1- PASHTO ALPHABET

2- WORD ORDER

1 Basic S + V S + V زه ویده کېږم. Za wīda kēgam. I sleep.

2 Direct object S + DO + V S + DO + V زه کتاب لولم. Za kitāb lōlam. I read the book.

3 Indirect object S + IO + DO + V S + IO + DO + V زه هغه ته کتاب ورکوم. Za hagha ta kitāb ورکawum. I give him/her the book.

4 Beneficiary S + د + beneficiary + لپاره + DO + V S + da + beneficiary + lāpara + DO + V زه د هغه لپاره کتاب اخلم. Za da hagha lāpara kitāb akhlum. I buy a book for him/her.

5 IO pronoun S + IO + DO + V S + IO + DO + V زه هغه ته کتاب ورکوم. Za hagha ta kitāb ورکawum. I give him/her the book.

6 Adjective S + Adj + copula S + Adj + copula کتاب لوی دی. Kitāb loy day. The book is big.

7 Adverb S + Adv + V S + Adv + V هغه ژر لولي. Hagha zhar lōli. He reads quickly.

8 DO + adverb S + DO + Adv + V S + DO + Adv + V زه کتاب ژر لولم. Za kitāb zhar lōlam. I read the book quickly.

9 Time adverb S + Time + V S + Time + V زه نن کار کوم. Za nan kār kawum. I work today.

10 Place adverb S + Place + V S + Place + V هغه هلته اوسي. Hagha halta osē. He lives there.

11 Location phrase S + Location + کې + copula S + Location + ke + copula کتاب پر مېز دی. Kitāb par mez day. The book is on the table.

12 DO + location S + DO + Location + V S + DO + Location + V ما کتاب پر مېز کېښود. Mā kitāb par mez kēshod. I put the book on the table.

13 Determiner + noun Dem + N Dem + N دا کتاب نوی دی. Dā kitāb nawī day. This book is new.

14 Determiner + adjective + noun Dem + Adj + N Dem + Adj + N دا لوی کتاب نوی دی. Dā loy kitāb nawī day. This big book is new.

15 Numeral + noun Num + N Num + N دوه کتابونه نوي دي. Dwa kitābūna nawī دي. Two books are new.

16 Conjunction Clause + او + Clause Clause + aw + Clause زه لولم او هغه لیکي. Za lōlam aw hagha līki. I read and he writes.

17 Conjunction + objects S + DO + V + او + S + DO + V S + DO + V + aw + S + DO + V زه کتاب لولم او هغه لیک لیکي. Za kitāb lōlam aw hagha līk līki. I read the book and he writes a letter.

18 Present passive S + passive V S + passive V کتاب لوستل کېږي. Kitāb lwastal kēgi. The book is read.

19 Passive + agent S + agent + له خوا + passive V S + agent + la khwā + passive V کتاب د هغه له خوا لوستل کېږي. Kitāb da hagha la khwā lwastal kēgi. The book is read by him/her.

20 Passive + IO S + IO + passive V S + IO + passive V کتاب هغه ته ورکول کېږي. Kitāb hagha ta ورکawəl kēgi. The book is given to him/her.

21 Passive + IO + agent S + IO + agent + له خوا + passive V S + IO + agent + la khwā + passive V کتاب هغه ته د ښوونکي له خوا ورکول کېږي. Kitāb hagha ta da khwūnki la khwā ورکawəl kēgi. The book is given to him/her by the teacher.

22 Passive + adverb S + Time + passive V S + Time + passive V کتاب نن لوستل کېږي. Kitāb nan lwastal kēgi. The book is read today.

23 Passive + location S + Location + passive V S + Location + passive V کتاب پر مېز ایښودل کېږي. Kitāb par mez ēshōdal kēgi. The book is put on the table.

24 Passive + agent + adverb S + Time + agent + له خوا + passive V S + Time + agent + la khwā + passive V کتاب نن د هغه له خوا لوستل کېږي. Kitāb nan da hagha la khwā lwastal kēgi. The book is read by him/her today.

25 Passive + agent + IO + adverb S + Time + IO + agent + له خوا + passive V S + Time + IO + agent + la khwā + passive V کتاب نن زده کوونکي ته د ښوونکي له خوا ورکول کېږي. Kitāb nan zda kawūnki ta da khwūnki la khwā ورکawəl kēgi. The book is given to the student by the teacher today.

26 Perfect passive S + passive participle + دی S + passive participle + day کتاب لوستل شوی دی. Kitāb lwastal shway day. The book has been read.

27 Perfect passive + agent S + agent + له خوا + passive participle + دی S + agent + la khwā + passive participle + day کتاب د هغه له خوا لوستل شوی دی. Kitāb da hagha la khwā lwastal shway day. The book has been read by him/her.

28 Future passive S + به + passive V S + ba + passive V کتاب به ولوستل شي. Kitāb ba walwastal شي. The book will be read.

29 Future passive + agent S + agent + له خوا + به + passive V S + agent + la khwā + ba + passive V کتاب به د هغه له خوا ولوستل شي. Kitāb ba da hagha la khwā walwastal شي. The book will be read by him/her.

30 Modal passive S + باید + passive V S + bāyad + passive V کتاب باید ولوستل شي. Kitāb bāyad walwastal شي. The book must be read.

31 Negative S + نه + DO + V S + na + DO + V زه کتاب نه لولم. Za kitāb na lōlam. I do not read the book.

32 Negative passive S + نه + passive V S + na + passive V کتاب نه لوستل کېږي. Kitāb na lwastal kēgi. The book is not read.

33 Yes/no question ایا + S + DO + V؟ Ayā + S + DO + V? ایا ته کتاب لولې؟ Ayā ta kitāb lwale? Do you read the book?

34 Passive question ایا + S + passive V؟ Ayā + S + passive V? ایا کتاب لوستل کېږي؟ Ayā kitāb lwastal kēgi? Is the book read?

35 Agent question څوک + DO + V؟ Tsok + DO + V? څوک کتاب لولي؟ Tsok kitāb lōli? Who reads the book?

36 IO question چا ته + DO + V؟ Chā ta + DO + V? چا ته کتاب ورکوې؟ Chā ta kitāb ورکawē? To whom do you give the book?

37 Imperative DO + imperative V DO + imperative V کتاب ولوله! Kitāb walwla! Read the book!

38 Imperative + IO IO + DO + imperative V IO + DO + imperative V هغه ته کتاب ورکړه! Hagha ta kitāb warkṛa! Give him/her the book!

39 Passive imperative S + دې + passive subjunctive S + de + passive subjunctive کتاب دې ولوستل شي! Kitāb de walwastal شي! Let the book be read!

40 Verbal noun V + ل V + l لوستل Lwastal reading

41 Verbal noun + DO DO + V + ل DO + V + l کتاب لوستل Kitāb lwastal reading a book

42 Infinitive V + ل V + l کتاب لوستل Kitāb lwastal to read a book

43 Purpose S + د + verbal noun + لپاره + V S + da + verbal noun + lāpara + V زه د لوبې کولو لپاره خورم. Za da lobē kawəlo lāpara khwārum. I eat in order to play.

44 Relative clause [Relative clause] + N [Relative clause] + N هغه کتاب چې ما ولوست، په زړه پورې دی. Hagha kitāb che mā walwast, pa zra-pōrē day. The book that I read is interesting.

45 Passive relative [Passive participle] + N [Passive participle] + N لوستل شوی کتاب په زړه پورې دی. Lwastal shway kitāb pa zra-pōrē day. The book that was read is interesting.

46 Conditional که + clause، clause Ka + clause, clause که وخت ولرم، کتاب به ولولم. Ka wakht ولرم, kitāb ba walwalam. If I have time, I will read a book.

47 Conditional + passive که + S + passive clause، clause Ka + S + passive clause, clause که کتاب ولوستل شي، هغه به زده کړي. Ka kitāb walwastal شي, hagha ba zda کړي. If the book is read, he/she will learn.

48 Reported speech S + وویل + چې + clause S + wawayel + che + clause هغه وویل چې هغه کتاب لولي. Hagha وویل che hagha kitāb lōli. He said that he was reading a book.

49 Reported question S + وپوښتل + چې + ایا/WH + clause S + wapoښتal + che + ayā/WH + clause هغه وپوښتل چې ایا زه کتاب لولم. Hagha wapoښتal che ayā za kitāb lōlam. He asked whether I was reading a book.

50 Reported command/request S + IO + ته + وویل + چې + subjunctive S + IO + ta + wawayel + che + subjunctive هغه ماته وویل چې کتاب ولولم. Hagha māta وویل che kitāb walwalam. He told me to read the book.

ADVERBS:

1 Manner Manner adverb + Verb / usually before the verb زه کتاب ژر لولم. Za kitāb zhar loləm. I read the book quickly.

2 Place Place adverb + Verb / usually before the verb زه دلته کتاب لولم. Za dalta kitāb loləm. I read a book here.

3 Time Time adverb + Sentence / beginning, middle, or end پرون ما کتاب ولوست. Parun mā kitāb walost. I read a book yesterday.

4 Frequency Frequency adverb + Verb / usually before the verb زه تل کتاب لولم. Za tal kitāb loləm. I always read books.

5 Frequency + be Subject + Frequency adverb + Predicate + be هغه تل خوشحاله وي. Hagha tal khushhāla wi. He is always happy.

6 Frequency + auxiliary Subject + Frequency adverb + Auxiliary + Verb ما هغه هیڅکله نه دی لیدلی. Mā hagha hēڅkala na dey lēdalay. I have never seen him.

7 Degree Degree adverb + Adjective دا ډېر ښه دی. Dā der kha dey. This is very good.

8 Degree + verb Degree/intensity adverb + Verb زه دا ډېر خوښوم. Za dā der khwakhawom. I really like this.

9 Sentence adverb Sentence adverb + Clause / usually beginning خوشبختانه، زه بریالی شوم. Khushbakhtāna, za baryālay shum. Fortunately, I succeeded.

10 Comment adverb Comment expression + Clause / usually beginning په رښتیا سره، زه نه پوهېږم. Pa rēkhtyā sara, za na pohegem. Honestly, I don't know.

11 Linking adverb Linking adverb + Clause / beginning or between clauses زه ستړی وم. خو بیا هم مې کار ته دوام ورکړ. Za ستṛay wam. Kho biyā ham me kār ta dwām ورکړ. I was tired; however, I continued working.

12 Direction Directional adverb + Verb / usually before the verb هغه بهر لاړ. Hagha bahar lāṛ. He went outside.

13 Definite frequency هر (har) + Time noun + Verb زه هره ورځ ښوونځي ته ځم. Za hara wraz khwanzai ta zam. I go to school every day.

14 Duration Number + Time noun + Verb ما دوه ساعته زده کړه وکړه. Mā dwa sāʿata zda kra wakṛa. I studied for two hours.

15 Purpose Verb stem + ل (la) + (lparā) لپاره / purpose construction زه هلته د زده کړې لپاره ځم. Za هلta da zda krē لپāra zam. I am going there to study.

INDIRECT OBJECT:

Direct object — S + DO + V S + DO + V زه کتاب لولم. Za kitāb lōlam. I read the book.

Indirect object ته S + IO + DO + V S + IO + ta + DO + V زه هغه ته کتاب ورکوم. Za hagha ta kitāb warkawum. I give him/her the book.

Beneficiary لپاره S + د + X + لپاره + DO + V S + da + X + lāpara + DO + V زه د هغه لپاره کتاب اخلم. Za da hagha lāpara kitāb akhlum. I buy a book for him/her.

To me ما ته IO + ته + DO + V IO + ta + DO + V هغه ما ته کتاب راکړ. Hagha mā ta kitāb rākṛ. He/She gave me the book.

To you تا ته IO + ته + DO + V IO + ta + DO + V هغه تا ته کتاب راکړ. Hagha tā ta kitāb rākṛ. He/She gave you the book.

To him/her هغه/هغې ته IO + ته + DO + V IO + ta + DO + V هغه هغه ته کتاب ورکړ. Hagha hagha ta kitāb warkṛ. He/She gave him/her the book.

To us موږ ته IO + ته + DO + V IO + ta + DO + V هغه موږ ته کتاب راکړ. Hagha mūzh ta kitāb rākṛ. He/She gave us the book.

To them هغوی ته IO + ته + DO + V IO + ta + DO + V هغه هغوی ته کتاب ورکړ. Hagha haghwi ta kitāb warkṛ. He/She gave them the book.

GENITIVE:

Genitive / possessive د + Possessor + Noun da + Possessor + Noun د احمد کتاب da Ahmad kitāb Ahmad's book / the book of Ahmad

My د + زما + Noun da zamā + Noun زما کتاب zamā kitāb my book

Your د + ستا + Noun da stā + Noun ستا کتاب stā kitāb your book

His د + هغه + Noun da hagha + Noun د هغه کتاب da hagha kitāb his book

Her د + هغې + Noun da haghē + Noun د هغې کتاب da haghē kitāb her book

Our د + زموږ + Noun da zmūzh + Noun زموږ کتاب zmūzh kitāb our book

Your (plural/formal) د + ستاسو + Noun da stāso + Noun ستاسو کتاب stāso kitāb your book

Their د + هغوی + Noun da haghwi + Noun د هغوی کتاب da haghwi kitāb their book

INDEPENDENT:

mine زما دی zamā day دا کتاب زما دی. Dā kitāb zamā day. — This book is mine.

yours ستا دی stā day دا قلم ستا دی. Dā qalam stā day. — This pen is yours.

his د هغه دی da hagha day دا کور د هغه دی. Dā kor da hagha day. — This house is his.

hers د هغې دی da haghē day دا موټر د هغې دی. Dā moṭar da haghē day. — This car is hers.

ours زموږ دی zmūzh day دا کور زموږ دی. Dā kor zmūzh day. — This house is ours.

yours (pl./formal) ستاسو دی stāso day دا کتاب ستاسو دی. Dā kitāb stāso day. — This book is yours.

theirs د هغوی دی da haghwi day دا موټر د هغوی دی. Dā moṭar da haghwi day. — This car is theirs.

Masculine singular N + possessive + دی کتاب زما دی Kitāb zamā day The book is mine.

Feminine singular N + possessive + ده کوټه زما ده Koṭa zamā da The room is mine.

Plural N + possessive + دي کتابونه زما دي Kitābūna zamā di دي The books are mine.

WAS GOING TO:

Was going to / intended to past غوښتل چې + subjunctive past ghwāṛal che + subjunctive ما غوښتل چې لاړ شم. Mā ghwāṛal che lāṛ sham. I was going to / wanted to go.

Was planning to past پلان لرل چې + subjunctive past plān laral che + subjunctive ما پلان درلود چې لاړ شم. Mā plān darlūd che lāṛ sham. I was planning to go.

Was intending to past اراده لرل چې + subjunctive past irāda laral che + subjunctive ما اراده درلوده چې لاړ شم. Mā irāda darlūda che lāṛ sham. I intended / was intending to go.

Was about to نږدې وو چې + subjunctive nəzhde wo che + subjunctive نږدې وو چې لاړ شم. Nəzhde wo che lāṛ sham. I was about to go.

Was on the point of په حال کې وو چې + subjunctive pa hāl ke wo che + subjunctive زه په دې حال کې وم چې لاړ شم. Za pa de hāl ke wam che lāṛ sham. I was on the point of going.

Was going to, but didn't غوښتل چې + subjunctive، خو ... ghwāṛal che + subjunctive, kho... ما غوښتل چې لاړ شم، خو لاړ نه شوم. Mā ghwāṛal che lāṛ sham, kho lāṛ na shum. I was going to go, but I didn't.

Would / was going to from past viewpoint past reporting verb + چې + به + verb past verb + che + ba + verb هغه وویل چې زه به لاړ شم. Hagha wawayal che za ba lāṛ sham. He said that I would go.

I was going to go. ما غوښتل چې لاړ شم. I intended/wanted to go.

I was planning to go. ما پلان درلود چې لاړ شم. I had a plan to go.

I was about to go. زه نږدې وم چې لاړ شم. I was very close to going.

I would go. زه به لاړ شم. I would / will go, depending on context.

He said I would go. هغه وویل چې زه به لاړ شم. Past viewpoint / reported future.

2- NOUNS

PLURAL:

1. Regular Masculine Plurals

Many masculine nouns ending in a consonant take -ونه (-ūna).

Formation

Noun + ونه

noun + ūna

Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration English

کتاب kitāb کتابونه kitābūna books

کور kor کورونه korūna houses

ښار shār ښارونه shārūna cities

قلم qalam قلمونه qalamūna pens

موټر moṭar موټرونه moṭarūna cars

2. Masculine Nouns Ending in -ی

These often change -ی (-ay) to -یان (-yān), especially for people.

Formation

-ی → -یان

-ay → -yān

Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration English

ښوونکی khwōnkay ښوونکي khwōnki teachers

افغان Afghān افغانان Afghānān Afghans

ملګری malgaray ملګري malgari friends

Note: Human nouns often have special plural patterns rather than -ونه.

3. Feminine Nouns

Many feminine nouns form the plural with -ې (-e) or -انې (-āne).

Formation

noun + ې

or

noun + انې

Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration English

ښځه xadza ښځې xadzē women

لور lur لوڼې lūṇē daughters

نجلۍ najalay نجونې najūnē girls

مور mor میندې mēndē mothers

4. Borrowed Words

Many borrowed nouns simply take -ونه.

Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

بانک bānk بانکونه bānkūna

دفتر daftar دفترونه daftarūna

ټیلیفون ṭēlifōn ټیلیفونونه ṭēlifōnūna

5. Irregular Plurals

Some common nouns change completely.

Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration English

سړی saṛay سړي saṛi men

ماشوم māshūm ماشومان māshomān children

ورور wror وروڼه wroṇa brothers

خور khor خويندې khwēndē sisters

پلار plār پلرونه plārūna fathers

6. Adjective Agreement with Plurals

Adjectives generally agree in number.

Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

لوی کور loy kor لوی کورونه loy korūna

ښه کتاب kha kitāb ښه کتابونه kha kitābūna

ښکلې ښځه shkulē xadza ښکلې ښځې shkulē xadzē

Many adjectives do not change form; the noun shows the plural.

