Language/Central-pashto/Grammar/Pronouns
Hi Central Pashto learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be diving into the world of pronouns in Central Pashto grammar. Pronouns are an essential part of every language, and they allow us to communicate more efficiently. Without them, our language would be clunky, and it would be tough to express ourselves clearly.
Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Nouns, Future Tense, Prepositions of Place & Object Pronouns.
What are Pronouns?[edit | edit source]
In Central Pashto, pronouns are the words that we use to replace nouns. These words are incredibly useful because they help us to shorten sentences while maintaining clarity, and they can help us to avoid continually repeating the same words, which can become tiresome and boring.
Types of Pronouns[edit | edit source]
In Pashto, there are several types of pronouns you need to familiarize yourself with:
Personal Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Personal pronouns are what we use to refer to people when we want to replace their name. They come in different forms depending on the gender, number, and case. Here is a table to familiarize yourself.
Central Pashto | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
زه | zə | I (singular) |
ته | tə | You (singular) |
یو | yəw | He/She (singular) |
مونږ | məwəŋə | We (dual) |
تاسو | tɑːsu | You (dual) |
یو | yəw | They (dual) |
زما | zmɑː | My/Mine |
تاسوي | tɑːsuwə | Your/Yours |
ستاسو | stɑːsuwə | Your/Yours (formal) |
خپل | xəpl | His/Her |
مونږ | məwəŋə | Our/Ours |
ستاسونه | stɑːsunə | Your/Yours (plural formal) |
خو | xow | Their/Theirs |
Examples[edit | edit source]
- Person 1: کوم هیلید؟ (kum həleed?) (What is your name?)
- Person 2: زه د فرید هم ده (zə də Fareed ham dah) (My name is Farid)
Reflexive Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Reflexive pronouns are words that end in the suffix "za," which adds emphasis to the subject. They are equivalent to words such as "myself," "ourselves," and "yourself." They are only used in certain situations when the emphasis is needed. Here is a table to familiarize yourself with these pronouns.
Central Pashto | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
خپله | xəpləza | Oneself |
زما خپله | zmɑː xəpləza | Myself |
تاسوي خپله | tɑːsuwə xəpləza | Yourself |
یو خپله | yəw xəpləza | Himself/Herself |
مونږ خپله | məwəŋə xəpləza | Ourselves |
تاسونه خپله | tɑːsunə xəpləza | Yourselves |
خو خپله | xow xəpləza | Themselves |
Examples[edit | edit source]
- Person 1: آیا تاسو خپله هیلیږ؟ (aya tɑːsu xəplə hayleej?) (Do you like yourself?)
- Person 2: زه خپله هیلیم (zə xəplə həleem) (I like myself)
Demonstrative Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Demonstrative pronouns are words that are used to indicate or demonstrate specific people, places, or things. In Pashto, the demonstrative pronouns are "دا," "ده," and "دغه." The best way to learn them is by using them in sentences. Here is a table to familiarize yourself.
Central Pashto | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
دا / دې | dɑː/də | This / These |
ده / دې | dah/de | That / Those |
دغه | dəɣə | That (over there) |
Examples[edit | edit source]
- Person 1: دا ټولو سندره کوو؟ (dɑː təlow sandarə koo?) (Whose sandals are these?)
- Person 2: زما دې سترګې دی (zmɑː dey storɡe dey) (These sandals are mine.)
Interrogative Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Interrogative pronouns are words that we use when asking a question. They usually start with "څه" or "څلا," which means "what" or "which." Here is a table to familiarize yourself with them.
Central Pashto | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
څه | tʃə | What |
څلونه | tʃulənə | Which |
څه پوهېږي | tʃə powheyjə | Who |
دلته پوهېږي | dəltə powheyjə | Whose |
چې پوهېږي | tʃə powheyjə | What (as relative pronoun) |
Examples[edit | edit source]
- Person 1: څه فکراتی؟ (tʃə fikrati?) (What are you thinking?)
- Person 2: زما پوهېږي مخ ده (zmɑː powheyjə mix dah) (It's my brain which is thinking.)
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Congratulations! You have just learned the basics of Central Pashto pronouns. Remember, the best way to become comfortable with these pronouns is by practicing them in context. To improve your Central Pashto Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Sources[edit | edit source]
Having concluded this lesson, consider checking out these related pages: Central Pashto Grammar → Basic Sentence Structure → Subject ..., Questions, Gender & Adjectives.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Gender
- Adjectives
- Questions
- Conditional Mood
- Personal pronouns
- Give your Opinion
- Nouns
- Negation
- Future Tense