
(484) Better small fish than an empty dish.
(٤٨٤) د خالي لوښي نه ښه دا ده چې څه خو پکښې وي.
(485) Better suffer for truth than prosper by falsehood.
(٤٨٥) د حق زحمت د درواغو د راحت نه ښه دى.
(486) Better suffer ill than do ill.
(٤٨٦) غم په خپله زغمه نورو ته يې مه ورکوه.
(487) Better the feet sleep than the tongue.
(٤٨٧) د پښې ښويېدل ښه دي نه د ژبې.
(488) Better thou perish than truth.
(٤٨٨) د حق په لار کې د مرګ نه مه ويرېږه.
(489) Better go ask than go astray.
(٤٨٩) په غلطه لار د تللو نه ښه دا ده چې پوښتنه وکړې.
(490) Better to be blind than to see ill.
(٤٩٠) د بد نظر د اچولو په ځاى ړوند ښه يې.
(491) Better to die a beggar than live a beggar.
(٤٩١) د ذلت د ژوند نه مرګ ښه دى.
(492) Better to trust in God than in His saints.
(٤٩٢) په وليانو د عقيدې نه ښه دا ده چې په خداى عقيده وساتې.
(493) Better untaught than ill-taught.
(٤٩٣) د خراب تعليم نه بې تعليمه ښه يې.
(494) Between the devil and the deep sea.
(٤٩٤) چې نه مخکې لار لرې او نه وروسته تلى شې.
(495) Beware of a silent dog and still water.
(٤٩٥) د ژمي په لمر او د دښمن په خندا اعتبار نشته.
(496) Beware of him who regards not his own reputation.
(٤٩٦) چې د ځان عزت نه پېژني نو د بل به څه وپېژني؟
(497) Beware of no man more than thyself.
(٤٩٧) ښه او بد دې په خپل لاس کې دي.
(498) Beware of one who flatters unduly; he will also censury unjustly.
(٤٩٨) چې څوک دې هيڅ بې هيڅه ستاينې کوي هغه به دې هيڅ بې هيڅه بد هم وايي.
(499) Birds of feather flock together.
(٤٩٩) کوتره له کوترې سره او باز له باز سره.
(500) Black is the badge of hell.
(٥٠٠) تورتم د دوزخ نخښه ده.
(501) Black will take no other hue.
(٥٠١) په تور بل رنګ نه خېژي.
(502) Blame is the lazy man’s wages.
(٥٠٢) د ناراسته سړي معاش څه؟ خبرې!
(503) Blind zeal only does harm.
(٥٠٣) ړوند جذباتيت د زيان سبب جوړېږي.
(504) Blood is thicker than water.
(٥٠٤) لاس چې مات شي خپلې غاړې له ځي.
(505) Blow will answer blows.
(٥٠٥) د سُوک ځواب په سُوک.
(506) Blushing is virtue’s colour.
(٥٠٦) شرم د حيا نخښه ده.
(507) Bodies devoid of mind are as statues in the market-place.
(٥٠٧) د بې عقله سړي مثال د بُت دى.
(508) Bodily labour earns not much.
(٥٠٨) په مزدورۍ څه کېږي.
(509) Bones for those who come late.
(٥٠٩) ناوخته کولو کې تاوان دى.
(510) Books and friends should be few and good.
(٥١٠) کتابونه او دوستان لږ خو ښه ساته.
(511) Borrowed cats catch no mice.
(٥١١) د سوال په اوبو جرنده نه ګرځي.
(512) Brave actions never want a trumpet.
(٥١٢) ښه کارونه څوک د نوم لپاره نه کوي.
(513) Bright to sight, heart’s delight.
(٥١٣) کوم شى چې په زړه ښه ولګي هغه زړه خوشحالوي.
(514) Bring not a bagpipe to a man in trouble.
(٥١٤) په زهيرو زړونو ګوتې مه وهه.
(515) Broken sacks will hold no corn.
(٥١٥) مات شوي زړونه نه روغېږي.
(516) Brothers quarrel like thieves inside a house, but outside their swords leap out in each other’s defense.
(٥١٦) ورونه که د کور دننه د يو بل وينې هم وڅکي خو له کوره بهر بيا د يو بل ملاتړ ته رادانګي.
(517) Building and marrying of children are great wasters.
(٥١٧) په کور جوړولو او واده کولو پېسې خو لګي.
(518) Bullies are generally cowards.
(٥١٨) څوک چې لاپې وهي هغه ډارن وي.
(519) Burns not your hose to fright away the mice.
(٥١٩) په سپږه پسې لمڅى سوځول.
(520) Business neglected, business lost.
(٤٢٠) په کار کې بې پرواهي کار له منځه وړي.
(521) Business is the salt of life.
(٥٢١) د ژوند خوند خو په کار دى.
(522) But one egg and that too addled.
(٥٢٢) يوه ها او هغه هم سخا!
(523) Buy what you do not want, and you will sell what you cannot spare.
(٥٢٣) چې بې ضرورته شيان دې اخيستل نو د ضروري شيانو خرڅولو ته به اړ کېږې.
(524) Buyers want a hundred eyes; sellers none.
(٥٢٤) اخيستونکى خپل زړه ته ګوري، خرڅوونکى خپل ته.
(525) By taking always out and never putting in, the bottom is soon reached.
(٥٢٥) چې خوراک وي او ګټه نه وي د قارون خزانه هم ختمېږي.
(526) By doing nothing we learn to do ill.
(٥٢٦) د وزګار په مزغو کې شېطان ناست وي.
(527) By losing present time we lose all time.
(٥٢٧) وخت له لاسه ورکول هر څه له لاسه ورکول دي.
(528) By other’s faults wise men correct their own.
(٥٢٨) عقل د کم عقلو نه زده کېږي.
(529) By time all things are produced and judged.
(٥٢٩) وخت ښه قاضي دى.
(530) By trying the Greeks got into try.
(٥٣٠) په همت هر څه کېږي.
(531) By bearing with others, you shall be borne with.
(٥٣١) څه چې کرې هغه به رېبې.
(532) By his very concealment he added fame to fame.
(٥٣٢) مشهور چې ورک شو نور مشهور شو.