7. Demonstratives with Plurals

English Pashto Transliteration

this book دا کتاب dā kitāb

these books دا کتابونه dā kitābūna

that house هغه کور hagha kor

those houses هغه کورونه hagha korūna

The demonstrative usually remains the same.

8. Plural in Sentences

English Pashto Transliteration

The book is here. کتاب دلته دی. Kitāb dəlta day.

The books are here. کتابونه دلته دي. Kitābūna dəlta di.

I have a car. زه موټر لرم. Za moṭar laram.

I have cars. زه موټرونه لرم. Za moṭarūna laram.

There is a house. کور شته. Kor shte.

There are houses. کورونه شته. Korūna shte.

1. Regular masculine noun + ونه noun + ūna کتاب → کتابونه kitāb → kitābūna book → books

2. Human masculine noun + ان noun + ān افغان → افغانان Afghān → Afghānān Afghan → Afghans

3. Masculine in -ی stem + ي stem + i ښوونکی → ښوونکي khwōnkay → khwōnki teacher → teachers

4. Feminine in -ه ه → ې -a → -ē ښځه → ښځې xadza → xadzē woman → women

5. Feminine in -ۍ ۍ → ې -ay → -ē نجلۍ → نجونې najalay → najūnē girl → girls

6. Feminine in -انې noun + انې noun + āne مېرمن → مېرمنې mērman → mērmanē lady → ladies

7. Masculine family nouns stem change stem change ورور → وروڼه wror → wroṇa brother → brothers

8. Kinship nouns irregular irregular خور → خويندې khor → khwēndē sister → sisters

9. Child nouns + ان + ān ماشوم → ماشومان māshūm → māshomān child → children

10. Abstract nouns usually no plural — مینه mīna love

11. Mass nouns usually no plural — اوبه* ōba water*

12. Borrowed nouns + ونه + ūna دفتر → دفترونه daftar → daftarūna office → offices

CASES:

Declension Pattern 1 – Masculine Nouns Ending in -ی

Example: سړی (saṛay) – man

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct سړی saṛay سړي saṛi

Oblique سړي saṛi سړیو saṛiyo

Examples

سړی راځي.

Saṛay rādzi.

The man comes.

د سړي کور

Da saṛi kor

The man's house.

له سړیو سره

La saṛiyo sara

With the men.

Declension Pattern 2 – Masculine Consonant-Final Nouns

Example: کتاب (kitāb) – book

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct کتاب kitāb کتابونه kitābūna

Oblique کتاب kitāb کتابونو kitābūno

Examples

کتاب ښه دی.

Kitāb kha day.

The book is good.

په کتاب کې

Pa kitāb ke

In the book.

په کتابونو کې

Pa kitābūno ke

In the books.

Declension Pattern 3 – Masculine Human Nouns in -ان

Example: استاد (ustād) – teacher

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct استاد ustād استادان ustādān

Oblique استاد ustād استادانو ustādāno

Example:

له استادانو سره

La ustādāno sara

With the teachers.

Declension Pattern 4 – Feminine Nouns Ending in -ه

Example: ښځه (xadza) – woman

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct ښځه xadza ښځې xadzē

Oblique ښځې xadzē ښځو xadzō

Examples:

ښځه راغله.

Xadza rāghla.

The woman came.

له ښځې سره

La xadzē sara

With the woman.

د ښځو حقونه

Da xadzō haqūna

Women's rights.

Declension Pattern 5 – Feminine Nouns Ending in -ۍ

Example: نجلۍ (najalay) – girl

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct نجلۍ najalay نجونې najūnē

Oblique نجلۍ najalay نجونو najūno

Example:

له نجونو سره

La najūno sara

With the girls.

Pattern 6 — Masculine Nouns Ending in -ر (-r)

Example: پلار (plār) = father

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct پلار plār پلرونه plārūna

Oblique پلار plār پلرونو plārūno

Examples

Pashto Transliteration English

پلار راغی. Plār rāghay. The father came.

د پلار کور Da plār kor The father's house

له پلرونو سره La plārūno sara With the fathers

Pattern 7 — Masculine Nouns Ending in -م (-m)

Example: قلم (qalam) = pen

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct قلم qalam قلمونه qalamūna

Oblique قلم qalam قلمونو qalamūno

Pattern 8 — Masculine Nouns Ending in -ه (-a)

Some masculine nouns ending in -ه behave like regular masculine nouns.

Example: هلک (halak) = boy (note that this example actually ends in -ک)

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct هلک halak هلکان halakān

Oblique هلک halak هلکانو halakāno

Examples

هلک لوبې کوي.

Halak lobē kawi.

The boy is playing.

له هلکانو سره

La halakāno sara

With the boys.

Pattern 9 — Occupation Nouns

Example: ډاکټر (dākṭar) = doctor

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct ډاکټر dākṭar ډاکټران dākṭarān

Oblique ډاکټر dākṭar ډاکټرانو dākṭarāno

Pattern 10 — Borrowed Arabic/Persian Human Nouns

Example: شاګرد (shāgird) = student/apprentice

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct شاګرد shāgird شاګردان shāgirdān

Oblique شاګرد shāgird شاګردانو shāgirdāno

Pattern 11 — Borrowed Non-Human Nouns

Example: میز (mēz) = table

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct میز mēz میزونه mēzūna

Oblique میز mēz میزونو mēzūno

Pattern 12 — Feminine Nouns Ending in a Consonant

Example: مور (mor) = mother

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct مور mor میندې mēndē

Oblique مور mor میندو mēndo

Examples

Pashto Transliteration English

مور راغله. Mor rāghla. Mother came.

د مور کتاب Da mor kitāb Mother's book

له میندو سره La mēndo sara With the mothers

Pattern 13 — Feminine Kinship Nouns

Example: خور (khor) = sister

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct خور khor خويندې khwēndē

Oblique خور khor خويندو khwēndo

Pattern 14 — Collective Nouns

Example: خلک (khalak) = people

Case Form Transliteration

Direct خلک khalak

Oblique خلکو khalko

Examples

خلک راغلل.

Khalak rāghlal.

The people came.

له خلکو سره

La khalko sara.

With the people.

Pattern 15 — Irregular Masculine Nouns

Example: ورور (wror) = brother

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct ورور wror وروڼه wroṇa

Oblique ورور wror وروڼو wroṇo

Pattern 16 — Child Nouns

Example: ماشوم (māshūm) = child

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct ماشوم māshūm ماشومان māshomān

Oblique ماشوم māshūm ماشومانو māshomāno

Pattern 17 — Masculine Nouns Ending in -و (-o / -u)

These are comparatively uncommon but generally behave like regular masculine nouns.

Example: بازو (bāzū) = arm

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct بازو bāzū بازوګان / بازوونه* bāzūgān / bāzūna

Oblique بازو bāzū بازوګانو / بازوونو bāzūgāno / bāzūno

*The plural depends on the word. Some use -ګان (-gān) for human or literary style, while others use -ونه (-ūna).

Pattern 18 — Masculine Nouns Ending in Long Vowels

Example: چاچا (chāchā) = uncle

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct چاچا chāchā چاچاګان chāchāgān

Oblique چاچا chāchā چاچاګانو chāchāgāno

Pattern 19 — Proper Names

Proper names usually have no special direct/oblique distinction unless followed by a postposition.

Example: احمد (Ahmad)

Case Form Transliteration

Direct احمد Ahmad

Oblique احمد Ahmad

Example:

له احمد سره

La Ahmad sara

With Ahmad

Pattern 20 — Place Names

Cities and countries are usually indeclinable.

Example: کابل (Kābul)

Case Form Transliteration

Direct کابل Kābul

Oblique کابل Kābul

Example:

په کابل کې

Pa Kābul ke

In Kabul

Pattern 21 — Foreign Human Titles

Example: پروفیسور (profēsor)

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct پروفیسور profēsor پروفیسوران profēsorān

Oblique پروفیسور profēsor پروفیسورانو profēsorāno

Pattern 22 — Human Nouns with -ګان (-gān)

Some literary or formal nouns use -ګان instead of -ان.

Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

شاعر shā'ir شاعرګان shā'irgān

لیکوال likwāl لیکوالګان likwālgān

Oblique plural:

Pashto Transliteration

شاعرګانو shā'irgāno

لیکوالګانو likwālgāno

This pattern is more common in formal writing and literature than in everyday conversation.

Pattern 23 — Arabic Broken Plurals

Some Arabic loanwords retain their Arabic plural.

Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

عالم ʿālim علما ʿulamā

شیخ shaykh مشایخ mashāyikh

These are relatively limited and mostly found in religious or literary language.

Pattern 24 — Indeclinable Nouns

Some borrowed nouns do not change in either direct or oblique singular.

Example: کمپیوټر (kampyūṭar)

Case Singular Transliteration

Direct کمپیوټر kampyūṭar

Oblique کمپیوټر kampyūṭar

Plural:

کمپیوټرونه (kampyūṭarūna)

کمپیوټرونو (kampyūṭarūno)

Pattern 25 — Mass Nouns

These usually have no plural.

Noun Transliteration Meaning

شیدې shīdē milk

وریجې warījē rice

اوړه ōṛa flour

مالګه mālga salt

They normally do not decline except when followed by postpositions.

Example:

په شیدو کې

Pa shīdō ke

In the milk

Pattern 26 — Dual-Like Natural Pairs

Certain body parts are commonly used in the plural even when referring to a natural pair.

Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

سترګه starga سترګې stargē

غوږ ghwagh غوږونه ghwaghūna

لاس lās لاسونه lāsūna

Pattern 27 — Man

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct سړی saṛay سړي saṛi

Oblique سړي saṛi سړیو saṛiyo

Pattern 28 — Brother

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct ورور wror وروڼه wroṇa

Oblique ورور wror وروڼو wroṇo

Pattern 29 — Sister

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct خور khor خويندې khwēndē

Oblique خور khor خويندو khwēndo

Pattern 30 — Mother

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct مور mor میندې mēndē

Oblique مور mor میندو mēndo

Pattern 31 — Daughter

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct لور lur لوڼې lūṇē

Oblique لور lur لوڼو lūṇo

Pattern 32 — Son

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct زوی zoy زامن zāman

Oblique زوی zoy زامنو zāmano

Pattern 33 — Child

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct ماشوم māshūm ماشومان māshomān

Oblique ماشوم māshūm ماشومانو māshomāno

Pattern 34 — Woman

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct ښځه xadza ښځې xadzē

Oblique ښځه / ښځې xadza / xadzē ښځو xadzō

Pattern 35 — Girl

Case Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration

Direct نجلۍ najalay نجونې najūnē

Oblique نجلۍ najalay نجونو najūno

Pattern 36 — People (Collective)

Case Form Transliteration

Direct خلک khalak

Oblique خلکو khalko

Pattern 37 — Water (Plural-only noun)

Case Form Transliteration

Direct اوبه ōba

Oblique اوبو ōbo

Example:

په اوبو کې

Pa ōbo ke

In the water.

Pattern 38 — Clothes (Plural-only noun)

Case Form Transliteration

Direct جامې jāmē

Oblique جامو jāmo

Pattern 39 — Rice (Mass noun)

Case Form Transliteration

Direct وریجې warījē

Oblique وریجو warījo

Pattern 40 — Milk

Case Form Transliteration

Direct شیدې shīdē

Oblique شیدو shīdō

Irregular Oblique Endings

These are the most common oblique plural endings you will encounter:

Direct Ending Oblique Ending Example

-ونه -ونو کتابونه → کتابونو (kitābūna → kitābūno)

-ان -انو استادان → استادانو (ustādān → ustādāno)

-ي -یو سړي → سړیو (saṛi → saṛiyo)

-ې -و ښځې → ښځو (xadzē → xadzō)

Irregular -و خويندې → خويندو (khwēndē → khwēndo)

IRREGULAR:

Singular Transliteration Oblique Singular Transliteration Plural Transliteration Oblique Plural Transliteration English

هلک halak هلک halak هلکان halakān هلکانو halakāno boy

سړی saṛay سړي saṛi سړي saṛi سړیو saṛiyo man

ماشوم māshūm ماشوم māshūm ماشومان māshomān ماشومانو māshomāno child

پلار plār پلار plār پلرونه plārūna پلرونو plārūno father

مور mor مور mor میندې mēndē میندو mēndo mother

ورور wror ورور wror وروڼه wroṇa وروڼو wroṇo brother

خور khor خور khor خويندې khwēndē خويندو khwēndo sister

زوی zoy زوی zoy زامن zāman زامنو zāmano son

لور lur لور lur لوڼې lūṇē لوڼو lūṇo daughter

ښځه xadza ښځې xadzē ښځې xadzē ښځو xadzō woman

نجلۍ najalay نجلۍ najalay نجونې najūnē نجونو najūno girl

استاد ustād استاد ustād استادان ustādān استادانو ustādāno teacher

شاګرد shāgird شاګرد shāgird شاګردان shāgirdān شاګردانو shāgirdāno student

افغان Afghān افغان Afghān افغانان Afghānān افغانانو Afghānāno Afghan

کتاب kitāb کتاب kitāb کتابونه kitābūna کتابونو kitābūno book

کور kor کور kor کورونه korūna کورونو korūno house

قلم qalam قلم qalam قلمونه qalamūna قلمونو qalamūno pen

ښار shār ښار shār ښارونه shārūna ښارونو shārūno city

INDIRECT OBJECT (DATIVE):

Pattern 1: Subject + Indirect Object + Direct Object + Verb

ما احمد ته کتاب ورکړ. Mā Ahmad ta kitāb warkṛ. I gave Ahmad a book.

Pattern 2 (Present Tense) – Subject + Indirect Object + Direct Object + Present Verb

زه ماشوم ته اوبه ورکوم. Za māshūm ta ōba warkawum. I give water to the child.

Pattern 3 - Pronoun Indirect Object: Subject + Pronoun + ته [ta] + Direct Object + Verb

زه تا ته کتاب درکوم. Za tā ta kitāb darkawum. I give you a book.

Pattern 4 – "For Someone" Subject + Indirect Object + لپاره [lapāra] + Object + Verb

زه ماشوم لپاره ډالۍ اخلم. Za māshūm lapāra ḍālai akhlum. I am buying a gift for the child.

Pattern 5 – Two Objects Subject + Indirect Object + Direct Object + Main Verb

موږ استاد ته لیک ولېږه. Mūzh ustād ta lēk walēga. We sent the teacher a letter.

GENITIVE:

Pattern 1: د [Da] + Possessor + Possessed Noun

د احمد کتاب Da Ahmad kitāb Ahmad's book

Pattern 2 – Possessive Pronouns Possessive Pronoun + Noun

زما کور Zamā kor My house

Pattern 3 – Possession in a Sentence Subject + د [Da] + Possessor + Noun + Verb

دا د استاد قلم دی. Dā da ustād qalam day. This is the teacher's pen.

Pattern 4 – Double Genitive د [da] + Noun + د [da] + Noun + Possessed Noun

د احمد د ورور کور Da Ahmad da wror kor Ahmad's brother's house

Pattern 5 – Triple Genitive د [da] + Noun + د [da] + Noun + د [da] + Noun + Possessed Noun

د احمد د ورور د زوی کتاب Da Ahmad da wror da zoy kitāb Ahmad's brother's son's book

INDIRECT OBJECT AND GENITIVE:

Subject + Genitive Phrase + Indirect Object + Verb

ما د احمد کتاب علي ته ورکړ. Mā da Ahmad kitāb Ali ta warkṛ. I gave Ahmad's book to Ali.

3- ADJECTIVES:

Attributive adjective + noun adjective + noun لوی کور loy kor

Predicative noun + adjective + to be noun + adjective + day/da/di کور لوی دی Kor loy day

TO BE VERB:

1. Present Tense "To Be"

Pattern

Subject + noun/adjective + to be

Subject + predicate + yam/day/da/ye/yu/di

Present "to be" Conjugation

English Pashto Transliteration

I am یم yam

You are (singular informal) یې ye

He is دی day

She is ده da

It is دی / ده day / da

We are یو yu

You are (plural/formal) یاست yāst

They are دي di

Examples with Nouns

I am a student.

زه زده کوونکی یم.

Za zda kawūnkay yam.

Breakdown:

Word Meaning

زه (za) I

زده کوونکی (zda kawūnkay) student

یم (yam) am

You are a teacher.

ته ښوونکی یې.

Ta khwōnkay ye.

He is a doctor.

هغه ډاکټر دی.

Hagha dākṭar day.

She is a teacher.

هغه ښوونکې ده.

Hagha khwōnkē da.

We are students.

موږ زده کوونکي یو.

Mūzh zda kawūnki yu.

They are teachers.

هغوی ښوونکي دي.

Hagwi khwōnki di.

2. Present "To Be" with Adjectives

Pattern

Subject + adjective + to be

Examples

English Pashto Transliteration

I am happy زه خوشحاله یم Za khushhāla yam

You are good ته ښه یې Ta kha ye

He is big هغه لوی دی Hagha loy day

She is beautiful هغه ښکلې ده Hagha shkəlē da

We are ready موږ تیار یو Mūzh tyār yu

They are tired هغوی ستړي دي Hagwi staṛi di

3. Negative Present "To Be"

Pattern

Subject + نه + to be

Subject + na + yam/day/da/di

English Pashto Transliteration

I am not زه نه یم Za na yam

You are not ته نه یې Ta na ye

He is not هغه نه دی Hagha na day

She is not هغه نه ده Hagha na da

We are not موږ نه یو Mūzh na yu

They are not هغوی نه دي Hagwi na di

4. Questions with "To Be"

Pattern

To be + subject + predicate?

or

Subject + predicate + to be?

Examples:

Are you a student?

ته زده کوونکی یې؟

Ta zda kawūnkay ye?

Is he a teacher?

هغه ښوونکی دی؟

Hagha khwōnkay day?

Are they ready?

هغوی تیار دي؟

Hagwi tyār di?

