Pashto (or Pakhto, Pukhto) is an Iranian language spoken by approximately 60 million people, primarily in Afghanistan (where it is an official language alongside Dari) and in the northwestern tribal regions of Pakistan.
The language of the Pashtun people — one of the largest tribal groups in the world — Pashto carries within it centuries of poetry, codes of honor, and traditions of both warrior courage and extraordinary hospitality.
1. Why learn Pashto? 2. The Pashto alphabet 3. Specific pronunciation 4. Greetings in Pashto 5. Basic grammar 6. Essential vocabulary: 50 words 7. Numbers 8. Useful daily phrases 9. Pashtunwali: the Pashtun code of honor 10. Learn Pashto with Targumi
Why learn Pashto?
A geopolitically strategic language
Afghanistan has been at the center of world news for decades. Understanding Pashto gives you direct access to the culture and thought of a people who have shaped Central Asian history.
60 million speakers, very few resources
Pashto is a major language by number of speakers, but it remains extremely under-represented in online language learning. Targumi is one of the very few platforms offering structured Pashto courses.
A significant diaspora in Europe
The Pashtun diaspora is present in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Norway, and the United States. Approximately 5 million Pashtuns live outside Afghanistan and Pakistan.
An extraordinary poetic tradition
Pashto possesses one of the richest poetic traditions in Asia. The landay — a two-line oral poem sung by Pashtun women — is a literary form unique in the world. The poetry of Khushal Khan Khattak (17th century) is considered a treasure of world literature.
Not related to Arabic
Contrary to popular belief, Pashto is NOT a Semitic language like Arabic. It is an Iranian language, cousin to Persian (Farsi/Dari). The alphabet is Arabo-Persian, but the language itself is very different from Arabic.
The Pashto alphabet
Pashto uses an extended Arabo-Persian alphabet of 44 letters — the longest alphabet in this family.
Letters unique to Pashto
Pashto has letters found in neither Arabic nor Persian:
| Letter |
| Sound |
| -------- |
| ------- |
| ټ |
| retroflex "t" |
| ډ |
| retroflex "d" |
| ړ |
| retroflex "r" |
| ښ |
| between "sh" and "kh" |
| ږ |
| retroflex "j" |
| ڼ |
| retroflex "n" |
| Sound |
| Description |
| ------- |
| ------------- |
| a |
| as in "father" |
| ā |
| long "a" |
| i |
| as in "see" |
| ī |
| long "i" |
| u |
| as in "food" |
| ū |
| long "u" |
| ə |
| schwa (as in "about") |
| e |
| as in "day" |
| o |
| as in "go" |
| Pashto |
| English |
| -------- |
| --------- |
| سلام |
| Hello / Peace |
| ستا خير |
| How are you? |
| په خير |
| I'm fine |
| مننه |
| Thank you |
| ډېره مننه |
| Thank you very much |
| بله |
| Yes |
| نه |
| No |
| خدای پامان |
| Goodbye |
| English |
| Transliteration |
| --------- |
| ---------------- |
| I |
| Za |
| You |
| Ta |
| He/She |
| Hagha |
| We |
| Mung |
| You (plural) |
| Taaso |
| They |
| Haghwi |
| Pashto |
| English |
| -------- |
| --------- |
| سړی |
| man |
| ښځه |
| woman |
| ماشوم |
| child |
| پلار |
| father |
| مور |
| mother |
| ورور |
| brother |
| خور |
| sister |
| نیکه |
| grandfather |
| انا |
| grandmother |
| کورنۍ |
| family |
| Pashto |
| English |
| -------- |
| --------- |
| ډوډۍ |
| bread/food |
| اوبه |
| water |
| چای |
| tea |
| غوښه |
| meat |
| ورجه |
| rice |
| شودی |
| milk |
| مېوه |
| fruit |
| سبزی |
| vegetables |
| Pashto |
| English |
| -------- |
| --------- |
| غر |
| mountain |
| سیند |
| river |
| ځمکه |
| earth |
| آسمان |
| sky |
| لمر |
| sun |
| سپوږمۍ |
| moon |
| کور |
| house |
| لار |
| road |
| ونه |
| tree |
| ګل |
| flower |
| Pashto |
| English |
| -------- |
| --------- |
| زه تا سره مینه کوم |
| I love you |
| زه پوهېږم |
| I understand |
| زه نه پوهېږم |
| I don't understand |
| ښه |
| good |
| بد |
| bad |
| لوی |
| big |
| کوچنی |
| small |
| نن |
| today |
| سبا |
| tomorrow |
| پرون |
| yesterday |
| Number |
| Transliteration |
| -------- |
| ---------------- |
| 1 |
| yaw |
| 2 |
| dwa |
| 3 |
| dre |
| 4 |
| tsalor |
| 5 |
| pandza |
| 6 |
| shpag |
| 7 |
| owa |
| 8 |
| ata |
| 9 |
| naha |
| 10 |
| las |
| 20 |
| shël |
| 100 |
| sal |
| 1000 |
| zar |
Useful daily phrases
Introducing yourself
At the bazaar
Asking for help
Pashtunwali: the Pashtun code of honor
Pashtunwali (پښتونوالی) is the unwritten code of honor that has governed Pashtun society for centuries. It is much more than a code of conduct — it is a complete way of life.The pillars of Pashtunwali
1. Melmastia (مېلمستیا) — Hospitality: a sacred obligation to welcome anyone who knocks at your door, even an enemy. Tea and food are offered without question.
2. Nanawatai (ننواتې) — Asylum: anyone who seeks refuge must be protected, regardless of the cost. This principle has major geopolitical implications.
3. Badal (بدل) — Justice/reciprocity: an obligation to right wrongs. Can be positive (returning a favor) or negative (revenge). This concept is often misunderstood in the West.
4. Ghayrat (غیرت) — Honor: protection of one's family, land, and dignity. Honor is collective — one individual's actions affect the entire clan.
5. Namus (ناموس) — Protection: responsibility to protect the women and vulnerable members of the family and clan.
Pashtun poetry
Poetry is the beating heart of Pashtun culture. Two major forms:
Famous landay example: > *"When drones fly across the sky, > Mothers kiss their children one last time."*
The landay is anonymous, passed from woman to woman, expressing what patriarchal society forbids saying aloud.
The Jirga
The Jirga (جرګه) is the tribal assembly where collective decisions are made. It is a form of direct democracy thousands of years old. Every clan member has the right to speak.
Learn Pashto with Targumi
At Targumi, we offer Pashto courses for all levels:
Pashto is the language of a proud, poetic, and hospitable people. Every word you learn brings you closer to one of the most fascinating cultures in Central Asia.
ډېره مننه! (Thank you very much!)---
Article written by Ahmad Wali Sediqi, certified Pashto tutor and Targumi collaborator. At Targumi, we make learning Pashto accessible to everyone.