Pashto grammar

{{short description|Grammar of the Pashto language}}

{{Pashto language sidebar}}

Pashto{{ref|b}} is an S-O-V language with split ergativity. Adjectives come before nouns. Nouns and adjectives are inflected for gender (masc./fem.), number (sing./plur.), and case (direct, oblique, ablative and vocative). The verb system is very intricate with the following tenses: Present; simple past; past progressive; present perfect; and past perfect. In any of the past tenses (simple past, past progressive, present perfect, past perfect), Pashto is an ergative language; i.e., transitive verbs in any of the past tenses agree with the object of the sentence. The dialects show some non-standard grammatical features, some of which are archaisms or descendants of old forms.

In the following article stress is represented by the following markers over vowels: ә́, á, ā́, ú, ó, í and é.

Pronouns

  • Note: هغه as a demonstrative pronoun (that) has initial stress [ğa] whereas the personal pronoun (he, she, it) has final stress [hağá].{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=126}}

=Personal pronouns=

class="wikitable"
colspan="4" |

! (English)

! Direct

! Indirect

rowspan="2" | 1st person

! colspan="3" | singular

| I

| زه

| ما

colspan="3" | plural

| we

| colspan="2" | موږ\مونږ
muẓ̌/munẓ̌

rowspan="2" | 2nd person

! colspan="3" | singular

| you (sing.)

| ته

| تا

colspan="3" | plural

| you (plur.)

| colspan="2" | تاسو\تاسې
tā́so/tā́seЛебедев К. А. Афганистан: Язык, литература, этнография. — Москва : "Муравей", 2003.[http://mklc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Pashto.pdf Pashto Language: Solving the Mysteries of the Past Tense] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129023042/http://mklc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Pashto.pdf |date=2014-11-29 }}

rowspan="6" | 3rd person

! rowspan="3" | visible

! rowspan="2" | singular

! masc.

| he

| دی
day

| دۀ

fem.

| she

| دا

| دې
de

colspan="2" | plural

| they

| colspan="2" | دوی
dui

rowspan="3" | invisible

! rowspan="2" | singular

! masc.

| he (invis.)

| هغه
hağá

| هغۀ
hağә́

fem.

| she (invis.)

|

| هغې
hağé

colspan="2" | plural

| they (invis.)

| colspan="2" | هغوی
hağúi

=Demonstrative pronouns=

class="wikitable"

|+ دغه dağa (this)

Direct

| دغه
dáğa

Indirect

| دې
de

class="wikitable"

|+ هغه háğa (that)

rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2"|Singular

! rowspan="2"|Plural

Masc.

! Fem.

Direct

|colspan="3" align="center"| هغه
háğa

Indirect

| هغۀ
háğә

| هغې
háğe

| هغو
háğo

=Possessive pronouns=

There is no plural form with nouns.

class="wikitable"

|+ Independent forms

colspan="3" |

! Singular

! Plural

colspan="3" | 1st person

| زما
zmā

| زموږ\زمونږ
zamuẓ̌/zamung

colspan="3" | 2nd person

| ستا
stā

| ستاسو
stā́so

rowspan="4" | 3rd person

! rowspan="2" | visible

! masc.

| د دۀ
də də

| rowspan="2" | د دوی
də dúi

fem.

| د دې
də de

rowspan="2" | invis.

! masc.

| د هغۀ
də hağә́

| rowspan="2" | د هغوی
də hağúi

fem.

| د هغې
də hağé

class="wikitable"

|+ Enclitic forms

! Singular

! Plural

1st person

| مې
me

| مو
mo, mu

2nd person

| دې
de, di

| مو
mo, mu

3rd person

| colspan="2" align="center"|يې
ye

=Interrogative pronouns=

class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" |

!who

!which

!which

[ord. numbers]

Literary

!which

[ord. numbers]

Yusapzai

!what

!how many

!how much

!how

rowspan="2" |Direct

!Masc.

| rowspan="2" |څوک
tsok

|کوم

kom

|څووم

tsowə́m

|څويم

swajə́m

| rowspan="4" |څه

tsə

| rowspan="4" |څومره

tsómra

| rowspan="4" |څونه

tsóna

| rowspan="4" |څنګه

tsə́nga

Fem.

|کومه

kóma

|څوومه

tsowə́ma

|څويمه

swaima

rowspan="2" |Oblique

!Masc.

| rowspan="2" |چا
čā

|کوم

kom

|څووم

tsowə́m

|څويم

swajə́m

Fem.

|کومې

kóme

|څوومې

tsowə́me

|څويمې

swaime

== Indefinite ==

  • In order to distinguish sentences with indefinites from questions, یو /yaw/ 'one' may be added, to yield یو څوک /yaw ʦok/ 'someone' and یو څه /yaw ʦə/ 'something'.
  • When هر /har, ar/ 'every' precedes the indefinite pronouns, the combination can mean everyone [هر څوک], everything [هر څه], each one [هر یو]

Nouns

=Case and gender=

Pashto inflects nouns into four grammatical cases: direct, oblique, ablative (also known as oblique II) and vocative. The oblique case is used as prepositional case as well as in the past tense as the subject of transitive verbs (i.e. in ergative construction), and the ablative case is used with certain prepositions and with some numerals.

There are two genders: masculine and feminine. Gender of a noun is indicated by its ending. Animate nouns' gender agrees with biological gender regardless of the ending.{{Cite book|last=Khan|first=Mohammad Abid|title=The Computational Morphology and Syntax of Pashto Language|publisher=Pashto Academy|year=2020|pages=28–43}}

class="wikitable"

! colspan="3" |Masculine Nouns

! rowspan="24" |

! colspan="3" |Feminine Nouns

rowspan="23" |

| colspan="2" |Ending Phoneme

! rowspan="23" |

| colspan="2" |Ending Phoneme

colspan="2" |Ends in diphthong oɪ

! colspan="2" |Ends in diphthong əi

زوی

zoy

|son

|هوسۍ

hosә́i

|deer

colspan="2" |Ends in diphthong ɑi

! colspan="2" |Ends in e

ځای

dzā́y

|place

|ملګرې

malgә́re

|friend [female]

colspan="2" |Ends in unstressed aɪ

! colspan="2" |Ends in unstressed a

ګاډی

gā́ḍay

|car

|ژبه

žә́ba

|tongue, language

colspan="2" |Ends in stressed aɪ

! colspan="2" |Ends in o

سړی

saṛáy

|man

|پيشو

pišó

|cat

colspan="2" |Ends in stressed a [few nouns]

! colspan="2" |Ends in stressed a [most nouns]

ګېنډه

genḍá

|rhino

|مېله

melá

|a fair

colspan="2" |Ends in ə

! colspan="2" |

ورارۀ

wrārә́

|brother's son

|

|

colspan="2" |Ends in consonant [most nouns]

! colspan="2" |Ends in consonant [few nouns]

تنور

tanúr

|oven

|مېچن

mečә́n

|handmill

colspan="2" |Ends in u

! colspan="2" |

څانډو

tsānḍú

|husband of a wife's sister

|

|

colspan="2" |Ends in diphthong aw

! colspan="2" |Ends in əw

پلو

paláw

|side

|کټو

kaṭә́w

|cooking pot

colspan="2" |End in i [only for professions]

! colspan="2" |End in i [most nouns]

دوبي

dobí

|washerman

|بدي

badí

|hostility

colspan="2" |Ends in ɑ [few nouns]

! colspan="2" |Ends in ɑ [most nouns]

ماما

māmā́

|maternal uncle

|رڼا

raṇā́

|light

Pashto has no definite article. But when necessary, definiteness may be indicated by other means such as demonstratives. Likewise, it may be contraindicated by use of the word for "one", يو; as in "يو روغتون" – "a hospital".

= Class 1 =

==Masculine nouns==

Generally, animate masculine nouns take ان -ā́n in plural, and inanimate ones take ونه -úna. Masculine nouns ending in ۀ -ә lose it when attaching the suffixes. The grammatical animacy usually corresponds with physical animacy, but there are some exceptions, like مېړۀ meṛә́ "husband" is inanimate grammatically with plural مېړونه meṛúna, and پل pul "bridge" is animate — پلان pulā́n.

The nouns ending in -i, -ā (these are always animate) or -u (these can be both animate and inanimate) take ان with -g-, -y- or -w- inserted between vowels.

Words ending in -āCә́ pattern (like وادۀ wādә́ "wedding") have short -a- in plural.

class="wikitable"

|+ Ending in a consonant
(animate)

! !!Singular!!Plural

Directrowspan="2" |ان
ā́n
Obliquerowspan="3" | انو
ā́no
Ablativerowspan="2" | ه

a

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ Ending in a consonant
(inanimate)

! !!Singular!!Plural

Directrowspan="2" |

| ونه
úna

Obliquerowspan="3" | ونو
úno
Ablativerowspan="2" | ه

a

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ Ending in -ә́
(animate)

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" | ۀ ә́

|ان

ā́n

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |انو

ā́no

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ Ending in -ә́
(inanimate)

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" | ۀ ә́

|ونه

úna

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |ونو

úno

Ablative
Vocative


class="wikitable"

|+ Ending in -i

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |ي

i

|يان

yā́n

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |یانو

yā́no

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ Ending in -ā

!

!Singular

!Plural 1

!Plural 2

Direct

| rowspan="4" |ا

ā

|ايان

āyā́n

|اګان

āgā́n

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |ايانو

āyā́no

| rowspan="3" |اګانو

āgā́no

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ Ending in -u

!

!Singular

!Plural 1

!Plural 2

Direct

| rowspan="4" | و

u

|وان

wā́n

|ګان

gā́n

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |وانو

wā́no

| rowspan="3" |ګانو

gā́no

Ablative
Vocative

Examples

class="wikitable"

|+ پلار "father"

! !!Singular!!Plural

Directrowspan="2" | پلار
plār
پلرونه
plərunə
Obliquerowspan="3" | پلرونو
pləruno
Ablativerowspan="2" | پلاره

plā́ra

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ غوږ "ear"

! !!Singular!!Plural

Directrowspan="2" | غوږ

ğwəg

| غوږونه

ğwəgúna

Obliquerowspan="3" | غوږونو

ğwəgúno

Ablativerowspan="2" | غوږه

ğwə́ga

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ لېوۀ "wolf"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |لېوۀ

lewә́

|لېوان

lewā́n

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |لېوانو

lewā́no

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ زړۀ "heart"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |زړۀ

zṛә́

|زړونه

zṛúna

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |زړونو

zṛúno

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ وادۀ "wedding"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |وادۀ

wādә́

|ودونه

wadúna

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |ودونو

wadúno

Ablative
Vocative


class="wikitable"

|+ درزي "tailor"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |درزي

darzí

|درزيان

darzyā́n

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |درزیانو

darzyā́no

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ باچا "king"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |باچا

bāčā́

|باچايان

bāčāyā́n

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |باچايانو

bāčāyā́no

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ ماما "(maternal) uncle"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |ماما

māmā́

|ماماګان

māmāgā́n

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |ماماګانو

māmāgā́no

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ ډاکو "bandit"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |ډاکو

ḍākú

|ډاکوان

ḍākwā́n

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |ډاکوانو

ḍākwā́no

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ الو "potato"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |الو

alú

|الوګان

alugā́n

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |الوګانو

alugā́no

Ablative
Vocative

== Feminine nouns ==

Feminine nouns generally have final -a. They change it to -e in the oblique cases and direct plural and to -o in oblique plural, independently of their animacy. A few feminine nouns end in a consonant, they still take the same endings.

In Southern Pashto, the final -e is pronounced -i when unstressed. For example, the plural of سترګه stә́rga "eye" and لار lār "way" would be سترګې stә́rge and لارې lā́re in the North, but سترګي stә́rgi and لاري lā́ri in the South, while مڼه maṇá "apple" and تخته taxtá "board" would be مڼې maṇé and تختې taxté in both dialect groups.

There are also feminine nouns ending in other vowels, particularly -e (they take یانې -yā́ne in the plural) and -ā or -o (they take either ګانې -gā́ne or وې -we). In Southern Pashto they are یاني -yā́ni, ګاني -gā́ni and وي -wi (the last one is not as common as in Northern Pashto and is mostly restricted to a few nouns).

class="wikitable"

|+ Ending in -a

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

a

e

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |ې

e

| rowspan="3" |و

o

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ Ending in a consonant

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|

e

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |ې

e

| rowspan="3" |و

o

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ Ending in -e

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |ې

e

|یانې

yā́ne

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |یانو

yā́no

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ Ending in -ā and -o

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |

|ګانې or وې

gā́ne or we

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |ګانو or وو

gā́no or wo

Ablative
Vocative

Examples

class="wikitable"

|+ اسپه "horse, mare"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|اسپه

áspa

|اسپې

áspe

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |اسپې

áspe

| rowspan="3" |اسپو

áspo

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ مياشت "month"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|مياشت

myā́št

|مياشتې

myā́šte

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |مياشتې

myā́šte

| rowspan="3" |مياشتو

myā́što

Ablative
Vocative


class="wikitable"

|+ خواښې "mother-in-law"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |خواښې

xwā́x̌e

|خواښیانې

xwax̌yā́ne

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |خواښیانو

xwax̌yā́no

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ رڼا "light"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |رڼا

raṇā́

|رڼاوې or رڼاګانې

raṇā́we or raṇāgā́ne

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |رڼاوو or رڼاګانو

raṇā́wo or raṇāgā́no

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ بیزو "monkey"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |بیزو

bizó

|بیزوګانې or بیزووې

bizogā́ne or bizówe

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |بیزوګانو or بیزوو

bizogā́no or bizówo

Ablative
Vocative

= Class 2 =

In class 2 there's only masculine nouns, both animate and inanimate. They are subject to various alterations inside the stems. The take -ə́ in the plural and oblique forms.

Nouns with -ú- or -ó- in the last syllable change them to -ā-. Some nouns like تنور tanúr "oven" belong to the mixed conjugation, they form their oblique forms as Class 2 nouns, but their plurals are derived according to Class 1 pattern (but the -ú/ó- may be reduced to -a- in Southern dialects or -ə- in Northern dialects). The word پالېز paléz "kitchen garden" is often cited as an example of a noun that belongs to class 2, but doesn't undergo any stem changes.

There are some animate masculine nouns ending in -á (مېلمه melma "guest", اسبه asba "(horse) shepherd", غوبه ğoba "(cow) shepherd", کوربه korba "owner of the house" etc.), they also belong to Class 2.

Monosyllabic nouns with -a- lose it and take -ə in the oblique and plural forms. There several exceptions here: غر ğar "mountain", ور war "door", ګز gaz "gaz (unit of length)", من man "man (unit of weight)", ټغر ṭağar "rug" take ونه -úna in the plural form (غرونه ğrúna, ورونه warúna/wrúna etc).

Nouns with -á- in the last syllable change it to -ə́-. Most of them are mixed in their conjugation: they can take (or not take) -ā́n or -úna in the plural form. A lot of inanimate nouns in this class can take both suffixes. The only exception here is سخر sxar "stone", which is always sxə́r in plural. This subclass also contains words suffixed with ګر, ور, ن, زن.

class="wikitable"

|+ With -ú/ó-

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|úC, óC

|āCə́

Oblique

|āCə́

| rowspan="3" |aCó

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |úCa, óCa

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ Mixed

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|úC, óC

|uCúna, oCúna or əCúna

Oblique

|uCə́, óCə́

| rowspan="3" |uCúno, oCúno or əCúno

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |úCa, óCa

Vocative

Examples

class="wikitable"

|+ پښتون "Pashtun"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|پښتون

pəx̌tún

|پښتانه

pəx̌tānə́

Oblique

|پښتانه

pəx̌tānə́

| rowspan="3" |پښتنو

pəx̌tanó

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |پښتونه

pəx̌túna

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ شپون "shepherd"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|شپون

špún

|ښپانۀ

špānə́

Oblique

|ښپانۀ

špānə́

| rowspan="3" |شپنو

španó

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |شپونه

špúna

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ سکور "coal"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|سکور

skór

|سکارۀ

skārə́

Oblique

|سکارۀ

skārə́

| rowspan="3" |سکرو

skaró

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |سکوره

skóra

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ تنور "oven"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|تنور

tanúr

|تنرونه or تنورونه

tanərúna or tanurúna

Oblique

|تناره

tanārə́

| rowspan="3" |تنرونو or تنورونو

tanərúno or tanurúno

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |تنوره

tanúra

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ تول "weight"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|تول

tol

|تولونه

tolúna

Oblique

|تالۀ

tālə́

| rowspan="3" |تولونو

tolúno

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |توله

tóla

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ مېلمه "guest"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|مېلمه

melmá

|مېلمانه or مېلمه

melmānə́ or melmə́

Oblique

|مېلمانه or مېلمه

melmānə́ or melmə́

| rowspan="3" |مېلمنو or مېلمو

melmanó or melmó

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |مېلمه

melmá

Vocative


class="wikitable"

|+ غل "thief"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|غل

ğal

|غله

ğlə

Oblique

|غله

ğlə

| rowspan="3" |غلو

ğlo

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |غله

ğála

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ غر "mountain"
(exception)

! !!Singular!!Plural

Directrowspan="2" | غر

ğar

| غرونه or (rare) غرۀ

ğrúna or ğrə

Obliquerowspan="3" | غرونو

ğrúno

Ablativerowspan="2" | غره

ğára

ğrə

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ دښمن "enemy"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|دښمن

dux̌mán

|دښمن or دښمنان

dux̌mə́n or dux̌mənā́n

Oblique

|دښمن

dux̌mə́n

| rowspan="3" |دښمنو or دښمنانو

dux̌mə́no or dux̌mənā́no

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |دښمنه

dux̌mána

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ پالېز "kitchen garden"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|پالېز

paléz

|پلېزونه

palezúna

Oblique

|پالېزۀ or پالېز

palezə́ or paléz

| rowspan="3" |پلېزونو

palezúno

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |پلېزه

paléza

Vocative

= Class 3 =

Nouns in Class 3 are related to adjectives ending in -ay, -əy, -e.

Masculine -áy (note the stress) nouns, especially if animate, sometimes have alternative plurals in -yā́n. Its usage is somewhat dialect-dependent, they aren't as common in Southern Pashto.

Among feminine -əy nouns, even inanimate ones can take یانې or ګانې, they also can stay unchanged in the plural. Some abstract nouns suffixed with ي -i (such as دوستي "friendship", چلاکي "trickiness", ګرمي "heatness" etc.) also belong here.

class="wikitable"

|+ Ending in -ay
(masculine)

!

!Singular

!Plural 1

!Plural 2

Direct

ay

i

|يان

yā́n

Oblique

í

| rowspan="3" |و or یو

o or әyo/iyo

| rowspan="3" |يانو

yā́no

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |یه

aya

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ Ending in -e
(feminine)

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |ې e

|ې e

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |و or یو

o or әyo/iyo

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ Ending in -əy
(feminine)

!

