Very very common words
| Pashto | Roman | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ښه | Kha or sha | Good |
| ښه | Kha or sha | OK |
| هو | Ho or Wo | Yes |
| نه | Na | No |
| بد | Bad | Bad |
Greetings
| Pashto | Roman | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ستړى مه شې | Staray ma she | May you never tire |
| په خير راغلې | Pa khair raghle | You have arrived safely/ with good blessings |
Reply to greetings
| Pashto | Roman | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| خداى دې وبښخه | Khuday de obakha | God Bless you |
| خير اوسې | Khair osay | May you/be live in peace |
| ښاد او اباد اوسې | Khaad aw abaad osay | Live in joy and prosperity |
Goodbyes
| Pashto | Roman | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| د خداى په امان | De khuday pa amaan | Go under the protection of God |
| په مخه دې ښه | Pa makha de kha | May you meet with good on your way |
Pashtuns will use blessings more often than not for greetings, thanks or farewell, especially when speaking to women, children, family or those younger in age. A few examples are:
Loy she/loya she
لوې/لویه شې
(May you grow/may you prosper)
Sartora ma shay
سرتوره مه شې
(This is particular to the Yousafzi and means, may you never be bareheaded. It is a blessing given to females)
Khuday de mal sha
خدای دې مل شه
(May God be your companion)
Khwar/khwara ma shay
خوار مه شې
(May you never be destitute)
Another way of saying welcome is:
Har kala rasha
هر کله راشه
(You are welcome anytime)
The reply ‘khair osay’ (خیر اوسې) is pronounced khair yosay/yosa (خیر یوسې/ يوسه) in other dialects of pashto. The former, which ‘kha’ speakers normally use, is probably an abbreviated form of ‘pa khair osa’, (په خیر اوسه) which means ‘stay safe’. The meaning changes in ‘khair yosay’ literally to ‘take blessings’ and means ‘may you recieve blessings’.
Apology
| Pashto | Roman | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| بخښنه غواړم | Bakhana ghwaram | I want forgiveness |
| وبخښه | Obakha | Forgive me |
Polite words
| Pashto | Roman | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| مننه | Manana | Thank you |
| هيله کوم | Hila kom | You are welcome |
| مهرباني وکئ | Mehrabani wokay | Please |
| خير يوسې | Khair yosay | Thank you |
Wishes
| Pashto | Roman | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ښه ورځ ولرئ | Kha wraz walaray | Have a good day |
| سهار پخير | Sahar pakhair | Good morning |
| ښه شپه | Kha shpa | Good night |
There doesn’t seem to be a word that translates directly into ‘please’ in pashto. The word ‘mehrabani’ is borrowed from persian. ‘Mehrabani waka/wakrra’ directly translates to ‘do me a favour’. Another way to say it is, to add ‘zaher at the end of a (زهير مه شې) ‘mashay request. This translates to ‘may it not be an annoyance to you’. These phrases change slightly for
formal and informal, as well as gender.