Bhasaly › Learn Pashto › Phrases
Pashto phrases for a short visit
لنډ سفر
The lines a visitor actually uses, and the ones you will hear back. Romanized first so you can say them today. Every phrase is recorded — open it in Bhasaly to hear it.
Hear these phrases →First words
May you not be tired
starray ma she — may you not be tired — is the greeting that matters, answered in kind. pa makha de xa sends you off with a blessed road.
| salaam | hello | سلام |
| starray ma she | hello — may you not be tired | ستړی مه شې |
| manana | thank you | مننه |
| bakhxana ghwaarram | sorry · excuse me | بخښنه غواړم |
| ho | yes | هو |
| na | no | نه |
| xa | good · OK | ښه |
| sama da | alright | سمه ده |
| parwaa na laree | no problem | پروا نه لري |
| pa makha de xa | goodbye — may your road be good | په مخه دې ښه |
Melmastia
The guest is sacred
melmastyaa — hospitality — is the Pashtun code, and you will be welcomed everywhere. The third cup of chaay is where refusing counts: bas, manana lands it kindly.
| melma | guest | مېلمه |
| melmastyaa | hospitality — the code | مېلمستیا |
| pa khayr raaghle | welcome — you came well | په خیر راغلې |
| chaay wutsxa | drink tea! (the offer) | چای وڅښه |
| raashey | come! (polite) | راشئ |
| kena | sit down! | کېنه |
| dder xa | very good · wonderful | ډېر ښه |
| bas | enough! | بس |
Meeting someone
Introductions
zmaa num … — my name is …. lag paxto zda laram — I know a little Pashto — opens every door in the country.
| zmaa num | my name (is…) | زما نوم |
| staa num tsa day | what is your name? | ستا نوم څه دی |
| la koma ye | where are you from? | له کومه یې |
| na pohegam | I do not understand | نه پوهېږم |
| wro wro wuwaaya | say it slowly | ورو ورو ووایه |
| byaa wuwaaya | say it again | بیا ووایه |
| lag paxto zda laram | I know a little Pashto | لږ پښتو زده لرم |
Sentence patterns
Three frames that do the work
Three frames cover most of what you need. Tap a word, hear the whole sentence.
What you will hear
Warmth, fast and personal
Small talk arrives quickly and personally — children, family, origins. It is warmth, not interrogation; short answers and a smile are perfect.
| raasha | come! | راشه |
| wukhora | eat! (the host insists) | وخوره |
| wudrega | stop! | ودرېږه |
| maashumaan lare | do you have children? | ماشومان لرې |
| khayr | well-being (the all-purpose blessing) | خیر |
Numbers
Afghani in the hundreds
Bazaar prices sit in tens and hundreds of afghani, hotels in zer. Fingers and a phone calculator bridge every gap.
| yaw | 1 | یو |
| dwa | 2 | دوه |
| dre | 3 | درې |
| pindza | 5 | پنځه |
| las | 10 | لس |
| shel | 20 | شل |
| sel | 100 | سل |
| zer | 1,000 | زر |
Directions
Catch one word of the answer
Ask with the chere day frame above, then listen for these.
| xee | right | ښي |
| kinn | left | کیڼ |
| makhaamakh | straight ahead | مخامخ |
| nagde | near | نږدې |
| mottar | car | موټر |
Eating
Ddoddey under everything
ddoddey is bread, food and the meal itself — warm naan under every dish. chaay means green unless you ask for tor; khwandawar praises the cook.
| ddoddey | bread · food · the meal | ډوډۍ |
| wrije | rice | وريجې |
| ghwaxa | meat | غوښه |
| chaay | tea | چای |
| shin chaay | green tea (the default) | شین چای |
| tor chaay | black tea | تور چای |
| khwandawar | tasty | خوندور |
| oba | water | اوبه |
The bazaar
The expected dance
The bazaar expects the dance: dder graan day! then arzaan ye krra, both smiling. Settle the total before goods change hands.
| baazaar | the bazaar | بازار |
| payse | money | پیسې |
| biya | price | بیه |
| dder graan day | it is too expensive! | ډېر ګران دی |
| arzaan ye krra | make it cheaper | ارزان یې کړه |
| hets | nothing · none | هېڅ |
Staying somewhere
Mind the false friend
A hottal is often an eatery — for sleeping, ask for a khaalee khuna. Power and water take evenings off, so pack a torch.
| hottal | hotel — often an eatery | هوټل |
| khuna | room | خونه |
| khaalee khuna | a free room | خالي خونه |
| keelee | the key | کیلي |
| tashnaab | bathroom | تشناب |
Getting help
Serious words, hopefully unused
mrasta wokrra! — help me — is the sentence to know; say it clearly. Keep your address written in Pashto; any shopkeeper will oblige.
| mrasta wokrra | please help! | مرسته وکړه |
| polis | police | پولیس |
| roghtun | hospital | روغتون |
| ddaakttar | doctor | ډاکټر |
| dawaa | medicine | دوا |
Staying in touch
Phone & photos
SIMs are cheap with a passport. Cameras are a serious matter — anzur wakhlam? asks first, and with women and families the answer is usually no. Respect it.
| telefun | telephone | تلیفون |
| shmera | number | شمېره |
| anzur waakhlam | may I take a photo? | انځور واخلم؟ |
Ask where anything is
Where is the ___?
| baazaar chere day? | Where is the bazaar? | بازار چېرې دی؟ |
| hottal chere day? | Where is the hotel? | هوټل چېرې دی؟ |
| roghtun chere day? | Where is the hospital? | روغتون چېرې دی؟ |
| tashnaab chere day? | Where is the bathroom? | تشناب چېرې دی؟ |
| mottar chere day? | Where is the car? | موټر چېرې دی؟ |
Ask if something is there
Is there ___?
| chaay shta? | Is there tea? | چای شته؟ |
| oba shta? | Is there water? | اوبه شته؟ |
| ddoddey shta? | Is there food? | ډوډۍ شته؟ |
| khaalee khuna shta? | Is there a free room? | خالي خونه شته؟ |
| wrije shta? | Is there rice? | وريجې شته؟ |
Ask for something politely
___, please.
| oba raakrrey | water, please. | اوبه راکړئ |
| chaay raakrrey | tea, please. | چای راکړئ |
| ddoddey raakrrey | food, please. | ډوډۍ راکړئ |
| keelee raakrrey | the key, please. | کیلي راکړئ |
| shin chaay raakrrey | green tea, please. | شین چای راکړئ |
Common questions
How do you say hello in Pashto?
Salaam. The greetings section above has the full set, including the reply you are likely to hear back.
Do I need an account to use these Pashto phrases?
No. Every phrase on this page is open to read, and you can hear all of them in Bhasaly without signing up.
Do I need to read the Pashto script to use these?
No. Every line is romanized first, so you can say it straight away. The script is there alongside if you want to start reading it.
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