!Singular

!Plural 1

!Plural 2

!Plural 3

Direct

| rowspan="4" |ۍ, ي

ə́y, i

ə́y

|یانې

yā́ne

|ګانې

gā́ne

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |و

o

| rowspan="3" |یانو

yā́no

| rowspan="3" |ګانو

gā́no

Ablative
Vocative

Examples

class="wikitable"

|+ سپی "dog"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|سپی

spáy

|سپي or سپیان

spí or spiyā́n

Oblique

|سپي

spí

| rowspan="3" |سپو or سپیو or سپیانو

spó or spío or spiyā́no

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |سپیه

spáya

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ سپۍ "she-dog"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |سپۍ

spə́i

|سپۍ or سپیانې or سپۍګانې

spə́y or spə́iyā́ne or spə́igā́ne

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |سپیو or سپیانو or سپۍګانو

spə́yo or spə́iyā́no or spə́igā́no

Ablative
Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ ملګری "male friend"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

|ملګری

malgə́ray

|ملګري

malgə́ri

Oblique

|ملګري

malgə́ri

| rowspan="3" |ملګرو or ملګریو

malgə́ro or malgə́ryo

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |ملګریه

malgə́rya

Vocative

class="wikitable"

|+ ملګرې "female friend"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |ملګرې

malgə́re

|ملګرې

malgə́re

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |ملګرو or ملګریو

malgə́ro or malgə́ryo

Ablative
Vocative

= Uncountable nouns =

They don't have plural forms. They take و -o in the oblique and ablative forms.

Feminine

Examples include اوړه [oṛә́ – flour], اوبه [obә́ -water], پۍ [pə́i – milk] etc.

Example: اوبه – water

class="wikitable"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; |اوبه

obә́

Oblique

| colspan="2" rowspan="3" style="text-align:center; |اوبو

obó

Ablative
Vocative

Example: پۍ – milk

class="wikitable"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| colspan="2"style="text-align:center; |پۍ

pə́i

Oblique

| colspan="2" rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;|پيو

pə́io

Ablative
Vocative

Masculine

Examples include: ږدن [ẓ̌dәn -sorghum], دال [dāl -lentils], شراب [šarā́b – alcohol]

Example: دال – lentils

class="wikitable"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; |دال

dāl

Oblique

| colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; |دالو

dā́lo

Ablative
Vocative

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; |داله

dā́la

= Irregular nouns =

These are limited to nouns denoting kinship.

Feminine – "or" stem

These include:

مور /mor/ 'mother'; plural stem /máynd-/

خور /xor/ 'sister'; plural stem /xwáynd-/

ترور /tror/ 'paternal aunt'; plural stem /tráynd-/

نګور /ngor/ 'daughter-in-law'; plural stem /ngáynd-/

Example:

class="wikitable"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="2" |مور

mor

|مېندې

máynde

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |مېندو

máyndo

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |مورې

móre

Vocative

Brother and daughter

ورور= brother takes وڼه in direct plural

class="wikitable"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="2" |ورور

wror

|وروڼه

wrúṇa

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |وروڼو

wrúṇo

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |وروره

wrorá

Vocative

لور= daughter takes وڼې in direct plural

class="wikitable"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="2" |لور

lur

|لوڼې

lúṇe

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |لوڼو

lúṇo

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |لورې

lúre

Vocative

Son

class="wikitable"

!

!Singular

!Plural

Direct

| rowspan="2" |زوی

zoy

|زامن

zāmə́n

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |زامنو

zāmə́no

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |زویه

zoya

Vocative

Adjectives

An adjective is called stāynúm in Pashto [ستاينوم]. The adjectives or stāynumúna agree with the nouns they modify in gender, number, and case.

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! colspan="3" rowspan="2" |

!Class 1

! colspan="2" |Class 2

! colspan="2" |Class 3

Category 1

!Category 2

!Category 3

!Category 4

!Category 5

rowspan=6|Masculine

! rowspan=4|Singular

! Direct

| colspan=3

| colspan=2
ay
Oblique II

| rowspan="2" colspan=3

arowspan="2"
aya-i
Vocative

| -e

Oblique

| rowspan=2

| rowspan=2 colspan=2
ərowspan=2 colspan=2| -i
rowspan=2|Plural

! Direct

Oblique/Vocative

| colspan=3

o-io/-o-yo/-o
rowspan=6|Feminine

! rowspan=4|Singular

! Direct

| rowspan=2 colspan=3

arowspan=5
əyrowspan=5
e
Oblique II
Vocative

| rowspan=3 colspan=3

e
Oblique I
rowspan=2|Plural

! Direct

Oblique/Vocative

| colspan=3

o-əyo/-o-yo/-o

Notes:

  • In the plural, both obliques and the vocative merge into a single form.
  • Singular Oblique I and plural Direct always merge into a single form.
  • The above two conditions mean that there can be at most five distinct forms for masculine adjectives (but in fact, no class distinguishes more than four).
  • For feminine adjectives, singular Oblique I and Vocative merge, while singular Direct and Oblique II merge; combined with mergers noted previously, there can be at most three distinct forms for feminine adjectives.
  • Categories 2 and 3 have stem and stress alternations among different cases. Category 3 has a basic distinction between the masculine singular Direct, Oblique II and Vocative, with stem stress, and all other forms, with a (sometimes) different stem and with ending stress (e.g. masc. trīx, fem. traxá "bitter"; masc. sūr, fem. srá "red"; masc. sōṛ, fem. saṛá "cold"; fem. raṇā "light" with only one stem). Category 2 has the same stress alternation, but has three distinct stems, with stressed stem vowel 'o' or 'u' in masculine singular Direct, Oblique II and Vocative, unstressed stem vowel 'ā' in masculine singular Oblique I and plural Direct, and unstressed stem vowel 'a' in all other forms (e.g. masc. sing. pōx, masc. plur. pāxǝ́, fem. paxá "ripe, cooked").

=Class 1=

==Case-marking suffixes==

Class I adjectives are consonant-final in their citation form and keep the stress on the final syllable of the stem.

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2"|

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

! style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

Direct

| rowspan="2" style="border-right: none;" |

| style="border-left: none;" |

| style="border-right: none;" | ه
{{IPAlink|a}}

| style="border-left: none;" | ې
{{IPAlink|e}}

Oblique

| style="border-left: none;" |و
{{IPAlink|o}}

| rowspan="3" style="border-right: none;" |ې
{{IPAlink|e}}

| rowspan="3" style="border-left: none;" |و
{{IPAlink|o}}

Ablative

| colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="border-right: none;" |ه
{{IPAlink|a}}

Vocative

==Stem allomorphy==

In the Southern dialects, Class I adjectives with certain stem shapes will undergo mutation either:

  1. Vowel harmony

or

  1. Centralization

In other dialects these vowels do not mutate.

===Vowel harmony===

Class I adjectives with the stressed stem vowel /ə́/ (Southern), such as دنګ /dəng/ 'tall', undergo regressive harmony in the feminine direct plural and in both oblique plural forms—when the suffix vowel is /o/.

===Centralization===

Class I adjectives for which the last syllable in the masculine direct singular form is ور /‑wár/, ګر /‑gár/, جن /‑ján/, or م ن /‑mán/, as well as ordinal numbers ending in م /‑ám/, undergo a different vowel alternation: the vowel /á/ of the final syllable centralizes to /ə́/ in feminine non-direct singulars and in all plural forms, irrespective of gender.

==Class I forms with stem allomorphy==

Example 1 = سپک (light – in weight)

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2"|

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

! style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

Direct

| rowspan="2"|سپک
spak
spək (Southern)

| | سپک
spak
spək (Southern)

| |سپکه
spák{{IPAlink|a}}
spə́k{{IPAlink|a}} (Southern)

| | سپکې
spák{{IPAlink|e}}
سپکي
spə́k{{IPAlink|i}} (Southern)

Oblique

| rowspan="3"|سپکو
spák{{IPAlink|o}}
spə́k{{IPAlink|o}} (Southern)
spók{{IPAlink|o}} (Southern)

| rowspan="3"|سپکې
spák{{IPAlink|e}}
سپکي
spə́k{{IPAlink|i}} (Southern)

| rowspan="3"|سپکو
spák{{IPAlink|o}}
spə́k{{IPAlink|o}} (Southern)
spók{{IPAlink|o}} (Southern)

Ablative

| rowspan="2"|سپکه
spák{{IPAlink|a}}
spə́k{{IPAlink|a}} (Southern)

Vocative

The paradigm for the adjective سپک /spək/ 'light' in above shows the Southern dialect's Vowel harmony rule.

Example 2 = زړور (brave)

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2"|

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

! style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

Direct

| rowspan="2"|زړور
zṛawár

| | زړور
zṛawár
zṛawə́r (Southern)

| |زړوره
zṛawár{{IPAlink|a}}

| | زړورې
zṛawár{{IPAlink|e}}
زړوري
zṛawə́r{{IPAlink|i}} (Southern)

Oblique

| rowspan="3"|زړورو
zṛawár{{IPAlink|o}}
zṛawə́r{{IPAlink|o}} (Southern)

| rowspan="3"|زړورې
zṛawár{{IPAlink|e}}
زړوري
zṛawə́r{{IPAlink|i}} (Southern)

| rowspan="3"|زړورو
zṛawár{{IPAlink|o}}
zṛawə́r{{IPAlink|o}} (Southern)

Ablative

| rowspan="2"|زړوره
zṛawár

Vocative

The paradigm for the adjective زړور /zṛawár/ 'brave' illustrates centralization rule for the Southern dialect.

==Animacy ==

When modifying animate nouns, some Class I adjectives may take the animate plural suffixes of Class I nouns example:

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= مشران وروڼه

|Məʃarɑn wruɳa

|'Elder brothers'}}

=Class 2=

Class 2 adjectives can end in either a consonant or a stressed schwa ( ه /‑ə́/). Except for the masculine singular ablative and vocative suffixes, the suffixes of Class II are

inherently stressed. These stressed suffixes are the chief difference between Class 1 and Class 2, although there are a few differences in suffix shape as well. Whether a consonant-final adjective belongs to Class 1 (stem-stressed) or Class II (suffix-stressed) is a property of the lexeme and is not predictable.

==Case-marking suffixes==

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2"|

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

! style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

Direct

| style="border-right: none;"

Ø

| style="border-left: none;" | ۀ
ə́

| style="border-right: none;" | ه
á

| style="border-left: none;" | ې
é

Oblique

| style="border-right: none;" | ۀ
ə́

| rowspan="3" style="border-left: none;" |و
ó

| rowspan="3" style="border-right: none;" |ې
é

| rowspan="3" style="border-left: none;" |و
ó

Ablative

| rowspan="2" style="border-right: none;" |ه

Vocative

==Stem allomorphy==

Some Class2 adjectives undergo stem allomorphy processes upon inflection, all of them stress-conditioned. The first, Syncope I, affects the final vowels of /ə́/-final Class 2 adjectives; the rest affect the stem vowels of consonant-final Class 2 adjectives (which either lower or delete when unstressed). Lowering affects only back vowels, but not all of them. It is not possible to predict which rule, Back vowel lowering or Syncope II, applies to a given consonant-final adjective. The rules are:

  1. Syncope I
  2. Back vowel lowering
  3. Monophthongization
  4. Lengthening
  5. Syncope II
  6. Epenthesis

===Syncope I===

  • V2 → Ø/ V́1_
  • V́1 → Ø/ _V́2

If suffixation results in two adjacent vowels and only one is stressed, the unstressed vowel deletes. If both are stressed, the first vowel deletes. This rule applies to vowel-final adjectives.

Examole: Vowel-final adjectives that end in stressed ۀ /‑ə́/

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

! style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

Direct

| rowspan="4" |تېرۀ
terə́

| | تېرۀ
terə́

| |تېره
terá

| | تېرې
teré

Oblique

| rowspan="3"|تېرو
teró

| rowspan="3"|تېرې
teré

| rowspan="3"|تېرو
teró

Ablative
Vocative

Vowel-final adjectives that end stressed ه /‑ə́/ in their citation form include تېره /terə/́ 'sharp'. These can be reliably identified from this citation form as belonging to Class 2; no other class has adjectives ending in /-ə́/. The final stem-vowel of these adjectives undergoes one or other of the morphophonemic rules of Syncope I.

===Back vowel lowering===

  • V-stress] [+back, → V[-high]/ C_

Inmost Class 2 consonant-final adjectives with non-initial back vowels, و /o/, /u/ lowers to /a/ when unstressed.

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2"|

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

! style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

Direct

| |پوخ
pox

| | پاخۀ
pāxə́

| |پخه
paxá

| | پخې
paxé

Oblique

| |پاخۀ
pāxə́

| rowspan="3"|پخو
paxó

| rowspan="3"|پخې
paxé

| rowspan="3"|پخو
paxó

Ablative

| rowspan="2" |پوخه
póxa

Vocative

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2"|

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

! style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

Direct

| |ړوند
ṛund

| | ړاندۀ
āndə́

| |ړنده
andá

| | ړندې
andé

Oblique

| |ړاندۀ
āndə́

| rowspan="3"|ړندو
andó

| rowspan="3"|ړندې
andé

| rowspan="3"|ړندو
andó

Ablative

| rowspan="2"|ړوند
únda

Vocative

In most consonant-final adjectives where the stem vowel is a back vowel, و /o/, /u/, it will undergo vowel lowering in unstressed position, followed by lengthening when the next syllable contains /ə́/ such as for the words, پو خ /pox/ 'cooked, ripe' and ړوند /ṛund/ 'blind', illustrated above.

===Monophthongization===

  • a[+stress]w → V-high] [+back,
  • wa[+stress] → V-high] [+back,

In adjectives with /aw/ or /wa/ in the stem [usually seen in the feminine tense], those sequences simplify to /o/ when stressed.

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2"|

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

! style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

Direct

| |تود
tod

| | تاودۀ
tāwdə́

| |توده
taw

| | تودې
tawdé

Oblique

| |تاودۀ
tāwdə́

| rowspan="3"|تودو
tawdó

| rowspan="3"|تودې
tawdé

| rowspan="3"|تودو
tawdó

Ablative

| rowspan="2"|توده
tóda

Vocative

Back vowel breaking: تود /tod/ 'hot'; stem = /tawd/.

===Lengthening===

  • a → ā /_(C)Cə́

Short /a/ lengthens to long /ā/ when the syllable following it contains /ə́/. This rule affects those adjectives that undergo back vowel lowering, such as for پاخۀ → پوخ and ړاندۀ → ړوند and those that undergo monophthongization, such as تاودۀ → تود.

===Lengthening===

  • V[-stress] → Ø

In a few consonant-final adjectives the stem vowel is deleted when not stressed.

Example = سور /sur/ – red

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2"|

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

! style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

Direct

| |سور
sur

| | سرۀ
srə

| |سره
sra

| | سرې
sre

Oblique

| | سرۀ
srə

| rowspan="3"| سرو
sro

| rowspan="3"|سرې
sre

| rowspan="3"|سرو
sro

Ablative

| rowspan="2"|سوره
súra

Vocative

===Epenthesis===

  • Ø → a/C_CC or CC_C

If syncope results in a triple consonant cluster, an /a/ might be inserted after the first or second consonant.

=Class 3=

These adjectives end in the diphthong participial suffix, ی /‑ay/, in the masculine direct singular form/. This suffix may be stressed or unstressed.

== Case-marking suffixes ==

Stressed

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

! style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

Direct

| style="border-right: none;" |ی

áy

| style="border-left: none;" |ي

í

| rowspan="4" style="border-right: none;" | ۍ

ə́i

| style="border-left: none;" | ۍ

ə́i

Oblique

| style="border-right: none;" | ي

í

| rowspan="3" style="border-left: none;" |و

ó

یو

ə́yo/ío

| rowspan="3" style="border-left: none;" |و

ó

یو

ə́yo/ío

Ablative

| rowspan="2" style="border-right: none;" |یه

áya

Vocative

Unstressed

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

! style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

Direct

| style="border-right: none;" |ی

ay

| style="border-left: none;" |ي

i

| rowspan="4" style="border-right: none;" | ې

e

| style="border-left: none;" | ې

e

Oblique

| rowspan="2" style="border-right: none;" | ي

i

| rowspan="3" style="border-left: none;" |و

o

| rowspan="3" style="border-left: none;" |و

o

Ablative
Vocative

|یه

ya

==Stressed==

Example = زلمی (young/youth – the ی is stressed)

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2"|

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

! style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

Direct

| |زلمی
zalmá y

| | زلمي
zalmí

| rowspan="4"|زلمۍ
zalmə́i

| | زلمۍ
zalmə́i

Oblique

| rowspan="2"|زلمي
zalmí

| rowspan="3"|زلمو
zalmó
زلمیو
zalmío (Southern)
zalmə́yo (Northern)

| rowspan="3"|زلمو
zalmó
زلمیو
zalmío (Southern)
zalmə́yo (Northern)

Ablative
Vocative

| |زلمیه
zalmáya

==Unstressed==

Example = سوی (burnt- the ی is unstressed)

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2"|

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

! style="border-right;" | Singular

! style="border-left;" | Plural

Direct

| |سوی
sə́way

sə́wəy (South Western)

sə́we (North Eastern)

| | سوي
sə́wi

| |سوې
sə́we

| | سوې
sə́we

Oblique

| rowspan="2"|سوي
sə́wi

| rowspan="2"|سویو
sə́wyo (Northern)
سوو
sə́wo

| rowspan="2"|سویې
sə́wye (Northern)
سوې
sə́we

| rowspan="2"|سویو
sə́wyo (Northern)
سوو
sə́wo

Ablative
Vocative

| |سویه(Northern)
sə́way
سوې(Southern)
sə́we

| |سوو
sə́wo

| |سوې
sə́we

| |سوو
sə́wo

= Class 4 =

This the "non-declining" class – these do not decline. These adjectives are generally borrowed from other languages. They do not have masculine-feminine or singular-plural distinction.

But some speakers use the oblique suffixes  و /‑o/, وو /‑wo/ on these adjectives in the plural oblique, ablative and vocative cases.

Example = شمالي (Persian-Arabic borrowing)

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" |Singular

! style="border-left;" |Plural

! style="border-right;" |Singular

! style="border-left;" |Plural

Direct

| colspan="4" rowspan="4" style="border-right: none;" |شمالي
šamālí

Oblique
Ablative
Vocative

Example = شمالي (Southern Dialect)

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" |Singular

! style="border-left;" |Plural

! style="border-right;" |Singular

! style="border-left;" |Plural

Direct

| colspan="4" style="border-right: none;" |شمالي
šamālí

Oblique

| rowspan="3" |شمالي
šamālí

| rowspan="3" |
شمالو
šamāló

| rowspan="3" |شمالي

šumālí

| rowspan="3" |
شمالو
šamāló

Ablative
Vocative

Derivational affixes

Pashto utilities morphological derivation: there is an addition to the base form or stem of a word in order to modify its meaning [not grammatical function like verbal suffixes].

= Prefixes=

These are attached at the beginning of words. Here is a list of the most common ones:

class="wikitable"
PrefixMeaning
ناa negative prefix to nouns or particles having the same meaning as English "un, in, dis, non" etc.
بېthis means "without". When prefixed to words it is equivalent to the English "dis, less" etc.

Considered a preposition.

