Definition

1. Noun:
   • An Iranian language: "Pashto" is an Eastern Iranian language belonging to the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family.
   • A language of Afghanistan and Pakistan: "Pashto" is spoken primarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
   • An official language: "Pashto" is one of the two official languages of Afghanistan.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • She is learning Pashto to communicate with her colleagues in Kabul.
  • Pashto has a rich tradition of poetry and oral literature.
  • The document was translated into both Dari and Pashto.

Advanced Usage

• "Pashto-speaking": Used as an adjective to describe people or regions where Pashto is spoken.
  • He works in a Pashto-speaking community in Peshawar.

Variants and Related Words

• Pashtu (n): An alternate spelling for "Pashto."
• Afghani (n): While sometimes used colloquially, this term more accurately refers to the currency of Afghanistan or a citizen; it is not a synonym for the Pashto language.
• Pakhto (n): Another dialectal name for the language.

Synonyms

• Afghan: This can be an ambiguous synonym, as it may refer to the Pashto language, a citizen of Afghanistan, or the broader ethnic group (Pashtuns). Context is critical.
  • In this context, "Afghan" refers to the Pashto language.

Related Phrases

• Pashto alphabet: Refers to the modified Perso-Arabic script used to write the language.
  • The Pashto alphabet contains several additional letters not found in standard Arabic.

Related Idioms

Noun

1. an Iranian language spoken in Afghanistan and Pakistan; the official language of Afghanistan