Language/Central-pashto/Vocabulary/Months-of-the-Year-and-the-Solar-Hijiri-Calendar

Hijri Shamis Months in Pashto

سلام Pashto Learners! 😃

Pashto (Pushto or Pakhto) is the official language of Afghanistan. It is spoken by the Pashtuns living in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

Knowing the months of the year is a fundamental aspect of learning a new language, as it helps us understand and navigate important dates, holidays, and cultural events.

This lesson will introduce you to the vocabulary of the months of the year in Pashto, including their pronunciation and usage.

So, let's dive into the world of Pashto and learn the names of the months in this fascinating language!

3 types of Calendars

In Afghanistan, three types of calendars are used for different purposes:

1. Hijri Shamsi (solar Islamic): This is the official calendar used in Afghanistan and is based on the Islamic solar calendar. It follows the movement of the sun and consists of 12 months based on the sighting of the moon. The months are 29 or 30 days long, and the year is either 354 or 355 days long.
2. Miladi/Isawee (Gregorian/Christian): This is the Gregorian calendar, widely used in the Western world. It is based on the solar cycle and has 12 months, with each month consisting of either 30 or 31 days.
3. Hijri Qamari (lunar Islamic): This is the Islamic lunar calendar and is based on the sighting of the moon. Unlike the solar Islamic calendar, the lunar Islamic calendar is not based on the sun's cycle and consists of 12 lunar months, each lasting either 29 or 30 days.

In Afghanistan, the official calendar is the Hijri Shamsi, but the Gregorian calendar is also widely used for secular purposes such as government and business transactions. The Hijri Qamari is used for religious purposes, particularly for determining the dates of Islamic holidays and observances.

Hijri Shamsi (solar Islamic)

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s official calendar is the Solar Hijiri calendar.

It is a solar calendar used in some Islamic countries, particularly in Iran, to determine important dates and religious observances. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, the Islamic solar calendar follows the movement of the sun and consists of 12 months that are based on the sighting of the moon. Each month lasts for 29 or 30 days, and the year consists of either 354 or 355 days. The Islamic solar calendar is widely used for religious purposes, and its use reflects the central importance of the sun and its movements in Islamic culture and tradition.

You will find below the names of the Hijri Shamis months in Pashto for the solar Islamic calendar (each month corresponds to a sign of the zodiac):

		Pronunciation
Number	Native Pashto script	Approximant in English	Romanization	Latin Zodiac	English Months
1	وری	Woray	Wray	Aries ♈︎	March-April
2	غویی	Ghowayay	Ǧwayáy	Taurus ♉︎	April-May
3	غبرګلی	Ghbarghole	Ǧbargoláy	Gemini ♊︎	May-June
4	چنګاښ	Changaskh	Čungā́x̌	Cancer ♋︎	June-July
5	زمری	Zmaray	Zmaráy	Leo ♌︎	July-August
6	وږی	Wzhay	Wáǵay	Virgo ♍︎	August-September
7	تله	Tala	Tә́la	Libra ♎︎	September-October
8	لړم	Larrm	Laṛám	Scorpio ♏︎	October-November
9	لیند	Leenda	Lindә́i	Sagittarius ♐︎	November-December
10	مرغومی	Marghumay	Marǧúmay	Capricorn ♑︎	December-January
11	سلواغه	Selwagha	Salwāǧá	Aquarius ♒︎	January-February
12	کب	Kab	Kab	Pisces ♓︎	February-March

Sources

• https://quizlet.com/172961154/pashto-months-flash-cards/
• https://quizlet.com/255557664/months-of-the-year-pashto-english-flash-cards/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiac
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Hijri_calendar