بياthis means again. When prefixed to words it is equivalent to English "re"
همthis means same, equivalent. When prefixed with the word it is equivalent to the English "co and homo"
ګڼthis means crowded and numerous. When prefixed with the word it is equivalent to the English "multi"
دوهthis means two. When prefixed with the word it is equivalent to the English "bi"

A list of examples:

class="wikitable"

! !! Word !! English meaning !! Prefixed word !! English meaning

نا
وړ

waṛ

| suitable

ناوړ

nāwáṛ

| unsuitable

بې
be
کور

kor

| home

بې کوره

be kóra

[کور in the ablative case]

| homeless

بيا
byā
جوړول

joṛawә́l

| to make

بيا جوړول

byā joṛawә́l

| to remake

هم
ham
[زولی [نارينه]، زولې [ښځينه

zólay, zóle

| age [classical Pashto]

همزولی، همزولې

hamzólay, hamzól

| coeval

ګڼ
gaṇ
هېواديز

hewādíz

| national

ګڼ هېواديز

gaṇhewādíz

| multinational

دوه
dwa
اړخيز

aṛxíz

| aṛx= side, íz = adjective forming suffix

دوه اړخيز

dwa aṛxíz

| bilateral

= Suffixes =

These are attached at the end of a word. Here is a list of the most common ones:

class="wikitable"
PrefixMeaning
توبthis is affixed to nouns and adjectives to form masculine concept/abstract nouns.
تیاthis is affixed to nouns and adjectives to form feminine concept/abstract nouns.
يthis is affixed to noun to make adjectives.
يa suffix also used to create nouns of profession.
يز [masculine]
يزه [feminine]
adjectival suffix. Used to make adjectives from nouns. Becomes "yiz" if preceded by a vowel e.g. سوله=سوله ييز
منsuffix that forms nouns and adjectives that mean possessing a quality or object
جن

|adjective-forming suffix; having the quality of the noun e.g. چنجن [worm-eaten; stubbornly picky]

ين

|an adjective-forming suffix applied to nouns denoting a material

ورan adjective forming suffix to show endowment/possession.
م

|forms ordinal number names from cardinals

ښتthis is affixed to adjectives (including verbal adjectives) to show a state of being
ګلويthis is affixed to nouns to form feminine concept/abstract nouns mostly to do with association e.g. پیژند ګلوي, پلار ګلوي etc.
والیthis is affixed to nouns and adjectives to form masculine concept/abstract nouns.
وليthis is affixed to nouns and adjectives to form feminine concept/abstract nouns.
ځیthis makes nouns denoting place of the action
نهthis is the most common suffix used to makes nouns from verb. The new suffixed word has feminine gender.
ونless frequently used than نه. This also creates nouns from verbs
اکthis is used to make only two nouns [خوراک and څښاک] denoting consumable noun. Like Japanese particle もの.
تونused to create nouns of place. Meaning the "(main) place of"
پال [masculine]
پاله [feminine]
means someone is the cherisher/nourisher of the word attached. It is like Persian پرست but unlike پرست only used for agentive nouns not as an adjective.
پالنهmakes concept/abstract nouns showing the root's cherishing/fostering. Like Persian پرستي
واکيmakes nouns which signify "mastery of", "rule of" or "endowment with in quality" with the root word. Related to word واک [authority].
والmakes nouns showing that noun is a resident of that place, is engaged in the activity indicated in the root word, possessor of the root word. Like English suffix "er", "or" and "ist".
واله

|makes nouns denoting owenership

ګرused to form an actor noun. Denoting maker, doer, worker etc. of the root.
چيan agent-noun suffix borrowed from Ottoman Turkish. Only used with borrowed words.
ګوټیa diminutive suffix. Example مېز [table] – مېزګوټی [small table].
وزمهsuffix to indicate something is like/similar to the root word but not that word. Also used to denote shades of colour.
نی

|suffix affixed to words having to do with time and location

ی

|suffix affixed to place names to form a masculine noun living or found in that place

ۍ

|suffix affixed to place names to form a feminine noun living or found in that place

ګنۍsuffix for nouns expressing kinship/relationships
وړ [masculine]
وړه [feminine]
this is used exactly as the English [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-able -able]. Forms adjectives meaning fit/able to be done or suitable to.
يالی [masculine]
يالۍ [feminine]
forms adjectives from nouns. The adjective shows a quality that can be possessed.
غاړی [masculine]
غاړې [feminine]
forms actor/agent nouns that have to do with an art/skill [example: لوبغاړی, سندرغاړی]. Also used to create adjective/nouns related to the throat [غاړه] such as بوږغاړی [harsh sounding]
چکan adjectival suffix showing that the new word is "somewhat" like the root word. Similar to "ish" suffix in English.
ډلهthis means group. It can be used as suffix to denote team, group, company etc.
هارaccording to Z. A. Pashtoon: "suffix used to form onomatopoeic words indicating the repetition or intensification of a sound". according to H. G. Raverty: a suffix "affixed to nouns signifying sound of any kind, in forming the plural".

A list of examples:

class="wikitable"

! !! Word !! English meaning !! Prefixed word !! English meaning

توب
tob
بربنډ

barbə́nḍ

| nude

بربنډتوب

barbənḍtób

| nudeness/nudity

تیا
tyā
روغ

roğ

| healthy

روغتيا

roğtyā́

| health

ي
i
ولس

(w)ulə́s

| nation

ولسي

(w) uləsí

| national

ي
i
ترکاڼ

tarkā́ṇ

| carpenter

ترکاڼي

tarkāṇí

| carpentry

يز/يزه
iz/iza
لمر

lmar

| sun

لمريز

lmaríz
لمريزه

lmaríza

| solar

يز/يزه
yiz/yiza
وټه

wáṭa

| economy

وټه ييز

waṭayíz
وټه ييزه

waṭayíza

| economic

من
man
لانجه

lānjá

| problem

لانجمن

lānjamán

lānjamə́n

| problematic

جن

jən

|کرکه

krә́ka

|repugnance

|کرکجن

krәjә́n

|someone who is repugnant

to something

ين

in

|زر

zar

|gold

|زرين

zarín

|golden

ور
war
ګټه

gáṭa

| profit

ګټور

gaṭawár

| advantageous

م

am/əm

|اووه

uwə́

|seven

|اووم

uwə́m

|seventh

ښت
əx̌t
جوړ

joṛ

| made/built

جوړښت

joṛə́x̌t

| structure

ګلوي
galwi
پلار

plār

| father

پلارګلوي

plār

| paternity

والی
wālay
اوږد

uẓ̌d

| long

اوږدوالی

uẓ̌dwā́lay

| length/height

ولي
wali
ورور

wror

| brother

ورورولي

wrorwalí

| brotherhood

ځی
dzay
ښوول

x̌owə́l

| to teach

ښونځی

x̌owə́ndzay

| school

نه
əna
غوښتل

ğox̌tə́l

| to demand

غوښتنه

ğox̌tə́na

| demand

ون
un
بدلول

badlawə́l

| to change

بدلون

badlún

| change

اک
āk
څښل

tsx̌ə́l
خوړل

xwaṛə́l

| to drink
to eat

څښاک

tsx̌āk
خوراک

xwaṛā́k

|drink
food

تون
tun
پوهنه

pohə́na

| knowledge

پوهنتون

pohəntún

|university

پال/پاله
pal/pāla
مېلمه

melmá

| guest

مېلمه پال

melmapā́l
مېلمه پاله

melmapā́la

|host

پالنه
pālana
مېلمه

melmá

|guest

مېلمه پالنه

melmapālə́na

|hospitality

واکي
wāki
پلار

plār

| father

پلارواکي

plārwākí

|patriarchy

وال
wāl
ليک

lik

| writing

ليکوال

likwā́l

|writer

واله'

wālə

|غنم

ğanə́m

|wheat

|غنم واله

ğanəmwālə

|wheat-merchant

ګر
gər
کوډه

kóḍa

| magic

کوډګر

koḍgə́r

koḍgár

|magician

چي
chi
توپ

top

| cannon

توپچي

topčí

|cannoneer

ګوټی
goṭay
کتاب

kitā́b

| book

کتاب ګوټی

kitābgóṭay

|booklet

وزمه
wazma
تور

tor

| black

تور وزمه

torwázma

|blackish

نی

(a)náy

|کال

kāl

|year

|کالنی

kālanáy

|annual

ی

áy

|جاپان

jāpā́n

|Japan

|جاپانی

jāpānáy

|a Japanese male

ۍ

ə́i

|جاپان

jāpā́n

|Japan

|جاپانۍ

jāpānə́i

|a Japanese female

ګنۍ
ganai
پلار

plār
مور

mor

| father
mother

پلارګنۍ

plārganə́i
مورګنۍ

morganə́i

|paternal-family
maternal-family

وړ/وړه
waṛ/waṛa
خندا

xandā́

| laughter

خنداوړ

xandāwáṛ
خنداوړه

xandāwáṛa

|laughable

يالۍ /يالی
yālay/yālə́i
ننګ

nang

| honor

ننګيالی

nangyāláy
ننګيالۍ

nangyālə́i

|honorable

غاړې /غاړی
ğāṛay/ğāṛe
سندره

sandə́ra

| song

سندرغاړی

sandərğā́ṛay
سندرغاړې

sandərğā́ṛe

|singer

چک
cak
سپين

spin

| white

سپين چک

spinčák

|whitish

ډله
ḍala
لوب

lob

| root word of
play

لوبډله

lobḍála

|team (sports)

هار
hār
پړک

pṛak

|slap/clap

پړکهار

pṛakahā́r

|clapping/sounds of claps

= Creating new words =

Other than the recognised words above; new words can be coined by speakers through these affixes

Example:

class="wikitable"

! colspan="3" |Creating a new word process

Existing word

!Existing suffix

!New word

غو

ğo

|ييز

yíz

|غوييز

ğoyíz

sex

|adjective-forming suffix

|sexual

Infinitive

This is called Kaṛnúmay [کړنومی] in Pashto that is "the name of a verb".{{cite web |url=http://qamosona.com/G/index.php/term/,6f57b19b6154609c6d57ababa561.xhtml |title=Neologism Dictionary [M. A. Zeyar]}} It shows an infinite action or occurrence. It is used as a noun. It acquires the gender and number of a masculine plural noun.

class="wikitable"

|+ Formed: Past Imperfective Stem + verbal ل (ә́l)

colspan="2" |Conjugation Class

!Past Imperfective Stem

!Infinitives

colspan=2 |1st

| {{fs interlinear

کېد|ked-|become
}

| {{fs interlinear|کېدل|kedә́l|{to become}|}}

|-

! colspan=2 |2nd

| {{fs interlinear|-ننوت|nənawat-|}}

| {{fs interlinear|ننوتل|nənawatә́l|{to enter}|}}

|-

! rowspan=2 |3rd

!Joined

| {{fs interlinear|-ښخو|x̌axaw-|{do bury}|}}

| {{fs interlinear|ښخول|x̌axawә́l|{to bury}|}}

|-

!Unjoined

| {{fs interlinear|{-سوچ کو}|{soč kaw-}|{do think}|}}

| {{fs interlinear|{سوچ کول}|{soč kawә́l}|{to think}|}}

|}

Example: وکړل [past perfective tense of the transitive verb کول – "to do"] shows agreement with masculine plural object that is the infinitive وهل.

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= هغوی په خپلو کښې وهل وکړل

|Hağúi pә xpә́lo ke wahә́l wә́kṛəl

|they:DIR:3:PL on:PREP own:OBL:M:PL on:POST to-beat:PST:CONT:3:M:PL do:PST:PRF:3:PL

|They have fought amongst themselves

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case}}

= Double infinitives =

These are formed by combining two infinitives

– either by combining a simple infinitive with a prefixed infinitive.

class="wikitable"
Simple infinitivePrefixed infinitiveDouble infinitive
تلل [going]راتلل [coming]تلل راتلل [coming and going]
ګرځېدل [to walk/walking]راګرځېدل [to repass]ګرځېدل راګرځېدل [walking about]


– or by combining two simple infinitives:

class="wikitable"
Simple infinitive 1Simple infinitive 2Double infinitive
خوړل [eating]څښل [drinking]خوړل څښل [eating drinking]
وهل [beating/hitting]ټکول [knocking]وهل ټکول [beating]

Verb

  • Pashto has three tenses: Past, present and future.
  • The future tense is the same as present tense with the exception of markers.
  • Aspect: Pashto in every tense has perfective aspect [بشپړاړخ] and imperfective aspect [نابشپړاړخ]. The perfective aspect indicates completion of an action while the imperfective aspect indicates continuous or habitual action.
  • Pashto verbs are of four categories: simple verbs, prefixed verbs, a-initial verbs and compound verbs.
  • Prefixed verbs, a-initial verbs and compound verbs are separable.
  • Pashto verbs can be conjugated by the bases they have.
  • Present and imperative forms are formed on present bases. Past, optative, and infinitive forms are formed on past bases.
  • Based on the stems they classed as either single stemmed, two stemmed or multiple stemmed
  • Verbs agree in person and in number with either the objects or subjects of sentences, depending on tense and construction.
  • Agreement is indicated with verbal suffixes following the verb stem which indicate person and number.

Verbs: categories

= Simple verbs =

They are in the morpheme state.

Examples:

class="wikitable"

! Infinitive !! Transliteration !! Meaning

تلل

|tlə́l||to go

وتل

|watə́l||to go out

ګرځېدل

|gardzedə́l

|to walk

کول

|kawə́l

|to do

خوړل

|xwaṛә́l

|to eat

= Prefixed verbs =

These are described below as doubly irregular.

They take the form of a derivational prefix plus a verb base.

== Deictic prefixed verb ==

These correspond to the oblique pronominal and directionals clitics.

class="wikitable"

! Prefix !! Direction !! Example

!Example meaning

را

|towards 1st person||راتلل

rā tlә́l

|to come

در

dər/dar

|towards 2nd person||درتلل

dәr tlә́l

|to go towards you

ور

wər/war

|towards 3rd person

|ورکول

wәr kawә́l

|to give

== Non-productive prefixed verbs ==

Like deictic prefixed these are subject to the same rules of stress movement to show perfective aspect, as well as to separation from the rest of the verb by negative morphemes and second-position clitics. But generally their meanings are not synchronically separable from the verbal lexeme of which they are a part of.

class="wikitable"

! Prefix !! Transliteration !! Example

!Example meaning

کښې

|kxe [Northern]

kṣ̌i [Southern]

|کښېوتل

kxewatә́l

|to drop into

کې

|ke [Northern]

ki [Southern]

|کېښودل

kex̌awdә́l

|to put

نن

|nəna

|ننوتل

nənawatә́l

|to enter

پورې

|pore

|پورې ايستل

pore istә́l

|to traverse

تېر

|ter

|تېروتل

terwatә́l

|to get mistaken

پرا

|prā

|پرانيستل

prānistә́l

|to open

پرې

|pre

|پرېوتل

prewatә́l

|to lie down

Example: پرېکول – to cut. The prefix [پرې] is separated from the verb stem [کول] by a second position clitic [يې]

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= پرې يې کړه

|pré ye kṛá

|cut:VB:PREFIX:AOR it/he/she:3:WK cut:VB:AOR:IMP:SG

|Cut it

|abbreviations=WK: Weak Pronoun

PREFIX: Prefix}}

= a-initial verbs =

These begin with ا /a/; but they do not include compound verbs beginning with /a/.

Examples:

class="wikitable"

! Infinitive !! Transliteration !! Meaning

اڼول

|aṇawə́l||to gather

استول

|astawə́l||to send

اخيستل

|axistə́l

|to buy

Their syntactic behaviour resembles that of prefixed verbs: the initial /a/ can separate from the rest of the verb as though it were a prefix. Unlike prefixed verbs, a-initial verbs differ in that

they take the prefix و  /wə́/ for perfective forms.

{{fs interlinear|number=ex:|وا مې خيستل|wā́ me xistəl|buy:AOR I:SG:WK buy:PST:3PL:M|I bought them|abbreviations=WK: Weak Pronoun

PREFIX: Prefix}}

Unlike all the verbs; they are unusual, in that their stress is variable in the imperfective aspect: it can be either be initial or non-initial. Other verbs can not have initial stress. When the /a/ is separated from the rest of the verb in the imperfective aspect it has initial stress.

Example: initial stress

{{fs interlinear|number=ex:|ا مې خيستل|á me xistəl|buy:CONT I:SG:WK buy:PST:3PL:M|I was buying them|abbreviations=WK: Weak Pronoun

PREFIX: Prefix}}Example: non-initial stress

{{fs interlinear|number=ex:|اخيستل مې|axistə́l me|buy:CONT:PST:3PL:M I:SG:WK|I was buying them|abbreviations=WK: Weak Pronoun

PREFIX: Prefix}}

=Compound verbs=

There are two categories of compound verbs. There are also some exceptions to these.

==First category==

These are formed by adding ول [-wә́l] and ېدل [edә́l] verbal-suffixes to nouns, adjectives or adverbs. The attaching noun, adjective and adverb should not end in a vowel.

Example:

class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" | Word !! Verb formed

rowspan="2" |ښخ

x̌ax

|adjective, singular, mas

|ښخول

x̌awә́l

buried

|to bury

=== Exceptions ===

There are also exceptions to this category. Example: سوچ کول etc.

class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" | Word !! Verb formed

rowspan="2" |سوچ

soč

|noun, singular masculine

|سوچ کول

soč kawә́l

though

|to think

==Second category==

These are formed adding auxiliary verbs کول and کېدل to the noun and adjectives. The attaching noun and adjective end in a vowel.

Examples:

class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" | Word !! Verb formed

rowspan="2" |ښايسته

x̌āistá

|adjective, feminine, class 4

|ښايسته کول

x̌āista kawә́l

pretty

|to make pretty

rowspan="2" |ستړی

stә́ṛay

|noun, sing. masc., class 3

|ستړی کول

stəṛay kawә́l

tired

|to tire

Verbs: conjugation classes

These can be divided in reference to the verb categories as above:{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2}}

  • First Conjugation Class: Simple Verbs and A-Initial Verbs
  • Second Conjugation Class: Prefixed Verbs
  • Third Conjugation Class: Compound Verbs

Verbs: bases

Pashto verb bases are formed according to the tense (present/past) and aspect (perfective/imperfective) of a verb.

Aspect

The perfective aspect is indicated by the stressed prefix و /wә́/ or in the case of complex verbs [prefixed verbs, a-initial and compound verbs] by stress on the prefix or complement. The imperfective aspect is indicated by the absence of و /wə/ or stress on the verb itself rather than the prefix or complement.

Tense

The present tense either by the absence of this suffix (transitives), or by the suffix ېږ /ég/ (intransitives).

For single stem verbs: the past tenses is indicated by either the suffix ل /ə́l/ (for transitive verbs) or ېد /ed(ə́l)/ (for intransitives).

For two or more stemmed verbs: the past tense is indicated by stem allomorphy.

Bases

Therefore, the following four-fold-method to differentianate of bases:

1. present perfective

2. present imperfective

3. past perfective

4. past impefective

Inflection

In order to make fully inflected verbs, you add either of the following to these bases:

  • a verbal suffix
  • an imperative or optative suffix, or
  • an adjectival suffix (to form a participle)

Verbs: Single Stems

These are referred to as Weak Verbs by Anna Boyle.

These have one stem. From this single stem from all four bases are predictable.

