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Glite Dictionary
Pashtu

Pashtu

1 8.7
A language spoken in Afghanistan and Pakistan and an official language of Afghanistan
  • noun
  • /ˈpæʃtu/
translation icon : pashto
  • Learning a few words of Dari-Pashtu is not stupid.

Examples

  • Although Pakistan supports pro-Pashtun elements in the Karzai government, particularly the faction headed by the Pashtu minister of finance, Moscow is still more comfortable with Northern Alliance leaders.

    Academic text (2003)

  • The government announced new educational programs to promote Pashtu in schools across the country.

  • Look, man, l speak Pashtu, l speak Farsi, l speak all kinds of shit.

    Dear John (2010)

  • However, due to the difficulty of learning Pashtu, few Western politicians or military commanders.

    Academic text (2011)

  • The ANA only accepts a fraction of the Pashtu Afghans eager to join it.

    Blog text (25)

  • In Afghanistan, many children grow up learning both Dari and Pashtu as their primary languages.

  • As a speaker of Pashtu, she felt proud to communicate in her native tongue during the cultural festival.

Synonyms

Pashto
vsPashtu
3 8.2

A language spoken in Afghanistan and Pakistan that serves as an official language in Afghanistan

is the same language but uses an alternative spelling
Afghani
vsPashtu
1 8.9

A language spoken in Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan, also called Pashto

is the same language but appears under a different name

Surface Forms

Pashtu singular
Pashtus plural

Etymology

The word Pashtu comes from the name of the people, the Pashtun, so it originally meant 'the language of the Pashtun', just like English is the language of the English people. Today Pashtu is the name of the Iranian language mainly spoken in Afghanistan and Pakistan and is an official language of Afghanistan.