5. Past "To Be" (Was/Were)

Past forms:

English Pashto Transliteration

I was وم wam

You were (sg.) وې we

He was و wo

She was وه wa

We were وو wo

You were (pl.) واست wāst

They were وو wo

Examples

I was a student.

زه زده کوونکی وم.

Za zda kawūnkay wam.

He was a doctor.

هغه ډاکټر و.

Hagha dākṭar wo.

She was happy.

هغه خوشحاله وه.

Hagha khushhāla wa.

They were teachers.

هغوی ښوونکي وو.

Hagwi khwōnki wo.

6. Negative Past "To Be"

Pattern

Subject + نه + past to be

English Pashto Transliteration

I was not زه نه وم Za na wam

He was not هغه نه و Hagha na wo

She was not هغه نه وه Hagha na wa

They were not هغوی نه وو Hagwi na wo

7. Future "To Be"

Pashto normally uses:

به + present to be

ba + present form

English Pashto Transliteration

I will be زه به یم Za ba yam

You will be ته به یې Ta ba ye

He will be هغه به وي Hagha ba wi

She will be هغه به وي Hagha ba wi

We will be موږ به یو Mūzh ba yu

They will be هغوی به وي Hagwi ba wi

TO BE VERB ALL TENSES:

1. Present — "am / is / are"

Formation

Subject + noun/adjective + copula

English Pashto Transliteration

I am زه یم Za yam

You are ته یې Ta ye

He is هغه دی Hagha day

She is هغه ده Hagha da

It is هغه دی/ده Hagha day/da

We are موږ یو Mūzh yu

You are تاسو یاست Tāso yāst

They are هغوی دي Haghoi di

Example:

زه زده کوونکی یم.

Za zda kawūnkay yam.

I am a student.

2. Negative Present

Formation

Subject + نه + copula

English Pashto Transliteration

I am not زه نه یم Za na yam

You are not ته نه یې Ta na ye

He is not هغه نه دی Hagha na day

She is not هغه نه ده Hagha na da

We are not موږ نه یو Mūzh na yu

You are not تاسو نه یاست Tāso na yāst

They are not هغوی نه دي Haghoi na di

3. Past — "was / were"

Formation

Subject + noun/adjective + past copula

English Pashto Transliteration

I was زه وم Za wam

You were ته وې Ta we

He was هغه و Hagha wo

She was هغه وه Hagha wa

It was هغه و/وه Hagha wo/wa

We were موږ وو Mūzh wo

You were تاسو واست Tāso wāst

They were هغوی وو Haghoi wo

Example:

زه خوشحاله وم.

Za khushhāla wam.

I was happy.

4. Negative Past

Formation

Subject + نه + past copula

English Pashto Transliteration

I was not زه نه وم Za na wam

You were not ته نه وې Ta na we

He was not هغه نه و Hagha na wo

She was not هغه نه وه Hagha na wa

We were not موږ نه وو Mūzh na wo

You were not تاسو نه واست Tāso na wāst

They were not هغوی نه وو Haghoi na wo

5. Future — "will be"

Pashto commonly uses به (ba) with the future/present copular form, with وي (wi) especially for third person.

Formation

Subject + به + copula

English Pashto Transliteration

I will be زه به یم Za ba yam

You will be ته به یې Ta ba ye

He will be هغه به وي Hagha ba wi

She will be هغه به وي Hagha ba wi

We will be موږ به یو Mūzh ba yu

You will be تاسو به یاست Tāso ba yāst

They will be هغوی به وي Haghoi ba wi

Example:

زه به خوشحاله یم.

Za ba khushhāla yam.

I will be happy.

6. Future Continuous — "will be being"

For a state continuing at a future time, Pashto normally uses به + present construction, rather than a separate English-style "future continuous" copula.

Formation

Subject + به + predicate + copula

Example:

هغه به په کور کې وي.

Hagha ba pa kor ke wi.

He will be at home.

7. Present Perfect — "have been"

Pashto does not have a single direct equivalent of English "have been" for every use. A common construction uses the past participle of کېدل (kedəl) with the appropriate auxiliary/copular construction.

کېدل — to become/become

Past participle:

شوی (shway) = become/done

Examples:

زه هلته تللی یم.

Za halta talay yam.

I have gone there.

For a state:

هغه ناروغ شوی دی.

Hagha nārogh shway day.

He has become sick.

8. Past Perfect — "had been"

A common construction uses the past participle plus the past copula.

Formation

Subject + past participle + past copula

Example:

هغه هلته تللی و.

Hagha halta talay wo.

He had gone there.

For "had become":

هغه ناروغ شوی و.

Hagha nārogh shway wo.

He had become sick.

9. Future Perfect — "will have been"

A future perfect meaning is commonly expressed with:

Formation

Subject + به + past participle + وي

Subject + ba + past participle + wi

Example:

هغه به هلته تللی وي.

Hagha ba halta talay wi.

He will have gone there.

For a completed change of state:

هغه به ناروغ شوی وي.

Hagha ba nārogh shway wi.

He will have become sick.

10. Subjunctive "Be"

The subjunctive/irrealis form of the copula is important after expressions such as want, wish, should, possibility, purpose, etc.

English Pashto Transliteration

that I be چې زه یم che za yam

that you be چې ته یې che ta ye

that he be چې هغه وي che hagha wi

that she be چې هغه وي che hagha wi

that we be چې موږ یو che mūzh yu

that you be چې تاسو یاست che tāso yāst

that they be چې هغوی وي che haghoi wi

Example:

غواړم چې هغه خوشحاله وي.

Ghwāṛam che hagha khushhāla wi.

I want him/her to be happy.

11. Conditional "Would Be"

Formation

که + condition + ... به + predicate + وي

Ka + condition + ... ba + predicate + wi

Example:

که هغه دلته وای، زه به خوشحاله وم.

Ka hagha dalta wāy, za ba khushhāla wam.

If he were here, I would be happy.

12. "Would Have Been"

For an unreal past condition:

Formation

که + past perfect ..., به + past participle + وای

Example:

که هغه راغلی وای، زه به خوشحاله شوی وای.

Ka hagha rāghalay wāy, za ba khushhāla shway wāy.

If he had come, I would have become happy.

13. Imperative "Be"

The ordinary imperative of کېدل is used for "become/be", while expressions such as "be quiet" often use the adjective/state directly.

Examples:

خوشحاله شه!

Khushhāla sha!

Be happy!

چپ شه!

Chap sha!

Be quiet!

Formal/plural:

خوشحاله شئ!

Khushhāla shay!

Be happy!

4- PRONOUNS:

1. Personal Pronouns (Subject / Direct)

Singular

English Pashto Transliteration

I زه za

You (informal singular) ته ta

He هغه hagha

She هغه hagha

It هغه hagha

Plural

English Pashto Transliteration

We موږ mūzh

You (plural/formal) تاسو tāso

They هغوی haghwi

2. Oblique Pronouns

Used:

after postpositions

before ته (ta), سره (sara), لپاره (lapāra)

with past transitive verbs

English Direct Oblique Transliteration

I زه ما za → mā

You ته تا ta → tā

He هغه هغه hagha → hagha

She هغه هغې hagha → haghē

We موږ موږ mūzh → mūzh

You (pl.) تاسو تاسو tāso → tāso

They هغوی هغوی haghwi → haghwi

Examples

I see him.

زه هغه وینم.

Za hagha wīnam.

I = subject

He saw me.

هغه ما ولید.

Hagha mā walīd.

Me = oblique because it is object.

3. Indirect Object Pronouns (Dative)

Formation

Oblique pronoun + ته

Pronoun + ta

English Pashto Transliteration

to me ما ته mā ta

to you تا ته tā ta

to him هغه ته hagha ta

to her هغې ته haghē ta

to us موږ ته mūzh ta

to you (pl.) تاسو ته tāso ta

to them هغوی ته haghwi ta

Examples

English Pashto Transliteration

Give me the book. ما ته کتاب راکړه. Mā ta kitāb rākṛa.

I spoke to him. ما هغه ته خبرې وکړې. Mā hagha ta khabarē wakṛē.

She helped us. هغې موږ سره مرسته وکړه. Haghē mūzh sara mrasta wakṛa.

4. Possessive Pronouns (Genitive)

These mean:

my

your

his

her

our

their

English Pashto Transliteration

my زما zamā

your (sg.) ستا stā

his د هغه da hagha

her د هغې da haghē

our زموږ zmūzh

your (pl.) ستاسو stāso

their د هغوی da haghwi

Examples

English Pashto Transliteration

my book زما کتاب zamā kitāb

your house ستا کور stā kor

his car د هغه موټر da hagha moṭar

our school زموږ ښوونځی zmūzh shwūndzay

5. Possessive + Gender Agreement

Possessive pronouns do not change, but the noun changes.

My:

English Pashto Transliteration

my book زما کتاب zamā kitāb

my house زما کور zamā kor

my mother زما مور zamā mor

6. Reflexive Pronouns

ځان (zān) = self

Used for:

myself

yourself

himself

herself

ourselves

themselves

English Pashto Transliteration

myself ځان zān

yourself ځان zān

himself ځان zān

herself ځان zān

ourselves ځانونه zānūna

themselves ځانونه zānūna

Examples

I see myself.

زه ځان وینم.

Za zān wīnam.

He hurt himself.

هغه ځان ټپي کړ.

Hagha zān ṭapi kṛ.

7. Reflexive Possessive

خپل (khpal) = one's own

Used when the possessor is the subject.

Examples:

I love my own house.

زه خپل کور خوښوم.

Za khpal kor khwakhawum.

He sold his own car.

هغه خپل موټر وپلوره.

Hagha khpal moṭar waparāwa.

8. Demonstrative Pronouns

This / That

English Pashto Transliteration

this (near) دا dā

that (far) هغه hagha

these دا dā

those هغه hagha

Oblique Demonstratives

English Direct Oblique

this دا (dā) دې (de)

that هغه (hagha) هغه / هغې (hagha/haghē)

Examples:

دا کتاب دی.

Dā kitāb day.

This is a book.

د دې کتاب رنګ ښه دی.

Da de kitāb rang kha day.

The color of this book is good.

5- VERB TENSES:

I زه کوم za kawum I do

You (singular) ته کوې ta kawē You do

He هغه کوي hagha kawi He does

She هغه کوي hagha kawi She does

We موږ کوو mung kawu We do

You (plural) تاسو کوئ tāso kaway You do

They هغوی کوي haghoy kawi They do

I زه کار کوم za kār kawum I am working

You ته کار کوې ta kār kawē You are working

He هغه کار کوي hagha kār kawi He is working

She هغه کار کوي hagha kār kawi She is working

We موږ کار کوو mung kār kawu We are working

You (plural) تاسو کار کوئ tāso kār kaway You are working

They هغوی کار کوي haghoy kār kawi They are working

I ما وکړ mā wokṛ I did

You (singular) تا وکړ tā wokṛ You did

He هغه وکړ hagha wokṛ He did

She هغې وکړه haghē wokṛa She did

We موږ وکړ mung wokṛ We did

You (plural) تاسو وکړ tāso wokṛ You did

They هغوی وکړ haghoy wokṛ They did

I زه کار کاوه za kār kāwa I was working

You ته کار کاوه ta kār kāwa You were working

He هغه کار کاوه hagha kār kāwa He was working

She هغې کار کاوه haghē kār kāwa She was working

We موږ کار کاوه mung kār kāwa We were working

You (plural) تاسو کار کاوه tāso kār kāwa You were working

They هغوی کار کاوه haghoy kār kāwa They were working

I زه به کوم za ba kawum I will do

You ته به کوې ta ba kawē You will do

He هغه به کوي hagha ba kawi He will do

She هغه به کوي hagha ba kawi She will do

We موږ به کوو mung ba kawu We will do

You (plural) تاسو به کوئ tāso ba kaway You will do

They هغوی به کوي haghoy ba kawi They will do

I زه به کار کوم za ba kār kawum I will be working

You ته به کار کوې ta ba kār kawē You will be working

He هغه به کار کوي hagha ba kār kawi He will be working

She هغه به کار کوي hagha ba kār kawi She will be working

We موږ به کار کوو mung ba kār kawu We will be working

You (plural) تاسو به کار کوئ tāso ba kār kaway You will be working

They هغوی به کار کوي haghoy ba kār kawi They will be working

I ما کړی دی mā karay day I have done

You تا کړی دی tā karay day You have done

He هغه کړی دی hagha karay day He has done

She هغې کړې ده haghē karē da She has done

We موږ کړی دی mung karay day We have done

You (plural) تاسو کړی دی tāso karay day You have done

They هغوی کړی دی haghoy karay day They have done

I ما کړی و mā karay wo I had done

You تا کړی و tā karay wo You had done

He هغه کړی و hagha karay wo He had done

She هغې کړې وه haghē karē wa She had done

We موږ کړی و mung karay wo We had done

You (plural) تاسو کړی و tāso karay wo You had done

They هغوی کړی و haghoy karay wo They had done

I ما به کړی وي mā ba karay wi I will have done

You تا به کړی وي tā ba karay wi You will have done

He هغه به کړی وي hagha ba karay wi He will have done

She هغې به کړې وي haghē ba karē wi She will have done

We موږ به کړی وي mung ba karay wi We will have done

You (plural) تاسو به کړی وي tāso ba karay wi You will have done

They هغوی به کړی وي haghoy ba karay wi They will have done

6- PASSIVE TENSES:

I زه لیکل کېږم za likəl kegam I am written

You (singular) ته لیکل کېږې ta likəl kegē You are written

He هغه لیکل کېږي hagha likəl kegi He is written

She هغه لیکل کېږي hagha likəl kegi She is written

We موږ لیکل کېږو mung likəl kegu We are written

You (plural) تاسو لیکل کېږئ tāso likəl kegay You are written

They هغوی لیکل کېږي haghoy likəl kegi They are written

I زه لیکل کېږم Za likəl kegam I am being written

You ته لیکل کېږې Ta likəl kegē You are being written

He هغه لیکل کېږي Hagha likəl kegi He is being written

She هغه لیکل کېږي Hagha likəl kegi She is being written

We موږ لیکل کېږو Mung likəl kegu We are being written

You (plural) تاسو لیکل کېږئ Tāso likəl kegay You are being written

They هغوی لیکل کېږي Haghoy likəl kegi They are being written

I زه لیکل شوم Za likəl shum I was written

You (singular) ته لیکل شوې Ta likəl shwē You were written

He هغه لیکل شو Hagha likəl sho He was written

She هغه لیکل شوه Hagha likəl shwa She was written

We موږ لیکل شوو Mung likəl shwu We were written

You (plural) تاسو لیکل شوئ Tāso likəl shway You were written

They هغوی لیکل شول Haghoy likəl shul They were written

I زه لیکل کېدم Za likəl kedam I was being written

You ته لیکل کېدې Ta likəl kedē You were being written

He هغه لیکل کېده Hagha likəl kedah He was being written

She هغه لیکل کېده Hagha likəl kedah She was being written

We موږ لیکل کېدو Mung likəl kedu We were being written

You (plural) تاسو لیکل کېدئ Tāso likəl keday You were being written

They هغوی لیکل کېدل Haghoy likəl kedal They were being written

I زه به لیکل شم Za ba likəl sham I will be written

You ته به لیکل شې Ta ba likəl shē You will be written

He هغه به لیکل شي Hagha ba likəl shi He will be written

She هغه به لیکل شي Hagha ba likəl shi She will be written

We موږ به لیکل شو Mung ba likəl shu We will be written

You (plural) تاسو به لیکل شئ Tāso ba likəl shay You will be written

They هغوی به لیکل شي Haghoy ba likəl shi They will be written

I زه لیکل شوی یم Za likəl shaway yam I have been written

You ته لیکل شوی یې Ta likəl shaway ye You have been written

He هغه لیکل شوی دی Hagha likəl shaway day He has been written

She هغه لیکل شوې ده Hagha likəl shwē da She has been written

We موږ لیکل شوي یو Mung likəl shwi yu We have been written

You (plural) تاسو لیکل شوي یاست Tāso likəl shwi yāst You have been written

They هغوی لیکل شوي دي Haghoy likəl shwi di They have been written

I زه لیکل شوی وم Za likəl shaway wom I had been written

You ته لیکل شوی وې Ta likəl shaway wē You had been written

He هغه لیکل شوی و Hagha likəl shaway wo He had been written

She هغه لیکل شوې وه Hagha likəl shwē wa She had been written

We موږ لیکل شوي وو Mung likəl shwi wo We had been written

You (plural) تاسو لیکل شوي وئ Tāso likəl shwi way You had been written

They هغوی لیکل شوي وو Haghoy likəl shwi wo They had been written

I زه به لیکل شوی یم Za ba likəl shaway yam I will have been written

You ته به لیکل شوی یې Ta ba likəl shaway ye You will have been written

He هغه به لیکل شوی وي Hagha ba likəl shaway wi He will have been written

She هغه به لیکل شوې وي Hagha ba likəl shwē wi She will have been written

We موږ به لیکل شوي یو Mung ba likəl shwi yu We will have been written

You (plural) تاسو به لیکل شوي یاست Tāso ba likəl shwi yāst You will have been written

They هغوی به لیکل شوي وي Haghoy ba likəl shwi wi They will have been written

7- NEGATION:

I do not do زه نه کوم Za na kawum

You do not do ته نه کوې Ta na kawē

He does not do هغه نه کوي Hagha na kawi

She does not do هغه نه کوي Hagha na kawi

We do not do موږ نه کوو Mung na kawu

You (plural) do not do تاسو نه کوئ Tāso na kaway

They do not do هغوی نه کوي Haghoy na kawi

I did not do ما ونه کړل Mā wana kṛal

You did not do تا ونه کړل Tā wana kṛal

He did not do هغه ونه کړل Hagha wana kṛal

She did not do هغې ونه کړل Haghe wana kṛal

We did not do موږ ونه کړل Mung wana kṛal

You (plural) did not do تاسو ونه کړل Tāso wana kṛal

They did not do هغوی ونه کړل Haghoy wana kṛal

I was not doing زه نه کاوه Za na kāwa

You were not doing ته نه کاوه Ta na kāwa

He was not doing هغه نه کاوه Hagha na kāwa

She was not doing هغه نه کاوه Hagha na kāwa

We were not doing موږ نه کاوه Mung na kāwa

You were not doing تاسو نه کاوه Tāso na kāwa

They were not doing هغوی نه کاوه Haghoy na kāwa

I will not do زه به نه کوم Za ba na kawum

You will not do ته به نه کوې Ta ba na kawē

He will not do هغه به نه کوي Hagha ba na kawi

She will not do هغه به نه کوي Hagha ba na kawi

We will not do موږ به نه کوو Mung ba na kawu

You (plural) will not do تاسو به نه کوئ Tāso ba na kaway

They will not do هغوی به نه کوي Haghoy ba na kawi

I have not done ما نه دی کړی Mā na day karay

You have not done تا نه دي کړي Tā na di kṛi

He has not done هغه نه دی کړی Hagha na day karay

She has not done هغې نه ده کړې Haghe na da kṛē

We have not done موږ نه دي کړي Mung na di kṛi

You have not done تاسو نه دي کړي Tāso na di kṛi

They have not done هغوی نه دي کړي Haghoy na di kṛi

I had not done ما نه و کړی Mā na wo karay

You had not done تا نه و کړی Tā na wo karay

He had not done هغه نه و کړی Hagha na wo karay

She had not done هغې نه وه کړې Haghe na wa kṛē

We had not done موږ نه وو کړي Mung na wo kṛi

You had not done تاسو نه وو کړي Tāso na wo kṛi

They had not done هغوی نه وو کړي Haghoy na wo kṛi

I will not have done زه به نه یم کړی Za ba na yam karay

You will not have done ته به نه یې کړی Ta ba na ye karay

He will not have done هغه به نه وي کړی Hagha ba na wi karay

She will not have done هغه به نه وي کړې Hagha ba na wi karē

We will not have done موږ به نه یو کړي Mung ba na yu kṛi

You (plural) will not have done تاسو به نه یاست کړي Tāso ba na yāst kṛi

They will not have done هغوی به نه وي کړي Haghoy ba na wi kṛi

Don't do مه کوه Ma kawa

Don't go مه ځه Ma dza

Don't eat مه خوره Ma khwara

Don't write مه لیکه Ma lika

Don't speak خبرې مه کوه Khabare ma kawa

I am not written زه نه لیکل کېږم Za na likəl kegam

You are not written ته نه لیکل کېږې Ta na likəl kegē

He is not written هغه نه لیکل کېږي Hagha na likəl kegi

She is not written هغه نه لیکل کېږي Hagha na likəl kegi

We are not written موږ نه لیکل کېږو Mung na likəl kegu

You (plural) are not written تاسو نه لیکل کېږئ Tāso na likəl kegay

They are not written هغوی نه لیکل کېږي Haghoy na likəl kegi

I was not written زه ونه لیکل شوم Za wana likəl shum

You were not written ته ونه لیکل شوې Ta wana likəl shwē

He was not written هغه ونه لیکل شو Hagha wana likəl sho

She was not written هغه ونه لیکل شوه Hagha wana likəl shwa

We were not written موږ ونه لیکل شوو Mung wana likəl shwu

You (plural) were not written تاسو ونه لیکل شوئ Tāso wana likəl shway

They were not written هغوی ونه لیکل شول Haghoy wana likəl shul

I was not being written زه نه لیکل کېدم Za na likəl kedam

You were not being written ته نه لیکل کېدې Ta na likəl kedē

He was not being written هغه نه لیکل کېده Hagha na likəl kedah

She was not being written هغه نه لیکل کېده Hagha na likəl kedah

We were not being written موږ نه لیکل کېدو Mung na likəl kedu

You were not being written تاسو نه لیکل کېدئ Tāso na likəl keday

They were not being written هغوی نه لیکل کېدل Haghoy na likəl kedal

I will not be written زه به ونه لیکل شم Za ba wana likəl sham

You will not be written ته به ونه لیکل شې Ta ba wana likəl shē

He will not be written هغه به ونه لیکل شي Hagha ba wana likəl shi

She will not be written هغه به ونه لیکل شي Hagha ba wana likəl shi

We will not be written موږ به ونه لیکل شو Mung ba wana likəl shu

You (plural) will not be written تاسو به ونه لیکل شئ Tāso ba wana likəl shay

They will not be written هغوی به ونه لیکل شي Haghoy ba wana likəl shi

I have not been written زه نه یم لیکل شوی Za na yam likəl shaway

You have not been written ته نه یې لیکل شوی Ta na ye likəl shaway

He has not been written هغه نه دی لیکل شوی Hagha na day likəl shaway

She has not been written هغه نه ده لیکل شوې Hagha na da likəl shwē

We have not been written موږ نه یو لیکل شوي Mung na yu likəl shwi

You (plural) have not been written تاسو نه یاست لیکل شوي Tāso na yāst likəl shwi

They have not been written هغوی نه دي لیکل شوي Haghoy na di likəl shwi

I had not been written زه نه وم لیکل شوی Za na wom likəl shaway

You had not been written ته نه وې لیکل شوی Ta na wē likəl shaway

He had not been written هغه نه و لیکل شوی Hagha na wo likəl shaway

She had not been written هغه نه وه لیکل شوې Hagha na wa likəl shwē

We had not been written موږ نه وو لیکل شوي Mung na wo likəl shwi

You had not been written تاسو نه وئ لیکل شوي Tāso na way likəl shwi

They had not been written هغوی نه وو لیکل شوي Haghoy na wo likəl shwi

I will not have been written زه به نه یم لیکل شوی Za ba na yam likəl shaway

You will not have been written ته به نه یې لیکل شوی Ta ba na ye likəl shaway

He will not have been written هغه به نه وي لیکل شوی Hagha ba na wi likəl shaway

She will not have been written هغه به نه وي لیکل شوې Hagha ba na wi likəl shwē

We will not have been written موږ به نه یو لیکل شوي Mung ba na yu likəl shwi

You (plural) will not have been written تاسو به نه یاست لیکل شوي Tāso ba na yāst likəl shwi

They will not have been written هغوی به نه وي لیکل شوي Haghoy ba na wi likəl shwi

I am not زه نه یم Za na yam

You are not ته نه یې Ta na ye

He is not هغه نه دی Hagha na day

She is not هغه نه ده Hagha na da

We are not موږ نه یو Mung na yu

You (plural) are not تاسو نه یاست Tāso na yāst

They are not هغوی نه دي Haghoy na di

He is not a teacher هغه ښوونکی نه دی Hagha khwōnki na day

She is not a doctor هغه ډاکټره نه ده Hagha dākṭara na da

They are not students هغوی زده کوونکي نه دي Haghoy zda kawūnki na di

It is not big لوی نه دی Loy na day

It is not beautiful ښکلی نه دی Shkuly na day

I am not زه نه یم Za na yam

There is no نشته Nishta

I do not have نه لرم Na laram

8- QUESTIONS:

YES/NO QUESTIONS:

ایا [Āyā] + sentence + ؟ or simply: Sentence + ?

ایا ته زده کوونکی یې؟ Āyā ta zda kawūnki ye? Are you a student?

QUESTION WORDS:

Who څوک tsok

What څه tsa

Where چیرته cherta

When کله kala

Why ولې walē

How څنګه tsanga

Which کوم kum

How much څومره tsomra

How many څو tso

څوک دی؟ Tsok day? Who is he?

دا څومره دی؟ Dā tsomra day? How much is this?

9- ADVERBS:

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 ښه kha well

2 بد bad badly

3 ژر zhar quickly

4 ورو wro slowly

5 په چټکۍ pa chaṭakۍ quickly

6 په آرامۍ pa ārāmۍ calmly

7 په اسانۍ pa āsānۍ easily

8 په سختۍ pa sakhtۍ with difficulty

9 په احتیاط pa ehtiyāṭ carefully

10 په پټه pa paṭa secretly

11 په ښکاره pa shkāra openly

12 قصداً qaṣdan intentionally

13 په قصدي ډول pa qaṣdī dol deliberately

14 ناڅاپه nātsāpa suddenly

15 په ناڅاپي ډول pa nātsāpī dol suddenly

16 په اتفاقي ډول pa ittifāqī dol accidentally

17 په سمه توګه pa sama toga correctly

18 په غلطه توګه pa ghalata toga incorrectly

19 په بشپړه توګه pa bashpṛa toga completely

20 په جزوي توګه pa juzwī toga partially

21 په ځانګړې توګه pa zangṛeṛa toga especially

22 په عادي ډول pa ādī dol normally

23 په طبیعي ډول pa ṭabīʿī dol naturally

24 په مستقیم ډول pa mustaqīm dol directly

25 په غیرمستقیم ډول pa ghayr-mustaqīm dol indirectly

26 یوځای yawdzāy together

27 جلا jalā separately

28 یوازې yawāze alone

29 داسې dāse like this; thus

30 همداسې hamdāse just like this

31 هغسې haghase like that

32 هماغسې hamāghase just like that

33 څنګه tsanga how

34 هرڅنګه har-tsanga however; in any way

35 بل ډول bal dol differently

36 په ګډه pa gada jointly; together

37 په یوازې توګه pa yawāze toga separately; alone

38 په زور pa zor by force

39 په رضا pa riżā willingly

40 په مینه pa mēna lovingly

2. Time adverbs — د وخت قیدونه

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 اوس os now

2 نن nan today

3 پرون parūn yesterday

4 سبا sabā tomorrow

5 بل سبا bal sabā the day after tomorrow

6 وړمه ورځ woṛma wraz the day before yesterday

7 مخکې makhke before; previously

8 وروسته wrusta afterwards; later

9 بیا biyā again; then

10 اوس مهال os mahāl currently

11 اوسنی وخت کې osnī wakht ke currently

12 لا lā still; yet

13 لا هم lā ham still

14 تر اوسه tar osa so far; until now

15 تر اوسه پورې tar osa pore until now

16 سمدستي samdastī immediately

17 ډېر ژر der zhar very soon

18 وختي wakhtī early

19 ناوخته nāwakhta late

20 په پای کې pa pāy ke finally

21 په پیل کې pa pail ke initially

22 په لومړي سر کې pa lumṛī sar ke at first

23 مخکې له دې makhke la de before this

24 له دې وروسته la de wrusta after this

25 په دې وروستیو کې pa de wrostīo ke recently

26 ډېر مخکې der makhke long ago

27 لږ مخکې lag makhke shortly before

28 لږ وروسته lag wrusta shortly afterwards

29 هر وخت har wakht always; every time

30 هر کله har kala whenever

31 هره ورځ hara wraz every day

32 هره شپه hara shpa every night

33 هر سهار har sahār every morning

34 هر ماښام har mākhām every evening

35 هر کال har kāl every year

3. Frequency adverbs — د تکرار/فریکونسۍ قیدونه

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 تل tal always

2 همیشه hamēsha always

3 هر وخت har wakht always

4 اکثره aksara often

5 ډېری وخت derī wakht often

6 ډېر ځله der dzala frequently

7 زیاتره zyātra mostly; often

8 عموماً umūman generally; usually

9 معمولاً maʿmūlan usually

10 کله کله kala kala sometimes

11 کله ناکله kala nākala occasionally

12 کله نا کله kala nā kala sometimes

13 ځینې وختونه tsīne wakhtūna sometimes

14 په ندرت pa nudrat rarely

15 ندرتاً nudratan rarely

16 هېڅکله hečkala never

17 هېڅ وخت heč wakht never

18 بیا بیا biyā biyā again and again

19 پرله‌پسې parla-pase continuously

20 یو ځل yaw zal once

21 دوه ځله dwa dzala twice

22 درې ځله dre dzala three times

23 څو ځله tso dzala several times

24 بیاځلي biyādzalī repeatedly

25 هر ځل har zal every time

26 هر وار har wār every time

27 تلپاتې talpāte permanently

4. Place / location adverbs — د ځای قیدونه

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 دلته dalta here

2 هلته halta there

3 همدلته hamdalta right here

4 هماغلته hamāghalta right there

5 پورته porta up; above

6 لاندې lānde down; below

7 مخکې makhke ahead; in front

8 شاته shāta behind

9 دننه danana inside

10 بهر bahar outside

11 دباندې dabānde outside

12 نږدې neẓde nearby

13 لرې lere far away

14 شاوخوا shāokhwā around

15 خواوشا khwāo-shā around

16 هرچېرته harčerta everywhere

17 هېڅچېرته heččerta nowhere

18 بل ځای bal zāy elsewhere

19 یو ځای yaw zāy in one place

20 مخامخ makhāmakh opposite; face-to-face

21 وړاندې wṛānde forward; ahead

22 دې خوا de khwā this way; on this side

23 هغې خوا haghe khwā that way; on that side

5. Degree and intensity — د اندازې/شدت قیدونه

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 ډېر der very; much

2 زیات zyāt greatly; much

3 خورا khorā extremely; very

4 بېخي bekhī completely; extremely

5 بالکل bālkul absolutely; completely

6 کاملاً kāmelan completely

7 بشپړ ډول bashpṛ dol completely

8 نږدې neẓde almost

9 تقریباً taqrīban approximately; almost

10 شاوخوا shāokhwā approximately; around

11 کابو kābo approximately; about

12 څه ناڅه tsa nātsa somewhat

13 کم‌وبیش kam-o-bēsh more or less

14 لږ lag little; slightly

15 لږ څه lag tsa somewhat

16 یو څه yaw tsa somewhat

17 دومره domra so much; that much

18 هومره homra that much; as much

19 څومره tsomra how much

20 تر ډېره tar dera largely; mostly

21 تر یوه حده tar yawa hada to some extent

22 هېڅ heč at all; not at all

23 تر ټولو زیات tar tolo zyāt the most

24 تر ټولو لږ tar tolo lag the least

25 لا ډېر lā der even more

26 لا زیات lā zyāt even more

27 لا لږ lā lag even less

28 تر دې ډېر tar de der more than this

29 تر هغه زیات tar hagha zyāt more than that

30 لږ تر لږه lag tar laga at least

31 بېخي ډېر bekhī der extremely much

32 ډېر زیات der zyāt very much

33 ډېر لږ der lag very little

6. Focusing adverbs / focus particles — د تمرکز قیدونه

Some of these are more accurately called particles in certain grammatical analyses, but they function adverbially.

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 یوازې yawāze only; alone

2 صرف ṣarf only

3 فقط faqaṭ only

4 بس bas only; that's all

5 هم ham also; too

6 همدارنګه hamdāranga also; likewise

7 حتی hatta even

8 لا هم lā ham still

9 همدا hamdā precisely this

10 هماغه hamāgha precisely that; the same

11 په ځانګړې توګه pa zangṛeṛa toga especially

12 په ځانګړي ډول pa zangṛi dol particularly

13 اصلاً aṣlan at all; fundamentally

14 په عمده توګه pa umda toga mainly

15 تر ډېره tar dera mostly

16 په اصل کې pa aṣl ke basically; originally

7. Affirmative adverbs — د تایید قیدونه

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 هو ho yes

2 بالکل bālkul absolutely

3 خامخا khāmkhā certainly; definitely

4 حتماً hatman certainly

5 ضرور zarūr certainly; surely

6 یقیناً yaqīnan certainly

7 رښتیا rēshteyā truly

8 واقعاً wāqean really

9 په رښتیا pa rēshteyā truly

10 البته albata of course

11 همداسې hamdāse indeed; likewise

12 بېشکه bēshaka undoubtedly

13 ضروراً zarūran necessarily

14 په یقین سره pa yaqīn sara certainly

15 بې له شکه be la shaka without doubt

16 په ښکاره ډول pa shkāra dol clearly; openly

8. Negative adverbs / negative expressions — د نفی قیدونه

نه / نۀ is fundamentally a negative particle rather than a pure adverb, but it is essential to Pashto adverbial negation.

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 نه na not; no

2 نۀ nə not

3 هېڅ heč not at all; any

4 هېڅکله hečkala never

5 هېڅ وخت heč wakht never

6 هېڅچېرته heččerta nowhere

7 هېڅ ځای heč zāy nowhere

8 هېڅکله نه hečkala na never

9 نور نه nor na no longer

10 بیا نه biyā na not again

11 لا نه lā na not yet

12 هېڅ هم نه heč ham na nothing at all

13 هېڅکله هم نه hečkala ham na never at all

14 هېڅ ځای هم نه heč zāy ham na nowhere at all

9. Probability / possibility — د امکان قیدونه

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 شاید shāyad perhaps; maybe

2 کېدای شي kedāy shi possibly; may

3 ښايي shāyī perhaps; may

4 ممکن mumkin possibly

5 ممکنه ده mumkina da it is possible

6 احتمالاً ehtimālan probably; presumably

7 غالباً ghāliban probably

8 ښایي چې shāyī che perhaps

9 کېدای شي چې kedāy shi che it may be that

10 امکان لري imkān larī it is possible

11 شاید هم shāyad ham perhaps also

12 ګوندې gondē perhaps; maybe

13 هسې نه hase na lest; perhaps

10. Certainty — د یقین قیدونه

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 خامخا khāmkhā definitely

2 حتماً hatman certainly

3 ضرور zarūr surely

4 یقیناً yaqīnan certainly

5 بېشکه bēshaka undoubtedly

6 واقعاً wāqean really; indeed

7 رښتیا rēshteyā truly

8 بالکل bālkul absolutely

9 په یقین سره pa yaqīn sara certainly

10 بې له شکه be la shaka without doubt

11 ښکاره shkāra clearly; obviously

11. Doubt / uncertainty — د شک قیدونه

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 شاید shāyad perhaps

2 ښايي shāyī perhaps; may

3 ممکن mumkin possibly

4 احتمالاً ehtimālan probably

5 ښایي چې shāyī che perhaps

6 کېدای شي kedāy shi possibly

7 ګوندې gondē perhaps

8 هسې نه hase na perhaps; lest

9 ظاهراً ẓāhiran apparently

10 داسې ښکاري dāse shkārī it seems; apparently

12. Evidential / apparent — د ظاهري/استنباطي حالت قیدونه

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 ظاهراً ẓāhiran apparently

2 ښکاره shkāra clearly; evidently

3 په ظاهره pa ẓāhira apparently; on the surface

4 ګواکې gwāke allegedly; supposedly

5 داسې ښکاري dāse shkārī it seems

6 داسې برېښي dāse brekhshī it appears

7 رښتیا هم rēshteyā ham indeed

8 په ښکاره ډول pa shkāra dol evidently; openly

13. Evaluation — د ارزونې قیدونه

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 ښه kha well

2 بد bad badly

3 سم sam correctly

4 ناسم nā-sam incorrectly

5 رښتیا rēshteyā truly

6 واقعاً wāqean really

7 په سمه توګه pa sama toga correctly

8 په غلطه توګه pa ghalata toga incorrectly

9 له بده مرغه la bada margha unfortunately

10 له نېکه مرغه la nēka margha fortunately

11 خوشبختانه khushbakhtāna fortunately

12 بدبختانه badbakhtāna unfortunately

14. Comparative / scalar adverbs — د مقایسې قیدونه

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 ډېر der more; very

2 لږ lag less; little

3 زیات zyāt more; greatly

4 کم kam less

5 تر ټولو ډېر tar tolo der the most

6 تر ټولو زیات tar tolo zyāt the most

7 تر ټولو لږ tar tolo lag the least

8 دومره domra so much; that much

9 هومره homra as much; that much

10 څومره tsomra how much

11 لا ډېر lā der more; even more

12 لا زیات lā zyāt more; even more

13 لا لږ lā lag less; even less

14 تر دې ډېر tar de der more than this

15 تر هغه زیات tar hagha zyāt more than that

15. Interrogative adverbs — پوښتنیز قیدونه

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 څنګه tsanga how?