= First Conjugation Class =

== Transitive==

Here is an example first conjugation class transitive verb: "to tie"

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="3" | Verb

! rowspan="3" | Stem

! colspan="2" |Present

! colspan="2" |Past

Perfective

! Imperfective

! Perfective

Imperfective
rowspan="2" | -وتړ
wә́ taṛ-

| rowspan="2" | -تړ
taṛ-

| rowspan="2" | -وتړل

wә́ taṛ әl-

| rowspan="2" | -تړل

taṛә́l-

تړل

taṛә́l

!تړ

taṛ

Notes:

  • present imperfective base = stem
  • present perfective base: و /wә́/ + stem
  • past imperfective base: stem+ ل /ə́l/ (suffix obligatory)
  • past perfective base: و /wә́/ + stem+ ل /əl/(suffix obligatory)

== Intransitive ==

Here is an example first conjugation class intransitive verb: "to reach"

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="3" |Verb

! rowspan="3" |Stem

! colspan="2" |Present

! colspan="2" |Past

Perfective

!Imperfective

! Perfective

!Imperfective

rowspan="2" | -ورسېږ
wә́ raseẓ̌-

| rowspan="2" | -رسېږ
raseẓ̌-

rowspan="2" | -(ورسېد(ل
wә́ rased(ә́l)-
rowspan="2" | -(رسېد(ل
rásed-
رسېدل
rasedә́l

!رس

ras

Notes:

  • present imperfective base: stem+ ېږ /eg/
  • present perfective base: و /wә́/ + stem+ ېږ /eg/
  • past imperfective base: stem + ېد /ed/ (+ ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)
  • past perfective base: و /wә́/ + stem + ېد /ed/( + ل /əl/— prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)

= Second Conjugation Class =

In the second conjugation, perfectives are formed by a shift of stress to the existing prefix, rather than the addition of the و /wә́/ prefix.

Here is an example first conjugation class transitive verb: "to bring (to speaker)"

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="3" |Verb

! rowspan="3" | Stem

! colspan="2" |Present

! colspan="2" |Past

Perfective

! Imperfective

! Perfective

Imperfective
rowspan="2" | -راوړ

rā́ wṛ-

| rowspan="2" | -راوړ

rā wṛ-

| rowspan="2" | -راوړل

rā́ wṛә́l-

| rowspan="2" | -راوړل

rā wṛә́l-

راوړل

rāwṛә́l

!راوړ

rā wṛ

Notes:

  • present imperfective base = stem
  • present perfective base: stressed prefix + stem
  • past imperfective base: prefix + stem+ ل /ə́l/(suffix obligatory)
  • past perfective base: stressed prefix + stem+ ل /ə́l/(suffix obligatory)

Verbs: Two Stems

These are referred to as Strong Verbs by Anna Boyle

These have two stems: present stem and a past stem.

= First Conjugation Class =

The stems can either share initial sounds as in example:

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

|+ a) where ل is replaced by ن in the present tense:

! rowspan="2" | Verb

! rowspan="2" | Present Stem

! colspan="2" |Present

! rowspan="2" |Past Stem

! colspan="2" |Past

Perfective

! Imperfective

! Perfective

! Imperfect

وژل
wažә́l

! وژن

wažən

| -و وژن
wә́ wažən-

-وژن
wažən-

!وژ

waž

| -(و وژ(ل
wә́ waž(əl)-

-(وژ(ل
waž(ә́l)-

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

|+ b) where و is added in the middle in the present tense:

! rowspan="2" | Verb

! rowspan="2" | Present Stem

! colspan="2" |Present

! rowspan="2" |Past Stem

! colspan="2" |Past

Perfective

! Imperfective

! Perfective

! Imperfect

بلل
balә́l

! بول

bol

| -و بول
wә́ bol-

-بول
bol-

!بل

bal

| -(و بل(ل
wә́ baləl-

-(بل(ل
bal(ә́l)-

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

|+ c) The verb ختل [to climb]:

! rowspan="2" | Verb

! rowspan="2" | Present Stem

! colspan="2" |Present

! rowspan="2" |Past Stem

! colspan="2" |Past

Perfective

! Imperfective

! Perfective

! Imperfect

ختل
xatә́l

! خېژ
xež

| -و خېژ
wә́ xež-

-خېژ
xež-

!خت

xat

[or خوت xot]

| -(و خت(ل
wә́ xat(əl)-

-(خت(ل
xat(ә́l)-

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

|+ d) where دل is dropped in the present tense:

! rowspan="2" | Verb

! rowspan="2" | Present Stem

! colspan="2" |Present

! rowspan="2" |Past Stem

! colspan="2" |Past

Perfective

! Imperfective

! Perfective

! Imperfect

پېژندل
pežandә́l

! پېژن
pežan

| -و پېژن
wә́ pežan-

-پېژن
pežan-

!پېژند
pežand

| -(و پېژند(ل
wә́ pežand(əl)-

-(پېژند(ل
pežand(ә́l)-
اوبدل
obdә́l

! اوب
ob

| -و اوب
wә́ ob-|

اوب
ob-

!اوبد

obd

|-(و اوبد(ل
wә́ ob(əl)-

-(اوبد(ل
obd(ә́l)-

Or they can be share no similar sounds

Example: the verb لیدل [to see]

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" | Verb

! rowspan="2" | Present Stem

! colspan="2" |Present

! rowspan="2" |Past Stem

! colspan="2" |Past

Perfective

! Imperfective

! Perfective

! Imperfect

لیدل

lidә́l

! وین
win

| -ووین

wә́ win-

| -وین

win-

!لید

lid

| -(ولید(ل

wә́ lid(əl)-

| -(لید(ل

lid(ә́l)-

In either case the same rules apply, as noted by Anna Boyle:{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zGGSzQEACAAJ&q=pashto%20grammar|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2013-12-16|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=978-1-61451-233-2}}

Notes:

  • present imperfective base = present stem
  • present perfective base: و  /wә́/ + present stem
  • past imperfective base: past stem (+ ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)
  • past perfective base: و  /wә́/ + past stem(+ ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)

= Second Conjugation Class =

As above, in the second conjugation, perfectives are formed by a shift of stress to the existing prefix, rather than the addition of the و /wә́/ prefix.

Example one: the verb پرېښودل [to leave]

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" | Verb

! rowspan="2" | Present Stem

! rowspan="2" |Past Stem

! colspan="2" |Present

! colspan="2" |Past

Perfective

! Imperfective

! Perfective

! Imperfective

پرېښودل
prex̌odә́l

! پرېږد
preẓ̌d

! پرېښود
prex̌od

| -پرېږد
pré ẓ̌d-|

پرېږد
pre ẓ̌d-
-(پرېښود(ل
pré x̌od(əl)-
-(پرېښود(ل
pre x̌od(ә́l)-

Notes:

  • present imperfective base = present stem
  • present perfective base: stressed prefix + present stem
  • past imperfective base: prefix + past stem (+ ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc.; optional elsewhere)
  • past perfective base: stressed prefix + past stem(+ ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)

Verbs: Multiple Stems

These are referred to as Strong Verbs by Anna Boyle.

These are verbs whose imperfective and perfective stems differ as well as their present and past stems. The difference between perfective and imperfective is carried by stress; in perfective the stress is on the first part of the verb whereas in imperfective the stress is on the last syllables.

These examples have been taken from Anna Boyle, pages 219–224 with the tables rearranged:{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|pages=219–224}}

Examples:

Observation: either three stemmed [ږد, کېږد, کېښود] or four stemmed [یښود ږد, کېږد, کېښود]

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" | Verb

! rowspan="2" | Meaning

! colspan="2" |Present

! colspan="2" |Past

Perfective

! Imperfectiv

! Perfective

! Imperfective

یښودل
ix̌odә́l
to put-کېږد
kéẓ̌d-
-ږد
ẓ̌d-
-(کېښود(ل
kéx̌od(əl)-
-(کېښود(ل
kex̌od(ә́l)-

-(یښود(ل
ix̌od(ә́l)-

Observation: Four stems

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" | Verb

! rowspan="2" | Meaning

! colspan="2" |Present

! colspan="2" |Past

Perfective

! Imperfective

! Perfective

! Imperfective

بېول
bewә́l

بوول

bowә́l

| to take [to a place]

to lead away

| -بوځ
bódz-

-بياي
byāy-
-(بوتل(ل
bótl(əl)-
-(بېو(ل
bew(ә́l)-

or

-(بوو(ل
bow(ә́l)-

Observation: Four Stems

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" | Verb

! rowspan="2" | Meaning

! colspan="2" |Present

! colspan="2" |Past

Perfective

! Imperfective

! Perfective

! Imperfective

تلل
tlә́l

| to go

| -و)لاړش)
(w)lā́ṛ š‑-

dz-

| -و)لاړل)

(w)lā́ṛəl‑

| -(تل(ل
tl(ә́l)-

Observation: This example contains locative prefixes را,در,ور

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" | Verb

! rowspan="2" |Meaning

! colspan="2" |Present

! colspan="2" |Past

Perfective

!Imperfective

!Perfective

!Imperfective

راتلل
rā tlә́l
to come (towards 1st person)-راش
rā́ sh-
-راځ
rā dz-
-(راغ(ل
rā́ ğ(l)-
-(راتل(ل
rā tl(ә́l)-
درتلل
dar tlә́l

|to go (towards 2nd person

| -درش
dә́r sh-

| -درځ
dәr dz-

| -(درغ(ل
dә́r ğ(l)-

| -(درتل(ل
dәr tl(ә́l)-

ورتلل
war tlә́l

|to go (towards 3rd person)

| -ورش
wә́r sh-

| -ورځ
wәr dz-

| -(ورغ(ل
wә́r ğ(l)-

| -(ورتل(ل
wәr tl(ә́l)-

Observation:Three stems:وړ [wṛ] for imperfective and یوس + یووړ for the perfectives . Note – Prefixed وړل /wṛә́l/ 'to carry', use its weak stem [as illustrated with پرېوتل above]

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" | Verb

! rowspan="2" | Meaning

! colspan="2" |Present

! colspan="2" |Past

Perfective

! Imperfective

! Perfective

! Imperfective

وړل
wṛә́l
to carry-یوس
yós-
-وړ
wṛ-
-(یووړ(ل
yówṛ(әl)-
-(وړ(ل
wṛ(ә́l)-

Notes:

• Present imperfective base = (present) imperfective stem

• Present perfective base: initial-stressed present perfective stem

• Past imperfective base: (past continuous) stem+ (ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)

• Past perfective base: initial-stressed past perfective stem + (ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)

= کول and کېدل =

Here there use as main verbs are alluded to.

To the verb – to do: The brackete [ṛ] in the present perfective base of کول /kawә́l/ 'to do' indicates that it sometimes is not pronounced in speech{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=219}}

Important: Here there use as main verbs are alluded to - when کول and کېدل are used as verbalizers, their perfective forms are not formed with the first conjugation prefix و  /wә́/, but are irregular.

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="4" | کول

kawә́l

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" |Imperfective

! colspan="2" |Perfective

Stem

! Base

! Stem

! Base

Present

| rowspan="2" |کو

kaw

| -کو

kaw- ́

|کړ

k[ṛ]

| -وکړ

wə́ k[ṛ]‑

Past

| -(کو(ل

kaw(ə́l)-

| کړ

kṛ

| -(وکړ(ل

wə́ kṛ(əl)-

To the verb – to become

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="4" | کېدل

kedә́l

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" |Imperfective

! colspan="2" |Perfective

Stem

! Base

! Stem

! Base

Present

|کېږ

kéẓ̌

| -کېږ

kéẓ̌-

š

| -وش

wə́ š‑

Past

|کېد

ked

| -(کېد(ل

ked(ə́l)-

| شو

šw

| -(و)شو(ل)

wə́ šw(əl)-

Notes{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wS7nBQAAQBAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects|date=2013-12-12|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=978-1-61451-231-8|page=220}}:

• Present imperfective base = (present) imperfective stem

• Present perfective base: و  /wә́/ + present perfective stem

• Past imperfective base: (past continuous) stem+ ( ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)

• Past perfective base: و  /wә́/ + past perfective stem + ( ل  /‑ə́l-/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)

Verbs: aspect

Pashto in every tense has an aspect: perfective aspect [بشپړاړخ] and imperfective aspect [نابشپړاړخ]. The perfective aspect indicates completion or termination of an action. The imperfective aspect indicates continuity of an action or the habitual nature of the action.

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Present

! colspan="2" | Past

style="border-right;" |Perfective

! style="border-left;" |Imperfective

! style="border-right;" |Perfective

! style="border-left;" |Imperfective

Verb – خوړل [to eat]

| style="border-right: " |زه ډوډۍ وخورم نو بيا به راشم
[Once] I eat food then i'll come

| style="border-left: " | زه ډوډۍ خورم
I am eating

| style="border-right: " |ما ډوډۍ وخوړه
I ate food

| style="border-left: " | ما ډوډۍ خوړه چې هغۀ راغلو
I was eating when he came

Nuanance

|Completing the action [to eat]

in the present moment

|Continuing the action [to eat]

in the present moment

|Completion of the action [to eat]

in the past

|Continuity of the action [to eat]

in the past

= Stress =

{{See also|Pashto phonology}}

In both aspects the stress [خج] is applied to the verb. In perfective, the stress is applied to the initial part of the verb, while in the imperfective it is generally applied to the final part of the verb.{{Cite book|last=Ullah|first=Noor|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KToHywAACAAJ&q=pashto+grammar|title=Pashto Grammar|year=2011|isbn=978-1-4567-8007-4|page=11}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Aspect

style="border-right;" |Perfective

! style="border-left;" |Imperfective

Example: Wahə́l [to beat]

| style="border-right: none;" |ما ډوکړه ووهله

| style="border-left: none;" | زه ډوکړه وهم

Transliteration

|Mā ḍukṛá wə́-wahəla

|Zə ḍukṛá wahə́m

Stress notes

|Stress shifts to the prefix wə́

|Stress to the final verbal suffix ə́m

Literal meaning

|I [pronoun oblique case] small-drum [female-singular noun] beat [feminine 3rd person past tense]

|I [pronoun direct case] small-drum [female-singular noun] am-beating [1st person present tense]

English Equivalent

|I played the small-drum.

|I am playing the small drum

== First conjugation ==

First conjugation verbs, e.g. وهل as above, can be recognised by perfective form, which begin with the prefix و /wə́/, which carries an inherent stress. In a-initial verbs, the perfecive prefix و /wə́/ coalesces with the /a/ to form a prefix وا /wā́/.

Example:

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Aspect

style="border-right;" |Perfective

! style="border-left;" |Imperfective

Example: Wahə́l [to beat]

| style="border-right: none;" |ما پانګه واچوله

| style="border-left: none;" | زه پانګه اچوم

Transliteration

|Mā pā́nga wā́cawə́la

|Zə pā́nga acawə́m

Stress notes

|Stress shifts to the prefix wā́

|Stress to the final verbal suffix ə́m

Literal meaning

|I [pronoun oblique case] capital [female-singular noun] pour [feminine 3rd person past tense]

|I [pronoun direct case] capital [female-singular noun] pour [1st person present tense]

English Equivalent

|I investeded

|I am investing

== Second conjugation ==

These are referred to as prefixed verbs aboves: all of the form prefix + stem. These behave morphosyntactically: they undergo stress shift to form the perfectived, and they can be separated from the stem by a second-position clitic or the negative morpheme.

{{Listen|filename=Ps-stress-perfective-impperfective.wav|title=کښېناستم - Stress to Distinguish Aspect|description=First pronunciation: imperfective aspect with final stress [ә́m],

Second pronunciation: perfective aspect with initial stress on prefix [ké]|format=Wav}}

Example:

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Aspect

style="border-right;" |Perfective

! style="border-left;" |Imperfective

Example: K[x̌]enɑstə́l [to sit]

| style="border-right: none;" |کښېناستم

| style="border-left: none;" | کښېناستم

Transliteration

|nɑstəm

|kenɑstə́m

Stress notes

|Stress shifts to the prefix ké

|Stress to the final verbal suffix ə́m

Literal meaning

|sit [1st person past tense]

|sit [1st person past tense]

English Equivalent

|I sat down

|I was sitting down

== Third conjugation ==

These are called compound verbs above – those with adjective complements and noun complements + forms of کول /kawə́l/ or کېدل /kedə́l/. Here the perfective is formed by:

  • shifting stress from the verbalizer to the noun or adjective complement, according to the lexical stress of noun or adjective
  • using the irregular perfective forms of the verbalizer (rather than the forms with و /wə́/).

Many third conjugation verbs are contracted in the imperfective aspect, in perfective constructions, the complement is always separate from the verbalizer.

Example 1:

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Aspect

style="border-right;" |Perfective

! style="border-left;" |Imperfective

Transitive: Joṛ-awə́l [to make]

| style="border-right: none;" |ډوډۍ مې جوړه کړه

| style="border-left: none;" | ډوډۍ جوړوم

Transliteration

|ḍoḍə́i me ṛa kṛa

|ḍoḍə́i joṛawə́m

Stress notes

|Stress shifts to the adjective element jóṛa

|Stress to the verb element in ə́m

Literal meaning

|food/bread [feminine noun] I [1st person sing. weak pronoun] made [singular feminine adjective] do [3rd person sing. fem. past tense]

|food/bread [feminine noun] make [1st person present tense]

English Equivalent

|I made food

|I am making food

Example 2:

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Aspect

!Note

style="border-right;" |Perfective

! style="border-left;" |Imperfective

| rowspan="6" |The verbal suffix ېږ [éẓ̌] is stressed in the imperfective.

Due to this the final syllable ي[i] in our example is not stressed.

Compare the past imperfective sentence

کور جوړېده

kor joṛedə́

The house was getting made

Here the normal rules of aspect-stress are followed with the final syllable də́ being stressed.

Intransitive: Joṛ-edə́l [to get made]

| style="border-right: none;" |کور جوړ شه

| style="border-left: none;" | کور جوړېږي

Transliteration

|kor ṛ šə

|kor joṛéẓ̌i

Stress notes

|Stress shifts to the adjective element jó

|Stress to the verbal element in éẓ̌i

Literal meaning

|house [masc. sing. noun] made [singular masc. adjective] do [3rd person sing. masc. past tense]

|house [masc. sing. noun] make [1st person present tense]

English Equivalent

|The house got made

|The house is getting made

Verbs: verbal suffixes

Pashto utilises verbal suffixes [د کړ تاړي].

=Personal suffixes =

Verbal suffixes in Pashto denote person, gender and number.

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! Number

! Person

! Gender

! Verbal suffix

! Dialect variation

rowspan="6" |Singular

! rowspan="2" | 1st person

!


əm

|

Feminine

| مه
əma

|

2nd person

!

| ې
e

|

3rd person present

!


i

|

rowspan="2" |3rd person past

! Masculine

| verb stem only [no suffix]
or
ۀ / ه
ə

| و
o – in Peshawar Dialect
See below

Feminine

| ه
a

|

rowspan="6" | Plural

! 1st person

!

| و
u

| ي
i – in Wazirwola and Dzadrani

2nd person

!

| ئ
əɪ

|است
āst – in South Western

3rd person present

!


i

|

rowspan="2" |3rd person past

! Masculine

| ل
əl

|

Feminine

| ې
e

|

It is easy to demonstrate these in with intransitive verbs in the imperfective.

==Present imperfective tense==

Gəḍéẓ̌ is the present imperfective stem of the verb gaḍedəl [to dance].

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! Number

! Person

! Verbal suffix

! Example

! Translation

rowspan="3" |Singular

! 1st person

| م
əm || زه ګډېږم
Zə gaḍéẓ̌əm||I am dancing

2nd person

| ې
e || ته ګډېږې
Tə gaḍéẓ̌ē||You are dancing

3rd person

| ي
i || دی/دا ګډېږي
Day/Dā gaḍéẓ̌i||He/She is dancing

rowspan="3" |Plural

! 1st person

| و
ū || موږ ګډېږو
Muẓ̌ gaḍéẓ̌u|| We are dancing

2nd person

| ئ
ai || تاسو ګډېږئ
Tā́so gaḍéẓ̌ai|| You are dancing

3rd person

| ي
i || دوی/هغوی ګډېږي
Dúi/Hağúi gaḍéẓ̌i||They are dancing

==Past imperfective tense==

Gəḍēd is the past stem of the verb gaḍēdəl [to dance].