Continue to English proverbs (C) پښتو متلونه

The other day, a former Bagram detainee told a very interesting story. We were talking about the innocent Afghans that are arrested by the international forces mistakenly or someone told on them for personal grudges, bounties etc. As majority of the prisoners arrested during the anti-terror war are from the southern and eastern Pashtun provinces of Afghanistan, they claim that their being Pashtun was a major factor that has been contributing to their atrocities during the arrest and post-arrest situations.

Then we talked about the problems of mistranslations and misinterpretations that often led several innocent people end up in Bagram or Guantanamo, the notorious detention U.S. Navel facility in Cuba.

The former Bagram detainee said that many of the detainees from the southern Afghan provinces – Kandahar, Zabul, Oruzgan, Helmand, and even Ghazni – had ended up in Bagram or Guantanamo just because the international forces and their American/European interpreters did not completely understand the local dialect. In many cases, a ‘ya’ is the detainee’s ticket to Bagram or Guantanamo!

The Pashto language has many dialects (click here for more details about this). Pashtuns from the Northern Pashtunkhwa (N.W.F.P.) province of Pakistan, the tribal areas, and from the eastern and central provinces in Afghanistan use the word ‘na’ for ‘no’ and ‘ho’ for ‘yes.’ But Pashtuns from Southern Pashtunkhwa (parts of Baluchistan including Quetta) province of Pakistan and from the southern provinces of Afghanistan use the word ‘ya’ for ‘no’ and ‘ho’ for ‘yes.’ Interpreters and translators who come to Afghanistan from the U.S. and Europe speak better English but don’t possess much knowledge about the local languages and the differences between the dialects. As a result, when they go to the remote areas of the country and question local people, they can’t convey the message properly to the locals and don’t understand their answers which then create problems for both the Afghans and the international forces.

Thus, when the forces raid a house in the south, and ask the men there: ‘Are you Taliban?’ Naturally, they will reply ‘ya.’ The international forces and their interpreters take this as ‘yes’ and arrest the innocent poor people. This is again repeated during the interrogation process. When the interrogators ask a detainee: ‘Do you have ties with the Taliban or insurgents?’ The detainee replies: ‘ya’. He means ‘no’ but because the interpreters don’t know this dialect difference, they take it as his confession and put him into jail. The poor people end up in Bagram or Guantanamo, subjected to torture and many years’ unlawful detention.

Also Read: Translating into Pashto: Some Common Mistakes.

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.