Pashto

Pashto (also known as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, or Pushtu) is an Eastern Iranian language spoken by the Pashtun people, who reside primarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pashto is one of the two official languages of Afghanistan, alongside Dari, and is also a recognized minority language in Pakistan.

History

Pashto's origins are unclear, but it is believed to have developed from the Median or Avestan languages. The language has been influenced by Persian, Arabic, and Turkic throughout its history.

Dialects

There are two main dialects of Pashto: Western Pashto, spoken primarily in Afghanistan, and Eastern Pashto, spoken primarily in Pakistan. These dialects are further divided into several sub-dialects.

Phonology

Pashto has a complex phonological system with a large number of consonants and vowels. It also features a pitch accent system, which is rare among the world's languages.

Grammar

Pashto grammar is based on the subject-object-verb word order, and it has two genders, masculine and feminine. The language also has a complex system of noun declensions and verb conjugations.

Writing system

Pashto is written in the Arabic script, but it has additional letters to represent sounds not found in Arabic.

Literature

Pashto literature dates back to the 7th century and includes a rich tradition of poetry, prose, and folk tales.

See also

• Pashto alphabet
• Pashto literature
• Pashto media
• Pashto music
• Pashto phonology
• Pashto grammar

• Pashto
  Pashto
• Times
  Times