View source for Pashto grammar

{{short description|Grammar of the Pashto language}}
{{Pashto language sidebar}}

[[Pashto language|Pashto]]{{ref|b}} is an [[subject–object–verb|S-O-V]] language with [[split ergativity]]. [[Adjective]]s come before [[noun]]s. Nouns and adjectives are inflected for [[Grammatical gender|gender]] (masc./fem.), [[Grammatical number|number]] (sing./plur.), and [[Grammatical case|case]] (direct, oblique, ablative and vocative). The [[verb]] system is very intricate with the following tenses: Present; simple past; past progressive; present perfect; and past perfect. In any of the past tenses (simple past, past progressive, present perfect, past perfect), Pashto is an [[Ergative–absolutive language|ergative language]]; i.e., transitive verbs in any of the past tenses agree with the object of the sentence. The dialects show some non-standard grammatical features, some of which are archaisms or descendants of old forms.

In the following article stress is represented by the following markers over vowels: '''ә́''', '''á''', '''ā́''', '''ú''', '''ó''', '''í''' and '''é'''.

==Pronouns==

* Note: هغه as a demonstrative pronoun (that) has initial stress ['''há'''ğa] whereas the personal pronoun (he, she, it) has final stress [ha'''ğá'''].<ref>{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=126}}</ref>

===Personal pronouns===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="4" | Person & Number
! English
! Direct
! Indirect
|-
! rowspan="2" | 1st person
! colspan="3" | Singular
| I
| زه<br /><i>za</i>
| ما<br /><i>ma</i>
|-
! colspan="3" | Plural
| we
| موږ<br /><i>muzh</i><br />مونږ<br /><i>munzh</i>
| ما<br /><i>ma</i>
|-
! rowspan="2" | 2nd person
! colspan="3" | Singular
| you (sing.)
| ته<br /><i>ta</i>
| تا<br /><i>taa</i>
|-
! colspan="3" | Plural
| you (plur.)
| تاسو<br />تاسې<br /><i>taaso</i>/<i>taase</i><br />
<ref name="Lebedev">Лебедев К. А. Афганистан: Язык, литература, этнография. — Москва : "Муравей", 2003.</ref><br />
<ref name="MFarooq">[http://mklc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Pashto.pdf Pashto Language: Solving the Mysteries of the Past Tense] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129023042/http://mklc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Pashto.pdf |date=2014-11-29 }}</ref>
| تا<br /><i>taa</i>
|-
! rowspan="6" | 3rd person
! rowspan="3" | Visible
! rowspan="2" | Singular
! Masc.
| he
| دی<br /><i>day</i>
| ده<br /><i>da</i>
|-
! Fem.
| she
| دا<br /><i>daa</i>
| دې<br /><i>de</i>
|-
! colspan="2" | Plural
| they
| دوی<br /><i>doi</i>
| دوی<br /><i>doi</i>
|-
! rowspan="3" | Invisible
! rowspan="2" | Singular
! Masc.
| he (invis.)
| هغه<br /><i>haghā</i>
| هغہ<br /><i>hagha</i>
|-
! Fem.
| she (invis.)
| هغه<br /><i>haghā</i>
| هغې<br /><i>haghé</i>
|-
! colspan="2" | Plural
| they (invis.)
| هغوی<br /><i>haghui</i>
| هغوی<br /><i>haghui</i>
|}

===Demonstrative pronouns===

{| class="wikitable"
|+ دغه ''dağha'' (this)
|-
! Direct 
| دغه<br/>dáğha
|-
! Indirect 
| دې<br/>de
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ هغه ''háğha'' (that) 
|-
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2"|Singular
! rowspan="2"|Plural
|-
! Masc.
! Fem.
|-
! Direct
|colspan="3" align="center"| هغه<br/>háğha
|-
! Indirect 
| هغۀ<br/>háğhә
| هغې<br/>háğhe
| هغو<br/>háğho
|}

===Possessive pronouns===
There is no plural form with nouns.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Independent forms
|-
! colspan="3" | 
! Singular
! Plural
|-
! colspan="3" | 1st person
| زما<br /><i>zma</i>
| زموږ<br /><i>zamuzh</i><br />زمونږ<br /><i>zamunzh</i><ref name="Lebedev"/>
|-
! colspan="3" | 2nd person
| ستا<br /><i>sta</i>
| ستاسو<br /><i>staaso</i>
|-
! rowspan="4" | 3rd person
! rowspan="2" | Visible
! Masc.
| د ده<br /><i>da da</i>
| rowspan="2" | د دوی<br /><i>da doi</i>
|-
! Fem.
| د دې<br /><i>da de</i>
|-
! rowspan="2" | Invisible
! Masc.
| د هغہ<br /><i>da hagha</i>
| rowspan="2" | د هغوی<br /><i>da haghui</i>
|-
! Fem.
| د هغې<br /><i>da haghe</i>
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Enclitic forms
|-
! 
! Singular
! Plural
|-
! 1st person
| مې<br /><i>me</i>
| مو<br /><i>mo</i>, <i>mu</i>
|-
! 2nd person
| دې<br /><i>de</i>, <i>di</i>
| مو<br /><i>mo</i>, <i>mu</i><ref name="Lebedev"/>
|-
! 3rd person
| colspan="2" align="center"| يې<br /><i>ye</i>
|}

===Interrogative pronouns===
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |
!who
!which
!which 
[ord. numbers]

Literary
!which
[ord. numbers]

Yusapzai
!what
!how many
!how much
!how
|-
! rowspan="2" |Direct
!Masc.
| rowspan="2" |څوک<br />tsok
|کوم
kom
|څووم
tsowə́m
|څويم
swajə́m
| rowspan="4" |څه
tsə
| rowspan="4" |څومره
tsómra
| rowspan="4" |څونه
tsóna
| rowspan="4" |څنګه
tsə́nga
|-
!Fem.
|کومه
kóma
|څوومه 
tsowə́ma
|څويمه
swaima
|-
! rowspan="2" |Oblique
!Masc.
| rowspan="2" |چا<br />čhā
|کوم
kom
|څووم
tsowə́m
|څويم
swajə́m
|-
!Fem.
|کومې
kóme
|څوومې
tsowə́me
|څويمې
swaime
|}

==== Indefinite ====

* In order to distinguish sentences with indefinites from questions, یو /yaw/ 'one' may be added, to yield یو څوک /yaw ʦok/ 'someone' and یو څه /yaw ʦə/ 'something'.
* When هر /har, ar/ 'every' precedes the indefinite pronouns, the combination can mean everyone [هر څوک], everything [هر څه], each one [هر یو]

==Nouns==
===Case and gender===
Pashto inflects nouns into four grammatical cases: direct, oblique, ablative (also known as oblique II) and vocative. The oblique case is used as [[prepositional case]] as well as in the [[past tense]] as the subject of [[transitive verb]]s (i.e. in ergative construction), and the ablative case is used with certain prepositions and with some numerals.

There are two genders: masculine and feminine. Gender of a noun is indicated by its ending. Animate nouns' gender agrees with biological gender regardless of the ending.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Khan|first=Mohammad Abid|title=The Computational Morphology and Syntax of Pashto Language|publisher=Pashto Academy|year=2020|pages=28–43}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" |Masculine Nouns
! rowspan="24" |
! colspan="3" |Feminine Nouns
|-
! rowspan="23" |
| colspan="2" |Ending  Phoneme
! rowspan="23" |
| colspan="2" |Ending  Phoneme
|-
! colspan="2" |Ends in diphthong oɪ
! colspan="2" |Ends in diphthong əi
|-
|زوی
zoy
|son
|هوسۍ
hosә́i
|deer
|-
! colspan="2" |Ends in diphthong ɑi
! colspan="2" |Ends in [[Mid front unrounded vowel|e]]
|-
|ځای
dzā́y
|place
|ملګرې
malgә́re
|friend [female]
|-
! colspan="2" |Ends in unstressed aɪ
! colspan="2" |Ends in unstressed [[Open front unrounded vowel|a]] 
|-
|ګاډی
gā́ḍay
|car
|ژبه
žә́ba
|tongue, language
|-
! colspan="2" |Ends in stressed aɪ
! colspan="2" |Ends in [[Mid back rounded vowel|o]]
|-
|سړی
saṛáy
|man
|پيشو
pišhó
|cat
|-
! colspan="2" |Ends in stressed [[Open front unrounded vowel|a]] [few nouns]
! colspan="2" |Ends in stressed [[Open front unrounded vowel|a]] [most nouns]
|-
|ګېنډه
genḍá
|rhino
|مېله
melá
|a fair
|-
! colspan="2" |Ends in [[Mid central vowel|ə]] 
! colspan="2" |
|-
|ورارۀ
wrārә́
|brother's son
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" |Ends in consonant [most nouns]
! colspan="2" |Ends in consonant [few nouns]
|-
|تنور
tanúr
|oven
|مېچن
mečhә́n
|handmill
|-
! colspan="2" |Ends in [[Close back rounded vowel|u]]
! colspan="2" |
|-
|څانډو
tsānḍú
|husband of a wife's sister
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" |Ends in diphthong aw
! colspan="2" |Ends in əw 
|-
|پلو
paláw
|side
|کټو
kaṭә́w
|cooking pot
|-
! colspan="2" |End in [[Close front unrounded vowel|i]] [only for  professions]
! colspan="2" |End in [[Close front unrounded vowel|i]] [most nouns]
|-
|دوبي
dobí
|washerman
|بدي
badí
|hostility
|-
! colspan="2" |Ends in [[Open back unrounded vowel|ɑ]] [few nouns]
! colspan="2" |Ends in [[Open back unrounded vowel|ɑ]] [most nouns]
|-
|ماما
māmā́
|maternal uncle
|رڼا
raṇā́
|light
|}

Pashto has no definite article. But when necessary, definiteness may be indicated by other means such as [[demonstrative]]s. Likewise, it may be contraindicated by use of the word for "one", يو; as in "يو روغتون" – "a hospital".