2 کله kala when?

3 چېرته čerta where?

4 ولې wale why?

5 څومره tsomra how much? / how many?

6 تر کومه tar koma how far? / until where?

7 له کومه la koma from where?

8 څومره ژر tsomra zhar how soon?

9 څومره ډېر tsomra der how much? / how greatly?

10 تر کومه وخته tar koma wakhta until when?

16. Relative / indefinite adverbial expressions

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 چېرته چې čerta che wherever / where

2 هرچېرته چې harčerta che wherever

3 کله چې kala che when

4 هرکله چې harkala che whenever

5 څنګه چې tsanga che as; however

6 هرڅنګه چې har-tsanga che however

7 څومره چې tsomra che as much as

8 هرڅومره چې har-tsomra che however much

9 له کومه چې la koma che from wherever

10 تر کومه چې tar koma che as far as; until

11 هر وخت چې har wakht che whenever

12 هر ځای چې har zāy che wherever

17. Conditional / concessive adverbial expressions

Some of these are conjunctions or complex conjunctional expressions, rather than strict adverbs.

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 که ka if

2 که هرڅه ka har tsa whatever

3 که هرکله ka harkala whenever

4 که هرچېرته ka harčerta wherever

5 که څنګه ka tsanga however

6 که څه هم ka tsa ham although; even though

7 هرڅه چې har tsa che whatever

8 هرچېرته چې harčerta che wherever

9 هرکله چې harkala che whenever

10 هرڅنګه چې har-tsanga che however

11 هرڅومره چې har-tsomra che however much

12 سره له دې sara la de nevertheless; despite this

13 سره له دې چې sara la de che although; despite the fact that

18. Purpose / result adverbial expressions

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 د دې لپاره da de lapāra for this purpose

2 ځکه zaka because; therefore

3 ځکه چې zaka che because

4 نو no so; therefore

5 له همدې امله la hamde amla for this reason; therefore

6 له دې امله la de amla therefore; because of this

7 په همدې خاطر pa hamde khāṭir for this reason

8 د همدې لپاره da hamde lapāra for this reason; purpose

9 په پایله کې pa pāyila ke as a result

10 په نتیجه کې pa natīja ke consequently

19. Sequence / ordering adverbs

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 لومړی lumṛay first

2 لومړی ځل lumṛay zal for the first time

3 بیا biyā then; again

4 وروسته wrusta afterwards

5 بیا وروسته biyā wrusta afterwards

6 مخکې makhke beforehand

7 په پای کې pa pāy ke finally

8 بالاخره bālakhera eventually; finally

9 په پیل کې pa pail ke initially

10 په لومړي سر کې pa lumṛī sar ke at first

11 په ترتیب سره pa tartīb sara in order

12 په پای کې بیا pa pāy ke biyā finally; subsequently

20. Continuative adverbs

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 لا lā still; yet

2 لا هم lā ham still

3 تر اوسه tar osa so far

4 تر اوسه پورې tar osa pore until now

5 لا تر اوسه lā tar osa still; until now

6 بیا هم biyā ham still; nevertheless

7 هماغسې hamāghase still in the same way

8 همداسې hamdāse likewise; in the same way

21. Repetition adverbs

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 بیا biyā again

2 بیا بیا biyā biyā again and again

3 بیاځلي biyādzalī repeatedly

4 یو ځل بیا yaw zal biyā once again

5 څو ځله tso dzala several times

6 پرله‌پسې parla-pase repeatedly; continuously

7 هر ځل har zal every time

8 هر وار har wār every time

9 یو په بل پسې yaw pa bal pase one after another

22. Approximation adverbs

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 تقریباً taqrīban approximately; almost

2 شاوخوا shāokhwā approximately; around

3 نږدې neẓde nearly; approximately

4 کابو kābo about; approximately

5 څه ناڅه tsa nātsa somewhat; more or less

6 کم‌وبیش kam-o-bēsh more or less

7 تر یوه حده tar yawa hada to some extent

23. Restriction / limitation

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 یوازې yawāze only

2 صرف ṣarf only

3 فقط faqaṭ only

4 بس bas only; that's all

5 همدومره hamdomra only this much

6 یوازې دومره yawāze domra only this much

7 لږ تر لږه lag tar laga at least

8 تر ډېره tar dera mostly; largely

9 په عمده توګه pa umda toga mainly

10 په ځانګړې توګه pa zangṛeṛa toga especially

24. Modal / attitudinal adverbs

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 شاید shāyad perhaps

2 خامخا khāmkhā definitely

3 حتماً hatman certainly

4 ضرور zarūr surely

5 ممکن mumkin possibly

6 غالباً ghāliban probably

7 تقریباً taqrīban approximately

8 واقعاً wāqean really

9 رښتیا rēshteyā truly

10 البته albata of course

11 طبیعي ده ṭabīʿī da naturally; of course

12 په طبیعي ډول pa ṭabīʿī dol naturally

13 له بده مرغه la bada margha unfortunately

14 له نېکه مرغه la nēka margha fortunately

15 خوشبختانه khushbakhtāna fortunately

16 بدبختانه badbakhtāna unfortunately

17 هیله ده hīla da hopefully

18 په خواشینۍ سره pa khwāshīnۍ sara sadly; unfortunately

25. Sentence adverbs

These modify the whole proposition/sentence, rather than merely the verb.

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 شاید shāyad perhaps

2 ښايي shāyī perhaps

3 احتمالاً ehtimālan probably

4 غالباً ghāliban probably

5 یقیناً yaqīnan certainly

6 حتماً hatman certainly

7 خامخا khāmkhā definitely

8 واقعاً wāqean really

9 رښتیا rēshteyā truly

10 البته albata of course

11 ظاهراً ẓāhiran apparently

12 ګواکې gwāke supposedly

13 خوشبختانه khushbakhtāna fortunately

14 بدبختانه badbakhtāna unfortunately

15 له نېکه مرغه la nēka margha fortunately

16 له بده مرغه la bada margha unfortunately

17 په حقیقت کې pa haqīqat ke in fact

18 په اصل کې pa aṣl ke basically; originally

19 په عمومي توګه pa umūmī toga generally

20 په ځانګړې توګه pa zangṛeṛa toga especially

21 په پایله کې pa pāyila ke consequently

26. Productive Pashto adverb formations

This is important because Pashto can form many additional adverbial expressions, so a dictionary list cannot literally contain every possible one.

# Pashto Formation Transliteration English Meaning

1 صفت / قید sifat / qeid adjective / adverb

2 په + ... + ډول pa + ... + dol in a … way

3 په + ... + توګه pa + ... + toga in a … manner

4 په + ... + سره pa + ... + sara with / in a … manner

5 له + ... + سره la + ... + sara with / together with

6 X + X X + X repeated form

7 هر + نوم har + noun every / each

8 هېڅ + نوم heč + noun no / never / nowhere

9 هم + قید ham + adverb also / likewise

10 ډېر + قید der + adverb very / much

11 لږ + قید lag + adverb a little / slightly

12 لا + قید lā + adverb still / yet / even more

13 بیا + قید biyā + adverb again / then

14 هر + وخت har + wakht every time

15 هر + ځای har + zāy everywhere

16 هر + کله har + kala every time / whenever

17 هر + چېرته har + čerta everywhere / wherever

18 هېڅ + کله heč + kala no time / never

19 هېڅ + چېرته heč + čerta nowhere

20 په + صفت + ډول pa + sifat + dol in an adjectival way

21 په + صفت + توګه pa + sifat + toga in an adjectival manner

22 په + اسم + سره pa + ism + sara with / in a manner

23 تر + صفت/قید + پورې tar + sifat/qeid + pore up to / to the extent

24 تر ټولو + صفت/قید tar tolo + sifat/qeid the most

25 کله + نا + کله kala + nā + kala occasionally

26 یو + ځل yaw + zal once

27 دوه + ځله dwa + dzala twice

28 څو + ځله tso + dzala several times

29 په + اسم + کې pa + ism + ke in / at a circumstance or time

30 له + دې + وروسته la + de + wrusta after this

31 مخکې + له + دې makhke + la + de before this

32 داسې + چې dāse + che so / such that

33 هرڅنګه + چې har-tsanga + che however

34 هرڅومره + چې har-tsomra + che however much

35 هرچېرته + چې harčerta + che wherever

36 هرکله + چې harkala + che whenever

10- CONJUNCTIONS:

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 او aw and

2 یا yā or

3 خو kho but; however

4 مګر magar but

5 بلکې balki rather; but rather

6 نو no so; therefore; then

7 بیا biyā then; and then

8 هم ham also; and also

9 همدارنګه hamdāranga likewise; also

10 نه ... نه na ... na neither ... nor

11 یا ... یا yā ... yā either ... or

12 نه یوازې ... بلکې na yāwāze ... balki not only ... but also

13 هم ... هم ham ... ham both ... and

14 که ... که ka ... ka whether ... or

Examples

Pashto Transliteration English

زه کتاب لولم او هغه تلویزیون ګوري. za kitāb lolam aw hagha televiziyūn gorī. I read a book and he watches television.

ته چای غواړې یا قهوه؟ ta chāy ghwāṛe yā qahwa? Do you want tea or coffee?

زه غواړم لاړ شم، خو وخت نه لرم. za ghwāṛam lāṛ sham, kho wakht na laram. I want to go, but I don't have time.

هغه ناروغ و، نو ښوونځي ته لاړ نه شو. hagha nārogh wo, no khwunẓay ta lāṛ na sho. He was sick, so he did not go to school.

2. Subordinating conjunctions — تابع کوونکي تړونکي

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 چې che that; which; when

2 ځکه چې zaka che because

3 که ka if; whether

4 کله چې kala che when

5 تر څو چې tar tso che until; so that

6 څو چې tso che until; while

7 مخکې له دې چې makhke la de che before

8 وروسته له دې چې wrusta la de che after

9 له دې وروسته چې la de wrusta che after

10 تر هغه چې tar hagha che until; as long as

11 تر هغه پورې چې tar hagha pore che until

12 داسې چې dāse che so that; such that

13 د دې لپاره چې da de lapāra che so that; in order that

14 ځکه zaka because / therefore

15 نو ځکه no zaka therefore; for that reason

16 که څه هم ka tsa ham although; even though

17 سره له دې چې sara la de che although; despite the fact that

18 هرڅومره چې har-tsomra che however much; as much as

19 هرڅنګه چې har-tsanga che however; in whatever way

20 هرکله چې harkala che whenever

21 هرچېرته چې harčerta che wherever

22 لکه څنګه چې laka tsanga che as; just as

23 داسې لکه چې dāse laka che as if; as though

24 ګواکې gwāke as if; supposedly

25 هسې چې hase che so that; lest

26 هسې نه چې hase na che lest

27 ترڅو tar-tso until; so that

28 څو tso until; so that

3. Causal conjunctions — سببي تړونکي

These express because, since, as, for that reason.

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 ځکه چې zaka che because

2 ځکه zaka because; therefore

3 د دې لپاره چې da de lapāra che because / so that

4 له دې امله چې la de amla che because

5 د همدې لپاره چې da hamde lapāra che because / for the reason that

6 په دې خاطر چې pa de khāṭir che because; for the reason that

7 له همدې امله la hamde amla therefore; for this reason

8 له دې امله la de amla therefore; because of this

Example

Pashto Transliteration English

زه کور ته لاړم ځکه چې ستړی وم. za kor ta lāṛam zaka che staṛay wom. I went home because I was tired.

4. Result / consequence conjunctions

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 نو no so; therefore

2 نو ځکه no zaka therefore; so

3 له همدې امله la hamde amla therefore

4 له دې امله la de amla therefore

5 په پایله کې pa pāyila ke as a result

6 په نتیجه کې pa natīja ke consequently

7 داسې چې dāse che so that; so ... that

8 تر دې چې tar de che to the point that; so that

5. Conditional conjunctions — شرطي تړونکي

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 که ka if

2 که چېرې ka čere if

3 که چیرې ka čere if

4 که نه ka na otherwise; if not

5 که داسې وي ka dāse wi if that is so

6 که هرڅه ka har tsa whatever / if anything

7 که هرکله ka harkala whenever

8 که هرچېرته ka harčerta wherever

9 که څنګه ka tsanga however / no matter how

10 که څه هم ka tsa ham even if / although

11 که نه نو ka na no otherwise

12 تر هغه چې tar hagha che provided that / until, depending on context

Example

Pashto Transliteration English

که باران وشي، موږ به کور کې پاتې شو. ka bārān wiši, mung ba kor ke pāte شو. If it rains, we will stay at home.

ژر راشه، که نه نو ناوخته به شي. zhar rāsha, ka na no nāwakhta ba shi. Come quickly, otherwise it will become late.

6. Concessive conjunctions — امتیازي تړونکي

These express although, even though, even if, despite.

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 که څه هم ka tsa ham although; even though

2 که هم ka ham even if; although

3 سره له دې چې sara la de che although; despite the fact that

4 که هرڅومره ka har-tsomra no matter how much

5 هرڅومره چې har-tsomra che however much

6 هرڅنګه چې har-tsanga che however

7 هرکله چې harkala che whenever

8 هرچېرته چې harčerta che wherever

9 هر څه چې har tsa che whatever

10 که هر څه هم ka har tsa ham whatever / even if anything

Example

Pashto Transliteration English

که څه هم ستړی وم، کار مې وکړ. ka tsa ham staṛay wom, kār me wakṛ. Although I was tired, I worked.

7. Purpose conjunctions — د مقصد تړونکي

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 د دې لپاره چې da de lapāra che so that

2 د دې لپاره da de lapāra for this purpose

3 د همدې لپاره چې da hamde lapāra che so that; for the purpose that

4 په دې خاطر چې pa de khāṭir che so that; for the purpose that

5 تر څو چې tar tso che so that; in order that

6 څو tso so that; in order that

7 ترڅو tar-tso so that; in order to

8. Temporal conjunctions — د وخت تړونکي

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 کله چې kala che when

2 هرکله چې harkala che whenever

3 مخکې له دې چې makhke la de che before

4 وروسته له دې چې wrusta la de che after

5 له دې وروسته چې la de wrusta che after

6 تر هغه چې tar hagha che until

7 تر هغه پورې چې tar hagha pore che until

8 تر څو چې tar tso che until

9 څو چې tso che until; while

10 له کله چې la kala che since; from the time that

11 هر وخت چې har wakht che whenever

12 چې che when; that

13 بیا چې biyā che when/once then

14 هر ځل چې har zal che every time that

9. Comparative conjunctions — د مقایسې تړونکي

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 لکه laka like; as

2 لکه څنګه چې laka tsanga che just as

3 لکه چې laka che as if; as though

4 داسې لکه چې dāse laka che as if

5 هسې لکه چې hase laka che as if

6 څرنګه چې tsarnaga che as; in the way that

7 څنګه چې tsanga che as; the way that

8 هماغسې لکه څنګه چې hamāghase laka tsanga che just as ... so

10. Alternative conjunctions — بدیل تړونکي

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 یا yā or

2 یا ... یا yā ... yā either ... or

3 که ... که ka ... ka whether ... or

4 که ... یا ka ... yā whether ... or

5 که نه ka na or else; otherwise

6 که نه نو ka na no otherwise

7 که داسې نه وي ka dāse na wi if not; otherwise

8 او یا aw yā and/or

11. Negative / exclusive conjunctions

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 نه ... نه na ... na neither ... nor

2 نه یوازې ... بلکې na yāwāze ... balki not only ... but also

3 نه ... بلکې na ... balki not ... but rather

4 نه دا چې ... بلکې na dā che ... balki not that ... but rather

5 که نه ka na otherwise; if not

12. Correlative conjunctions — دوه‌برخیز تړونکي

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 یا ... یا yā ... yā either ... or

2 نه ... نه na ... na neither ... nor

3 هم ... هم ham ... ham both ... and

4 که ... که ka ... ka whether ... or

5 نه یوازې ... بلکې na yāwāze ... balki not only ... but also

6 څومره ... هومره tsomra ... homra the more ... the more / as much ... so much

7 هرڅومره ... هومره har-tsomra ... homra however much ... that much

8 هرڅنګه ... هماغسې har-tsanga ... hamāghase however ... so

9 څنګه ... هماغسې tsanga ... hamāghase as ... so

10 چېرته ... هلته čerta ... halta where ... there

11 هرچېرته ... هلته harčerta ... halta wherever ... there

12 کله ... کله kala ... kala sometimes ... sometimes

13. “That” conjunction — چې

چې (che) is especially important because it connects many types of subordinate clauses.

