The Pashto Language

Spoken by the Khan’s or Pashtuns (inhabiting Afghanistan and the west of Pakistan) as well as by groups in India, it is one of the official languages of Afghanistan, along with Dari.

With regards to the linguistic history of Pashto, it comes from the Indo-European language of families, discussed HERE, and more specifically forms part of the Indo-Iranian branch, discussed HERE.

Just as in English, adjectives are placed before the noun.  Both adjectives and nouns have two genders: feminine and masculine, as well as two numbers: singular and plural.

At present, given the difficult political situation in Afghanistan, Pashto linguists are in high demand.

It’s fundamental to train military personnel stationed in the zone in this language, as fluid communication is of vital importance to maintain good relations and avoid unnecessary confusion in an already tense atmosphere.  Check out this interesting article to learn more about the topic.