=== Class 1 ===
====Masculine nouns====
Generally, animate masculine nouns take ان ''-ā́n'' in plural, and inanimate ones take ونه ''-úna''. Masculine nouns ending in ۀ -ә lose it when attaching the suffixes. The grammatical animacy usually corresponds with physical animacy, but there are some exceptions, like مېړۀ ''meṛә́'' "husband" is inanimate grammatically with plural مېړونه ''meṛúna'', and پل ''pul'' "bridge" is animate — پلان ''pulā́n''.

The nouns ending in -i, -ā (these are always animate) or -u (these can be both animate and inanimate) take ان with -g-, -y- or -w- inserted between vowels.

Words ending in -āCә́ pattern (like وادۀ wādә́ "wedding") have short -a- in plural.

<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ending in a consonant<br>(animate)
! !!'''Singular'''!!'''Plural'''
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]''' || rowspan="2" | || ان <br />ā́n
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]''' || rowspan="3" | انو<br />ā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]''' || rowspan="2" | ه
a
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ending in a consonant<br>(inanimate)
! !!'''Singular'''!!'''Plural'''
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''|| rowspan="2" |
| ونه <br />úna
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''|| rowspan="3" | ونو <br />úno
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''|| rowspan="2" | ه
a
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ending in -ә́<br>(animate)
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" | ۀ ә́
|ان
ā́n
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]''' 
| rowspan="3" |انو
ā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ending in -ә́<br>(inanimate)
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" | ۀ ә́
|ونه
úna
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]''' 
| rowspan="3" |ونو
úno
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<br/>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ending in -i
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |ي
i
|يان
yā́n
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]''' 
| rowspan="3" |یانو
yā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ending in -ā
!
!Singular
!Plural 1
!Plural 2
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |ا
ā
|ايان
āyā́n
|اګان
āgā́n
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]''' 
| rowspan="3" |ايانو
āyā́no
| rowspan="3" |اګانو
āgā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ending in -u
!
!Singular
!Plural 1
!Plural 2
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" | و
u
|وان
wā́n
|ګان
gā́n
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |وانو
wā́no
| rowspan="3" |ګانو
gā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>

'''Examples'''
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ پلار "father" 
! !!'''Singular'''!!'''Plural'''
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]''' || rowspan="2" | پلار<br />plār|| پلرونه <br />plərunə
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]''' || rowspan="3" | پلرونو<br />pləruno
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]''' || rowspan="2" | پلاره
plā́ra
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ غوږ "ear"
! !!'''Singular'''!!'''Plural'''
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''|| rowspan="2" | غوږ
ğhwəg
| غوږونه
ğhwəgúna
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''|| rowspan="3" | غوږونو
ğhwəgúno
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''|| rowspan="2" | غوږه
ğhwə́ga
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div> 
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ لېوۀ "wolf"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |لېوۀ
lewә́
|لېوان
lewā́n
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]''' 
| rowspan="3" |لېوانو
lewā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ زړۀ "heart"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |زړۀ
zṛә́
|زړونه
zṛúna
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |زړونو
zṛúno
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ وادۀ "wedding"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |وادۀ
wādә́
|ودونه
wadúna
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |ودونو
wadúno
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<br/>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ درزي "tailor" 
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |درزي
darzí
|درزيان
darzyā́n
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]''' 
| rowspan="3" |درزیانو
darzyā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ باچا "king"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |باچا
bāčā́
|باچايان
bāčāyā́n
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]''' 
| rowspan="3" |باچايانو
bāčāyā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ ماما "(maternal) uncle"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |ماما
māmā́
|ماماګان
māmāgā́n
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]''' 
| rowspan="3" |ماماګانو
māmāgā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ ډاکو "bandit"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |ډاکو
ḍākú
|ډاکوان
ḍākwā́n
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]''' 
| rowspan="3" |ډاکوانو
ḍākwā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ الو "potato"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |الو
alú
|الوګان
alugā́n
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]''' 
| rowspan="3" |الوګانو
alugā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>

==== Feminine nouns ====
Feminine nouns generally have final -a. They change it to -e in the oblique cases and direct plural and to -o in oblique plural, independently of their animacy. A few feminine nouns end in a consonant, they still take the same endings.

In Southern Pashto, the final -e is pronounced -i when unstressed. For example, the plural of سترګه ''stә́rga'' "eye" and لار ''lār'' "way" would be سترګې ''stә́rge'' and لارې ''lā́re'' in the North, but سترګي ''stә́rgi'' and لاري ''lā́ri'' in the South, while مڼه ''maṇá'' "apple" and تخته ''taxtá'' "board" would be مڼې ''maṇé'' and تختې ''taxté'' in both dialect groups.

There are also feminine nouns ending in other vowels, particularly -e (they take یانې ''-yā́ne'' in the plural) and -ā or -o (they take either ګانې ''-gā́ne'' or وې ''-we''). In Southern Pashto they are یاني ''-yā́ni'', ګاني ''-gā́ni'' and وي ''-wi'' (the last one is not as common as in Northern Pashto and is mostly restricted to a few nouns).

<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ending in -a
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|ه
a
|ې
e
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |ې
e
| rowspan="3" |و
o
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ending in a consonant  
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|
|ې
e
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |ې
e
| rowspan="3" |و
o
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ending in -e
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |ې
e
|یانې

yā́ne
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |یانو
yā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ending in -ā and -o
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |
|ګانې ''or'' وې
gā́ne ''or'' we
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |ګانو ''or'' وو
gā́no ''or'' wo
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>

'''Examples'''

<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ اسپه "horse, mare"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|اسپه
áspa
|اسپې
áspe
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |اسپې
áspe
| rowspan="3" |اسپو
áspo
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ مياشت "month"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|مياشت
myā́šht
|مياشتې
myā́šhte
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |مياشتې
myā́šhte
| rowspan="3" |مياشتو
myā́šhto
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<br/>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ خواښې "mother-in-law"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |خواښې
xwā́x̌e
|خواښیانې
xwax̌yā́ne
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |خواښیانو
xwax̌yā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ رڼا "light"
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |رڼا
raṇā́
|رڼاوې ''or'' رڼاګانې
raṇā́we ''or'' raṇāgā́ne
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |رڼاوو ''or'' رڼاګانو
raṇā́wo ''or'' raṇāgā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ بیزو "monkey"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |بیزو
bizó
|بیزوګانې ''or'' بیزووې
bizogā́ne ''or'' bizówe
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |بیزوګانو ''or'' بیزوو
bizogā́no ''or'' bizówo
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>

=== Class 2 ===
In class 2 there's only masculine nouns, both animate and inanimate. They are subject to various alterations inside the stems. The take -ə́ in the plural and oblique forms.

Nouns with -ú- or -ó- in the last syllable change them to -ā-. Some nouns like تنور ''tanúr'' "oven" belong to the mixed conjugation, they form their oblique forms as Class 2 nouns, but their plurals are derived according to Class 1 pattern (but the -ú/ó- may be reduced to -a- in Southern dialects or -ə- in Northern dialects). The word پالېز ''paléz'' "kitchen garden" is often cited as an example of a noun that belongs to class 2, but doesn't undergo any stem changes.<ref name=":6"/>

There are some animate masculine nouns ending in -á (مېلمه ''melma'' "guest", اسبه ''asba'' "(horse) shepherd", غوبه ''ğoba'' "(cow) shepherd", کوربه ''korba'' "owner of the house" etc.), they also belong to Class 2.

Monosyllabic nouns with -a- lose it and take -ə in the oblique and plural forms. There several exceptions here: غر ''ğar'' "mountain", ور ''war'' "door", ګز ''gaz'' "gaz (unit of length)", من ''man'' "man (unit of weight)", ټغر ''ṭağar'' "rug" take ونه ''-úna'' in the plural form (غرونه ''ğrúna'', ورونه ''warúna''/''wrúna'' etc).

Nouns with -á- in the last syllable change it to -ə́-. Most of them are mixed in their conjugation: they can take (or not take) -ā́n or -úna in the plural form. A lot of inanimate nouns in this class can take both suffixes. The only exception here is سخر sxar "stone", which is always sxə́r in plural. This subclass also contains words suffixed with ګر, ور, ن, زن.