Function Pashto Transliteration English

Statement/content چې che that

Time کله چې kala che when

Cause ځکه چې zaka che because

Purpose د دې لپاره چې da de lapāra che so that

Condition که ... چې ka ... che if ... that

Concession سره له دې چې sara la de che although

Comparison لکه څنګه چې laka tsanga che just as

Relative چې che that; which; who

Result داسې چې dāse che so that; such that

Example:

زه پوهېږم چې هغه راځي.

za pohēgam che hagha rāzi.

“I know that he is coming.”

14. Relative conjunction-like forms

These connect a relative/indefinite expression to a clause.

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 چې che that; which; who

2 هرڅه چې har tsa che whatever

3 هرڅوک چې har tsok che whoever

4 هرچېرته چې harčerta che wherever

5 هرکله چې harkala che whenever

6 هرڅنګه چې har-tsanga che however

7 هرڅومره چې har-tsomra che however much

8 کوم چې kum che which; that

9 هر ځای چې har zāy che wherever

10 هر وخت چې har wakht che whenever

15. Main conjunction formations

# Pashto Formation Transliteration English

1 او + جمله aw + jumla and + clause

2 یا + جمله yā + jumla or + clause

3 خو + جمله kho + jumla but + clause

4 مګر + جمله magar + jumla but + clause

5 بلکې + جمله balki + jumla but rather + clause

6 ځکه + چې zaka + che because

7 که + جمله ka + jumla if + clause

8 کله + چې kala + che when

9 هرکله + چې harkala + che whenever

10 هرچېرته + چې harčerta + che wherever

11 هرڅنګه + چې har-tsanga + che however

12 هرڅومره + چې har-tsomra + che however much

13 مخکې له دې + چې makhke la de + che before

14 وروسته له دې + چې wrusta la de + che after

15 تر هغه + چې tar hagha + che until

16 تر څو + چې tar tso + che until / so that

17 د دې لپاره + چې da de lapāra + che so that

18 سره له دې + چې sara la de + che although

19 لکه څنګه + چې laka tsanga + che just as

20 داسې + چې dāse + che so that; such that

21 نه یوازې + ... + بلکې na yāwāze + ... + balki not only ... but also

22 یا + ... + یا yā + ... + yā either ... or

23 نه + ... + نه na + ... + na neither ... nor

24 هم + ... + هم ham + ... + ham both ... and

25 که + ... + که ka + ... + ka whether ... or

11- PREPOSITIONS:

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 په pa in; at; on; by; with

2 پر par on; upon; over

3 له la from; of; than

4 تر tar until; up to; than

5 د da of; belonging to

6 ته ta to; toward

7 سره sara with; together with

8 باندې bānde on; upon

9 لاندې lānde under; below

10 وړاندې wṛānde in front of; before

11 مخکې makhke before; in front of

12 شاته shāta behind

13 دننه danana inside

14 بهر bahar outside

15 دباندې dabānde outside

16 منځ کې manz ke in the middle of; among

17 خوا کې khwā ke beside; on the side of

18 ترڅنګ tar-tsang beside; next to

19 شاوخوا shāokhwā around

20 مقابل کې muqābil ke opposite; facing

21 مخامخ makhāmakh opposite; facing

2. په — pa

په is one of the most important Pashto prepositions. Its meaning depends heavily on context and the construction following it.

Pashto Transliteration English

په pa in

په pa at

په pa on

په pa by

په pa with

په pa through

په pa using

په pa during

په pa in a particular manner

Examples

Pashto Transliteration English

په کور کې pa kor ke in the house

په ښوونځي کې pa khwunẓay ke at school

په مېز باندې pa mez bānde on the table

په قلم لیکم. pa qalam līkam. I write with a pen.

په پښتو خبرې کوم. pa Pashto khabare kawum. I speak in Pashto.

3. پر — par

Pashto Transliteration English

پر par on

پر par upon

پر par over

پر par against

پر par concerning/about

پر par per

Examples:

Pashto Transliteration English

پر مېز کتاب دی. par mez kitāb dey. There is a book on the table.

پر هغه باور لرم. par hagha bāwar laram. I trust him.

پر ما مه خانده. par mā ma khānda. Don't laugh at me.

4. له — la

له is extremely important for expressing source, separation, comparison, and various relationships.

Pashto Transliteration English

له la from

له la out of

له la away from

له la than

له la of

له la with/from someone

له la since

له la by/from

Examples:

Pashto Transliteration English

له کوره راغلم. la kore rāghlam. I came from home.

له هغه څخه لوی دی. la hagha tsakha loy dey. He is bigger than him.

له ملګري سره راغلم. la malgarī sara rāghlam. I came with a friend.

5. تر — tar

Pashto Transliteration English

تر tar until

تر tar up to

تر tar as far as

تر tar below/up to

تر tar than

تر tar by the time of

Examples:

Pashto Transliteration English

تر سبا پورې tar sabā pore until tomorrow

تر کوره پورې tar kore pore up to the house

تر هغه لوی دی. tar hagha loy dey. He is bigger than him.

6. ته — ta

ته is usually treated as a postposition in many Pashto grammatical descriptions, even though English translates it as “to/toward.”

Pashto Transliteration English

ته ta to

ته ta toward

ته ta into

ته ta for

ته ta at/to someone

Examples:

Pashto Transliteration English

کور ته ځم. kor ta dzam. I am going home.

هغه ته کتاب ورکړم. hagha ta kitāb war-kṛum. I gave him a book.

ښوونځي ته ځم. khwunẓay ta dzam. I am going to school.

7. د — da

د is the principal marker of the genitive/possessive relationship.

Pashto Transliteration English

د da of

د da belonging to

د da 's

د da concerning/about

د da for

Examples:

Pashto Transliteration English

د هلک کتاب da halak kitāb the boy's book

د افغانستان خلک da Afghānistān khalak the people of Afghanistan

د کار لپاره da kār lapāra for work

8. سره — sara

سره generally means with/together with and commonly occurs after له.

Pashto Transliteration English

سره sara with

له ... سره la ... sara with

له ... سره la ... sara together with

له ... سره la ... sara along with

له ... سره la ... sara in relation to

Example:

زه له هغه سره ځم.

za la hagha sara dzam.

“I am going with him.”

9. باندې — bānde

Pashto Transliteration English

باندې bānde on

باندې bānde upon

باندې bānde over

باندې bānde onto

Common construction:

پر + noun + باندې

Example:

کتاب پر مېز باندې دی.

kitāb par mez bānde dey.

“The book is on the table.”

10. لاندې — lānde

Pashto Transliteration English

لاندې lānde under

لاندې lānde below

لاندې lānde underneath

Common construction:

د + noun + لاندې

Example:

پیشو د مېز لاندې ده.

pesho da mez lānde da.

“The cat is under the table.”

11. مخکې — makhke

Pashto Transliteration English

مخکې makhke before

مخکې makhke in front

مخکې makhke ahead of

مخکې makhke previously

Common construction:

د ... مخکې — da ... makhke — before/in front of

Example:

د کور مخکې ولاړ دی.

da kor makhke wulāṛ dey.

“He is standing in front of the house.”

12. وړاندې — wṛānde

Pashto Transliteration English

وړاندې wṛānde in front of

وړاندې wṛānde before

وړاندې wṛānde ahead of

وړاندې wṛānde forward

13. شاته — shāta

Pashto Transliteration English

شاته shāta behind

شاته shāta to the back of

شاته shāta backward

Common construction:

د ... شاته — da ... shāta — behind

14. دننه — danana

Pashto Transliteration English

دننه danana inside

دننه danana within

دننه danana into the inside of

Common construction:

د ... دننه — da ... danana — inside

15. بهر — bahar

Pashto Transliteration English

بهر bahar outside

بهر bahar out of

بهر bahar beyond

Common construction:

د ... بهر — da ... bahar — outside of

16. دباندې — dabānde

Pashto Transliteration English

دباندې dabānde outside

دباندې dabānde outdoors

دباندې dabānde out of

17. منځ کې — manz ke

Pashto Transliteration English

منځ کې manz ke in the middle of

منځ کې manz ke among

منځ کې manz ke between

Common construction:

د ... په منځ کې

da ... pa manz ke

“in the middle of / among”

Example:

هغه د خلکو په منځ کې ولاړ دی.

hagha da khalqo pa manz ke wulāṛ dey.

“He is standing among the people.”

18. ترڅنګ — tar-tsang

Pashto Transliteration English

ترڅنګ tar-tsang beside

ترڅنګ tar-tsang next to

ترڅنګ tar-tsang alongside

Example:

هغه زما ترڅنګ ناست دی.

hagha zmā tar-tsang nāst dey.

“He is sitting beside me.”

19. شاوخوا — shāokhwā

Pashto Transliteration English

شاوخوا shāokhwā around

شاوخوا shāokhwā surrounding

شاوخوا shāokhwā approximately/about

20. مقابل کې — muqābil ke

Pashto Transliteration English

مقابل کې muqābil ke opposite

مقابل کې muqābil ke facing

مقابل کې muqābil ke across from

Example:

ښوونځی د کور په مقابل کې دی.

khwunẓay da kor pa muqābil ke dey.

“The school is opposite the house.”

21. خوا کې — khwā ke

Pashto Transliteration English

خوا کې khwā ke beside

خوا کې khwā ke near

خوا کې khwā ke on the side of

Common forms:

Pashto Transliteration English

دې خوا ته de khwā ta toward this side

هغې خوا ته haghe khwā ta toward that side

زما خوا کې zmā khwā ke beside me

ستا خوا کې stā khwā ke beside you

22. مخامخ — makhāmakh

Pashto Transliteration English

مخامخ makhāmakh opposite

مخامخ makhāmakh facing

مخامخ makhāmakh face-to-face

23. Important compound prepositional phrases

Pashto frequently expresses English prepositions through multi-word constructions.

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 له ... سره la ... sara with

2 له ... څخه la ... tsakha from; than

3 له ... وروسته la ... wrusta after

4 له ... مخکې la ... makhke before

5 له ... پرته la ... پرته without

6 د ... لپاره da ... lapāra for

7 د ... په اړه da ... pa aṛa about; concerning

8 د ... په هکله da ... pa hakla about; concerning

9 د ... په خاطر da ... pa khāṭir because of; for

10 د ... له امله da ... la amla because of

11 د ... پر ځای da ... par zāy instead of

12 د ... په وسیله da ... pa wasīla by means of

13 د ... له لارې da ... la lāre through; by way of

14 د ... په منځ کې da ... pa manz ke among; in the middle of

15 د ... ترمنځ da ... tar-manz between; among

16 د ... ترڅنګ da ... tar-tsang beside

17 د ... شاته da ... shāta behind

18 د ... مخې ته da ... makhe ta in front of

19 د ... لاندې da ... lānde under

20 د ... باندې da ... bānde on top of

21 د ... دننه da ... danana inside

22 د ... بهر da ... bahar outside

23 د ... دباندې da ... dabānde outside

24 د ... خوا ته da ... khwā ta toward the side of

25 د ... پر لور da ... par lor toward

26 د ... په لور da ... pa lor toward

27 د ... په مقابل کې da ... pa muqābil ke opposite

28 د ... پر وړاندې da ... par wṛānde against; before

29 د ... په وړاندې da ... pa wṛānde in front of; before

30 تر ... پورې tar ... pore until; up to

31 له ... تر ... پورې la ... tar ... pore from ... until

32 د ... په وخت کې da ... pa wakht ke during; at the time of

33 د ... پر مهال da ... par mahāl during

34 له ... راهیسې la ... rāhīse since

35 تر ... وروسته tar ... wrusta after; following

36 تر ... مخکې tar ... makhke before

37 د ... په توګه da ... pa toga as; in the capacity of

38 په ... ډول pa ... dol in the manner of

39 په ... توګه pa ... toga in the manner of

40 په ... وسیله pa ... wasīla by means of

24. “From” constructions

Pashto has several ways to express from, depending on the meaning.

Pashto Transliteration English

له ... la ... from

له ... څخه la ... tsakha from

له ... نه la ... na from

د ... څخه da ... tsakha from/of

له هغه ځایه la hagha zāya from that place

له دې ځایه la de zāya from this place

له کوره la kore from home

له ښار څخه la shār tsakha from the city

25. “With” constructions

Pashto Transliteration English

له ... سره la ... sara with

له ... سره یوځای la ... sara yawdzāy together with

په ... pa ... with; using

د ... په وسیله da ... pa wasīla by means of

د ... له لارې da ... la lāre through; by means of

26. “Without” — پرته

Pashto Transliteration English

پرته پرته without

له ... پرته la ... پرته without

بې له ... be la ... without

بې be without

Examples:

Pashto Transliteration English

له هغه پرته لاړم. la hagha پرته lāṛam. I went without him.

بې له اجازې مه ځه. be la ijāze ma dza. Don't go without permission.

Note: پرته and بې can function in constructions that are more accurately analyzed as postpositions/adpositions depending on the grammar used.

27. “For” constructions

Pashto Transliteration English

لپاره lapāra for

د ... لپاره da ... lapāra for

په خاطر pa khāṭir for; because of

د ... په خاطر da ... pa khāṭir for; because of

په موخه pa mokha for the purpose of

د ... په موخه da ... pa mokha for the purpose of

28. “About / concerning”

Pashto Transliteration English

په اړه pa aṛa about

د ... په اړه da ... pa aṛa about

په هکله pa hakla concerning

د ... په هکله da ... pa hakla concerning

په باره کې pa bāra ke about

د ... په باره کې da ... pa bāra ke about

په تړاو pa taṛāw regarding

د ... په تړاو da ... pa taṛāw regarding

29. “Instead of”

Pashto Transliteration English

پر ځای par zāy instead of; in place of

د ... پر ځای da ... par zāy instead of

په ځای pa zāy in place of

د ... په ځای da ... pa zāy instead of

30. “Through / by means of”

Pashto Transliteration English

له لارې la lāre through

د ... له لارې da ... la lāre through; by way of

په وسیله pa wasīla by means of

د ... په وسیله da ... pa wasīla by means of

له مخې la makhe according to; on the basis of

د ... له مخې da ... la makhe according to

31. “Between / among”

Pashto Transliteration English

ترمنځ tar-manz between; among

د ... ترمنځ da ... tar-manz between; among

په منځ کې pa manz ke among; in the middle of

د ... په منځ کې da ... pa manz ke among

په منځ pa manz amid; among

32. “Toward / direction”

Pashto Transliteration English

ته ta to; toward

پر لور par lor toward

په لور pa lor toward

د ... پر لور da ... par lor toward

د ... په لور da ... pa lor toward

خوا ته khwā ta toward the side

د ... خوا ته da ... khwā ta toward

په طرف pa taraf toward; in the direction of

د ... په طرف da ... pa taraf toward

33. “According to / based on”

Pashto Transliteration English

له مخې la makhe according to

د ... له مخې da ... la makhe according to

پر بنسټ par بنسټ based on

د ... پر بنسټ da ... par بنسټ based on

په اساس pa asās on the basis of

د ... په اساس da ... pa asās according to; based on

For clean transliteration, the last two should be:

پر بنسټ — par bunyāst — based on

د ... پر بنسټ — da ... par bunyāst — based on

په اساس — pa asās — on the basis of

د ... په اساس — da ... pa asās — according to

34. “During / at the time of”

Pashto Transliteration English

په وخت کې pa wakht ke during; at the time

د ... په وخت کې da ... pa wakht ke during

پر مهال par mahāl during

د ... پر مهال da ... par mahāl during

په ترڅ کې pa tsaṛ ke during; in the course of

د ... په ترڅ کې da ... pa tsaṛ ke during

35. “Since”

Pashto Transliteration English

له ... راهیسې la ... rāhīse since

د ... راهیسې da ... rāhīse since

له هغه وخته راهیسې la hagha wakhta rāhīse since that time

له هغه وخت څخه la hagha wakht tsakha since that time

36. “Until / up to”

Pashto Transliteration English

تر tar until; up to

تر ... پورې tar ... pore until; up to

تر هغه پورې tar hagha pore until then

تر اوسه پورې tar osa pore until now

تر سبا پورې tar sabā pore until tomorrow

تر پایه پورې tar pāya pore until the end

37. “After”

Pashto Transliteration English

وروسته wrusta after

له ... وروسته la ... wrusta after

وروسته له wrusta la after

وروسته له دې wrusta la de after this

وروسته له دې چې wrusta la de che after

38. “Before”

Pashto Transliteration English

مخکې makhke before

له ... مخکې la ... makhke before

مخکې له makhke la before

مخکې له دې makhke la de before this

مخکې له دې چې makhke la de che before

12- DETERMINERS

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 دا dā this

2 دغه dagha this; this particular

3 دغه dagha this particular

4 هغه hagha that

5 هغه hagha that particular

6 همدا hamdā this very; this exact

7 همدغه hamdagha this very particular

8 هماغه hamāgha that very; that exact

9 داسې dāse such; like this

10 هغسې haghase such; like that

11 همداسې hamdāse just such; exactly like this

12 هماغسې hamāghase just such; exactly like that

Examples

Pashto Transliteration English

دا کتاب زما دی. dā kitāb zmā dey. This book is mine.

هغه سړی زما ملګری دی. hagha saṛay zmā malgaray dey. That man is my friend.

همدا کتاب واخله. hamdā kitāb wākhla. Take this very book.

هماغه کور ښکلی دی. hamāgha kor shkulay dey. That particular house is beautiful.

2. Proximal demonstratives — نږدې اشاره

These refer to something near the speaker.

Pashto Transliteration English

دا dā this

دغه dagha this; this particular

همدا hamdā this very

همدغه hamdagha this very particular

Plural forms:

Pashto Transliteration English

دا dā these

دغه dagha these; these particular

همدا hamdā these very

همدغه hamdagha these very particular

دا can be used with both singular and plural nouns; the noun/context determines the number.

3. Distal demonstratives — لرې اشاره

These refer to something away from the speaker.