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! Number

! Person

! Gender

! Verbal suffix

! Example

! Translation

rowspan="4" |Singular

! 1st person

!


əm|| زه ګډېدم
Zə gaḍedә́m||I was dancing

2nd person

!

| ې
e || تۀ ګډېدې
Tə gaḍedé||You were dancing

rowspan="2" |3rd person

! Masculine

| ۀ
ə || دی ګډېدۀ
Day gaḍedә́ ||He was dancing

Feminine

| ه
a|| دا ګډېده
Dā gaḍedá ||She was dancing

rowspan="4" | Plural

! 1st person

!

| و
u || موږ ګډېدو
Muẓ̌ gaḍedú|| We were dancing

2nd person

!

| ئ
әi || تاسو ګډېدئ
Tā́so gaḍedә́i|| Your were dancing

rowspan="2" |3rd person

!

| ل
əl|| دوی/هغوی ګډېدل
Dúi/Hağúi gaḍedә́l||They were dancing

Feminine

| ې
e|| دوی/هغوی ګډېدې
Dúi/Hağúi gaḍedé||They were dancing

Note: In the plural the 3rd person past masculine can denote both genders when talking about a group. While in the plural the 3rd person past feminine is only used when talking about a group of individuals classed in the female gender.

Example:

  • هغوی ګډېدل [They were dancing] – can imply only males dancing or both males and females dancing
  • هغوی ګډېدې [They were dancing] – implies only women were dancing. It can also be used for transgenders [ايجړاګان] by itself. But you can not say ايجړاګان ګډېدې since ايجړا is a masculine noun so one would use ايجړاګان ګډېدل.

= 3rd Person Past Singular Masculine =

Generally ه [ə] or no-stem suffix is employed. But sometimes ئ [əi] is found also.

class="wikitable"

! colspan="5" |PAST – 3rd Person Singular Masculine

Morphology

!Verb

!Verbal Suffix employed

!Imperfective

!Perfective

rowspan="6" |وتل-

-watəl

|الوتل

alwatә́l

to fly

! rowspan="6" |none

|الوت

alwát

|والوت

wā́lwat

پرېوتل

prewatә́l

to fall

|پرېووت

prewót

|پرېووت

préwot

پوري وتل

pori watә́l

to cross

|پوري ووت

pori wót

|پوري ووت

póri wot

ننوتل

nənawatә́l

to enter

|ننوت

nənawát

|ننوت

nә́nawat

وتل

watә́l

to go out

|وت

wát

wót

|ووت

wә́wat

wә́wot

تېروتل

terwatә́l

to be mistaken

|تېروت

terwát

|تېروت

térwat

rowspan="3" |تلل-

-tləl

|راتلل
rā tlә́l

to come

! rowspan="3" |ئ

əi

|راغئ

rāğә́i

|راغئ

rā́ğəi

درتلل
dar tlә́l

to go

[towards 2nd person]

|درغئ

darğә́i

|درغئ

dárğәi

ورتلل
war tlә́l

[towards 3rd person]

|ورغئ

warğә́i

|ورغئ

wárğəi

rowspan="5" |

|اروېدل

to hear

! rowspan="5" |ۀ

ə

|اروېده

arwedә́

|وروېده

wárweda

ایشېدل

to boil

|ایشېده

išedә́

|وایشېده

wә́ išedә́

برېښېدل

to shine/appear

|برېښېده

brex̌dә́

|وبرېښېده

wә́ brex̌də

درومېدل

to march

|درومېده

drumedә́

|ودرومېده

wә́ drumedə

زېږېدل

to be born

|زېږېده

zeẓ̌edә́

|وزېږېده

wә́ zeẓ̌edə

== Plural suffix of وتل watəl ==

With وتل the plural suffix ل(əl) is not used instead:

class="wikitable"

! colspan="4" |PAST – 3rd Person Singular Masculine

! rowspan="2" |Change

! colspan="2" |PAST – 3rd Person Plural Masculine

Verb

!Verbal Suffix employed

!Imperfective

!Perfective

!Imperfective

!Perfective

الوتل

alwatә́l

to fly

! rowspan="6" |none

|الوت

alwát

|والوت

wā́lwat

! rowspan="6" |ووت← واتۀ

wot → wātə

|الوته

alwātә́

|والواته

wā́lwātə

پرېوتل

prewatә́l

to fall

|پرېووت

prewót

|پرېووت

préwot

|پرېواته

prewātә́

|پرېواته

préwātә́

پوري وتل

pori watә́l

to cross

|پوري ووت

pori wót

|پوري ووت

póri wot

|پوري واته

pori wātә́

|پوري واته

póri wātə

ننوتل

nənawatә́l

to enter

|ننوت

nənawát

|ننوت

nә́nawat

|ننواته

nənawātә́

|ننواته

nә́nawātə

وتل

watә́l

to go out

|وت

wát

wót

|ووت

wә́wat

wә́wot

|واته

wātә́

|وواته

wә́wātə

تېروتل

terwatә́l

to be mistaken

|تېروت

terwát

|تېروت

térwat

|تېرواته

terwātә́

|تېرواته

térwātә́

Verbs: agreement

= Intransitive verbs =

As can be seen from the intransitive verb above [ګډېدل] – the verb agrees with the subject.

= Agreement – transitive verbs =

  • Ergative construction is used in the past tense of transitive verbs: the predicate [verb] agrees in person, number and gender with the object. The subject changes to into the oblique case.
  • In the present tense the transitive verb agrees with the subject: in person, number and gender.

Example 1: خوړل – transitive verb – to eat

class="wikitable"

! colspan="3" |Past

Verb

!Object

!Subject

وخړه / وخړله

wә́xwṛa / wә́xwṛәla

|دوډۍ

ḍoḍә́i

|سړي

saṛí

eat

|food

|man

past perfective stem – with

3rd person singular feminine verbal suffix

|noun – singular, feminine, direct case

|noun – singular, masculine, oblique case

colspan="3" style="text-align:center; |The man ate the food

Compare:

class="wikitable"

! colspan="3" |Present

Verb

!Object

!Subject

خوري

xwrí

|دوډۍ

ḍoḍә́i

|سړی

saṛáy

eat

|food

|man

present imperfective stem – with

3rd person singular masculine verbal suffix

|noun – singular, feminine, direct case

|noun – singular, masculine, direct case

colspan="3" style="text-align:center; |The man is eating the food

Example 2: اغوستل – transitive verb – to put on/dress

class="wikitable"

! colspan="3" |Past

Verb

!Object

!Subject

واغوستې

wā́ğoste

|جامې

jāmé

|ما

wear

|clothes

|I

past perfective stem – with

3rd person plural feminine verbal suffix

|noun – plural feminine direct case

|noun – singular, oblique case

colspan="3" style="text-align:center; |I wore the clothes

Compare:

class="wikitable"

! colspan="3" |Present

Verb

!Object

!Subject

اغوندم

ağundә́m

|جامې

jāmé

|زه

put-on

|clothes

|I

present imperfective stem – with

1st person singular verbal suffix

|noun – plural, feminine, direct case

|noun – singular, direct case

colspan="3" style="text-align:center; |I am wearing the clothes

== Compound transitive verbs – split agreement ==

In the present tense the nominal/adjectival part of the compound verb agrees with the object. But the auxiliary کول [to do] agrees with the subject.

Example: پاکول – compound transitive verb – to clean

class="wikitable"

! colspan="4" |Present

colspan="2" |Compound verb

!

!

Auxiliary

!Adjectival component

!Object

!Subject

كړي

ki

|پاکه

pā́ka

|کوټه

koṭá

|سړی

saṛáy

do

|clean

|room

|man

present perfective stem – with

3rd person singular masculine verbal suffix

|adjective – singular, feminine, direct case

|noun – singular, feminine, direct case

|noun – singular, masculine, direct case

colspan="4" style="text-align:center; |[When] the man cleans the room

In the past both nominal/adjectival and auxiliary components agree with the object.

Example: پاکول – compound transitive verb – to clean

class="wikitable"

! colspan="4" |Past

colspan="2" |Compound verb

!

!

Auxiliary

!Adjectival component

!Object

!Subject

كولې

kawә́le

|پاکې

pāke

|کوټې

koṭé

|سړي

saṛí

do

|clean

|rooms

|man

past imperfective stem – with

3rd person plural feminine verbal suffix

|adjective – plural, feminine, direct case

|noun – plural, feminine, direct case

|noun – singular, masculine, oblique case

colspan="4" style="text-align:center; |The man was cleaning the rooms

Verbs: participle

= Present participle =

The present participle is formed with the past imperfective stem without ل (əl) + ونک (unk) and declension follows the pattern of unstressed ی (ay).

Example ليکل [likəˈl] – writer → ليک [lik] past imperfective stem → ليکونکی [likəwúnkay] – writer

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Masculine

! colspan="2" | Feminine

style="border-right;" |Singular

! style="border-left;" |Plural

! style="border-right;" |Singular

! style="border-left;" |Plural

Direct

| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکی
likúnkay

| style="border-left: none;" | ليکونکي
likúnki

| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکې
likúnke

| style="border-left: none;" | ليکونکې
likúnke

Oblique

| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکي
likúnki

| style="border-left: none;" | ليکونکو
likúnko

| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکې
likúnke

| style="border-left: none;" |ليکونکو
likúnko

Ablative

| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکي
likúnki

| style="border-left: none;" | ليکونکو
likúnko

| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکې
likúnke

| style="border-left: none;" |ليکونکو
likúnko

Vocative

| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکیه
likúnkya

| style="border-left: none;" |ليکونکو
likúnko

| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکې
likúnke

| style="border-left: none;" |ليکونکو
likúnko

= Past participle =

== Past participle suffix ==

The past participle employs the following stems. It is used in perfect constructions of the verb.

class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" |Masculine

! colspan="2" |Feminine

Singular

!Plural

!Singular

!Plural

ی
ay


i

| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |ې
e

== Present perfect ==

This is formed in the following ways:

Category 1 [non-compound verbs]: Past imperfective stem + past participle suffix + present imperfective of "to be"

Category 2 [compound verbs]: Past perfective stem of کېدل-ېدل and کول-ول + past participle suffix + present imperfective of "to be"

Example: of Category 1 verb رسېدل

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! colspan="2" |

! Singular

!Plural

!Translation

rowspan="2" |1st person

! Masculine

|رسېدلی یم

rasedə́lay

yəm

|رسېدلي یو

rasedə́li yu

| rowspan="2" |Singular: I have reached

Plural: We have reached

Feminine

| رسېدلې يمه

rasedə́le

yəmá

|رسېدلې یو

rasedə́le yu

rowspan="2" |2nd person

!Masculine

|رسېدلی یې

rasedə́lay ye

|رسېدلي یئ

rasedə́li yəy

| rowspan="2" |Singular: You have reached

Plural: You have reached

Feminine

|رسېدلې یې

rasedə́le ye

|رسېدلې یئ

rasedə́le yəy

rowspan="2" |3rd person

!Masculine

|رسېدلی دی

rasedə́lay day

|رسېدلي دي

rasedə́li di

| rowspan="2" |Singular masc: He has reached

Singular fem.: She has reached

Plural: They have reached

Feminine

|رسېدلې ده

rasedə́le da

|رسېدلې دي

rasedə́le di

== Future perfect ==

Formed by به [future marker] +present perfect

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! colspan="2" |

! Singular

!Plural

!Translation

rowspan="2" |1st person

! Masculine

|به رسېدلی یم

bə rasedə́lay

yəm

|به رسېدلي یو

bə rasedə́li yu

| rowspan="2" |Singular: I will have reached

Plural: We will have reached

Feminine

| به رسېدلې يمه

bə rasedə́le

yəmá

|به رسېدلې یو

bə rasedə́le yu

rowspan="2" |2nd person

!Masculine

|به رسېدلی یې

bə rasedə́lay ye

|به رسېدلي یئ

bə rasedə́li yəy

| rowspan="2" |Singular: You will have reached

Plural: You will have reached

Feminine

|به رسېدلې یې

bə rasedə́le ye

|به رسېدلې یئ

bə rasedə́le yəy

rowspan="2" |3rd person

!Masculine

|به رسېدلی دی

bə rasedə́lay day

|به رسېدلي دي

bə rasedə́li di

| rowspan="2" |Singular masc: He will have reached

Singular fem.: She will have reached

Plural: They will have reached

Feminine

|به رسېدلې ده

bə rasedə́le da

|به رسېدلې دي

bə rasedə́le di

== Past perfect ==

This is formed in the following ways:

Category 1 [non-compound verbs]: Past imperfective stem + past participle suffix + past imperfective of "to be"

Category 2 [compound verbs]: Past perfective stem of کېدل-ېدل and کول-ول + past participle suffix + past imperfective of "to be"

Example:

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! colspan="2" |

! Singular

!Plural

!Translation

rowspan="2" |1st person

! Masculine

|رسېدلی وم

rasedə́lay

wəm

|رسېدلي وو

rasedə́li wu

| rowspan="2" |Singular: I had reached

Plural: We had reached

Feminine

| رسېدلی ومه

rasedə́lay

wəmá

|رسېدلې وو

rasedə́le wu

rowspan="2" |2nd person

!Masculine

|رسېدلی وې

rasedə́lay we

|رسېدلي وئ

rasedə́li wəy

| rowspan="2" |Singular: You had reached

Plural: You all had reached

Feminine

|رسېدلې وې

rasedə́le we

|رسېدلې وئ

rasedə́le wəy

rowspan="2" |3rd person

!Masculine

|رسېدلی وه

rasedə́lay wə

|رسېدلي وو

rasedə́li wu

| rowspan="2" |Singular masc.: He had reached

Singular fem.: She had

Plural: They had reached

Feminine

|رسېدلې وه

rasedə́le wa

|رسېدلې وې

rasedə́le we

== Agreement ==

  1. Transitive verbs uses ergative construction: Past participle + verb "to be" agree with object; subject is in oblique case
  2. Intransitive verbs: Past participle+ verb "to be" agree with the subject

Example: Intransitive Category 2 verb پخېدل [to ripen, mature]

class="wikitable"

! Subject

Past participleTo be [present]

!To be past

!Grammar

زه [masculine]

| پوخ شوی

pox šə́way

| يم

yəm

|وم

wəm

|1st person, singular, masculine

زه[feminine]

| پخه شوې
paxa šə́we

| يمه

yəmá

|ومه

wəmá

|1st person, singular, feminine

موږ

| پاخه شوي
pāxə šə́wi||يو

yu

|وو

wu

|1st person, plural, masculine

موږ [all women]

| پخې شوې

paxe šə́we

| يو

yu

|وو

wu

|1st person, plural, feminine

ته [masculine]

|پوخ شوی

pox šə́way

|يې

ye

|وې

we

|2nd person, singular, masculine

ته [femine]

|پخه شوې
paxa šə́we

|يې

ye

|وې

we

|2nd person, singular, feminine

تاسو

|پاخه شوي
pāxə šə́wi

|يئ

yəi

|وئ

əi

|2nd person, plural, masculine

تاسو [all woment]

|پخې شوې

paxe šə́we

|يئ

yəi

|وئ

əi

|2nd person, plural, feminine

الو

|پوخ شوی

pox šə́way

|دی

day

|وه

|3rd person, singular, masculine

الوګان

|پاخه شوي
pāxə šə́wi

|دي

di

|وو

wu

|3rd person, plural, masculine

مڼه

|پخه شوې
paxa šə́we

|ده

da

|وه

wa

|3rd person, singular, feminine

مڼې

|پخې شوې

paxe šə́we

|دي

di

|وې

we

|3rd person, plural, feminine

Verbs: potential construction

= Optative =

The imperfective optative = past imperfective base of verb+ ای-āy [Southern Dialects], ی-ay [North Western Dialects], ې [North Eastern Dialects]

The perfective optative = past perfective base of verb+ ای-āy [Southern Dialects], ی-ay [North Western Dialects], ې [North Eastern Dialects]

= Present potential =

Formed by:

Imperfective optative + present perfective of کېدل

Example:

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

!

! Singular

!Plural

!Translation

1st person

|رسېدلی شم

rasedə́lay šəm

رسېدی شم

rasedáy šəm

|رسېدلی شو

rasedə́lay šu

رسېدی شو

rasedáy šu

|I/We can reach

2nd person

|رسېدلی شې

rasedə́lay še

رسېدی شې

rasedáy še

|رسېدلی شئ

rasedə́lay šəy

رسېدی شئ

rasedáy šəy

|You can reach

3rd person

| colspan="2" |رسېدلی شي

rasedə́lay ši

رسېدی شي

rasedáy ši

|He/She/They can reach

= Past potential =

== Past potential 1 ==

To indicate:

  1. Event did not take place: مونږ تېر کال جوار کرلی شوه [We might have been able to plant corn last year]
  2. Event carried out over extended period of time: مونږ ډرامې ليدلی شوې [We were able to watch TV-shows]

Formed by:

Imperfective optative + present perfective of کېدل

Example:

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

!

! Singular

!Plural

1st person

|رسېدلی شو(ل)م

rasedə́lay šw(əl)əm

رسېدی شو(ل)م

rasedáy šw(əl)əm

|رسېدلی شو(ل)و

rasedə́lay šw(əl)u

رسېدی شو(ل)و

rasedáy šw(əl)u

2nd person

|رسېدلی شو(ل)ې

rasedə́lay šw(əl)e

رسېدی شو(ل)ې

rasedáy šw(əl)e

|رسېدلی شو(ل)ئ

rasedə́lay šw(əl)əy

رسېدی شو(ل)ئ

rasedáy šw(əl)əy

3rd person

| colspan="2" |رسېدلی شو(ل)ه

rasedə́lay šw(əl)e

رسېدی شو(ل)ه

rasedáy šw(əl)e

== Past potential 2 ==

To indicate:

  1. Where the event was actually carried out e.g. تۀ هلته په وخت ورسېدلی شوې؟ [You were able to get there on time]

Formed by:

Perfective optative + past perfective of کېدل

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

!

! Singular

!Plural

1st person

|ورسېد(ل)ی شو(ل)م

wə́rased(əl)ay šw(əl)əm

|ورسېد(ل)ی شو(ل)و

wə́rased(əl)ay šw(əl)u

2nd person

|ورسېد(ل)ی شو(ل)ې

wə́rased(əl)ay šw(əl)e

|رسېدلورسېد(ل)ی شو(ل)ئ

wə́rased(əl)ay šw(əl)əy

3rd person

| colspan="2" |ورسېد(ل)ی شو(ل)ه

wə́rased(əl)ay šw(əl)ə

Auxiliary: "to be"

The verb "to be" is irregular in Pashto and does not have an infinitive form.