<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ With -ú/ó-
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|úC, óC
|āCə́
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
|āCə́
| rowspan="3" |aCó
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |úCa, óCa
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div> 
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Mixed
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|úC, óC
|uCúna, oCúna ''or'' əCúna
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
|uCə́, óCə́
| rowspan="3" |uCúno, oCúno ''or'' əCúno
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |úCa, óCa
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>

'''Examples'''

<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ پښتون "Pashtun"
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|پښتون
pəx̌tún
|پښتانه
pəx̌tānə́
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
|پښتانه
pəx̌tānə́
| rowspan="3" |پښتنو
pəx̌tanó
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |پښتونه
pəx̌túna
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div> 
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ شپون "shepherd"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|شپون
špún
|ښپانۀ
špānə́
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
|ښپانۀ
špānə́
| rowspan="3" |شپنو
španó
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |شپونه
špúna
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ سکور "coal"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|سکور
skór
|سکارۀ
skārə́
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
|سکارۀ
skārə́
| rowspan="3" |سکرو
skaró
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |سکوره
skóra
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div> 
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ تنور "oven"
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|تنور
tanúr
|تنرونه or تنورونه
tanərúna or tanurúna
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
|تناره
tanārə́
| rowspan="3" |تنرونو or تنورونو
tanərúno or tanurúno
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |تنوره
tanúra
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ تول "weight"
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|تول
tol
|تولونه
tolúna
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
|تالۀ
tālə́
| rowspan="3" |تولونو
tolúno
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |توله
tóla
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ مېلمه "guest"
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|مېلمه
melmá
|مېلمانه or مېلمه
melmānə́ or melmə́
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
|مېلمانه or مېلمه
melmānə́ or melmə́
| rowspan="3" |مېلمنو or مېلمو 
melmanó or melmó
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |مېلمه
melmá
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<br/>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ غل "thief"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|غل
ğal
|غله
ğlə
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
|غله
ğlə
| rowspan="3" |غلو
ğlo
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |غله
ğhála
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ غر "mountain"<br/>(exception)
! !!'''Singular'''!!'''Plural'''
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''|| rowspan="2" | غر
ğhar
| غرونه or (rare) غرۀ
ğhrúna or ğhrə
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''|| rowspan="3" | غرونو
ğhrúno
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''|| rowspan="2" | غره 
ğhára

ğhrə
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ دښمن "enemy"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|دښمن
dux̌mán
|دښمن or دښمنان
dux̌mə́n or dux̌mənā́n
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
|دښمن
dux̌mə́n
| rowspan="3" |دښمنو or دښمنانو
dux̌mə́no or dux̌mənā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |دښمنه
dux̌mána
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ پالېز "kitchen garden"
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|پالېز 
paléz
|پلېزونه
palezúna
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
|پالېزۀ or پالېز
palezə́ or paléz
| rowspan="3" |پلېزونو
palezúno
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |پلېزه
paléza
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>

=== Class 3 ===
Nouns in Class 3 are related to adjectives ending in -ay, -əy, -e.

Masculine -áy (note the stress) nouns, especially if animate, sometimes have alternative plurals in -yā́n. Its usage is somewhat dialect-dependent, they aren't as common in Southern Pashto.

Among feminine -əy nouns, even inanimate ones can take یانې or ګانې, they also can stay unchanged in the plural. Some abstract nouns suffixed with ي -i (such as دوستي "friendship", چلاکي "trickiness", ګرمي "heatness" etc.) also belong here.

<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ending in -ay<br>(masculine)
!
!Singular
!Plural 1
!Plural 2
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|ی
ay
|ي
i
|يان
yā́n
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
|ي
í
| rowspan="3" |و or یو
o or әyo/iyo
| rowspan="3" |يانو
yā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |یه
aya
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ending in -e<br>(feminine)
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |ې e
|ې e
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |و or یو
o or әyo/iyo
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ending in -əy<br>(feminine)
!
!Singular
!Plural 1
!Plural 2
!Plural 3
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |ۍ, ي
ə́y, i
|ۍ
ə́y
|یانې
yā́ne
|ګانې
gā́ne
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |و
o
| rowspan="3" |یانو
yā́no
| rowspan="3" |ګانو
gā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>

'''Examples'''
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ سپی "dog"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|سپی
spáy
|سپي or سپیان
spí or spiyā́n
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
|سپي
spí
| rowspan="3" |سپو or سپیو or سپیانو
spó or spío or spiyā́no
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |سپیه
spáya
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ سپۍ "she-dog"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |سپۍ
spə́i
|سپۍ or سپیانې or سپۍګانې
spə́y or spə́iyā́ne or spə́igā́ne
|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |سپیو or سپیانو or سپۍګانو
spə́yo or spə́iyā́no or spə́igā́no 
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ ملګری "male friend"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
|ملګری
malgə́ray
|ملګري
malgə́ri

|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
|ملګري
malgə́ri
| rowspan="3" |ملګرو or ملګریو
malgə́ro or malgə́ryo
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |ملګریه
malgə́rya
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ ملګرې "female friend"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="4" |ملګرې
malgə́re
|ملګرې
malgə́re

|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |ملګرو or ملګریو
malgə́ro or malgə́ryo
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
</div>

=== Uncountable nouns ===
They don't have plural forms. They take و -o in the oblique and ablative forms.

'''Feminine'''
Examples include اوړه [oṛә́ – flour], اوبه [obә́ -water], پۍ [pə́i – milk] etc.

Example: اوبه – water
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; |اوبه
obә́

|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| colspan="2" rowspan="3" style="text-align:center; |اوبو
obó
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}

Example: پۍ – milk
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| colspan="2"style="text-align:center; |پۍ
pə́i

|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| colspan="2" rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;|پيو
pə́io
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}

'''Masculine'''
Examples include: ږدن [ẓ̌dәn -sorghum], دال [dāl -lentils], شراب [šarā́b – alcohol]

Example: دال – lentils
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; |دال
dāl

|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; |دالو
dā́lo
|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; |داله
dā́la
|}

=== Irregular nouns ===
These are limited to nouns denoting kinship.

'''Feminine – "or" stem'''
These include:

مور /mor/ 'mother'; plural stem /máynd-/

خور /xor/ 'sister'; plural stem /xwáynd-/

ترور /tror/ 'paternal aunt'; plural stem /tráynd-/

نګور /ngor/ 'daughter-in-law'; plural stem /ngáynd-/

Example:
{| class="wikitable"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="2" |مور
mor
|مېندې
máynde

|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |مېندو
máyndo

|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |مورې
móre
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}

'''Brother and daughter'''
ورور= brother takes وڼه in direct plural
{| class="wikitable"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="2" |ورور
wror
|وروڼه
wrúṇa

|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |وروڼو
wrúṇo

|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |وروره
wrorá
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}
لور= daughter takes وڼې in direct plural
{| class="wikitable"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="2" |لور
lur
|لوڼې
lúṇe

|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |لوڼو
lúṇo

|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |لورې
lúre
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}

'''Son'''
{| class="wikitable"
! 
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|'''[[Direct case|Direct]]'''
| rowspan="2" |زوی
zoy
|زامن
zāmə́n

|-
|'''[[Oblique case|Oblique]]'''
| rowspan="3" |زامنو
zāmə́no

|-
|'''[[Ablative case|Ablative]]'''
| rowspan="2" |زویه
zoya
|-
|'''[[Vocative case|Vocative]]'''
|}

==Adjectives==
An adjective is called stāynúm in Pashto [ستاينوم]. The adjectives or stāynumúna agree with the nouns they modify in gender, number, and case.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! colspan="3" rowspan="2" |
!Class 1
! colspan="2" |Class 2
! colspan="2" |Class 3
|-
!Category 1
!Category 2
!Category 3
!Category 4
!Category 5
|-
! rowspan=6|Masculine
! rowspan=4|Singular
! Direct
| colspan=3|- || colspan=2|-ay
|-
! Oblique II
| rowspan="2" colspan=3|-a || rowspan="2"|-aya || -i
|-
! Vocative
| -e
|-
! Oblique 
| rowspan=2|- || rowspan=2 colspan=2|-ə || rowspan=2 colspan=2| -i
|-
! rowspan=2|Plural
! Direct
|-
! Oblique/Vocative
| colspan=3|-o || -io/-o || -yo/-o
|-
! rowspan=6|Feminine
! rowspan=4|Singular
! Direct
| rowspan=2 colspan=3|-a || rowspan=5|-əy || rowspan=5|-e
|-
! Oblique II
|-
! Vocative
| rowspan=3 colspan=3|-e
|-
! Oblique I
|-
! rowspan=2|Plural
! Direct
|-
! Oblique/Vocative
| colspan=3|-o || -əyo/-o || -yo/-o
|-
|}

Notes:
*In the plural, both obliques and the vocative merge into a single form.
*Singular Oblique I and plural Direct always merge into a single form.
*The above two conditions mean that there can be at most five distinct forms for masculine adjectives (but in fact, no class distinguishes more than four).
*For feminine adjectives, singular Oblique I and Vocative merge, while singular Direct and Oblique II merge; combined with mergers noted previously, there can be at most three distinct forms for feminine adjectives.
*Categories 2 and 3 have stem and stress alternations among different cases. Category 3 has a basic distinction between the masculine singular Direct, Oblique II and Vocative, with stem stress, and all other forms, with a (sometimes) different stem and with ending stress (e.g. masc. ''trīx'', fem. ''traxá'' "bitter"; masc. ''sūr'', fem. ''srá'' "red"; masc. ''sōṛ'', fem. ''saṛá'' "cold"; fem. ''raṇā'' "light" with only one stem). Category 2 has the same stress alternation, but has three distinct stems, with stressed stem vowel 'o' or 'u' in masculine singular Direct, Oblique II and Vocative, unstressed stem vowel 'ā' in masculine singular Oblique I and plural Direct, and unstressed stem vowel 'a' in all other forms (e.g. masc. sing. ''pōx'', masc. plur. ''pāxǝ́'', fem. ''paxá'' "ripe, cooked").

