Balochi (بلوچی) is a fascinating language spoken by approximately 8 million people across Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. A Northwestern Iranian language — related to Kurdish and Persian, but distinct from Urdu and Pashto — Balochi carries a millennia-old nomadic culture, extraordinary epic poetry and a code of honour (Balochiyat) that structures all of Baloch society. No platform in the world teaches Balochi online. Targumi is the first.
History of the Balochi Language
Balochi belongs to the Northwestern Iranian branch of the Indo-European family. Its closest linguistic relatives are Kurdish and Zazaki, NOT Persian or Urdu (which belong to other branches). The Baloch people are believed to have originated from the Caspian Sea region, migrating southeastward between the 6th and 11th centuries.
Balochistan — literally "the land of the Baloch" — is today divided between three countries: Pakistan (Balochistan Province, 13 million inhabitants), Iran (Sistan-Baluchestan Province, 3 million) and Afghanistan (Nimroz and Helmand provinces). This colonial division, inherited from the Goldsmid Line (1871) and the Durand Line (1893), fragmented the Baloch people without their consent.
Baloch literary history is dominated by epic poetry. The poem "Hani and Sheh Mureed" — the tragic love story of a warrior and a princess — is considered the Baloch equivalent of Romeo and Juliet. The oral poetic tradition (shair) remains alive in tribal gatherings.
Writing System
Balochi is primarily written in modified Arabic script, with variations by country:
- In Pakistan: Nastaliq script (like Urdu), with additional letters
- In Iran: Naskh script (like Persian)
- Online: some use the Latin alphabet (romanisation)
- Present: Man kitab waning = I (nominative) book read = "I read a book"
- Past: Mana kitab want = Me (ergative) book read = "I read a book"
- Man kitab waning = I book read = "I read a book"
- Mard = man (masculine)
- Zan = woman (feminine)
- Gis-a = house-in = "in the house"
- Man-a = me-for = "for me"
- Mehmanwazi (hospitality): a guest is sacred, even if they are your enemy
- Namus (honour): protection of family and tribe
- Bahaduri (bravery): courage in the face of adversity
- Paymani (keeping one's word): never betray a promise
- Oman: 500,000+ Baloch (some sources say up to 1 million), present for centuries
- United Arab Emirates: significant community in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
- Persian Gulf: Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait
- Europe: communities in the UK (London, Birmingham), Scandinavia
- Australia: growing community
| Letter |
| Sound |
| -------- |
| ------- |
| ب |
| as in English "book" |
| پ |
| as in English "pen" |
| ت |
| as in English "tea" |
| ٹ |
| retroflex "t" (tongue curled back) |
| ج |
| as in English "jam" |
| چ |
| as in English "church" |
| د |
| as in English "day" |
| ڈ |
| retroflex "d" |
| ر |
| rolled "r" |
| ز |
| as in English "zoo" |
| ژ |
| as in "measure" |
| ش |
| as in English "shoe" |
| گ |
| as in English "go" |
| Sound |
| Example (romanised) |
| ------- |
| --------- |
| a |
| ap (water) |
| a |
| dad (justice) |
| i |
| dit (heart) |
| i |
| zind (life) |
| u |
| gul (flower) |
| u |
| dur (far) |
| e |
| del (heart, dialect) |
| o |
| gok (cow) |
| c |
| cuk (child) |
| s |
| sap (night) |
| z |
| zan (woman) |
| gh |
| gham (sorrow) |
| Balochi (romanised) |
| -------------------- |
| Salam |
| Xuda hafiz |
| Bassa |
| Mihr-bani |
| A |
| Na |
| Tay nam ce int? |
| Mani nam ... int |
| Tay hal cetawr int? |
| Man hal baz rind int |
| Xush atkag |
| Man na zanan |
| Man Balochi gwasing |
| Man Balochi na zanan |
| Eni ci int? |
| Ciqa int? |
| Number |
| -------- |
| 1 |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 |
| 8 |
| 9 |
| 10 |
| Balochi |
| --------- |
| Dusambe |
| Sesambe |
| Carsambe |
| Panjsambe |
| Adine / Juma |
| Sambe |
| Yaksambe |
Baloch Culture
The Balochiyat (Code of Honour)
The Balochiyat is the code of honour that governs Baloch society. Its pillars are:
This code profoundly influences the language: Balochi is rich in expressions of respect, diplomacy and tribal protocol.
Epic Poetry
Baloch literature is essentially oral and poetic. The "shair" (poet) holds a place of honour in society. Epic narratives — Hani and Sheh Mureed, Dostain and Sheerinah, Shahdad and Mahnaz — transmit the values of Balochiyat through love and sacrifice.
Music
The suroz (or sorud) is a traditional bowed lute that produces the melancholic sound characteristic of Baloch music. The doneli (double flute) and tamburag (long-necked lute) complete the traditional musical ensemble. Baloch music oscillates between lamentation (nazink) and celebration (lewa, a trance dance).
Craftsmanship
Baloch embroidery is world-renowned. The complex geometric patterns on clothing (especially the traditional male shalwar kameez and the female headscarf) tell the history of each tribe and region. Baloch rugs, more austere than Persian carpets, are prized by collectors.
The Baloch Diaspora
The Baloch are present well beyond Balochistan:
Learn Balochi with Targumi
Targumi is the FIRST and ONLY platform in the world to offer Balochi language learning online. With more than 106 rare languages — from Persian to Kurdish, from Pashto to Dari — Targumi offers the most comprehensive coverage of Iranian languages on the market.
Learning Balochi means discovering a millennia-old nomadic culture, breathtaking epic poetry, and a people whose pride and hospitality are matched only by the vastness of their deserts. It is also a thrilling linguistic challenge: Balochi's ergative grammar will exercise your brain like few languages can.
Xuda hafiz, wa biya Balochi biwanay! (Goodbye, and come learn Balochi!)