=Present imperfective=

Present imperfective tense of "to be":

class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" | Person

SingularPlural
colspan="2" | 1st

| زه يم
zə yəm

زه يمه
zə yəma

| موږ يو
muẓ̌ yū

colspan="2" | 2nd

| ته يې
tə ye || تاسو يئ \ ياست
tā́so yəy
(in Southern dialect – yāst)[http://learnpashtu.blogspot.ru/2010/12/short-summary-of-pashto-grammar.html Short Summary of Pashto Grammar]

rowspan="2" | 3rd

!Masculine

| دی دی
day day

| rowspan="2" | دوی دي
duy di

Feminine

|دا ده
dā da

=Present perfective form=

Present perfective tense of "to be":

class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" | Person

SingularPlural
colspan="2" |1st

| زه شم
zə shəm || موږ شو
muẓ̌ shu

colspan="2" |2nd

| ته شې
tə she

| تاسو شئ
tā́so šəy

rowspan="2" |3rd

!Masc.

| دی وي
day wi

| rowspan="2" | دوی وي
dui wi

Fem.

|دا وي
dā wi

=Past form=

Past tense of "to be":

class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" | Person

SingularPlural
colspan="2" | 1st

| زه وم
zə wəm

زه ومه
zə wəma

| موږ وو
muẓ̌ wu

colspan="2" | 2nd

| ته وې
tə we || تاسو وئ\واست
tā́so wəy
(in Southern dialect – wāst)

3rd

!Masc.

| دی ؤ
day wə || دوی وو\ول
dui wu
(in Southern dialect – wəl)

3rd

!Fem

| دا وه
dā wa || دوی وې
dui we

=Future tense=

In Pashto the future tense [ راتلونکی مهال][http://www.qamosona.com/G/index.php/term/,6f57ae9b61545aad9b9ea5adac585d.xhtml Pashto Garshod [M. S. Wakili]] is the same as the present tense [اوسنی مهال][http://qamosona.com/G/index.php/term/,6f57ae9b61545aad9b9ea5aea55f.xhtml Pashto Garshod [M. S. Wakili]] with the exception that in the future tense the marker به [bə] is added.

In the third person future tense, also, irrespective of number or gender وي is used.{{Cite book|last=Ullah|first=Noor|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KToHywAACAAJ&q=noorullah+pashto+grammar|title=Pashto Grammar|date=2011|publisher=AuthorHouse|isbn=978-1-4567-8007-4|page=67}}

Future tense of "to be":

class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" |Person

!Singular

!Plural

colspan="2" |1st

|به يم

bə yəm

|به يو

bə yu

colspan="2" |2nd

|به يې

bə ye

|به يئ

bə yəy

rowspan="2" |3rd Person

!Masculine

| colspan="2" rowspan="2" | به وي

bə wi

Feminine

= Imperative Form =

Also known as Command Form

class="wikitable"
PersonSingularPlural
2nd

| ته شه
tə sha-can ||تاسو شئ

tā́so yəi

= "Wi" – usage =

وي [wi] is also used; this is the third person singular and plural of the present tense of the verb to be. وي is used when an assumption or a given fact is being discussed where as دی/ده/دي are used reporting an observation. شته functions as "there is" in English.

class="wikitable"

! !! Sentence !! Meaning

وي

|سړي دلته ناست وي

|Men sit here [fact; speaker assumes this as true]

دي

|سړي دلته ناست دي

|Men are sitting here [an observation; speaker sees them]

Verbs: causative construction

This is used to make verbs that mean "to make (someone/something) do X" [where do X is the original verb].

Formation: verb stem + an affix و  /‑aw‑/.

The causative can either use the present stem or past stem [and sometimes both] – depending on the original verb.

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" | Original verb

! colspan="2" |Stem used in bold

! rowspan="2" |Causative verb

Present

! Past

لوستل
lwastә́l

to read

| -لول
lwal-

‑ لوست

lwast-

| لولول
lwalawә́l

to cause to read

زنګل

zangә́l

to swing

| -زانګ

zāng-

|-زنګ

zang-

|زنګول

zangawә́l

to rock [e.g. in a cradle]

الوتل

alwatә́l

to fly

|-الوز

alwuz-

| -الوت

alwat-

|الوزول

alwuzawә́l

to make fly; to explode something

اغوستل

aghustә́l

to wear

|-اغوند

aghund-

|-اغوست

aghust-

|اغوندول/ اغوستول

aghundawә́l/aghustawә́l

to dress someone

Example:

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

!خندل – original verb

! خندول – causative verb

مه خانده

má xānda

|مه (يې) خندوه

má (ye) xandawa

Don't laugh !

|Don't make him/her laugh !

Verbs: imperative form

This is used to make commands. The present stems of the verbs are used to make commands:

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" | Verb

! colspan="2" |Stem used in bold

Present

! Past

لوستل
lwastә́l

to read

| -لول
lwal-

‑ لوست

lwast-

= Number =

The two verbal suffixes are employed:

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

!Number

! Suffix

Singular

a

Plural

əi

Example:

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! rowspan="2" | Verb

! colspan="2" |Number

Singular

! Plural

rowspan="2" |راتلل
rātlә́l

to come

| راځه
rādzá

راځئ

rādzә́i

come

|come

The singular is told to one person; the plural is told to more than one person or as form of respectful command.

= Positive command =

Pashto positive imperative have two aspects: perfective (initial stress) an imperfective (final stress)

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! colspan="2" |وهل – to beat

wahә́l

Imperfective

! Perfective

وهه

wahá

|و وهه

wә́ waha

beat it [focus on continuance]

|beat it [focus on completion]

In general the perfective aspect is used to make commands. However, for doubly irregular verbs, the imperfective aspect is used.

== Intensive ==

The imperfective aspect in the imperative is also used to convey a sense of an urgent command example:

{{Text and translation|خوره چې ځو|xwrá če dzú|Finish eating, so we go.}}

== Compound verbs ==

=== Transitive ===

For compounds in the transitive, the nominal/adjective part of the verb agrees with the direct object.

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! colspan="2" |پاکول – to clean

pākawә́l

Masculine object

! Feminine object

کور

!کوټه

ته کور پاک کړه

tә kor pā́k ka

|ته کوټه پاکه کړه

tә koṭá pā́ka ka

Clean the house

|Clean the room

Where the is no object, the nominal/adjective part of the verb agrees with the subject

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! colspan="2" |پاکول – to clean

pākawә́l

colspan="2" |No object of the verb
Masculine subject

! Feminine subject

Said to a male

!Said to a female

ته پاک کړه

tә pā́k ka

|ته پاکه کړه

tә pā́ka ka

You clean it

|You clean it

=== Intransitive ===

For compounds in the intransitive, the nominal/adjective part of the verb agrees with the subject

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! colspan="2" |پاکېدل – to get clean

pākedә́l

Masculine subject

! Feminine subject

ته پاک شه

tә pā́k ša

|ته پاکه شه

tә pā́ka ša

Get clean

|Get clean

= Negative command =

Pashto Negative Imperatives only employs the Imperfective Aspect with stress on the particle مه /má/.

Compare:

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! colspan="2" |وهل – to beat

wahә́l

Imperfective -positive

! Negative command

وهه

wahá

|مه وهه

má waha

beat it

|don't beat it

== Prefixed verbs ==

North Eastern Pashto treats negative forms differently for prefixed verbs, placing the negative particle before the entire verb, whereas some other dialects place it between the prefix and the stem.

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! colspan="2" |پرېکول – to cut

prekawә́l

colspan="2" |Prefix: پرې

Stem: کول

North Eastern

! Other

مه پرېکوه

má pre kawa

|پرې مه کوه

pre má kawa

don't cut

|don't cut

Verbs: phrasal verbs

These by adding noun to verbs to make verbs phrase-like meaning.

class="wikitable"

! Examples !! Word

!Root verb!! Final verb

توره کول

túra kawə́l

|sword

|to do||to perform a brave act

تڼۍ شلول

taṇә́i šlawə́l

|button(s)

|to tear||to toil/endeavour

ټېل وهل

ṭel wahə́l

|push

|to beat

|to shove

سا اخستل

sā axәstә́l

|breath

|to take

|to breathe

Verbalisers: Kawə́l and Kedə́l

These two verbs, کول and کېدل, are used to form compound verbs (denominal verbs). They use the irregular form in the perfective: without prefix و  /wə́/.

= Kawə́l =

Here are the forms of Kawə́l{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|pages=239–245}} as a verbaliser [not a main verb]:

class="wikitable"

! rowspan="3" |

! colspan="5" |Present

! rowspan="7" |

! colspan="2" rowspan="3" |

! colspan="5" |Past

colspan="2" |Imperfective

! rowspan="4" |

! colspan="2" |Perfective

! colspan="2" |Imperfective

! rowspan="6" |

! colspan="2" |Perfective

Singular

!Plural

!Singular

!Plural

!Singular

!Plural

!Singular

!Plural

1st Person

|کوم

kawə́m

|کوو

kawú

|کړم

kəm

kṛəm

|کړو

ku

kṛu

! colspan="2" |1st Person

|کولم

kawə́ləm

|کولو

kawə́lu

|کړم

kṛəm

کړلم

kṛə́ləm

|کړو

kṛu

کړلو

kṛə́lu

2nd Person

|کوې

kawé

|کوئ

kawə́y

|کړې

ke

kṛe

|کړئ

kəy

kṛəy

! colspan="2" |2nd Person

|کولې

kawə́le

|کولئ

kawə́ləy

|کړې

kṛe

کړلې

kṛə́le

|کړئ

kṛəy

کړلئ

kṛə́ləy

rowspan="2" |3rd Person

| colspan="2" rowspan="2" |کوي

kawí

! rowspan="2" |

| colspan="2" rowspan="2" |کړي

ki

kṛi

! rowspan="2" |3rd Person

!Masculine

|کوه

kawə́

کاوه

kāwə́

|(کول(ه

kawə́l(ə)

|کړ

kəṛ

که

|کړل

kṛəl

کړله

kṛə́lə

Feminine

|کوله

kawə́la

کوه

kawá

|کولې

kawə́le

کوې

kawé

|کړه

kṛa

که

ka

کړله

kṛə́la

|کړلې

kṛə́le

کړې

kṛe

As mentioned by Anna Boyle : ړ /ṛ/ in present perfective forms is written, and pronounced in careful speech, but is unpronounced in many dialect.{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=242}} She mentions that in past 3rd person, even the /ṛ/ can be dropped, since the

personal suffixes differ from those in the present: past  ه /ə, a/ as opposed present ي /i/; thus revealing tense without need of ړ /ṛ/.{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=243}}

= Kedə́l =

Here are the forms of Kedə́l{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|pages=234–239}} as a verbaliser [not a main verb]:

class="wikitable"

! rowspan="3" |

! colspan="5" |Present

! rowspan="7" |

! colspan="2" rowspan="3" |

! colspan="5" |Past

colspan="2" |Imperfective

! rowspan="4" |

! colspan="2" |Perfective

! colspan="2" |Imperfective

! rowspan="6" |

! colspan="2" |Perfective

Singular

!Plural

!Singular

!Plural

!Singular

!Plural

!Singular

!Plural

1st Person

|کېږم

kéẓ̌əm

|کېږو

kéẓ̌u

|شم

šəm

|شو

šu

! colspan="2" |1st Person

|کېد(ل)م

ked(ə́l)ə́m

|کېد(ل)و

ked(ə́l)ú

|شو(ل)م

šw(ə́l)əm

|شو(ل)و

šw(ə́l)u

2nd Person

|کېږې

kéẓ̌e

|کېږئ

kéẓ̌əy

|شې

še

|شئ

šəy

! colspan="2" |2nd Person

|کېد(ل)ې

ked(ə́l)é

|کېد(ل)ئ

ked(ə́l)ə́y

|شو(ل)ې

šw(ə́l)e

|شو(ل)ئ

šw(ə́l)əy

rowspan="2" |3rd Person

| colspan="2" rowspan="2" |کېږی

kéẓ̌i

! rowspan="2" |

| colspan="2" rowspan="2" |شي

ši

! rowspan="2" |3rd Person

!Masculine

|کېده

kedə́

|کېدل(ه)

kedə́l(ə́)

|شه

šə

|شول(ه)

šwə́l(ə́)

Feminine

|کېد(ل)ه

ked(ə́l)á

|کېد(ل)ې

ked(ə́l)é

|شو(ل)ه

šw(ə́l)á

|شو(ل)ې

šw(ə́l)é

As mentioned by Anna Boyle the 1st and 2nd person forms of Kedə́l are the same to those of the present perfective forms of "to be".{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=236}}

Future Tense

The future tense is formed with the addition of به /bә/; which has been defined by Tegey as a "future marker"{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQGVvQEACAAJ&q=Tegey+pashto+grammar|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=126}} and as a "modal clitic" by Boyle.{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=369}}

= Future Expression =

The clitic به /bә/ is added to the present perfective verb to convey future time event, speculation, or doubt.

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! colspan="2" | Verb

! Present Perfective

! Future

rowspan="3" |وهل

wahә́l

to beat

!

! -ووه

wә́ wah-

!-به ووه

bə wә́wah-

rowspan="2" |Example:

1st Person Singular

|زه ووهم

(zə) wә́ wahәm

|زه به ووهم

(zə) bə wә́wahəm

I beat [completed in present]

|I will beat

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= پلار به مې ګانده پيسې ولېږي

|plār bә me paisé wә́leẓ̌i

|father:M:DIR will:FUT I:1:SG:WK money:F:DIR:PL send:AOR:PRS:3:SG:M

|My father will send money

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

WK:weak}}

= With Present Imperfective Tense =

The clitic به /bә/ is added to the present imperfective verb to convey future event – but with. different nuances explained below.

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! colspan="2" | Verb

! Present Imperfective

! Future

rowspan="3" |وهل

wahә́l

to beat

!

! -ووه

wә́ wah-

!-به ووه

bə wә́wah-

rowspan="2" |Example:

1st Person Singular

|زه وهم

(zə) wahә́m

|زه به وهم

(zə) bə wahә́m

I am beating

|I will keep on beating

  • To describe a future reference that is repeated or ongoing:

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= پلار به مې پيسې لېږي او زه به خورمه

|plār bә me paisé léẓ̌i aw zә bә xwrә́ma

|father:M:DIR will:FUT I:1:SG:WK money:F:DIR:PL send:AOR:PRS:3:SG:M and I:1:SG:STR:DIR will:FUT eat:CONT:PRS:3:SG:F

|My father will send money and I will (continue to) eat

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

WK:weak

STR:strong}}

  • Present Imperfective verb base is also used where future marker like "tomorrow", "next week" etc. is used:{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQGVvQEACAAJ&q=Tegey+pashto+grammar|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=129}}

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= پلار به مې پيسې ګانده لېږي

|plār bә me paisé gā́nda léẓ̌i

|father:M:DIR will:FUT I:1:SG:WK money:F:DIR:PL tomorrow:F:DIR send:AOR:PRS:3:SG:M

|My father will send money tomorrow

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

WK:weak

STR:strong}}

  • To contrast a future action with another future action:{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQGVvQEACAAJ&q=pashto+grammar+tegey|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=130}}

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= ته به ځې زه به پاتې کېږم

|tә bә dzé zә bә pāte kéẓ̌әm

|you:2:SG:STR:DIR will:FUT go:CONT:PRS:2:SG I:1:SG:STR:DIR will:FUT behind:F become:CONT:PRS:1:SG

|You'll be going, I'll be staying.

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

WK:weak

STR:strong

COMP: complementizer}}

Negative Future Expressions

With Present Perfect Base, negative future expressions can be created with the negative marker نه /nә/ and future marker به /bә/.{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQGVvQEACAAJ&q=pashto+grammar+tegey|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=127}}

= First Conjugation Class =

== Simple Verbs ==

If there is a grammatical subject or object:{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQGVvQEACAAJ&q=pashto+grammar+tegey|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=128}}

Subject/Object + به /bә/ + و /wә́/ + نه /nә/ + present verb stem + verbal suffix

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= مېوه به و نه خوري

|mewá bә wә́ nə xwri

|fruit:F:SG:DIR will:FUT eat...:AOR:PRS:3 not:NEG ...eat:AOR:PRS:3

|He/She/They will not eat the fruit

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

WK:weak

STR:strong

COMP: complementizer}}

If there is both a grammatical subject and object:

Subject + به /bә/ + object+ و /wә́/ + نه /nә/ + present verb stem + verbal suffix

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= زه به ليک و نه لېږم

|zә bә lik wә́ nə léẓ̌әm

|I:1:SG:STR:DIR will:FUT letter:SG:M:DIR send...:AOR:PRS:1:SG not:NEG ...send:AOR:PRS:1:SG

|I will not send the letter

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

WK:weak

STR:strong

COMP: complementizer}}

If there is no grammatical subject nor grammatical object:

و /wә́/ + به /bә/ + نه /nә/ + present verb stem + verbal suffix

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= و به نه ګرځي

|wә́ bә nə gardzi

|walk...:AOR:PRS:3 will:FUT not:NEG ...walk:AOR:PRS:3

|He/She/They will not walk

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

WK:weak

STR:strong

COMP: complementizer}}

== a-initial verbs ==

The و /wә́/ changes to وا /wā́/. Thereby:

If there is a grammatical subject or object:

Subject/Object + به /bә/ + وا /wā́/ + نه /nә/ + present verb stem + verbal suffix

Verb: اخستل [axstә́l]

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= مېوه به وا نه خلي

|mewá bә wā́ nə xli

|fruit:F:SG:DIR will:FUT buy...:AOR:PRS:3 not:NEG ...buy:AOR:PRS:3

|He/She/They will not buy the fruit

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

WK:weak

STR:strong

COMP: complementizer}}

If there is both a grammatical subject and object:

Subject + به /bә/ + object+ وا /wā́/ + نه /nә/ + present verb stem + verbal suffix

Verb: استول [astawә́l]

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= موږ به ليک وا نه ستوو

|munẓ̌ bә lik wā́ nə stawu

|we:1:PL:STR:DIR will:FUT letter:SG:M:DIR send...:AOR:PRS:1:SG not:NEG ...send:AOR:PRS:1:SG

|We will not send the letter

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

WK:weak

STR:strong

COMP: complementizer}}

If there is no grammatical subject nor grammatical object:

وا /wā́/ + به /bә/ + نه /nә/ + present verb stem + verbal suffix

Verb: اچول [ačawә́l]

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= وا به نه چوې

|wā́ bә nə čawe

|put...:AOR:PRS:2:SG will:FUT not:NEG ...put:AOR:PRS:2:SG

|You will not put it

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

WK:weak

STR:strong

COMP: complementizer}}

= Second Conjugation Class =

First: Between the prefix and the verb base نه /nә́/ is placed{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQGVvQEACAAJ|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=129}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! Verb

! Example

! Future

{{interlinear|top= بوول|bowә́l|{to take}
}

|{{interlinear|top= بوزو|bózu|{we take}|}}

|{{interlinear|top= بو نه زو|{bo nә́ zu}|{(we) not take}|}}

|}

Second: به /bә/ can then be placed

Before verb:

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= کور ته به لاړ نه شو

|kor ta bә lāṛ nә́ šu

|house:M:SG:DIR to:POST will:FUT go...:AOR:PRS:1:PL not:NEG go...:AOR:PRS:1:PL

|We wont got to the house

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

WK:weak

STR:strong

COMP: complementizer}}

Or before the object (likely where there is a subject)

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= موږ به کور ته  لاړ نه شو

|muẓ̌ bə kor ta lāṛ nә́ šu

|we:1:PL:STR:DIR will:FUT house:M:SG:DIR to:POST go...:AOR:PRS:1:PL not:NEG go...:AOR:PRS:1:PL

|We wont got to the house

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

WK:weak

STR:strong

COMP: complementizer}}

= Third Conjugation Class =

With compound verbs: نه /nә/ is inserted between the verb element and the noun/adjective element.