===Class 1===
====Case-marking suffixes====
Class I adjectives are consonant-final in their citation form and keep the stress on the final syllable of the stem.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2"|
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| rowspan="2" style="border-right: none;" |
| style="border-left: none;" | 
| style="border-right: none;" | ه<br/>{{IPAlink|a}}
| style="border-left: none;" | ې<br/>{{IPAlink|e}}
|-
! Oblique
| style="border-left: none;" |و<br/>{{IPAlink|o}}
| rowspan="3" style="border-right: none;" |ې<br/>{{IPAlink|e}}
| rowspan="3" style="border-left: none;" |و<br/>{{IPAlink|o}}
|-
! Ablative
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="border-right: none;" |ه<br/>{{IPAlink|a}}
|-
! Vocative
|}

====Stem allomorphy====
In the Southern dialects, Class I adjectives with certain stem shapes will undergo mutation either:
# Vowel harmony
or
# Centralization
In other dialects these vowels do not mutate.

=====Vowel harmony=====
Class I adjectives with the stressed stem vowel /ə́/ (Southern), such as دنګ /dəng/ 'tall', undergo regressive harmony in the feminine direct plural and in both oblique plural forms—when the suffix vowel is /o/.

=====Centralization=====
Class I adjectives for which the last syllable in the masculine direct singular form is ور /‑wár/, ګر /‑gár/, جن /‑ján/, or م ن /‑mán/, as well as ordinal numbers ending in م /‑ám/, undergo a different vowel alternation: the vowel /á/ of the final syllable centralizes to /ə́/ in feminine non-direct singulars and in all plural forms, irrespective of gender.

====Class I forms with stem allomorphy====
'''Example 1 = سپک (light – ''in'' ''weight'') '''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2"|
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| rowspan="2"|سپک<br/>spak<br/>spək (''Southern'')
| | سپک<br/>spak<br/>spək (''Southern'')
| |سپکه<br/>spák{{IPAlink|a}}<br/>spə́k{{IPAlink|a}} (''Southern'')
| | سپکې<br/>spák{{IPAlink|e}}<br/>سپکي<br/>spə́k{{IPAlink|i}} (''Southern'')
|-
! Oblique
| rowspan="3"|سپکو<br/>spák{{IPAlink|o}}<br/>spə́k{{IPAlink|o}} (''Southern'')<br/>spók{{IPAlink|o}} (Southern)
| rowspan="3"|سپکې<br/>spák{{IPAlink|e}}<br/>سپکي<br/>spə́k{{IPAlink|i}} (''Southern'')
| rowspan="3"|سپکو<br/>spák{{IPAlink|o}}<br/>spə́k{{IPAlink|o}} (Southern)<br/>spók{{IPAlink|o}} (Southern)
|-
! Ablative
| rowspan="2"|سپکه<br/>spák{{IPAlink|a}}<br/>spə́k{{IPAlink|a}} (''Southern'')
|-
! Vocative
|}
The paradigm for the adjective سپک /spək/ 'light' in above shows the Southern dialect's Vowel harmony rule.

'''Example 2 = زړور (brave) '''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2"|
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| rowspan="2"|زړور<br/>zṛawár
| | زړور<br/>zṛawár<br/>zṛawə́r (''Southern'')
| |زړوره<br/>zṛawár{{IPAlink|a}}
| | زړورې<br/>zṛawár{{IPAlink|e}}<br/>زړوري<br/>zṛawə́r{{IPAlink|i}} (''Southern'')
|-
! Oblique
| rowspan="3"|زړورو<br/>zṛawár{{IPAlink|o}}<br/>zṛawə́r{{IPAlink|o}} (''Southern'')
| rowspan="3"|زړورې<br/>zṛawár{{IPAlink|e}}<br/>زړوري<br/>zṛawə́r{{IPAlink|i}} (''Southern'')
| rowspan="3"|زړورو<br/>zṛawár{{IPAlink|o}}<br/>zṛawə́r{{IPAlink|o}} (''Southern'')
|-
! Ablative
| rowspan="2"|زړوره<br/>zṛawár
|-
! Vocative
|}
The paradigm for the adjective زړور /zṛawár/ 'brave' illustrates centralization rule for the Southern dialect.

====Animacy ====
When modifying animate nouns, some Class I adjectives may take the animate plural suffixes of Class I nouns example:

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= مشران وروڼه
|Məʃarɑn wruɳa
|'Elder brothers'}}

===Class 2===
Class 2 adjectives can end in either a consonant or a stressed schwa ( ه /‑ə́/). Except for the masculine singular ablative and vocative suffixes, the suffixes of Class II are
inherently stressed. These stressed suffixes are the chief difference between Class 1 and Class 2, although there are a few differences in suffix shape as well. Whether a consonant-final adjective belongs to Class 1 (stem-stressed) or Class II (suffix-stressed) is a property of the lexeme and is not predictable.

====Case-marking suffixes====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2"|
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| style="border-right: none;" |-Ø
| style="border-left: none;" | ۀ<br/>[[Mid central unrounded vowel|ə́]]
| style="border-right: none;" | ه<br/>[[Open front unrounded vowel|á]]
| style="border-left: none;" | ې<br/>[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|é]]
|-
! Oblique
| style="border-right: none;" | ۀ<br/>[[Mid central unrounded vowel|ə́]]
| rowspan="3" style="border-left: none;" |و<br/>[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|ó]]
| rowspan="3" style="border-right: none;" |ې<br/>[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|é]]
| rowspan="3" style="border-left: none;" |و<br/>[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|ó]]
|-
! Ablative
| rowspan="2" style="border-right: none;" |ه

–
|-
! Vocative
|}

====Stem allomorphy====
Some Class2 adjectives undergo stem allomorphy processes upon inflection, all of them stress-conditioned. The first, Syncope I, affects the final vowels of /ə́/-final Class 2 adjectives; the rest affect the stem vowels of consonant-final Class 2 adjectives (which either lower or delete when unstressed). Lowering affects only back vowels, but not all of them. It is not possible to predict which rule, Back vowel lowering or Syncope II, applies to a given consonant-final adjective. The rules are:
# '''Syncope I'''
# '''Back vowel lowering'''
# '''Monophthongization'''
# '''Lengthening'''
# '''Syncope II'''
# '''Epenthesis'''

=====Syncope I=====
* V2 → Ø/ V́1_
* V́1 → Ø/ _V́2
If suffixation results in two adjacent vowels and only one is stressed, the unstressed vowel deletes. If both are stressed, the first vowel deletes. This rule applies to vowel-final adjectives.

Examole: Vowel-final adjectives that end in stressed ۀ /‑ə́/

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| rowspan="4" |تېرۀ<br/>terə́
| | تېرۀ<br/>ter[[Mid central unrounded vowel|ə́]]
| |تېره<br/>ter[[Open front unrounded vowel|á]]
| | تېرې<br/>ter[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|é]]
|-
! Oblique
| rowspan="3"|تېرو<br/>ter[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|ó]]
| rowspan="3"|تېرې<br/>ter[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|é]]
| rowspan="3"|تېرو<br/>ter[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|ó]]
|-
! Ablative
|-
! Vocative
|}

Vowel-final adjectives that end stressed ه /‑ə́/ in their citation form include تېره /terə/́ 'sharp'. These can be reliably identified from this citation form as belonging to Class 2; no other class has adjectives ending in /-ə́/. The final stem-vowel of these adjectives undergoes one or other of the morphophonemic rules of Syncope I.

=====Back vowel lowering=====
* V-stress] [+back, → V[-high]/ C_
Inmost Class 2 consonant-final adjectives with non-initial back vowels, و /o/, /u/ lowers to /a/ when unstressed.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2"|
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| |پوخ<br/>pox
| | پاخۀ<br/>p[[Open back unrounded vowel|ā]]x[[Mid central unrounded vowel|ə́]]
| |پخه<br/>p[[Open front unrounded vowel|a]]x[[Open front unrounded vowel|á]]
| | پخې<br/>p[[Open front unrounded vowel|a]]x[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|é]]
|-
! Oblique
| |پاخۀ<br/>p[[Open back unrounded vowel|ā]]x[[Mid central unrounded vowel|ə́]]
| rowspan="3"|پخو<br/>p[[Open front unrounded vowel|a]]x[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|ó]]
| rowspan="3"|پخې<br/>p[[Open front unrounded vowel|a]]x[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|é]]
| rowspan="3"|پخو<br/>p[[Open front unrounded vowel|a]]x[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|ó]]
|-
! Ablative
| rowspan="2" |پوخه<br/>p[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|ó]]x[[Open front unrounded vowel|a]]
|-
! Vocative
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2"|
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| |ړوند<br/>ṛund
| | ړاندۀ<br/>ṛ[[Open back unrounded vowel|ā]]nd[[Mid central unrounded vowel|ə́]]
| |ړنده<br/>ṛ[[Open front unrounded vowel|a]]nd[[Open front unrounded vowel|á]]
| | ړندې<br/>ṛ[[Open front unrounded vowel|a]]nd[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|é]]
|-
! Oblique
| |ړاندۀ<br/>ṛ[[Open back unrounded vowel|ā]]nd[[Mid central unrounded vowel|ə́]]
| rowspan="3"|ړندو<br/>ṛ[[Open front unrounded vowel|a]]nd[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|ó]]
| rowspan="3"|ړندې<br/>ṛ[[Open front unrounded vowel|a]]nd[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|é]]
| rowspan="3"|ړندو<br/>ṛ[[Open front unrounded vowel|a]]nd[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|ó]]
|-
! Ablative
| rowspan="2"|ړوند<br/>ṛ[[Close back rounded vowel|ú]]nd[[Open front unrounded vowel|a]]
|-
! Vocative
|}

In most consonant-final adjectives where the stem vowel is a back vowel, و /o/, /u/, it will undergo vowel lowering in unstressed position, followed by lengthening when the next syllable contains /ə́/ such as for the words, پو خ /pox/ 'cooked, ripe' and ړوند /ṛund/ 'blind', illustrated above.

