Alphabet in Pashto Language

Learning the Pashto alphabet is crucial to learn the Pashto Language. Pashto alphabet configuration is used in a every day conversation. With out the Pashto alphabet, it is impossible to say the Pashto terms properly even if anyone can write those phrases in Pashto. Learn More

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As with any language, the far better a person articulate a letter in a word, the easier understood you’ll be in speaking the Pashto language. Below are web links that guides you to the Pashto alphabet and how it’s pronounced in English.

Learn Pashto Language Online

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Vowels in Pashto Alphabet

ə [ه ,ۀ ,زورکى]	a central neutral vowel, like 'a' in "above"
a [ه ,زبر]	like 'u' in "hut"
aa [ا]	like 'a' in "far"
i [زېر ,ي]	like 'ee' in "see"
ē [ې]	like 'e' in "bed"
u [پېش ,و]	like 'oo' in "food"
o [و]	like 'o' in "more"
ay [ى]	similar to 'y' in "my". In eastern areas e.g. Swat, it sounds like /eh/
əi [ئ ,ۍ]	similar to 'ay' in "play"

Consonants in Pashto Alphabet

b [ب]	like 'b' in "bed"
ch [چ]	like 'ch' in "chair"
ts [څ]	like 'z' in German "zehn" (Similar to 'ts' in "boots".)
d [د]	similar to 'd' in "do" (But it is softer, and the flat of the tongue makes contact with the roof of the mouth, not the tip of the tongue as in English.)
dd [ډ]	like 'rd' in Swedish "nord" (It's a thick D pronounced with the tongue tip curled back.)
f [ف]	like 'f' in "film"
g [ګ ,ږ]	like 'g' in "girl"
gh [غ]	similar to 'r' in French "écrire" (It's spoken in the throat.)
h [ح ,ه]	like 'h' in "honey"
j [ج]	like 'j' in "job"
dz [ځ]	like 'z' in Italian "zero" (Similar to 'ds' in "kids".)
k [ق ,ک]	like 'k' in "skin"
kh [خ]	like 'ch' in German "Kuchen" (It's spoken in the throat.)
k'h [ښ]	like 'ch' in German "dicht" and 'h' in English "hue"
l [ل]	like 'l' in "look"
m [م]	like 'm' in "moon"
n [ن]	like 'n' in "noon"
nn [ڼ]	like 'rn' in Swedish "garn" (It's a thick N pronounced with the tongue tip curled back.)
p [ف ,پ]	like 'p' in "spin"
q [ق]	like 'q' in "Quran"
r [ر]	like 'r' in "rose"
rr [ړ]	thick R pronounced with the tongue tip curled back, similar to 'l' in Swedish/Norwegian "blad"
s [ص ,ث ,س]	like 's' in "sun"
sh [ش]	like 'sh' in "shine"
t [ط ,ت]	similar to 't' in "stem" (But it is softer, and the flat of the tongue makes contact with the roof of the mouth, not the tip of the tongue as in English.)
tt [ټ]	like 'rt' in Swedish "karta" (It's a thick T pronounced with the tongue tip curled back.)
w [و]	like 'w' in "wise"
y [ي]	like 'y' in "yet"
z [ض ,ظ ,ذ ,ز]	like 'z' in "zoo"
zh [ژ]	like 's' in "pleasure"

Semi Vowels/ Diphthongs in Pashto Alphabet

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Alphabet in Pashto Language