Example: روغېدل [roğedә́l]

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= ته به روغه نه شې

|tə bә róğa nə še

|you:2:SG:STR:DIR will:FUT recover...:F:ADJ:SG not:NEG ...become:AOR:PRS:2:SG

|You won't recover

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

WK:weak

STR:strong

COMP: complementizer}}

"Bә" With Past Imperfective Tense

The marker به /bә/ is also used to convey habitual actions in the past.{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ&q=pashto+grammar|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|pages=369, 371}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! colspan="2" | Verb

! Past Imperfective

! With به

rowspan="3" |وهل

wahә́l

to beat

!

! -وهل

wahә́l-

!-به وهل

bə wahәl-

rowspan="2" |Example:

1st Person Singular

|وهلم

wahә́lәm

|به وهلم

bə wahә́lәm

I was being beaten

|I would be beat

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= کله چې هغۀ به ډول غږوۀ زه به ګډېدم

|kála če bә hağә́ ḍol ğaẓ̌awә́ zә bә gaḍedә́m

|when that:COMP would he:3:SG:M:STR:OBL drum:SG:M:DIR sound:PST:3:SG:M I:1:SG:STR:DIR would dance:PST:1:SG

|When he would play the drum, I would dance

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

WK:weak

STR:strong

COMP: complementizer}}

Adverbs

Adverbs that modify adjectives, verbs or verb phrases, and sentences; can be divided into the classes of time, place, manner, and degree.{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=378}}

These adverbs can act alone or as part of an adpositional phrase.

Acting alone:

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= مخکښې راغله

|mə́xkx̌e rā́ğla

|before:ADV come:AOR:PST:3:SG:F

|She came earlier

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

Acting as adipositional phrase:

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= د ماما نه مخکښې راغله

|də māmā́ na mə́xkx̌e rā́ğla

|of maternal-uncle:DIR:M:SG from before:ADV come:AOR:PST:3:SG:F

|She came before (my) uncle

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

= Adverbs of time =

These include adverbs with time reference and quantifier-like items.

Common adverbs of time:

class="wikitable"

! Adverb !! Transliteration !! Meaning

تل

|təl

|always

هر کله

|har kә́la

|whenever

هیڅ کله (نه)

|hits kә́la (na)

|never

اوس

|os

[some dialects: وس "was"]

|now

نن

|nən

|today

پرون

|parún

|yesterday

ګانده

|gā́nda

| rowspan="2" |tomorrow

سبا

|sabā́

وختي

|waxtí

|early

وروسته

|wrústa

| rowspan="2" |later

پس

|pas

مخکښې

|mə́xkx̌e

|before

لا

|lā

|yet

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= تل دې خدای لره

|təl de xwdā́y lará

|always:ADV NEC god:DIR have:CONT:PRS:IMP:SG

|May God keep you (well/alive) forever!

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

= Adverbs of place =

This informs us where something takes place.

Common adverbs of time:{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=381}}

class="wikitable"

! Adverb !! Transliteration !! Meaning

پورته

|pórta

| rowspan="2" |above

پاسه

|рā́sa

دننه

|danə́na

| rowspan="2" |inside

ننه

|nə́na

دباندي

|dəbā́ndi

| rowspan="2" |outside

بهر

|bahár

باندې

|bā́nde

|on top

لاندې

|lā́nde

|below

نژدې

|nəždé

|near

پوري

|póre

|around

لرې

|lә́re

|far

کښته

|kx̌ə́ta

|underneath

هيچرې

|hičárta

| rowspan="2" |nowhere

هيچرته

|hičáre

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= کښته کښېنه

|kx̌ə́ta kx̌éna

|underneath:ADV sit:AOR:PRS:IMP:SG

|Sit down.

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

== Demonstrative pronouns ==

These are both adverbs and demonstrative pronouns

class="wikitable"

! Adverb

! colspan="3" |Transliteration!! Meaning

rowspan="3" |دلته

| colspan="3" |də́lta

| rowspan="3" |here

Waziri

|دېلې

déle

|دولته

dɔláta

Other Dialects

| colspan="2" |دلې

dále

rowspan="2" |هلته

| colspan="3" |hálta

| rowspan="2" |there

Other Dialects

| colspan="2" |هلې

hále

Example sentence in Waziri:

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= دېلې ځں

|déle dzə̃

|hereADV go:CONT:PRS:1:SG

|I am going here

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

Adpositions

Pashto has pre-positions, post-positions and pre-post-positions. Adpositions generally govern either oblique or ablative case assignment to their objects.{{cite book|title= A Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects|first= Anna B.|last= David|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|year=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|page=399}}

=Prepositions=

List of prepositions

class="wikitable"

! Preposition !! Dialect variation !! Meaning

!Uses

د

|/de/, /ye/, /e/

[Middle dialects]

|of

|

  1. Mark possession e.g. د سړي لاس [A man's hand]
  2. To mark the objects of transitive nominalizations or gerunds
  3. To mark the subjects of intransitive nominalizations or gerunds
  4. Marks the item denoting the possessor or the holonym of which another adpositional phrase may denote the possessed item or be the meronym
له

[North Eastern]

|from

|

  1. It is only considered part of a circumposition/ambiposition.
  2. However, له /lə/ can function as a preposition of ablative function or of origin, when its object appears with ablative case marking. e.g. له پلاره راغلئ یم [I have come from father; North Western and South Western Dialects]
بې

be

|

|without

|

  1. Considered as prefix. But can also be considered a preposition since the noun followed by بې shows ablative case-marking e.g. بې پلاره – with پلار being in the ablative case
په

|پر

/pər/

|on; at

|

  1. Used as preposition to express location e.g. په مېز مې کېښود [I kept it on the table]
  2. Used as part circumposition containing it may be used to express location e.g. په ... باندې
  3. Can govern a noun that refers to a time of day e.g. په يوې بجې راشه [Come at 1 O'Clock]
تر

tər

|

|till; than

|

  1. Usually used as an ambiposition/circumpositions to express "up to, until" e.g. تر پېښور پورې لاړم [I went till Peshawar]
  2. As a preposition; is used in comparative and superlative constructions e.g. زه تر ماما دنګ يم [I am taller than my maternal-uncle]
لکه

laká

|

|like

|

  1. As a preposition used as "like"e.g. لکه د زمري زورور يم [I am strong like a lion]

=Postpositions=

class="wikitable"

! Preposition !! Dialect variaition !! Meaning

!Uses

ته

| ||to

|

  1. Denotes destination. The object appears in the oblique case form. Example کور ته ځم [I am going to the house]
ته

|له

[North Eastern]

|for

|

  1. Denotes recipients e.g. ځان ته څپلۍ هم اخلم [I am buying shoes also for myself]

=Ambipositions=

Pashto uses a significant amount of ambipositions (circumpositions). These usually have two elements, with the noun object positioned between the two elements.

The initial element is likely to be one of these four elements:

class="wikitable"
Transliteration
په

| pə

له

| lə

د

|də

تر

| tər

The final element is likely to be one of these words:

class="wikitable"
Transliteration

!Meaning

لاندې

| lā́nde

|below

پسې

| pəsé

|after

نه

| na

|

پورې

| póre

|

سره

| sará

|with

کې/کښې

| ke/kx̌e

|on

باندې

| bā́nde

|on

څخه

| tsә́xa

|

غوندې

|ğwә́nde

|like

Here is a list of the simple formations:

class="wikitable"

!Second Component →

! rowspan="2" |کښې...

... ke

! rowspan="2" |نه....

... na

! rowspan="2" |لاندې...

...lā́nde

! rowspan="2" |باندې...

... bā́nde

! rowspan="2" |پسې...

... pəsé

! rowspan="2" |پورې...

... póre

! rowspan="2" |سره...

... sará

! rowspan="2" |څخه...

...tsә́xa

! rowspan="2" |وروستو...

wrústo.

First Component

...د

də ...

|

|د...نه

də...na

'from'

|د ...لاندې

də...lā́nde

'under'

|

|د ... پسې

də...pəsé

'after'

|د ... پورې

də...póre

'up to,

across'

|د...سره

də...sará

'with'

|

|د...څخه

də...tsә́xa

'from'

...له

lə ...

|

|له...نه

lə...na

'from'

|له...لاندې

lə...lā́nde

'under'

|

|

|

|له...سره

lə...sará

'with'

|

|له...څخه

lə...tsә́xa

'from'

...پر

pər ...

| rowspan="2" | په... کښې

pə...ke

'in, at, on'

|

|

| rowspan="2" |په...باندې

pə...bā́nde

'on top of, by

means of'

| rowspan="2" |په...پسې

pə...pəsé

'after,

behind'

|پر ... پورې

pər...póre

'with'

| rowspan="2" |په...سره

pə...sará

'with'

|

|

...په

pə ...

|

|

|

|

|

...تر

tər ...

|

|

|تر...لاندې

tər...lā́nde

'under'

|

|

|تر...پورې

tər...póre

'until, up to'

|

|

|تر ... وروستو

tər...wrústo

'after'

Examples

class="wikitable"
ExampleExample's meaning
په ... کښې

| په سيند کښې || in the river

په ... پسې

| په ما پسې || after me

پر ... باندې

| په مېز باندې || on the table

له ... سره

| له سړي سره || with a man

تر ... لاندې

|تر مېز لاندې || under the table

له ... څخه

| له سړي څخه || from a man

له ... نه

| له سړي نه || from a man

د ... نه

| د سړي نه || from a man

تر ... پورې

| تر پېښور پورې|| till Peshawar

تر ... وروستو

|تر خوراک وروستو || after food

The first element must be dropped when the object of the pre-position is a weak pronoun. Examples:

class="wikitable"
Example sentenceMeaning
سړی ور سره ځيA man is going with him/her
سړي ور سره ځيMen are going with him/her
چاړه مې در نه واخسI took the knife from you
ليک ور باندې ايښی دیThe letter is on it

Sometimes in colloquial Pashto, the word له is dropped from نه and سره.

class="wikitable"
Colloquial Pashto
له سړي نه

| سړي نه

له سړي سره

| سړي سره

=Phrases=

Pashto consist of combinations of circumposition phrases and additional words.

== With له.... نه ==

These use ambiposition له.... نه + additional word

In some dialects له is replaced by د

class="wikitable"
!Component

!Meaning

له.... نه پخوا

له ... نه مخکې

|From + before

|before

له...نه پس

له...نه پسته

له...نه ورستو

له ... نه وروستۀ

|From + after

|after

له...نه+ بهرر

|From + outside

|outside

Examples

class="wikitable"
PhraseSentenceMeaning
له .. نه پخوا

| له تا نه پخوا راغله || She came before you

د ...نه مخکې

|ستا نه مخکې راغله

[د+تا = ستا]

|She came before you

له ... نه وروستو

|له تا نه وروستو راغله

|She came after you

د ... نه بهر

| د ور نه بهر ولاړ و || He was standing outside the door

== With د ... په ==

Examples:

class="wikitable"

! !! Meaning

د ... په اړه
də ... pə aṛá

| about{{ref|a}}

د ... په شان
də ... pə šān

| like

د ... په وړاندې

də ... pə wṛā́nde

|against/opposite

د ... په پرتله

də ... pə partalá

|in comparison to

د ... له مخې

də ... lə mә́xe

|according to

د ... په ځای

də ...pə dzāy

|instead of

Examples:

Note: the possessive phrase [də/د] can be substituted with a weak possessive pronoun.

class="wikitable"

! !! Sentence where د not dropped !! Meaning !! Sentence with possessive pronouns !! Meaning

د ... په اړه

| د سړي په اړه يې څه ووې

də saṛí pə aṛá ye tsə wә́ we

| What did he/she say about the man || زما په اړه يې څه ووې

zmā pə aṛá ye tsə wә́ we

| What did he/she say about me

د ... په شان

| د سپوږمۍ په شان ښځه غواړم

də spoẓ̌mә́i pa šān x̌ә́dza ğwāṛә́m

| I want a wife like the moon || ستا په شان ښځه غواړم

stā pa šān x̌ә́dza ğwāṛә́m

| I want a wife like you

د ... په وړاندې

|د بلې ډلې په وړاندې يې وينه وکړه

də bә́le ḍále pə wṛā́nde ye wә́ina wә́ kṛa

|[They/He/She] talked against the other party

|ستا په وړاندې يې وينه وکړه

stā pə wṛā́nde ye wә́ina wә́ kṛa

|[They/He/She] talked against you.

د ... په پرتله

|د پيشوګانو په پرتله سپي زيات مينه ناک وي

də pišogā́no pə partalá spí zyāt minanā́k wi

|In comparison to cats, dogs are more affection

|زموږ په پرتله هغوی لټ دي

zmuẓ̌ pə partalá hağúi laṭ di

|In comparison to us, they are lazy

د ... له مخې

|د دې څېړنې له مخې دا ډېر ګټور دی

də de tseṛә́ne lə mә́xe dā ḍer gaṭawár day

|According to this research this is very beneficial

|ستا له مخې څنګه شانتې سړی دی

stā lə mә́xe tsə́nga šā́nte saṛáy day

|According to you, what kind of a guy is he.

د ... په ځای

|د کابل په ځای کندهار ته لاړ شه

də kābə́l pə dzāy kandahā́r tə lā́ṛ sha

|Instead of Kabul go to Kandahar

|زما په ځای بل کس ټاکل شوی دی

zmā pə dzāy bəl kas ṭākə́l šə́way day

|He has been elected instead of me

Adpositions and noun cases

= Oblique case =

Most common case. The object [noun] of an adposition is most often assigned the oblique case.

Used with:

  • ته /tə/ 'to'
  • سره /səra/ '[comitative] with'
  • the prepositions د /də/ 'of' and په /pə/ 'at', plus any circumposition consisting of a postposition and one of these two prepositions;
  • the circumposition له ... نه /lə ... na/ 'from/.

Example: سړی [using preposition د] and ښځه [using preposition په] are in oblique case; compare ملګری in direct case

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= د سړي ملګری په ښځې اوسېږي

|də saṛí malgə́ray pə x̌ə́dze oséẓ̌i

|of:PREP man:M:OBL friend:M:DIR on:PREP woman:F:OBL live:CONT:PRS:3:SG:M

|The man's friend lives on [his] wife

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case}}

Example: ما -oblique pronoun used with circumposition په...کښې

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= په ما کښې ده

|pə mā ke da

|on:PREP me:1:SG:STR:OBL in:POST be:CONT:PRS:3:SG:F

|She/it is in me

|abbreviations=STR: strong

COMIT: comitative}}

= Ablative case =

Used with:

  • له /lə/ 'from'; and also د /də/ having the same meaning 'from'
  • تر /tər/ 'from, originating from'
  • Circumposition containing تر /tər/, له /lə/; except له ... نه /lə ... na/ 'from/
  • په /pə/ the instrumental usage only found in construction with an adjectival, rather than nominal, object

Example: circumposition تر ... پورې

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= تر کوره پورې تلم

|tər kóra póre tlә́m

|till:PREP house:M:ABL till:POST go:CONT:PST:1:SG

|I was going till the house

|abbreviations=STR: strong

COMIT: comitative

DIR:directional}}

With د /də/, having the object marked in the ablative case gives the sense of '(motion) away from':

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= د کوره راغلم

|də kóra rā́ğləm

|from:COMIT house:M:ABL come:AOR:PST:1:SG

|I came from the house

|abbreviations=STR: strong

COMIT: comitative

DIR:directional}}

په /pə/ 'the instrumental usage + adjective:

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= کور مې په ګرانه جوړ کړی دی

|kor me pә grā́na joṛ kә́ṛay day

|house:M:DIR I:1:SG:WK with:INSTR difficult:ADJ:M:DIR make:M:DIR do:AOR:PTCP:M:DIR be:CONT:PRS:3:SG:M

|I have made the house with difficulty

|abbreviations=STR: strong

COMIT: comitative

WK: weak pronoun

DIR: direct}}

= Mixed ablative case and oblique cases =

Other adpositions can assign either oblique or ablative case to the object, without a difference in meaning.

Example: with سړی in oblique case

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= بې سړي کور تش وي

|be saṛí kor tә́š wi

|without:PREP man:M:OBL house:M:DIR empty:ADJ:M be:AOR:PRS:3:SG:M

|Without a man, a house is empty

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case}}

Example: with سړی in ablative case

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= بې سړیه کور تش وي

|be saṛiya kor tә́š wi

|without:PREP man:M:ABL house:M:DIR empty:ADJ:M be:AOR:PRS:3:SG:M

|Without a man, a house is empty

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case}}

Passive voice

Pashto does not have a distinguishable morphological passive construction. The construction identified by some comprises a special case of denominal verbs.{{Cite book|last=Ullah|first=Noor|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-XRingEACAAJ|title=Pashto Grammar|date=2011|publisher=AuthorHouse|isbn=978-1-4567-8007-4|page=71}} The verbal part of the construction consists of a form of the verbaliser کېدل /kedә́l ('to become') and a verbal complement (in the infinitive form).The actor is expressed as the subject of the sentence, and that noun is case-marked direct and triggers verb agreement (in both past and present).

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= په ښار کښې ددوو ودانیو بنسټ کېښودل شو

|pә x̌ār ke dә dwo wədānə́yo bənsáṭ kex̌awdə́l šo

|in:PREP city:M in:POST of:PREP two:F:PL:OBL building:F:PL:OBL foundation:M:DIR place:INF become:AOR:PST:3:SG:M

|The foundations of two buildings were laid in the city

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case}}

The auxiliary verb کېدل combined with the infinitive وهل:

class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2" |Active

! rowspan="2" |"Passive"

! rowspan="5" |Example:

! colspan="2" |Present

! colspan="2" |Past

Imperfective

!Perfective

!Imperfective

Perfective
rowspan="2" |وهل

wahә́l

! rowspan="2" |وهل کېدل

wahә́l kedә́l

|زه وهل کېږم

|که زه ووهل شم

|زه وهل کېدلم

| زه ووهل شوم

zә wahә́l kéẓ̌әm

|kә zә wә́ wahәl šәm

|zә wahә́l kedә́lәm

|zә wә́ wahәl šwәm

to beat

!to beaten

|I am being beaten

|Should I be beaten

|I was being beaten

|I was beaten

If the actor, if expressed, will most likely appear in an adpositional phrase governed by the circumposition د ...له خوا /də...lə xwā/ or د...له لورې /də...lə lure/.

class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" |Present

! colspan="2" |Past

Imperfective

!Perfective

!Imperfective

Perfective
rowspan="2" |وهل

|زه د خځې له خوا وهل کېږم

|که زه د خځې له خوا ووهل شم

|زه د خځې له خوا وهل کېدلم

| زه د خځې له خوا ووهل شوم

zә dә x̌ә́źe lә xwā wahә́l kéẓ̌әm

|kә zә dә x̌ә́źe lә xwā wә́ wahәl šәm

|zә dә x̌ә́źe lә xwā wahә́l kedә́lәm

|zә dә x̌ә́źe lә xwā wә́ wahәl šwәm

Meaning

|I am being beaten by the woman

|Should I be beaten by the woman

|I was being beaten by the woman

|I was beaten by the woman

As with active sentences, the subject may be expressed through the verb agreement suffix alone

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= د خځې له خوا وهل کېږم

|dә x̌ә́źe lә xwā wahә́l kéẓ̌әm

|of:PREP woman:F:OBL from:PREP side:F:OBL beat:INF become:CONT:PRS:1:SG

|I am being beaten by the woman

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case}}

This construction may modify a noun; like most noun modifiers, it precedes the head.

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= د  ښځې لوري ليکل شوي څېړنې لټوم

|dә x̌ә́źe lә lúre likә́l sә́wi śeṛáne laṭawә́m

|of:PREP woman:F:OBL from:PREP side:F:OBL write:INF become:AOR:PST:PTCP:PL:M:DIR research:F:PL:DIR find:CONT:PRS:1:SG

|I am finding the studies that were written by the woman

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case}}

Adverbial Clauses

Pashto utilises conjunction phrases as adverbs.