=====Monophthongization=====
* a[+stress]w → V-high] [+back,
* wa[+stress] → V-high] [+back,
In adjectives with /aw/ or /wa/ in the stem [usually seen in the feminine tense], those sequences simplify to /o/ when stressed.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2"|
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| |تود<br/>t[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|o]]d
| | تاودۀ<br/>tāwdə́
| |توده<br/>t'''aw'''dá
| | تودې<br/>tawdé
|-
! Oblique
| |تاودۀ<br/>tāwdə́
| rowspan="3"|تودو<br/>tawdó
| rowspan="3"|تودې<br/>tawdé
| rowspan="3"|تودو<br/>tawdó
|-
! Ablative
| rowspan="2"|توده<br/>t[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|ó]]da
|-
! Vocative
|}

Back vowel breaking: '''تود''' /tod/ 'hot'; stem = /''tawd''/.

=====Lengthening=====
* a → ā /_(C)Cə́

Short /a/ lengthens to long /ā/ when the syllable following it contains /ə́/. This rule affects those adjectives that undergo back vowel lowering, such as for '''پاخۀ → پوخ''' and '''ړاندۀ → ړوند''' and those that undergo monophthongization, such as '''تاودۀ → تود'''.

=====Lengthening=====
* V[-stress] → Ø

In a few consonant-final adjectives the stem vowel is deleted when not stressed.

'''Example = سور /sur/ – red'''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2"|
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| |سور<br/>s'''u'''r
| | سرۀ<br/>srə
| |سره<br/>sra
| | سرې<br/>sre
|-
! Oblique
| | سرۀ<br/>srə
| rowspan="3"| سرو<br/>sro
| rowspan="3"|سرې<br/>sre
| rowspan="3"|سرو<br/>sro
|-
! Ablative
| rowspan="2"|سوره<br/>súra
|-
! Vocative
|}

=====Epenthesis=====
* Ø → a/C_CC or CC_C

If syncope results in a triple consonant cluster, an /a/ might be inserted after the first or second consonant.

===Class 3===
These adjectives end in the diphthong participial suffix, ی /‑ay/, in the masculine direct singular form/. This suffix may be stressed or unstressed.

==== Case-marking suffixes ====
'''Stressed'''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| style="border-right: none;" |ی

áy
| style="border-left: none;" |ي

í
| rowspan="4" style="border-right: none;" | ۍ
ə́i
| style="border-left: none;" | ۍ
ə́i
|-
! Oblique
| style="border-right: none;" | ي
í
| rowspan="3" style="border-left: none;" |و
ó

یو

ə́yo/ío 
| rowspan="3" style="border-left: none;" |و
ó

یو

ə́yo/ío 
|-
! Ablative
| rowspan="2" style="border-right: none;" |یه

áya
|-
! Vocative
|}
'''Unstressed'''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| style="border-right: none;" |ی

ay

| style="border-left: none;" |ي

i
| rowspan="4" style="border-right: none;" | ې
e
| style="border-left: none;" | ې
e
|-
! Oblique
| rowspan="2" style="border-right: none;" | ي
i
| rowspan="3" style="border-left: none;" |و
o

| rowspan="3" style="border-left: none;" |و
o

|-
! Ablative
|-
! Vocative
|یه
ya
|}

====Stressed====
'''Example = زلمی (young/youth – ''the ی is stressed'') '''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2"|
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| |زلمی<br/>zalm''á'' ''y''
| | زلمي<br/>zalmí
| rowspan="4"|زلمۍ<br/>zalmə́i
| | زلمۍ<br/>zalmə́i
|-
! Oblique
| rowspan="2"|زلمي<br/>zalmí
| rowspan="3"|زلمو<br/>zalmó<br/>زلمیو <br/>zalmío (''Southern'') <br/> zalmə́yo (''Northern'')
| rowspan="3"|زلمو<br/>zalmó<br/>زلمیو <br/>zalmío (''Southern'') <br/> zalmə́yo (''Northern'')
|-
! Ablative
|-
! Vocative
| |زلمیه<br/>zalmáya
|}

====Unstressed====
'''Example = سوی (burnt- ''the ی is unstressed'') '''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2"|
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" | <small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" | <small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| |سوی<br/>sə́w'''ay'''
sə́wəy (South Western)

sə́we (North Eastern)
| | سوي<br/>sə́wi
| |سوې<br/>sə́we
| | سوې<br/>sə́we
|-
! Oblique
| rowspan="2"|سوي<br/>sə́wi
| rowspan="2"|سویو <br/>sə́wyo (Northern)<br/>سوو<br/>sə́wo
| rowspan="2"|سویې <br/>sə́wye (Northern)<br/>سوې<br/>sə́we
| rowspan="2"|سویو <br/>sə́wyo (Northern)<br/>سوو<br/>sə́wo
|-
! Ablative
|-
! Vocative
| |سویه(''Northern'')<br/>sə́way<br/>سوې(''Southern'')<br/>sə́we
| |سوو<br/>sə́wo
| |سوې<br/>sə́we 
| |سوو<br/>sə́wo
|}

=== Class 4 ===
This the "non-declining" class – these do not decline. These adjectives are generally borrowed from other languages. They do not have masculine-feminine or singular-plural distinction.

But some speakers use the oblique suffixes  و /‑o/, وو /‑wo/ on these adjectives in the plural oblique, ablative and vocative cases.

'''Example = شمالي (Persian-Arabic borrowing) '''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" |<small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" |<small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" |<small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" |<small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| colspan="4" rowspan="4" style="border-right: none;" |شمالي<br/>šamālí
|-
! Oblique
|-
! Ablative
|-
! Vocative
|}

'''Example = شمالي (Southern Dialect) '''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" |<small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" |<small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" |<small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" |<small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| colspan="4" style="border-right: none;" |شمالي<br />šamālí
|-
! Oblique
| rowspan="3" |شمالي<br />šamālí
| rowspan="3" |<br/>''شمالو'' <br />''šamāló''
| rowspan="3" |شمالي
šumālí
| rowspan="3" |<br/>''شمالو'' <br />''šamāló''
|-
! Ablative
|-
! Vocative
|}

==Derivational affixes==
Pashto utilities '''[[morphological derivation]]:''' there is an addition to the base form or stem of a word in order to modify its meaning [not grammatical function like verbal suffixes].

=== Prefixes===
These are attached at the beginning of words. Here is a list of the most common ones:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Prefix !! Meaning
|-
| نا || a negative prefix to nouns or particles having the same meaning as English "un, in, dis, non" etc.
|-
| ''بې''|| ''this means "without". When prefixed to words it is equivalent to the English "dis, less" etc.''
'''''Considered a preposition.'''''
|-
| بيا || this means again. When prefixed to words it is equivalent to English "re"
|-
| هم || this means same, equivalent. When prefixed with the word it is equivalent to the English "co and homo"
|-
| ګڼ || this means crowded and numerous. When prefixed with the word it is equivalent to the English "multi"
|-
| دوه || this means two. When prefixed with the word it is equivalent to the English "bi"
|}

A list of examples:
{| class="wikitable"
! !! '''Word''' !! '''English meaning''' !! '''Prefixed word''' !! '''English meaning'''
|-
| '''نا <br /> nā '''|| وړ
waṛ
| suitable || ناوړ
nāwáṛ
| unsuitable
|-
| '''''بې <br /> be'' '''|| ''کور''
''kor''
| ''home''|| ''بې کوره''
''be kóra''

''[کور in the ablative case]''
| ''homeless''
|-
| '''بيا <br /> byā '''||جوړول
joṛawә́l
| to make || بيا جوړول
byā joṛawә́l
| to remake
|-
| '''هم<br /> ham '''||[زولی [نارينه]، زولې [ښځينه
zólay, zóle
| age [classical Pashto] || همزولی، همزولې
hamzólay, hamzól
| coeval
|-
| '''ګڼ<br /> gaṇ'''||هېواديز
hewādíz
| national || ګڼ هېواديز
gaṇhewādíz
| multinational
|-
| '''دوه<br /> dwa'''|| اړخيز
aṛxíz
| aṛx= side, íz = adjective forming suffix || دوه اړخيز
dwa aṛxíz
| bilateral
|}