Pashto Transliteration English

هغه hagha that

هماغه hamāgha that very

هغسې haghase such; like that

هماغسې hamāghase just like that

Examples:

Pashto Transliteration English

هغه کتاب زما دی. hagha kitāb zmā dey. That book is mine.

هغه خلک راغلل. hagha khalak rāghlal. Those people came.

هماغه موټر واخله. hamāgha moṭar wākhla. Buy that very car.

4. Interrogative determiners — پوښتنیز ټاکونکي

These occur with nouns when asking questions.

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 کوم kum which

2 کومه kuma which

3 کوم kum which

4 څه tsa what

5 څومره tsomra how much; how many

6 څو tso how many

7 د کوم da kum of which

8 د کومې da kome of which

9 د کومو da komo of which

Examples

Pashto Transliteration English

کوم کتاب غواړې؟ kum kitāb ghwāṛe? Which book do you want?

کومه ښځه راغله؟ kuma khadza rāghla? Which woman came?

څو کتابونه لرې؟ tso kitābūna lare? How many books do you have?

څومره اوبه غواړې؟ tsomra obə ghwāṛe? How much water do you want?

5. Possessive determiners — اضافي/ملکي ټاکونکي

Pashto possessives correspond to my, your, his, her, our, your, their.

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 زما zmā my

2 ستا stā your

3 د هغه da hagha his; that person's

4 د هغې da haghe her; that woman's

5 زموږ زمونږ our

6 ستاسو stāso your (plural/formal)

7 د هغوی da haghoy their

8 خپل khpal one's own

9 خپله khpala one's own

10 خپل khpal one's own

11 خپلې khpale one's own

12 خپلو khpalo one's own

A cleaner transliteration for زموږ is zmūng.

So:

Pashto Transliteration English

زما zmā my

ستا stā your

د هغه da hagha his

د هغې da haghe her

زموږ zmūng our

ستاسو stāso your

د هغوی da haghoy their

خپل khpal one's own

Examples

Pashto Transliteration English

زما کتاب zmā kitāb my book

ستا کور stā kor your house

د هغه موټر da hagha moṭar his car

زموږ ښوونځی zmūng khwunẓay our school

ستاسو کتابونه stāso kitābūna your books

د هغوی کور da haghoy kor their house

خپل کتاب مې واخیست. khpal kitāb me wākhist. I took my own book.

6. Reflexive possessive determiner — خپل

خپل (khpal) is particularly important because it expresses the subject's own.

Pashto Transliteration English

خپل khpal one's own

خپله khpala one's own

خپل khpal one's own

خپلې khpale one's own

خپلو khpalo one's own

Example:

احمد خپل کتاب واخیست.

Ahmad khpal kitāb wākhist.

“Ahmad took his own book.”

The distinction is important:

احمد د هغه کتاب واخیست.

Ahmad da hagha kitāb wākhist.

“Ahmad took his book.”

→ potentially someone else's book.

احمد خپل کتاب واخیست.

Ahmad khpal kitāb wākhist.

“Ahmad took his own book.”

7. Quantifier determiners — کمیتي ټاکونکي

These specify an amount or quantity.

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 ټول tol all

2 ټوله tola all; whole

3 ټولې tole all

4 ډېر der many; much

5 لږ lag few; little

6 زیات zyāt many; much; more

7 کم kam few; little; less

8 څو tso several; some; how many

9 هر har every; each

10 هر یو har yaw each one

11 ځینې tsīne some; certain

12 ځیني tsīni some

13 ځینو tsīno some

14 یو شمېر yaw shmeṛ a number of; several

15 ګڼ gan numerous; many

16 بې شمېره be-shmeṛa countless

17 کافي kāfī enough; sufficient

18 بس bas enough; sufficient

19 نیم nīm half

20 نیمایي nīmāyī half

21 دواړه dwāṛa both

22 یو څو yaw tso a few

23 ډېر شمېر der shmeṛ a large number

24 لږ شمېر lag shmeṛ a small number

Examples

Pashto Transliteration English

ټول زده کوونکي راغلل. tol zda-kūnki rāghlal. All the students came.

ډېر خلک دلته دي. der khalak dalta di. Many people are here.

لږ خلک راغلل. lag khalak rāghlal. Few people came.

ځینې خلک پښتو وايي. tsīne khalak Pashto wāyi. Some people speak Pashto.

دواړه هلکان راغلل. dwāṛa halakān rāghlal. Both boys came.

یو څو کتابونه واخله. yaw tso kitābūna wākhla. Buy a few books.

8. Universal determiner — هر

هر (har) means every/each and is one of the most important determiner words.

Pashto Transliteration English

هر har every; each

هر یو har yaw each one

هره hara every

هرې hare every

هر یو har yaw each one

هرڅوک har-tsok everyone; whoever

هرڅه har-tsa everything; whatever

هر ځای har zāy every place; everywhere

هر وخت har wakht every time; always

هرکله harkala whenever

هرچېرته harčerta everywhere; wherever

هرڅنګه har-tsanga however; in every way

هرڅومره har-tsomra however much/many

Examples:

هر سړی خپل کار لري.

har saṛay khpal kār larī.

“Every man has his own work.”

هره ورځ ښوونځي ته ځم.

hara wraz khwunẓay ta dzam.

“I go to school every day.”

9. Negative / negative-quantifying determiners

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 هېڅ heč no; any

2 هېڅ یو heč yaw not any; none

3 هېڅوک hečok nobody; no one

4 هېڅ شی heč shay nothing

5 هېڅ ډول heč dol no kind/type

6 هېڅ کوم heč kum no particular; not any

7 هېڅ ځای heč zāy no place; nowhere

8 هېڅ وخت heč wakht no time; never

Examples:

هېڅ کتاب مې ونه لوست.

heč kitāb me wana lwast.

“I did not read any book.”

هېڅ زده کوونکی حاضر نه و.

heč zda-kūnkay hāzir na wo.

“No student was present.”

10. Indefinite determiners — نامعلوم ټاکونکي

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 یو yaw a; one

2 یوه yawa a; one

3 یو څه yaw tsa some; a little

4 یو څو yaw tso a few

5 کوم kum some; any; a certain

6 کوم یو kum yaw some one; any one

7 کومه kuma some; a certain

8 ځینې tsīne some; certain

9 هر یو har yaw any/every one

10 یو شمېر yaw shmeṛ a number of

11 یو ډول yaw dol a kind/type of

12 بل bal another; other

13 بله bala another; other

14 نور nor other; more

15 نورې nore other

16 بل کوم bal kum some other

17 کوم بل kum bal some other

Important

یو (yaw) can function as a numeral (“one”) and as an indefinite article-like determiner (“a/an”).

یو کتاب

yaw kitāb

“a book / one book”

Pashto does not have a separate equivalent of English a/an.

11. Definite determination

Pashto does not have a simple independent definite article equivalent to English “the.”

Instead, definiteness can be conveyed through:

Pashto Transliteration English

دا dā this

دغه dagha this particular

هغه hagha that

همدا hamdā this very

هماغه hamāgha that very

د ... da ... the ... / of ... depending on context

noun + context — definite through context

For example:

کتاب مې واخیست.

kitāb me wākhist.

“I took the book.”

The noun کتاب (kitāb) does not need a separate word meaning “the.”

Compare:

یو کتاب مې واخیست.

yaw kitāb me wākhist.

“I took a book.”

کتاب مې واخیست.

kitāb me wākhist.

“I took the book.”

The context and construction distinguish the interpretations.

12. Distributive determiners

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 هر har every

2 هر یو har yaw each one

3 هره hara every

4 هر یو یو har yaw yaw each one individually

5 په هر pa har in/on every

6 د هر da har of every

7 هر یو له har yaw la each of

Examples:

هر زده کوونکی یو کتاب لري.

har zda-kūnkay yaw kitāb larī.

“Every student has a book.”

هر یو زده کوونکی حاضر شو.

har yaw zda-kūnkay hāzir sho.

“Each student became present.”

13. Collective determiners

Pashto Transliteration English

ټول tol all

ټوله tola whole; all

ټولې tole all

دواړه dwāṛa both

ټول یوځای tol yawdzāy all together

ټول خلک tol khalak all people

ټول شیان tol shayān all things

14. “Whole / entire” determiners

Pashto Transliteration English

ټول tol whole; entire; all

ټوله tola whole; entire

ټولې tole all; whole

په ټوله pa tola throughout the whole

ټول tol entire/all

Examples:

ټوله ورځ کار کوم.

tola wraz kār kawum.

“I work all day.”

ټول ښار تړل شوی و.

tol shār taṛal shway wo.

“The whole city was closed.”

15. “Other / another” determiners

# Pashto Transliteration English

1 بل bal another; other

2 بله bala another; other

3 نور nor other; more

4 نورې nore other

5 نورو نورو other

6 بل یو bal yaw another one

7 کوم بل kum bal some other

8 بل کوم bal kum another particular

Clean transliteration:

نورو — نورو — other (oblique/plural)

16. “Same / very” determiners

These emphasize identity.

Pashto Transliteration English

همدا hamdā this very; this exact

همدغه hamdagha this very particular

هماغه hamāgha that very; that exact

همدغه یو hamdagha yaw this very one

هماغه یو hamāgha yaw that very one

Example:

هماغه کتاب بیا راکړه.

hamāgha kitāb biyā rākaṛa.

“Give me that same book again.”

17. Numerical determiners

Numerals can function as noun determiners because they specify quantity.

Cardinal numbers

Pashto Transliteration English

یو yaw one

دوه dwa two

درې dre three

څلور tsalor four

پنځه pinځه five

شپږ شپږ six

اووه owa seven

اته ata eight

نهه naha nine

لس las ten

شل shal twenty

سل sal hundred

زر zar thousand

میلیون milyūn million

For consistency in Latin transliteration:

Pashto Transliteration English

پنځه pinza five

شپږ شپږ six

اووه owa seven

اته ata eight

نهه naha nine

Numerals such as دوه کتابونه (dwa kitābūna, “two books”) function as quantity specification.

18. Fractional / quantity determiners

Pashto Transliteration English

نیم nīm half

نیمه nīma half

نیمایي nīmāyī half

څلورمه برخه tsalorma barkha one quarter

درېیمه برخه dre-yama barkha one third

یوه برخه yawa barkha one part

څو برخې tso barkhe several parts

نیمایي ټول nīmāyī tol half of all

19. Approximate quantity determiners

Pashto Transliteration English

شاوخوا shāokhwā about; approximately

کابو kābo about; approximately

نږدې neẓde nearly; approximately

څه باندې tsa bānde somewhat more than

له ... زیات la ... zyāt more than

له ... کم la ... kam less than

تر ... زیات tar ... zyāt more than

تر ... کم tar ... kam less than

یو شمېر yaw shmeṛ a number of

ګڼ شمېر gan shmeṛ a large number of

Examples:

شاوخوا لس کسان راغلل.

shāokhwā las kasān rāghlal.

“About ten people came.”

یو شمېر زده کوونکي حاضر وو.

yaw shmeṛ zda-kūnki hāzir wo.

“A number of students were present.”

20. Comparative determiners

Pashto Transliteration English

ډېر der more; many

زیات zyāt more; greater

لږ lag less; fewer

کم kam fewer; less

تر ټولو ډېر tar tolo der the most

تر ټولو زیات tar tolo zyāt the greatest/most

تر ټولو لږ tar tolo lag the least

لا ډېر lā der even more

لا زیات lā zyāt even more

لا لږ lā lag even less

دومره domra that much/many

هومره homra that much/many

څومره tsomra how much/many

21. “Each / every / all / both” comparison

English Pashto Transliteration

every هر har

each هر یو har yaw

all ټول tol

both دواړه dwāṛa

either یو له دواړو yaw la dwāṛo

neither هېڅ یو له دواړو heč yaw la dwāṛo

any هر یو har yaw

none هېڅ یو heč yaw

22. “Any” determiners

The translation of English any depends on context.

Pashto Transliteration English

هر har any; every

هر یو har yaw any one

کوم kum any; some

کوم یو kum yaw any one

هېڅ heč any (under negation)

هېڅ یو heč yaw any one / none

Examples:

هر کتاب اخیستلای شې.

har kitāb akhistalāy she.

“You can take any book.”

هېڅ کتاب مې ونه موند.

heč kitāb me wana mund.

“I didn't find any book.”

23. “Some” determiners

Pashto Transliteration English

ځینې tsīne some

ځیني tsīni some

یو شمېر yaw shmeṛ a number of

څو tso several

یو څو yaw tso a few

کوم kum some; a certain

کوم یو kum yaw a certain one

24. “Many / few / much / little”

English Pashto Transliteration

many ډېر der

much ډېر der

more زیات zyāt

few لږ lag

little لږ lag

fewer کم kam

less کم kam

numerous ګڼ gan

countless بې شمېره be-shmeṛa

enough کافي kāfī

25. Determiner-like adverbial quantifiers

Some forms can determine nouns or modify the quantity of a noun phrase.

Pashto Transliteration English

دومره domra this/that much/many

هومره homra that much/many

څومره tsomra how much/many

همدومره hamdomra exactly this much

همدومره hamdomra only this much

ډېر der very many/much

لږ lag very few/little

13- IF CONDITIONAL

Zero Conditional که + present, present که باران وشي، ځمکه لمدېږي Ka bārān washi, dzmaka lamdēgi If it rains, the ground gets wet

First Conditional که + present, به + future که راشې، زه به ځم Ka rāshē, za ba dzam If you come, I will go

Second Conditional که + past, + وای که شتمن وای، کور به مې اخیستی - واى + به Ka shatman wāy, kor ba me akhisti wāy If I were rich, I would have bought a house

Third Conditional که + past perfect, به + participle + وای که تللی وای، لیدلی به مې - وای Ka talay wāy, lēdalay ba me wāy If I had gone, I would have seen (him)

Mixed Conditional past/present combinations که ما زده کړې کړې وای، اوس به ډاکټر وای Ka mā zda kṛē kṛē wāy, os ba dākṭar wāy If I had studied, I would be a doctor now

if که ka

when کله چې kala che

when? کله kala

whenever هر کله چې har kala che

every time هر وخت چې har wakht che

unless مګر که magar ka

without/unless پرته له دې چې partha la de che

even if که څه هم ka tsa ham

only if یوازې که yāwāze ka

as long as تر هغه چې tar hagha che

provided that په دې شرط چې pa de shart che

if only کاشکې kāshke

whether که نه ka na

in case که چیرې ka chērē

as soon as کله چې ... نو kala che ... no

14- COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE

X = The person you are comparing with

Comparative تر + X + Adj tar + X + Adj تر هغه لوی tar hagha loy bigger than him/that

Comparative with than له + X + څخه + Adj la + X + tsakha + Adj له هغه څخه لوی la hagha tsakha loy bigger than him/that

More ډېر + Adj der + Adj ډېر ښه der kha more/better

Less لږ/کم + Adj lag/kam + Adj لږ ښه lag kha less good

More noun ډېر + Noun der + noun ډېر کتابونه der kitābūna more books

Fewer noun لږ + Noun lag + noun لږ کتابونه lag kitābūna fewer books

More verb ډېر + Verb der + verb ډېر کار کوم der kār kawum I work more

Less verb لږ + Verb lag + verb لږ کار کوم lag kār kawum I work less

As...as هغومره + Adj + لکه haghumra + Adj + laka هغومره لوی لکه haghumra loy laka as big as

Like/as د + X + په شان da X pa shān زما په شان zamā pa shān like me / as me

More and more لا پسې + Adj lā pasē + Adj لا پسې ښه lā pasē kha better and better

Less and less لږ لږ + Verb/Adj lag lag + Verb/Adj لږ لږ کوي lag lag kawi does less and less

Superlative تر ټولو + Adj tar tōlo + Adj تر ټولو ښه tar tōlo kha the best

Most noun تر ټولو ډېر + Noun tar tōlo der + noun تر ټولو ډېر کتابونه tar tōlo der kitābūna the most books

Most verb تر ټولو ډېر + Verb tar tōlo der + verb تر ټولو ډېر کار کوي tar tōlo der kār kawi works the most

Least تر ټولو کم + Adj/Noun/Verb tar tōlo kam + ... تر ټولو کم tar tōlo kam the least

Much more ډېر + comparative der + comparative ډېر لوی der loy much bigger

A little more لږ + comparative lag + comparative لږ ښه lag kha a little better

Even more لا + Adj lā + Adj لا ښه lā kha even better

Not more نه + comparison na + comparison ښه نه دی kha na day is not better / is not good

Basic than تر + X tar X تر هغه than him/that

Than + adjective تر + X + Adj tar X + Adj تر هغه لوی bigger than him

Full than construction له + X + څخه la X tsakha له هغه څخه than him

Than + adjective له + X + څخه + Adj la X tsakha + Adj له هغه څخه لوی bigger than him

More than له + X + څخه + ډېر la X tsakha + der له هغه څخه ډېر more than him

Less than له + X + څخه + لږ la X tsakha + lag له هغه څخه لږ less than him

More books than له + X + څخه + ډېر + noun la X tsakha der + noun له هغه څخه ډېر کتابونه more books than him

Fewer books than له + X + څخه + لږ + noun la X tsakha lag + noun له هغه څخه لږ کتابونه fewer books than him

More action than له + X + څخه + ډېر + verb la X tsakha der + verb له هغه څخه ډېر کار کوم work more than him

Less action than له + X + څخه + لږ + verb la X tsakha lag + verb له هغه څخه لږ کار کوم work less than him

More often than له + X + څخه + ډېر ځله la X tsakha der dzala له هغه څخه ډېر ځله راځي comes more often than him

Less often than له + X + څخه + لږ ځله la X tsakha lag dzala له هغه څخه لږ ځله راځي comes less often than him

Than everyone له ټولو څخه la ṭōlo tsakha له ټولو څخه ښه better than everyone

Than anyone له هر چا څخه la har chā tsakha له هر چا څخه ښه better than anyone

Than the others له نورو څخه la نورو tsakha له نورو څخه ښه better than the others

Than before تر پخوا tar pakhwā تر پخوا ښه better than before

Than yesterday تر پرون tar parūn تر پرون ښه better than yesterday

Than today تر نن tar nan تر نن ښه better than today

Than last year تر تېر کال tar ter kāl تر تېر کال ښه better than last year

Rather than د ... پر ځای da ... par dzāy د تللو پر ځای rather than leaving

Other than پرته له ... څخه parṭa la ... tsakha پرته له هغه other than him

As ... as هغومره ... لکه haghumra ... laka هغومره لوی لکه as big as

Not as ... as هغومره ... نه ... لکه haghumra ... na ... laka هغومره لوی نه دی لکه not as big as

15- RELATIVE CLAUSES

who چې che

which چې che

that چې che

the person who هغه څوک چې hagha tsok che

the thing that هغه څه چې hagha tsa che

whose چې ... یې che ... ye

the one who هغه چې hagha che

هغه سړی چې راغی، زما ورور دی. Hagha saṛay che rāghay, zamā wror day. The man who came is my brother.

