Speaking Pashto
Unlock the rich language of Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. Learn practical everyday conversations, master the unique script and sounds, and understand the cultural codes of hospitality.
Like Duolingo, but for Speaking Pashto. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
24 levels across 4 sections, about 48 minutes end to end, roughly 10 days at five minutes a day. It moves through First Exchanges and Daily Courtesy; The Sounds and the Script; Building Sentences and Handling Daily Life; and Actions, Time, and Fluent Phrasing. It starts from scratch.
Free forever · No credit card · iPhone & Android
Key ideas in Speaking Pashto
- 'Salam Alaykum' (peace be upon you) is the compulsory opening for Pashto greetings
- The standard reciprocating reply is 'Wa Alaykum Salam' (and unto you peace)
- Jumping straight to questions without exchanging Salam is considered jarring and impolite
- 'Sanga ye?' asks 'how are you?' and typically expects 'Kha yam' (I am fine)
- 'Jur ye?' inquires after health/soundness and is commonly answered with 'Shukr' or 'Kha yam'
- Pashto answers to wellbeing inquiries almost always remain modest and invoke gratitude
- Pashtun etiquette (Pashtunwali) emphasizes deep, layered inquiries about household ('kor'), health, and family
- Cutting a greeting short to get directly to business is viewed as cold or disrespectful
- A typical opening exchange involves multiple back-and-forth checks on wellbeing
- 'Manana' is the standard, indispensable Pashto word for 'thank you'
- Welcoming guests with 'Pakhayr' calls for warm appreciation, cementing goodwill
- Expressing gratitude promptly is a vital courtesy when receiving hospitality
- 'Da Allah paman' literally means 'in God's care' and serves as the universal farewell
- Departing without invoking a protective parting blessing leaves interactions abruptly unfinished
- 'Da Allah paman' is spoken by both the person leaving and the person remaining
- Melmastia obligates the host to honor and serve the guest unconditionally
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives Speaking Pashto the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
When someone greets you with 'Salam Alaykum', what is the standard reply?
Get it right to open this lesson and 23 more in the app.
How to learn Speaking Pashto, step by step
Go in order. 24 short levels across 4 sections, about 48 minutes in all, five minutes a day.
- 1
First Exchanges and Daily Courtesy
- Everyday Greetings and Essential Courtesies
- Navigating Hospitality and Respect
- 2
The Sounds and the Script
- Mastering Pashto Sounds and Dialects
- Reading the Pashto Alphabet
- 3
Building Sentences and Handling Daily Life
- Word Order, Noun Gender, and Cases
- Numbers, Shopping, and the Bazaar
- 4
Actions, Time, and Fluent Phrasing
- Action Verbs and Present Tense
- The Past Tense and the Ergative Twist
4 sections · 8 units · 24 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
Questions about Speaking Pashto
How do I learn Speaking Pashto?
Go in order: start with First Exchanges and Daily Courtesy, then The Sounds and the Script, then Building Sentences and Handling Daily Life, then Actions, Time, and Fluent Phrasing. On Tomo that's 24 short levels, about 48 minutes in all, played five minutes a day. Start free and play the first level in under a minute.
Is there a Duolingo-style app for Speaking Pashto?
Yes. Tomo works like Duolingo: short daily lessons, streaks and quick quizzes. Speaking Pashto is one of its free courses, and you can type any other topic to get a course of your own.
Is the Speaking Pashto course free?
Yes. Speaking Pashto is playable on Tomo's free plan, which doesn't expire. No credit card, no waitlist. Download the app and start your first lesson.
How long does it take to learn Speaking Pashto?
24 levels across 4 sections, about 48 minutes of play in total. It's built for five minutes a day, so you finish it a little at a time instead of all at once.
Do I need any background to start Speaking Pashto?
No. It's pitched at a beginner level, so it starts where you are and builds up. If you can tap a phone, you can start.
Tomo is in ChatGPT
Tomo is also a ChatGPT plugin: the same playable courses, built and played inside your chat.
Add Tomo to ChatGPT- What to ask
- “Make me a Tomo course on black holes.” “Turn this chat into a Tomo course.”
- What you get
- Quick questions with instant feedback, hearts and stars, ready to play in about a minute.
- Where it goes
- No sign-up to start. Connect your Tomo account and your streak carries on in the app.
You pick the voice
Speaking Pashto is taught in the Professor style: clear, structured, thorough. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
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Start Speaking Pashto today.
Download Tomo, search Speaking Pashto, and play your first lesson in under a minute.