=== Suffixes ===
These are attached at the end of a word. Here is a list of the most common ones:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Prefix !! Meaning
|-
| توب|| this is affixed to nouns and adjectives to form masculine concept/abstract nouns. 
|-
| تیا || this is affixed to nouns and adjectives to form feminine concept/abstract nouns.
|-
| ي || this is affixed to noun to make adjectives. 
|-
| ي || a suffix also used to create nouns of profession.
|-
|يز [masculine] <br /> يزه [feminine] || adjectival suffix. Used to make adjectives from nouns. Becomes "yiz" if preceded by a vowel e.g. سوله=سوله ييز 
|-
|من || suffix that forms nouns and adjectives that mean possessing a quality or object 
|-
|جن
|adjective-forming suffix; having the quality of the noun e.g. چنجن [worm-eaten; stubbornly picky]
|-
|ين
|an adjective-forming suffix applied to nouns denoting a material
|-
|ور || an adjective forming suffix to show endowment/possession.
|-
|م
|forms ordinal number names from cardinals
|-
| ښت || this is affixed to adjectives (including verbal adjectives) to show a '''state of being''' 
|-
| ګلوي || this is affixed to nouns to form feminine concept/abstract nouns mostly to do with association e.g. پیژند ګلوي, پلار ګلوي etc.
|-
| والی|| this is affixed to nouns and adjectives to form masculine concept/abstract nouns. 
|-
| ولي || this is affixed to nouns and adjectives to form feminine concept/abstract nouns.
|-
| ځی|| this makes nouns denoting place of the action
|-
|نه|| this is the most common suffix used to makes nouns from verb. The new suffixed word has feminine gender.
|-
|ون|| less frequently used than نه. This also creates nouns from verbs
|-
|اک|| this is used to make only two nouns [خوراک and څښاک] denoting consumable noun. Like [[Japanese language|Japanese]] particle もの.
|-
|تون || used to create nouns of place. Meaning the "(main) place of" 
|-
|پال [masculine]<br /> پاله [feminine] || means someone is the cherisher/nourisher of the word attached. It is like Persian پرست but unlike پرست only used for agentive nouns not as an adjective.
|-
|پالنه || makes concept/abstract nouns showing the root's cherishing/fostering. Like Persian پرستي
|-
|واکي || makes nouns which signify "mastery of", "rule of" or "endowment with in quality" with the root word. Related to word واک [authority].
|-
|[[وال]] || makes nouns showing that noun is a resident of that place, is engaged in the activity indicated in the root word, possessor of the root word. Like English suffix "er", "or" and "ist".
|-
|واله
|makes nouns denoting owenership
|-
|ګر|| used to form an actor noun. Denoting maker, doer, worker etc. of the root.
|-
|چي || an agent-noun suffix borrowed from [[Ottoman Turkish language|Ottoman Turkish]]. Only used with borrowed words.
|-
|ګوټی || a diminutive suffix. Example مېز [table] – مېزګوټی [small table].
|-
|وزمه || suffix to indicate something is like/similar to the root word but not that word. Also used to denote shades of colour.
|-
|نی
|suffix affixed to words having to do with time and location
|-
|ی
|suffix affixed to place names to form a masculine noun living or found in that place
|-
|ۍ
|suffix affixed to place names to form a feminine noun living or found in that place
|-
|ګنۍ || suffix for nouns expressing kinship/relationships 
|-
|وړ [masculine]<br /> وړه [feminine] || this is used exactly as the English ''[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-able -able]''. Forms adjectives meaning fit/able to be done or suitable to.
|-
|يالی [masculine]<br /> يالۍ [feminine] || forms adjectives from nouns. The adjective shows a quality that can be possessed. 
|-
|غاړی [masculine] <br /> غاړې [feminine] || forms actor/agent nouns that have to do with an art/skill [example: لوبغاړی, سندرغاړی]. Also used to create adjective/nouns related to the throat [غاړه] such as بوږغاړی [harsh sounding]
|-
|چک || an adjectival suffix showing that the new word is "somewhat" like the root word. Similar to "ish" suffix in English.
|-
|ډله || this means group. It can be used as suffix to denote team, group, company etc.
|-
|هار || according to Z. A. Pashtoon: "suffix used to form onomatopoeic words indicating the repetition or intensification of a sound". according to H. G. Raverty: a suffix "affixed to nouns signifying sound of any kind, in forming the plural".
|}

A list of examples:
{| class="wikitable"
! !! '''Word''' !! '''English meaning''' !! '''Prefixed word''' !! '''English meaning'''
|-
| '''توب<br /> tob '''|| بربنډ
barbə́nḍ
| nude || بربنډتوب
barbənḍtób
| nudeness/nudity
|-
| '''تیا<br /> tyā '''|| روغ
roğh
| healthy ||روغتيا
roğhtyā́
| health
|-
| '''ي <br /> i'''|| ولس
(w)ulə́s
| nation || ولسي
(w) uləsí
| national
|-
| '''ي <br />i'''|| ترکاڼ
tarkā́ṇ
| carpenter || ترکاڼي
tarkāṇí
| carpentry 
|-
| '''يز/يزه <br /> iz/iza'''||لمر
lmar
| sun || لمريز
lmaríz <br />لمريزه

lmaríza
| solar
|-
| '''يز/يزه <br /> yiz/yiza'''||وټه
wáṭa
| economy || وټه ييز
waṭayíz<br />وټه ييزه

waṭayíza
| economic
|-
| '''من<br /> man '''||لانجه
lānjá
| problem || لانجمن
lānjamán

lānjamə́n
| problematic
|-
|'''جن'''
'''jən'''
|کرکه
krә́ka
|repugnance 
|کرکجن
krәkjә́n
|someone who is repugnant 
to something
|-
|'''ين'''
'''in'''
|زر
zar
|gold
|زرين
zarín
|golden
|-
|'''ور<br /> war'''||ګټه
gáṭa
| profit || ګټور
gaṭawár
| advantageous
|-
|'''م'''
'''am/əm'''
|اووه
uwə́
|seven
|اووم
uwə́m
|seventh
|-
| '''ښت<br /> əx̌t'''||جوړ
joṛ
| made/built || جوړښت
joṛə́x̌t
| structure
|-
| '''ګلوي<br /> galwi'''||پلار
plār
| father ||پلارګلوي
plār
| paternity
|-
| '''والی<br /> wālay'''||اوږد
uẓ̌d
| long ||اوږدوالی
uẓ̌dwā́lay
| length/height
|-
| '''ولي<br /> wali'''||ورور
wror
| brother ||ورورولي
wrorwalí
| brotherhood
|-
| '''ځی<br /> dzay'''||ښوول
x̌owə́l
| to teach || ښونځی
x̌owə́ndzay
| school
|-
| '''نه<br />əna'''||غوښتل
ğox̌tə́l
| to demand ||غوښتنه
ğox̌tə́na
| demand
|-
| '''ون<br /> un'''||بدلول
badlawə́l
| to change ||بدلون
badlún 
| change
|-
| '''اک <br /> āk'''||څښل
tsx̌ə́l<br />خوړل

xwaṛə́l
| to drink<br />to eat ||څښاک
tsx̌āk<br />خوراک

xwaṛā́k
|drink<br />food
|-
| '''تون<br /> tun'''||پوهنه
pohə́na
| knowledge||پوهنتون
pohəntún
|university 
|-
| '''پال/پاله <br /> pal/pāla'''||مېلمه
melmá
| guest ||مېلمه پال
melmapā́l<br />مېلمه پاله

melmapā́la
|host
|-
| '''پالنه<br /> pālana'''||مېلمه
melmá
|guest||مېلمه پالنه
melmapālə́na
|hospitality
|-
| '''واکي<br /> wāki'''||پلار
plār
| father||پلارواکي
plārwākí
|patriarchy 
|-
| '''وال<br /> wāl'''||ليک
lik
| writing||ليکوال
likwā́l
|writer
|-
|''واله'''
'''wālə'''
|غنم
ğhanə́m
|wheat
|غنم واله
ğhanəmwālə
|wheat-merchant
|-
| '''ګر<br /> gər'''||کوډه
kóḍa
| magic ||کوډګر
koḍgə́r

koḍgár
|magician
|-
| '''چي<br /> chi'''||توپ
top
| cannon||توپچي
topčí
|cannoneer
|-
| '''ګوټی<br /> goṭay'''||کتاب
kitā́b
| book||کتاب ګوټی
kitābgóṭay
|booklet
|-
| '''وزمه<br /> wazma'''||تور
tor
| black ||تور وزمه
torwázma
|blackish
|-
|'''نی'''
'''(a)náy'''
|کال
kāl
|year
|کالنی
kālanáy
|annual
|-
|'''ی'''
'''áy'''
|جاپان
jāpā́n
|Japan
|جاپانی
jāpānáy
|a Japanese male
|-
|'''ۍ'''
'''ə́i'''
|جاپان
jāpā́n
|Japan
|جاپانۍ
jāpānə́i
|a Japanese female
|-
| '''ګنۍ<br /> ganai'''||پلار
plār<br />مور

mor
| father<br />mother ||پلارګنۍ
plārganə́i<br />مورګنۍ

morganə́i
|paternal-family<br />maternal-family
|-
| '''وړ/وړه <br /> waṛ/waṛa'''||خندا
xandā́
| laughter||خنداوړ
xandāwáṛ<br />خنداوړه

xandāwáṛa
|laughable 
|-
| '''يالۍ /يالی <br /> yālay/yālə́i'''||ننګ
nang
| honor||ننګيالی
nangyāláy<br />ننګيالۍ

nangyālə́i
|honorable
|-
| '''غاړې /غاړی <br /> ğāṛay/ğāṛe'''||سندره
sandə́ra
| song||سندرغاړی
sandərğā́ṛay<br />سندرغاړې

sandərğā́ṛe
|singer
|-
| '''چک<br /> cak'''||سپين
spin
| white ||سپين چک
spinčák
|whitish 
|-
| '''ډله<br />ḍala'''||لوب
lob
| root word of<br /> play ||لوبډله
lobḍála
|team (sports)
|-
|'''هار<br />hār'''||پړک
pṛak
|slap/clap|| پړکهار
pṛakahā́r
|clapping/sounds of claps
|}

=== Creating new words ===

Other than the recognised words above; new words can be coined by speakers through these affixes

