Pashto · پښتو
Directory 20 checked resources . A short orientation and a solid starting list.
About Pashto
- Language family
- Indo-European, Iranian, Eastern
- Where it's spoken
- Afghanistan, Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), and diaspora
- Speakers
- roughly 40–60 million speakers
Pashto is an Eastern Iranian language written in a Perso-Arabic script. Retroflex consonants and dialect differences (especially Afghanistan vs Pakistan) matter early. FSI/Live Lingua plus VOA and BBC Pashto give a strong free path; add tutors for speaking.
How to start
- Learn the writing system first with the script trainer — meet a few characters, match them, then recall.
- Pick one free course (or free-with-upgrades) below and finish a short beginner unit before hopping apps.
- Bookmark one dictionary or grammar reference and look up every unknown word for a week.
- Add 10–15 minutes of native listening or learner video most days — news, radio, or a teaching channel.
- When ready, use a tutor marketplace listing below for short speaking sessions.
| Resource | Type | Levels | Cost | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC Pashto | reading | B1-C2 | free | 2026-07-23 |
| Pajhwok Afghan News | reading | B2-C2 | free | 2026-07-23 |
| Wikipedia (Pashto) | reading | B1-C2 | free | 2026-07-23 |
Know a better classroom-friendly resource for Pashto? Suggest it with attribution.