Examples:

class="wikitable"
ConjunctionTransliterationLiteral meaningEnglish approximate
هيڅ کله نه

| hits kә́la na || nothing when no || never, at no time

که هر څنګه

| kə hər tsә́nga || if ever how || howsoever, in whatever way

راځه چې

| rādzá che || come that || (come) let's

تر اوسه پورې

| tər ósa póre || till now up to/till || so far, as yet, up till now

تر دغه پورې

| tər dáğa póre || till this till || as far as this

تر کله پورې

| tər kә́la póre || till when till || till when?, how long?

تر کومه پورې

| tər kóma póre || till where till || how far?, to where?

Particles

Anna Boyle Davids defines particles "any lexically free item that does not host inflection and that does not function as the argument or complement of a verb or adposition".{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=367}}

= Existential =

The word شته [shta] and its negative form نشته /nə́ šta/ is used to denote existence.

class="wikitable"

! Sentence !! Literal meaning !! Meaning

پړنګ شته ؟

pṛāng šta ?

| Tiger there-is/are (exists)?

Is there a tiger?
نشته

ná šta

| not-there-is/are

There isn't

Modal Particles

Anna Boyle Davids defines these as: "...uninflected sentence-level modifiers. The clause within the scope of the particle may appear as a main clause or as a finite subordinate clause". چې {{IPA|/t͡ʃe/}} can appear as a main clause and as a finite subordinate clause.

= Affirmative =

== که نه ==

Affirmation questions and statements contain the affirmation particle: که نه /kə ná/ (literally: "if/or no").{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=374}}

Affirmative Question Example:

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= لاړې که نه ؟

|lā́ṛe kə ná

|go:AOR:PST:2:SG or:PARTICLE no:NEG

|You went, didn't you?

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation

PARTICLE: particle}}

Affirmative Statement Example:

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= نه که نه

|ná kə ná

|no:NEG or:PARTICLE no:NEG

|No, of-course not;

No, I didn't you know

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation

PARTICLE: particle}}

= Deontic =

== دې ==

The modal دې [de; Southern dialects: di] expresses a duty or obligation like "must " when used with the perfective tense of a verb.{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ey5bmgEACAAJ&q=tegey+pashto+grammar|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=148}}

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= هغه دې وګډېږي

|hağá de wә́gaḍegi

|he:3SG:STR:DIR NEC dance:AOR:PRS:3:SG

|He should/must dance

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

== باید ==

The modal "bāyád" is also found in construction with the present perfective form of the verb. Tegey notes that like English "should" it carries ambiguity.{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ey5bmgEACAAJ&q=tegey+pashto+grammar|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=162}}

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= هغه بايد وګډېږي

|hağá bāyád wә́gaḍegi

|he:3SG:STR:DIR NEC dance:AOR:PRS:3:SG

|He should dance

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

== پکار دى ==

"Pəkā́r day" [it is needed] is also used as deontic clause

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= پکار دی چې ته دلته راشې

|pəkā́r day če tә də́lta rā́še

|necessary be:CONT:PRS:3:SG:M COMP you:2:SG:STR:DIR here:DEM come:AOR:PRS:2:SG

|You should come here

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

= Emphatic =

== خو ==

The particle خو /xo/ appears in the second-position and denotes emphasis.{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=375}}

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= دا خو منو ده

|dā xo manó da

|this:DIR xo:EMPH shark:F:DIR be:CONT:PRS:3:SG:F

|This is a shark!

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

EMPH: emphatic

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

Note: as an emphatic خو /xo/ is considered to be different from the conjunction خو /xo/ 'but'.

= Possibility =

== ښایي / ښائي ==

The particle x̌ā́yi is placed sentence-initially and can appear in construction with the complementizer چې [če]{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=373}}

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= ښايي چې سبا ته راشي

|x̌ā́yi če sabā́ ta rā́ši

|maybe:PARTICLE that:COMP tomorrow:ADV to come:AOR:PRS:3

|Maybe he/she will come tomorrow

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation

PARTICLE:particle

COMP: complementizer}}

The particle x̌ā́yi can also demonstrate deonitic "should"

== کېدی شي ==

Kedáy ši (could become) which potential construction of the verb "to become" – کېدل /kedә́l/ is also used as particle to denote possibility – again as above چې maybe used

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= کېدی شي [چې] سبا راشي

|kedáy ši [če] sabā́ rā́ši

|become:CONT:PST:OPT become:AOR:PRS:3 [that:COMP] tomorrow:ADV come:AOR:PRS:3

|Maybe/perhaps he/she will come tomorrow

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation

PARTICLE:particle

COMP: complementizer}}

= Vocative =

The following vocatives have been noted:

class="wikitable"

!Vocactive

!Transliteration

!Meaning

!Example

اي

|ai

| rowspan="3" |hey !

|اي نجلۍ

ai njlə́i

hey girl

اې

|e

|اې سړیه

e saṛáya

hey man

آ

|آ ښځې

ā x̌ə́dze

hey woman

الۍ

|alə́i

|oh !

|الۍ دا دې څه وکړه

alə́i dā de tsə wə́ kṛə

oh what did you do

وئ{{Cite web|title=وئ – Daryab Pashto Glossary [Qalandar Momand]|url=https://qamosona.com/G3/index.php/term/,6f57ae9b61545a9c6d57b1b0a55d5eae.xhtml|access-date=2021-03-05|website=qamosona.com}}

|wə́i

|darn it, ouch

|وئ خوږ شوم

wə́i xúẓ̌ šwəm

= Wish =

== کاشکې ==

The particle کاشکې /kāške/ or کاشکي /kāški/ is used as English "if only"; to express wish or desire that something would happen or would have happened.{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=347}}

It can be used with an optative verb, to express a counterfactual wish.

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= کاشکې وختي تللی وای!

|kā́ške waxtí tlә́lay wāy

|if-only:PARTICLE early:ADV gone:AOR:PST:PTCP:M:DIR be:CONT:PST:OPT

|I wish you had gone earlier

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation

PARTICLE:particle

COMP: complementizer}}

It can also be used with the present perfective verb, to express a polite request.

Example, from Ghani Khan's poetry:{{Cite web|title=Meena (unplugged) {{!}} Bilawal Sayed {{!}} Ghani Khan – YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRlHkcEpAck|access-date=2021-02-06|website=www.youtube.com}}

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= هغې وې خوږه دلبره کاشکې ستا عقل زما شي

|hağé we xoẓ̌á dilbára kā́ske stā akә́l zmā ši

|she:3:F:STR:OBL say:CONT:PST:3 sweet:ADJ:M:VOC beloved:N:M:VOC if-only:PARTICLE your:2:SG:STR:POSS intelligence:N:M:DIR my:1:SG:STR:POSS become:AOR:PRS-PRS:3

|She was saying oh sweet beloved, if only your intelligence be mine

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation

PARTICLE:particle

COMP: complementizer}}

Nuance

In this section the nuances or the semantics in relation to specific words will be explained.

= راوړل and راوستل =

Both راوستل /rāwastә́l/ and راوړل /rāwṛә́l/ are both transitive verbs denoting the meaning of "to bring"; but their nuance is different. راوړل /rāwṛә́l/ has the meaning in which the subject is directly involved thus have the meaning more inline with "to bring and carry". راوستل /rāwastә́l/ has the meaning in which the subject is causing the object to be brought but the object by its own motion is come thus having a meaning closer to "to bring along".{{Cite web|title=د (را وړل) او (را وستل) توپیر – YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r46gYlo7cnY|access-date=2021-02-08|website=www.youtube.com}}

== Tangible Objects ==

Example راوړل:

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= اوبه مې راوړې

|obә́ me rā́wṛe

|water:N:F:DIR I:SG:WK bring:AOR:PST:3:F:PL

|I brought the water

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

WK:weak

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation

PARTICLE:particle

COMP: complementizer}}

Explanation: Here the water is being brought by the speaker by his own hand or through a container e.g. by a glass

Example راوستل:

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= اوبه مې راوستې

|obә́ me rā́waste

|water:N:F:DIR I:SG:WK bring:AOR:PST:3:F:PL

|I brought the water

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

WK:weak

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation

PARTICLE:particle

COMP: complementizer}}

Explanation: Here the water is being brought by the speaker as he/she has caused its bringing e.g. has made a canal/channel from the river bringing about the water

== Intangible Objects ==

For intangible object راوستل /rāwastә́l/ is better suited; as the object or concepts comes by its own motion.

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= پرمختګ يې راوست

|parmәxtág ye rā́wast

|development:N:M:DIR 3:WK bring:AOR:PST:3:M:SG

|He/she/they brought development

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

WK:weak

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation

PARTICLE:particle

COMP: complementizer}}

But for bringing "news", "omens/luck" or "diseases" راوړل /rāwṛә́l/ is used – perhaps as the subject is implied to carry it.

{{interlinear|number=ex:

|top= ښه خبر دې راوړ

|x̌ə xabár de rā́waṛ

|good:ADJ news:N:M:DIR 2:WK bring:AOR:PST:3:M:SG

|You brought good news

|abbreviations=DIR:direct case

STR:strong

WK:weak

NEC:modal of necessity or obligation

PARTICLE:particle

COMP: complementizer}}

= Adjectives =

As noted by Ghaza Noor, the choice of an adjective suffix can also have a change on the meaning.{{Citation|title=اغېزناک او اغېزمن|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_SJEBgt8I|language=en|access-date=2021-02-18}}

Example: اغېز – ağéz – effect [noun.masc.sing and plural]

class="wikitable"

!Adjective

!Transliteration

!Meaning

!Nuance

!Example Sentence

rowspan="2" |اغېزمن

| rowspan="2" |ağezmán

| rowspan="2" |affected

| rowspan="2" |to describe the subject or object being influenced

|زه له تا څخه اغېزمن شوم

zə stā na ağezmán šwəm

I am affected by you

rowspan="2" |اغېزناک

| rowspan="2" |ağeznā́k

| rowspan="2" |effective

| rowspan="2" |to describe the subject or object having the effective influence

|ته اغېزناکه وينه کوې

tə ağeznā́ka waina kawé

You talk effectively

Slang

Pashto also has rich slang language. Examples:

class="wikitable"

!Slang

!Literary

!Meaning

!Notes

بمبه راخوشې که

bambá rā́ xwǝše ka

|بمبه ولګوه

bambá wə́ lagawa

|Turn on the faucet/tap

|خوشې (xwǝ́še) means "set free/loose";

so a literal translation would be "Let loose the tap!"

غوړي مې په کټوۍ کې ور وويشتل

ğwaṛí me pə kaṭwə́i ke war wə́ wištəl

|غوړي مې په کټوۍ کښې ور واچول

ğwaṛí me pə kaṭwə́i kx̌e war wə́ wištəl

|I have put the oil in the cooking pot

|ويشتل (wištǝ́l) means "to shoot [e.g a gun";

so a literal translation would be "I flung the oil in the cooking pot"

Syntax

Pashto has subject-object-verb (SOV) word order as opposed to English subject-verb-object (SVO) word order. In intransitive sentences where there is no object Pashto and English both have subject-verb (SV) word order.{{cite book|last1=Tegey|first1=Habibullah|last2=Robson|first2=Barbara|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|location=Washington|year=1996|page=178|url=http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED399825.pdf}}

In Pashto, however, all modifiers precede the verb whereas in English most of the verbal modifiers follow the verb.{{cite book|last1=Tegey|first1=Habibullah|last2=Robson|first2=Barbara|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|location=Washington|year=1996|page=179|url=http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED399825.pdf}}

=Phrasal syntax=

Pashto exhibits strong head-final order in noun phrases and verb phrases.

==Noun phrases==

Pashto noun phrases generally exhibit the internal order determiner – quantifier – adjective – noun.

==Adpositional phrases==

The salient exception to the head-final principle can be found in adpositional phrases, given the existence of prepositions, postpositions, and circumpositions.{{cite book|title= A Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects|first= Anna B.|last= David|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|year=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|page=400}}

==Verb phrases==

Generally, head-final order is found also in the verb phrase, with the verb, if any, as the final element. Relative clauses and sentence-level modifiers may appear in postclausal position.{{cite book|title= A Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects|first= Anna B.|last= David|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|year=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|page=401}}

===Light verb constructions===

Pashto has a robust system of light verb constructions (LVC), two-word expressions that are semantically interpretable as a single predicate. Only one of the two canonical types—those of the form noun/adjective + verb (N-V).

As verbs are a closed class in Pashto, the LVC is the only means of creating new verbal forms in the language; it is also used as a way of importing loanwords, with the borrowed word filling the complement slot.

The inventory of light verbs in Pashto should not surprise anyone familiar with LVCs. In addition to the verbs کېدل /kedəl/ 'to become' and کول /kawəl/ 'to make; to do', which we refer to as the intransitive and transitive verbalisers when they act as light verbs, Pashto uses the verbs اخیستل /axistəl/ 'to take', وهل /wahəl/ 'to beat', نيول /niwəl/ 'to seize; to grasp', and ایستل /istəl/ 'to throw out' as light verbs.

Adjective complements of N-V LVCs always show agreement with the undergoer of the action of the verb, which is in turn marked in accordance with Pashto's system of split ergativity. Nominal complements are usually treated as the direct object of the verb, and are therefore also case-marked according to split-ergative alignment. The undergoer of the action, on the other hand, cannot be a direct object, as the verb can have at most two arguments; it is instead indicated by an adposition and accordingly case-marked oblique.{{cite book|title= A Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects|first= Anna B.|last= David|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|year=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|page=403}}

===Elements in the verbal group===

====The verbal group in general Pashto====

Certain particles can be inserted between:

  • The perfective prefix و /wə/́and its verb.
  • A prefix or pseudo-prefix and its verb. (This includes both the a-initial complex verbs and second conjugation, or prefixed, verbs.)
  • The complement of a denominal verb and its verbalizer.

The particles that interact with verbs in this way are:

  • The modal clitics به /bə/ and دې /de/
  • The weak personal pronouns, or pronominal clitics مې /me/, دې /de/, یې /ye/, and مو /mo/
  • The adverbial clitics خو /xo/ and نو /no/
  • The negatives نه /ná/ and مه /má/

Modals, weak personal pronouns, and adverbials are all second-position clitics. They also obey strict rules of ordering relative to each other. Tegey (1977) reports the following ordering of enclitics between verbal components: خو /xo/> به /bə/> { مو /mo/| مې /me/| دې /de/| یې /ye/} > نو /no/. If the first syllable of the verb does not carry stress (that is, if it is an imperfective form), the negative precedes the verb, and the clitics follow the negative. Also, if a perfective form is negated, the negative marker—not the initial syllable of the verb—takes the stress.{{cite book|title= A Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects|first= Anna B.|last= David|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|year=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|pages=403–404}}

====Negative placement in the perfective verb phrase====

The negative particle نه /ná/ nearly always precedes the verb and is placed as close to the verb stem as possible. In perfective constructions, it therefore follows the perfective marker و /wə/ for simplex verbs, and either initial /a/, the prefix, or the light verb complement for complex verbs. Because it carries an inherent stress, it takes the main stress in a perfective verb phrase.{{cite book|first=Anna B.|last=David|title=A Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|year=2014|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=192}}

Numbers

= Cardinal numbers =

Direct case, masculine{{Cite book|author=M A Zyar|url=https://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/188250861?access_key=key-80o9wylhskfeade1a3l&allow_share=false&escape=false&show_recommendations=false&view_mode=scroll|title=Pashto Dictionary (Neologisms)|publisher=Danish Press|year=2012|edition=2|location=Peshawar|page=363|author-link=Mujawar Ahmad Zyar}}

class="standard"

!Pashto

!Pronunciation

!

نشت

|nasht

|0

یو

|yaw, yo

|1

دوه

|dwa

|2

درې

|dre

|3

څلور

|tsalor

|4

پنځه

|pindzə

|5

شپږ

|špəg/špəʐ

|6

اووه

|owə

|7

اته

|atə

|8

نه، نهه

|nə, nəha

|9

لس

|las

|10

یوولس

|yawolas

|11

دوولس

|dwolas

|12

دیرلس

|dyārlas

|13

څوارلس، څورلس

|tswarlas, tswārlas

|14

پنځلس

|pindzəlas

|15

شپاړس

|špāṛas

|16

اووه‌لس

|owəlas

|17

اته‌لس

|atəlas

|18

نونس, نورلس

|nunas, nurlas

|19

شل

|šəl

|20

یوویشت

|yavwišt

|21

دوه‌ویشت

|dwawišt

|22

درویشت

|dərwišt, dreyšt

|23

څلېرویشت

|tsalerwišt

|24

پنځه‌ویشت

|pindzəwišt

|25

شپږویشت

|špagwišt

|26

اوه‌ویشت

|owəwišt

|27

اته‌ویشت

|atəwišt

|28

نه‌ویشت

|nəwišt

|29

دېرش

|derš

|30

یودېرش

|yawderš

|31

دودېرش

|dwaderš

|32

دریدېرش

|drederš

|33

څلوردېرش

|tsalorderš

|34

پنځه‌دېرش

|pindzəderš

|35

شپوږدېرش

|špugderš

|36

اوه‌دېرش

|owəderš

|37

اته‌دېرش

|atəderš

|38

نه‌دېرش

|nəderš

|39

څلوېښت

|tsalvešt

|40

پنځوس

|pindzos

|50

شپېته

|špetə

|60

اویا

|awyā

|70

اتیا

|atya

|80

نوي

|nwi, nəwi

|90

سل

|səl

|100

یوسلویو

|yaw səlo yav

|101

یوسلودوه

|yaw səlo dwa

|102

یوسلوشل

|yaw səlo šəl

|120

دوه‌سوه

|dwa sawa

|200

دوه سوه او لس

|dwa sawa aw las

|210

درې سوه

|dre sawa

|300

زر

|zər

|1000

یوزرویو

|yaw zəro yaw

|1001

یوزرودوه‌سوه اوپنځه‌دېرش

|yaw zəro dwa sawa aw pindzəderš

|1235

لک

|lak

|100 000

ملیون

|milyon

|1 000 000

کروړ

|kroṛ

|10 000 000

ملیارد

|milyard

|1 000 000 000

= Ordinal numbers =

Direct case, masc., sing.

  • 1st لومړی lumṛai [also ړومبی]
  • 2nd دويم dwaim [also دوهم]
  • 3rd درېيم drəyam
  • 4th څلورم tsaloram
  • 5th پنځم pindzam
  • 6th شپږم špaẓ̌am
  • 7th اووم uwam
  • 8th اتم atam
  • 9th نهم nəham
  • 10th لسم lasam

Notes

:1.{{note|a}} په بارې کښې [pə bâre ke] is also used but this is a word-for-word borrowing from Hindi/Urdu के बारे में/کے بارے میں [kē bārē mēⁿ]. The Hindi word bārē [बारे/بارے] is itself from Persian در بارهٔ [dar bāraye\dar bāreye]

:2.{{note|b}} Pashto has a rich number of dialects due to which the language has been spelled several ways in English: Pashto, Pakhto, Pukhto.{{cite book|last1=Tegey|first1=Habibullah|last2=Robson|first2=Barbara|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|location=Washington|year=1996|page=4|url=http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED399825.pdf}}

References

{{Reflist}}