'''Example:'''
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" |Creating a new word process
|-
!Existing word
!Existing suffix
!New word
|-
|غو
ğo
|ييز
yíz
|غوييز
ğoyíz
|-
|sex
|adjective-forming suffix
|sexual
|}

== Infinitive ==
This is called Kaṛnúmay [کړنومی] in Pashto that is "the name of a verb".<ref name="neo">{{cite web |url=http://qamosona.com/G/index.php/term/,6f57b19b6154609c6d57ababa561.xhtml |title=Neologism Dictionary [M. A. Zeyar]}}</ref> It shows an infinite action or occurrence. It is used as a noun. It acquires the gender and number of a masculine plural noun.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ ''Formed'': Past Imperfective Stem + verbal ل (ә́l)
|-
! colspan="2" |Conjugation Class
!Past Imperfective Stem
!Infinitives
|-
! colspan=2 |1st
| {{fs interlinear|-کېد|ked-|become|}}
| {{fs interlinear|کېدل|kedә́l|{to become}|}}
|-
! colspan=2 |2nd
| {{fs interlinear|-ننوت|nənawat-|}}
| {{fs interlinear|ننوتل|nənawatә́l|{to enter}|}}
|-
! rowspan=2 |3rd
!Joined
| {{fs interlinear|-ښخو|x̌axaw-|{do bury}|}}
| {{fs interlinear|ښخول|x̌axawә́l|{to bury}|}}
|-
!Unjoined
| {{fs interlinear|{-سوچ کو}|{soč kaw-}|{do think}|}}
| {{fs interlinear|{سوچ کول}|{soč kawә́l}|{to think}|}}
|}

Example: وکړل [past perfective tense of the transitive verb کول – "to do"] shows agreement with masculine plural object that is the infinitive وهل.

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= هغوی په خپلو کښې وهل وکړل
|Hağúi pә xpә́lo ke wahә́l wә́kṛəl
|they:DIR:3:PL on:PREP own:OBL:M:PL on:POST to-beat:PST:CONT:3:M:PL do:PST:PRF:3:PL
|They have fought amongst themselves
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case}}

=== Double infinitives ===
These are formed by combining two infinitives<br />
– either by combining a simple infinitive with a prefixed infinitive.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Simple infinitive !! Prefixed infinitive !! Double infinitive
|-
| تلل [going] || راتلل [coming]|| تلل راتلل [coming and going]
|-
|ګرځېدل [to walk/walking] || راګرځېدل [to repass] || ګرځېدل راګرځېدل [walking about]
|}
<br />
– or by combining two simple infinitives:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Simple infinitive 1 !! Simple infinitive 2 !! Double infinitive
|-
|خوړل [eating] || څښل [drinking] || خوړل څښل [eating drinking] 
|-
|وهل [beating/hitting] || ټکول [knocking] || وهل ټکول [beating]
|}

== Verb ==
*Pashto has three [[Tense (grammar)|tenses]]: Past, present and future. 
*The future tense is the same as present tense with the exception of markers.
*Aspect: Pashto in every tense has [[perfective aspect]] [بشپړاړخ]<ref name="neo" /> and [[imperfective aspect]] [نابشپړاړخ]. The perfective aspect indicates completion of an action ''while'' the imperfective aspect indicates continuous or habitual action.
*Pashto verbs are of four categories: simple verbs, prefixed verbs, a-initial verbs and compound verbs. 
*Prefixed verbs, a-initial verbs and compound verbs are separable. 
*Pashto verbs can be [[Verb conjugation|conjugated]] by the bases they have.
*Present and imperative forms are formed on present bases. Past, optative, and infinitive forms are formed on past bases.
*Based on the stems they classed as either single stemmed, two stemmed or multiple stemmed
*Verbs agree in person and in number with either the objects or subjects of sentences, depending on tense and construction. 
*Agreement is indicated with verbal suffixes following the verb stem which indicate person and number.

== Verbs: categories ==

=== Simple verbs ===
They are in the morpheme state.

Examples:
{| class="wikitable"
! Infinitive !! Transliteration !! Meaning 
|-
!تلل
|tlə́l||to go
|-
!وتل 
|watə́l||to go out 
|-
!ګرځېدل
|gardzedə́l
|to walk
|-
!کول
|kawə́l
|to do
|-
!خوړل
|xwaṛә́l
|to eat
|}

=== Prefixed verbs ===
These are described below as doubly irregular.

They take the form of a derivational prefix plus a verb base.

==== Deictic prefixed verb ====
These correspond to the oblique pronominal and directionals clitics.
{| class="wikitable"
! Prefix !! Direction !! Example 
!Example meaning
|-
!را
rā
|towards 1st person||راتلل
rā tlә́l
|to come 
|-
!در
dər/dar 
|towards 2nd person||درتلل
dәr tlә́l 
|to go towards you
|-
!ور
wər/war
|towards 3rd person
|ورکول
wәr kawә́l
|to give
|}

==== Non-productive prefixed verbs ====
Like deictic prefixed these are subject to the same rules of stress movement to show perfective aspect, as well as to separation from the rest of the verb by negative morphemes and second-position clitics. But generally their meanings are not synchronically separable from the verbal lexeme of which they are a part of.
{| class="wikitable"
! Prefix !! Transliteration !! Example 
!Example meaning
|-
!کښې 
|kxe [Northern]
kṣ̌i [Southern]
|کښېوتل
kxewatә́l
|to drop into
|-
!کې 
|ke [Northern]
ki [Southern]
|کېښودل
kex̌awdә́l 
|to put
|-
!نن
|nəna
|ننوتل
nənawatә́l
|to enter
|-
!پورې
|pore
|پورې ايستل
pore istә́l
|to traverse
|-
!تېر
|ter
|تېروتل
terwatә́l
|to get mistaken
|-
!پرا
|prā
|پرانيستل
prānistә́l
|to open
|-
!پرې
|pre
|پرېوتل
prewatә́l
|to lie down
|}

Example: پرېکول – to cut. The prefix [پرې] is separated from the verb stem [کول] by a second position clitic [يې]

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= پرې يې کړه
|pré ye kṛá
|cut:VB:PREFIX:AOR it/he/she:3:WK cut:VB:AOR:IMP:SG
|Cut it
|abbreviations=WK: Weak Pronoun
PREFIX: Prefix}}

=== a-initial verbs ===
These begin with ا /a/; but they do not include compound verbs beginning with /a/.

Examples:
{| class="wikitable"
! Infinitive !! Transliteration !! Meaning 
|-
!اڼول
|aṇawə́l||to gather
|-
!استول 
|astawə́l||to send 
|-
!اخيستل
|axistə́l
|to buy
|}

Their syntactic behaviour resembles that of prefixed verbs: the initial /a/ can separate from the rest of the verb as though it were a prefix. Unlike prefixed verbs, a-initial verbs differ in that

they take the prefix و  /wə́/ for perfective forms.

{{fs interlinear|number=ex:|وا مې خيستل|wā́ me xistəl|buy:AOR I:SG:WK buy:PST:3PL:M|I bought them|abbreviations=WK: Weak Pronoun
PREFIX: Prefix}}

Unlike all the verbs; they are unusual, in that their stress is variable in the imperfective aspect: it can be either be initial or non-initial. Other verbs can not have initial stress. When the /a/ is separated from the rest of the verb in the imperfective aspect it has initial stress.

<u>'''Example: initial stress'''</u>

{{fs interlinear|number=ex:|ا مې خيستل|á me xistəl|buy:CONT I:SG:WK buy:PST:3PL:M|I was buying them|abbreviations=WK: Weak Pronoun
PREFIX: Prefix}}'''<u>Example: non-initial stress</u>'''

{{fs interlinear|number=ex:|اخيستل مې|axistə́l me|buy:CONT:PST:3PL:M I:SG:WK|I was buying them|abbreviations=WK: Weak Pronoun
PREFIX: Prefix}}

===Compound verbs===
There are two categories of compound verbs. There are also some exceptions to these.

====First category====
These are formed by adding ول [-wә́l] and ېدل [edә́l] verbal-suffixes to nouns, adjectives or adverbs. The attaching noun, adjective and adverb should not end in a vowel.

Example:
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" | Word !! Verb formed 
|-
! rowspan="2" |ښخ
x̌ax 
|adjective, singular, mas
|ښخول
x̌awә́l
|-
|buried
|to bury
|}

===== Exceptions =====
There are also exceptions to this category. Example: سوچ کول etc.
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" | Word !! Verb formed 
|-
! rowspan="2" |سوچ
soč 
|noun, singular masculine
|سوچ کول
soč kawә́l
|-
|though
|to think
|}

====Second category====
These are formed adding auxiliary verbs کول and کېدل to the noun and adjectives. The attaching noun and adjective end in a vowel.

Examples:
 {| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" | Word !! Verb formed 
|-
! rowspan="2" |ښايسته 
x̌āistá 
|adjective, feminine, class 4
|ښايسته کول 
x̌āista kawә́l
|-
|pretty
|to make pretty
|-
! rowspan="2" |ستړی
stә́ṛay
|noun,  sing. masc., class 3
|ستړی کول
stəṛay kawә́l
|-
|tired
|to tire
|}

== Verbs: conjugation classes ==
These can be divided in reference to the verb categories as above:<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2}}</ref>

* '''First Conjugation Class''': Simple Verbs and A-Initial Verbs
* '''Second Conjugation Class''': Prefixed Verbs
* '''Third Conjugation Class''': Compound Verbs

== Verbs:  bases ==
Pashto verb bases are formed according to the tense (present/past) and aspect (perfective/imperfective) of a verb.<ref name=":1" />

'''Aspect'''

The perfective aspect is indicated by the stressed prefix و /wә́/ or in the case of complex verbs [prefixed verbs, a-initial and compound verbs] by stress on the prefix or complement. The imperfective aspect  is indicated by the absence of و /wə/ or stress on the verb itself rather than the prefix or complement.<ref name=":1" />

'''Tense'''

The present tense either by the absence of this suffix (transitives), or by the suffix ېږ  /ég/ (intransitives).<ref name=":1" />

For single stem verbs: the past tenses is indicated by either the suffix ل /ə́l/ (for transitive verbs) or ېد /ed(ə́l)/ (for intransitives).