Who noun + چې + verb noun + che + verb هغه سړی چې کار کوي Hagha saṛay che kār kawi the man who works

That noun + چې + clause noun + che + clause هغه کتاب چې ما ولوست Hagha kitāb che mā walwast the book that I read

Which noun + چې + clause noun + che + clause هغه موټر چې ما واخیست Hagha moṭar che mā wākhist the car which I bought

Whom noun + چې + subject + verb noun + che + subject + verb هغه سړی چې ما ولید Hagha saṛay che mā walīd the man whom I saw

Whose noun + چې + یې + noun noun + che + ye + noun هلک چې یې پلار... halak che ye plār... the boy whose father...

Where هغه ځای چې + clause hagha dzāy che + clause هغه ځای چې اوسېږو hagha dzāy che osēgū the place where we live

When هغه وخت چې + clause hagha wakht che + clause هغه وخت چې راغلم hagha wakht che rāghlam the time when I came

Why هغه دلیل چې + clause hagha dalīl che + clause هغه دلیل چې لاړ hagha dalīl che lāṛ the reason why he left

Who does چې + present verb che + present verb چې کار کوي che kār kawi who works / who does

Who did چې + past verb che + past verb چې راغی che rāghay who came

Who will چې + به + verb che + ba + verb چې به راشي che ba rāshi who will come

Who does not چې + نه + verb che + na + verb چې کار نه کوي che kār na kawi who does not work

Must/should چې + باید + subjunctive che + bāyad + subjunctive چې باید وکړو che bāyad wakṛu that we must/should do

Reduced active stem + ـونکی + noun stem + -unkay + noun کارکوونکی سړی kārkawunkay saṛay the man who works / working man

Reduced passive passive participle + noun passive participle + noun جوړ شوی کور jōṛ shway kor the house that was built / built house

16- REPORTED SPEECH AND DIRECT SPEECH

Direct Speech: Speaker + وویل/وایي [wowayal/wāyi] + "exact words"

Reported Speech:

Statement وویل چې + clause wowayal che + clause

Question وپوښتل چې + clause wapoxtal che + clause

Wh-question وپوښتل چې + wh-word + sentence wapoxtal che + wh-word + sentence

Command وویل چې + verb wowayal che + verb

Request غوښتنه وکړه چې + verb ghōshtana wakṛa che + verb

Wish وویل چې کاشکې + clause wowayal che kāshke + clause

ویل wayal to say

وویل wowayal said

وایي wāyi says

پوښتنه وکړه pokhtana wakṛa asked

اعلان وکړ elān wakṛ announced

17- INFINITIVES AND VERBAL NOUNS

to eat infinitive خوړل khwṛal

eating (subject) infinitive as noun خوړل ښه دي khwṛal kha di

eating (object) infinitive as noun خوړل خوښوم khwṛal khwakhawum

after eating oblique infinitive له خوړلو وروسته la khwṛalo wrusta

before eating oblique infinitive له خوړلو مخکې la khwṛalo makhke

eating person agent noun خوړونکی khwṛūnkay

I am happy seeing you زه ستا په لیدلو خوشحاله یم Za stā pa lēdalo khushhāla yam possessive + infinitive + adjective

FORMATION:

زه za I subject pronoun

ستا stā your / you possessive form

په pa in / at / by preposition

لیدلو lēdalo seeing infinitive oblique form

خوشحاله khushhāla happy adjective

یم yam am verb "to be"

I am happy to see you زه خوشحاله یم چې تا وینم Za khushhāla yam che tā wīnam adjective + چې (che) + verb

FORMATION:

زه za I subject

خوشحاله khushhāla happy adjective

یم yam am be verb

چې che that / to connector

تا tā you object

وینم wīnam I see present verb

I plan to eat زه پلان لرم چې وخورم Za plān laram che wakhwaram plan + چې (che) + verb

FORMATION:

زه za I subject

پلان plān plan noun

لرم laram have verb

چې che that / to connector

وخورم wakhwaram I eat / I should eat subjunctive

I plan eating زه د خوړلو پلان لرم Za da khwṛalo plān laram د (da) + infinitive + plan

FORMATION:

زه za I subject

د da of / for linker

خوړلو khwṛalo eating infinitive oblique

پلان plān plan noun

لرم laram have verb

I see him run زه هغه وینم چې منډه وهي Za hagha wīnam che manda wahi see + object + چې (che) + verb

FORMATION:

زه za I subject

هغه hagha him/he object

وینم wīnam see verb

چې che that/who relative connector

منډه manda running noun

وهي wahi hits/does verb (run expression)

I see him running زه هغه په منډه وهلو وینم Za hagha pa manda wahalo wīnam object + په (pa) + infinitive

FORMATION:

زه za I subject

هغه hagha him object

په pa in/by preposition

منډه manda running noun

وهلو wahalo doing/running infinitive oblique

وینم wīnam see verb

I eat to play زه خورم چې لوبه وکړم Za khwaram che loba wakṛam action + چې (che) + purpose verb

FORMATION:

زه za I subject

خورم khwaram eat main verb

چې che so that / to purpose connector

لوبه loba game/play noun

وکړم wakṛam I do/play subjunctive

I eat in order to play زه د لوبې کولو لپاره خورم Za da lobē kawalo la para khwaram د (da) + infinitive + لپاره (la para)

FORMATION:

زه za I subject

د da of linker

لوبې lobē game/play noun

کولو kawalo doing infinitive

لپاره la para for / in order to purpose marker

خورم khwaram eat main verb

18- SUBJUNCTIVE

Want غواړم چې + subjunctive ghwāṛam che + subjunctive غواړم چې لاړ شم Ghwāṛam che lāṛ sham

Plan پلان لرم چې + subjunctive plān laram che + subjunctive پلان لرم چې وخورم Plān laram che wakhwaram

Purpose verb + چې + subjunctive verb + che + subjunctive ځم چې زده کړم Dzam che zda kṛam

Must / Should باید + subjunctive bāyad + subjunctive باید کار وکړم Bāyad kār wakṛam

Wish کاشکې + subjunctive kāshke + subjunctive کاشکې راشي Kāshke rāshi

If که + subjunctive ka + subjunctive که لاړ شم Ka lāṛ sham

Negative نه + subjunctive na + subjunctive نه غواړم چې لاړ شم Na ghwāṛam che lāṛ sham

19- TAG QUESTIONS

isn't it? sentence + که نه؟ sentence + ka na?

don't you? sentence + که نه؟ sentence + ka na?

didn't he? sentence + که نه؟ sentence + ka na?

won't they? sentence + که نه؟ sentence + ka na?

right? sentence + سمه ده؟ sentence + sama da?

ته خوشحاله یې، که نه؟ Ta khushhāla ye, ka na? You are happy, aren't you?

Don't you...? نه + verb؟ na + verb?

Doesn't he...? subject + نه + verb؟ subject + na + verb?

Didn't you...? subject + past + نه؟ subject + past + na?

Won't you...? subject + به + نه + verb؟ subject + ba + na + verb?

Isn't he...? noun/adjective + نه + دی/ده؟ noun/adjective + na day/da?

Why don't...? ولې + نه + verb؟ walē + na + verb?

20- MODAL WORDS

# Pashto Transliteration English meaning

1 باید bāyad must; should; ought to

2 حتماً hatman definitely; must

3 خامخا khāmkhā certainly; definitely; by all means

4 ضرور zarur certainly; necessarily; must

5 ضروراً zaruran necessarily; inevitably

6 لازمه ده lāzima da it is necessary

7 لازم دي lāzim di it is necessary / required

8 اړینه ده aṛīna da it is necessary

9 اړین دي aṛīn di they are necessary / required

10 ضروري ده zaruri da it is necessary

11 مجبوره دی majbūra dey he is obliged / forced

12 مجبور دی majbur dey he is compelled

13 اړ دی aṛ dey he is obliged / has to

14 اړ دي aṛ di they are obliged / have to

2. Possibility and probability

# Pashto Transliteration English meaning

15 کېدای شي kedāy shi may; might; can

16 کېدلی شي kedalay shi can; may be possible

17 ښايي shāyī may; might; probably

18 ښایي shāyī may; might; perhaps

19 شاید shāyad perhaps; maybe; might

20 ممکن mumkin possible; may

21 ممکنه ده mumkin da it is possible

22 امکان لري imkān larī it is possible / there is a possibility

23 احتمال لري ihtimāl larī there is a possibility / likely

24 احتمالاً ihtimālan probably; presumably

25 غالباً ghāliban probably; most likely

26 ګوندې gondē perhaps; maybe; lest

27 هسې نه hasē na perhaps; lest

28 کېدای شي چې kedāy shi che it may be that

29 ښايي چې shāyī che it may be that; perhaps

30 ممکنه ده چې mumkin da che it is possible that

31 امکان لري چې imkān larī che it is possible that

3. Certainty

# Pashto Transliteration English meaning

32 یقیناً yaqīnan certainly; surely

33 یقیني yaqīnī certain; sure

34 په یقین سره pa yaqīn sara certainly; with certainty

35 بېشکه be-shaka undoubtedly; certainly

36 بې له شکه be la shaka without a doubt

37 بالکل balkul absolutely; certainly

38 رښتیا rēkhtyā truly; really

39 واقعاً wāqi'an really; indeed

40 البته albata certainly; of course

41 حتماً hatman definitely

42 خامخا khāmkhā surely; definitely

43 ضرور zarur certainly; surely

4. Permission and possibility

# Pashto Transliteration English meaning

44 کولی شي kawalay shi can; is able to

45 کولای شي kawlāy shi can; is able to

46 کولای شم kawlāy shum I can / I am able to

47 اجازه لري ijāza larī is allowed to

48 اجازه لرل ijāza larl to be allowed to

49 اجازه شته ijāza shata permission exists / it is allowed

50 اجازه ده ijāza da it is permitted

51 روا ده rawā da it is permitted / allowed

52 روا دي rawā di they are permitted

53 جایز دی jāyiz dey it is permissible

54 جایز دي jāyiz di they are permissible

5. Ability

# Pashto Transliteration English meaning

55 کولی شم kawalay shum I can

56 کولی شې kawalay she you can

57 کولی شي kawalay shi he/she can

58 کولی شو kawalay shu we can

59 کولی شئ kawalay shay you can

60 کولی شي kawalay shi they can

61 توان لري tawān larī has the ability to

62 توان لرم tawān laram I have the ability to

63 وس لري was larī has the capacity to

64 وس لرم was laram I have the capacity to

65 قادر دی qādir dey is able to / capable of

66 قادر دي qādir di are able to

67 توانیدل tawānēdal to be able to

6. Desire, volition, and intention

These are not always classified as modal verbs in traditional Pashto grammar, but they express volitional modality.

# Pashto Transliteration English meaning

68 غواړم ghwāṛam I want

69 غواړې ghwāṛe you want

70 غواړي ghwāṛī he/she wants

71 غواړو ghwāṛu we want

72 غواړئ ghwāṛay you want

73 غواړي ghwāṛī they want

74 اراده لرم irāda laram I intend

75 اراده لري irāda larī he/she intends

76 نیت لرم niyat laram I intend / plan

77 نیت لري niyat larī he/she intends

78 هوډ لرم hoḍ laram I am determined / intend

79 هوډ لري hoḍ larī he/she intends / is determined

7. Advice, recommendation, and desirability

# Pashto Transliteration English meaning

80 باید bāyad should; ought to

81 ښه ده چې kha da che it is better that

82 غوره ده چې ghōra da che it is preferable that

83 مناسب ده چې munāsib da che it is appropriate that

84 لازمه ده چې lāzima da che it is necessary that

85 اړینه ده چې aṛīna da che it is necessary that

86 پکار ده چې pakār da che one should; it is necessary that

87 پکار ده pakār da one should / ought to

88 بهتره ده behtara da it is better

89 ښه به وي kha ba wi it would be better

90 غوره به وي ghōra ba wi it would be preferable

8. Expectation and likelihood

# Pashto Transliteration English meaning

91 تمه ده tama da it is expected

92 تمه کېږي tama kegī it is expected

93 تمه لرم tama laram I expect / hope

94 تمه لري tama larī he/she expects

95 غالباً ghāliban probably

96 احتمالاً ihtimālan probably

97 ښايي shāyī probably / may

98 تمه کېده tama kedala it was expected

99 تمه کېږي چې tama kegī che it is expected that

100 داسې ښکاري چې dāse khkārī che it seems that

9. Evidential / apparent modality

These indicate that something is apparently, seemingly, or reportedly the case.

# Pashto Transliteration English meaning

101 ظاهراً zāhiran apparently

102 ګواکې gwāke supposedly; allegedly; as if

103 داسې ښکاري dāse khkārī it seems

104 داسې برېښي dāse brekhshe it appears

105 ښکاري چې khkārī che it seems that

106 برېښي چې brekhshe che it appears that

107 په ظاهره pa zāhira apparently; on the surface

108 راته ښکاري rāta khkārī it seems to me

109 داسې معلومېږي dāse malūmēgī it appears / seems

110 معلومېږي چې malūmēgī che it appears that

10. Hypothetical / conditional modality

# Pashto Transliteration English meaning

111 که ka if

112 که ښايي ka shāyī if perhaps

113 که کېدای شي ka kedāy shi if possible

114 که ممکنه وي ka mumkinə wi if it is possible

115 که چیرې ka čerē if

116 که هرڅه وي ka har-tsa wi whatever it may be

117 که داسې وي ka dāse wi if that is so

118 که امکان ولري ka imkān walari if possible

11. Fear / precaution / undesired possibility

# Pashto Transliteration English meaning

119 هسې نه hasē na lest; perhaps

120 هسې نه چې hasē na che lest

121 ګوندې gondē lest; perhaps

122 مبادا mabāda lest; God forbid

123 نه چې na che lest; so that … not

124 خدای مه کړه khudāy ma kra God forbid

125 هسې نه چې داسې وشي hasē na che dāse wushi lest this happen

12. Counterfactual / irrealis expressions

# Pashto Transliteration English meaning

126 کاش kāsh if only; I wish

127 کاشکې kāshke if only; I wish

128 کاش چې kāsh che I wish that

129 که ... وای ka ... wāy if ... were/was

130 که ... وی ka ... wi if ... were

131 که ... شوی وای ka ... shway wāy if ... had happened

132 باید ... وای bāyad ... wāy should have / ought to have

133 باید ... وی bāyad ... wi should have / ought to have

13. Prohibition and negative modality

# Pashto Transliteration English meaning

134 مه ma do not

135 مه کوه ma kawa don't do

136 مه کوئ ma kawey don't do

137 باید نه bāyad na must not / should not

138 باید ... ونه bāyad ... wana must not / should not

139 نه شي کولی na shi kawalay cannot

140 نشي کولی nashi kawalay cannot / is unable to

141 امکان نه لري imkān na larī it is not possible

142 ممکن نه دی mumkin na dey it is not possible

21- THERE IS / HAVE / BE

There is a book کتاب شته Kitāb shte

There are books کتابونه شته Kitābūna shte

There is no book کتاب نشته Kitāb nashta

There are no books کتابونه نشته Kitābūna nashta

Is there a book? کتاب شته؟ Kitāb shte?

Was there a book? کتاب و؟ Kitāb wo?

Will there be a book? کتاب به وي؟ Kitāb ba wi?

I have لرم laram

You have (singular) لرې larē

He has لري lari

She has لري lari

We have لرو laro

You have (plural/formal) لرئ laray

They have لري lari

Don't have (I) زه + noun + نه + لرم Za + noun + na + laram زه کتاب نه لرم Za kitāb na laram

Don't have (you) ته + noun + نه + لرې Ta + noun + na + larē ته کتاب نه لرې Ta kitāb na larē

Doesn't have (he/she) هغه + noun + نه + لري Hagha + noun + na + lari هغه کتاب نه لري Hagha kitāb na lari

Had subject + noun + درلود subject + noun + darlod ما کتاب درلود Mā kitāb darlod

Will have subject + به + noun + ولري subject + ba + noun + walari زه به کتاب ولرم Za ba kitāb walram

IMPERATIVES:

Do! (singular) verb stem + ه stem + a کوه (kawa)

Do! (formal/plural) verb + ئ verb + ay وکړئ (wakṛay)

Don't! (singular) مه + verb ma + verb مه کوه (ma kawa)

Don't! (formal/plural) مه + plural verb ma + verb-ay مه کوئ (ma kaway)

Please مهرباني وکړه mehrabāni wakṛa Please do

Let me/us پرېږده چې + subjunctive prezhda che + subjunctive Let me go

Be done! (singular/informal) passive participle + شه passive participle + sha وکړل شه Wukṛal sha

Be done! (formal/plural) passive participle + شئ passive participle + shay وکړل شئ Wukṛal shay

Let it be done پرېږده چې + passive subjunctive Prezhda che + passive subjunctive پرېږده چې وشي Prezhda che washi

Should/Must be done باید + passive verb + شي Bāyad + passive verb + shi باید وشي Bāyad washi

Don't be done! (singular) مه + passive verb + شه Ma + passive verb + sha مه شه Ma sha

Don't be done! (formal/plural) مه + passive verb + شئ Ma + passive verb + shay مه شئ Ma shay