For two or more stemmed verbs:  the past tense is indicated by stem allomorphy.

'''Bases'''

Therefore, the following four-fold-method to differentianate of bases:

1. present perfective

2. present imperfective

3. past perfective

4. past impefective

'''Inflection'''

In order to make fully inflected verbs, you add either of the following to these bases:<ref name=":1" />

* a verbal suffix
* an imperative or optative suffix, '''or'''
* an adjectival suffix (to form a participle)

==Verbs:  Single Stems==
These are referred to as Weak Verbs by Anna Boyle.<ref name=":1" />
These have one stem. From this single stem from all four bases are predictable.

=== First Conjugation Class ===
==== Transitive====
Here is  an example first conjugation class transitive verb: "to tie"
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="3" | Verb
! rowspan="3" | Stem
! colspan="2" |Present
! colspan="2" |Past
|-
!Perfective 
! Imperfective
! Perfective!! Imperfective 
|-
| rowspan="2" | -وتړ<br />wә́  taṛ-
| rowspan="2" | -تړ<br />taṛ-
| rowspan="2" | -وتړل
wә́ taṛ әl-
| rowspan="2" | -تړل
taṛә́l-
|-
|تړل
taṛә́l 
!تړ
taṛ
|}
'''Notes:'''

* present imperfective base = stem
* present perfective base: و  /wә́/ + stem
* past imperfective base: stem+ ل /ə́l/ (suffix obligatory)
* past perfective base: و  /wә́/ + stem+ ل /əl/(suffix obligatory)

==== Intransitive ====
Here is  an example first conjugation class intransitive verb: "to reach"
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="3" |Verb
! rowspan="3" |Stem
! colspan="2" |Present
! colspan="2" |Past
|-
!Perfective
!Imperfective
! Perfective
!Imperfective
|-
| rowspan="2" | -ورسېږ<br /> wә́  raseẓ̌- 
| rowspan="2" | -رسېږ<br /> raseẓ̌-|| rowspan="2" | -(ورسېد(ل<br />wә́ rased(ә́l)- || rowspan="2" | -(رسېد(ل<br />rásed-
|-
|رسېدل<br /> rasedә́l
!رس
ras
|}
'''Notes:'''

* present imperfective base: stem+ ېږ /eg/
* present perfective base: و  /wә́/ + stem+ ېږ /eg/
* past imperfective base: stem + ېد /ed/ (+ ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)
* past perfective base:  و  /wә́/ + stem + ېد /ed/( + ل /əl/— prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)

=== Second Conjugation Class ===
In the second conjugation, perfectives are formed by a shift of stress to the existing prefix, rather than the addition of the و  /wә́/ prefix.

Here is  an example first conjugation class transitive verb: "to bring (to speaker)"
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="3" |Verb
! rowspan="3" | Stem
! colspan="2" |Present
! colspan="2" |Past
|-
!Perfective 
! Imperfective
! Perfective!! Imperfective 
|-
| rowspan="2" | -راوړ
rā́ wṛ-
| rowspan="2" | -راوړ
rā wṛ-
| rowspan="2" | -راوړل
rā́ wṛә́l-
| rowspan="2" | -راوړل
rā wṛә́l-
|-
|راوړل 
rāwṛә́l 
!راوړ
rā wṛ
|}

'''Notes:'''

* present imperfective base = stem
* present perfective base: stressed prefix + stem
* past imperfective base: prefix + stem+ ل /ə́l/(suffix obligatory)
* past perfective base: stressed prefix + stem+ ل /ə́l/(suffix obligatory)

==Verbs:  Two  Stems==
These are referred to as Strong Verbs by Anna Boyle<ref name=":1" />

These have two stems:  present stem and a past stem.

=== First Conjugation Class ===
The stems can either share initial sounds as in example:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ a) where ل is replaced by ن in the present tense:
! rowspan="2" | Verb
! rowspan="2" | Present Stem
! colspan="2" |Present
! rowspan="2" |Past Stem
! colspan="2" |Past
|-
! Perfective
! Imperfective
! Perfective
! Imperfect
|-
|وژل <br /> wažә́l 
! وژن
wažən
| -و وژن<br /> wә́ wažən-|| -وژن<br /> wažən- 
!وژ

waž
| -(و وژ(ل <br />wә́ waž(əl)- || -(وژ(ل <br />waž(ә́l)-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ b) where و is added in the middle in the present tense:
! rowspan="2" | Verb
! rowspan="2" | Present Stem
! colspan="2" |Present
! rowspan="2" |Past Stem
! colspan="2" |Past
|-
! Perfective
! Imperfective
! Perfective
! Imperfect
|-
|بلل <br /> balә́l 
! بول 
bol
| -و بول<br /> wә́ bol-|| -بول<br /> bol- 
!بل
bal
| -(و بل(ل <br />wә́ baləl-|| -(بل(ل <br />bal(ә́l)-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ c) The verb ختل [to climb]:
! rowspan="2" | Verb
! rowspan="2" | Present Stem
! colspan="2" |Present
! rowspan="2" |Past Stem
! colspan="2" |Past
|-
! Perfective
! Imperfective
! Perfective
! Imperfect
|-
|ختل<br /> xatә́l 
! خېژ<br /> xež
| -و خېژ<br /> wә́ xež-|| -خېژ<br /> xež- 
!خت
xat

[or خوت xot]
| -(و خت(ل <br />wә́ xat(əl)-|| -(خت(ل <br />xat(ә́l)-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ d) where دل is dropped in the present tense:
! rowspan="2" | Verb
! rowspan="2" | Present Stem
! colspan="2" |Present
! rowspan="2" |Past Stem
! colspan="2" |Past
|-
! Perfective
! Imperfective
! Perfective
! Imperfect
|-
|پېژندل <br /> pežandә́l 
! پېژن <br /> pežan
| -و پېژن<br /> wә́ pežan-|| -پېژن <br /> pežan- 
!پېژند <br />pežand
| -(و پېژند(ل <br />wә́ pežand(əl)-|| -(پېژند(ل <br />pežand(ә́l)-
|-
|اوبدل <br /> obdә́l
! اوب <br /> ob 
| -و اوب<br />wә́ ob-||-اوب <br /> ob- 
!اوبد 
obd
|<nowiki>-(و اوبد(ل</nowiki><br /> wә́ ob(əl)- || -(اوبد(ل <br />obd(ә́l)-
|}
Or they can be  share no similar sounds

Example: the verb لیدل [to see]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" | Verb
! rowspan="2" | Present Stem
! colspan="2" |Present
! rowspan="2" |Past Stem
! colspan="2" |Past
|-
! Perfective
! Imperfective
! Perfective
! Imperfect
|-
|لیدل
lidә́l 
! وین <br /> win
| -ووین 
wә́ win-
| -وین 
win- 
!لید
lid
| -(ولید(ل 
wә́ lid(əl)-
| -(لید(ل 
lid(ә́l)-
|}

In either case the same rules apply, as noted by Anna Boyle:<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zGGSzQEACAAJ&q=pashto%20grammar|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2013-12-16|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=978-1-61451-233-2}}</ref>

'''Notes:'''
* present imperfective base = present stem
* present perfective base: و  /wә́/ + present stem
* past imperfective base: past stem (+ ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)
* past perfective base: و  /wә́/ + past stem(+ ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)

=== Second Conjugation Class ===
As above, in  the second conjugation, perfectives are formed by a shift of stress to the existing prefix, rather than the addition of the و  /wә́/ prefix. 
	
Example one: the verb پرېښودل  [to leave]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" | Verb
! rowspan="2" | Present Stem
! rowspan="2" |Past Stem
! colspan="2" |Present
! colspan="2" |Past
|-
! Perfective
! Imperfective
! Perfective
! Imperfective
|-
|پرېښودل <br /> prex̌odә́l
! پرېږد <br /> preẓ̌d 
! پرېښود  <br /> prex̌od
| -پرېږد<br /> pré ẓ̌d-||-پرېږد <br /> pre ẓ̌d- || -(پرېښود(ل <br />pré x̌od(əl)- || -(پرېښود(ل <br />pre x̌od(ә́l)-
|}
'''Notes:'''<ref name=":3"/>
* present imperfective base = present stem
* present perfective base: stressed prefix + present stem
* past imperfective base: prefix + past stem (+ ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc.; optional elsewhere)
* past perfective base: stressed prefix + past stem(+ ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)

==Verbs: Multiple Stems==

These are referred to as Strong Verbs by Anna Boyle.<ref name=":1" />

These are verbs whose imperfective and perfective stems differ as well as their present and past stems. The difference between perfective and imperfective is carried by stress; in perfective the stress is on the first part of the verb whereas in imperfective the stress is on the last syllables.

These examples have been taken from Anna Boyle, pages 219–224 with the tables rearranged:<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|pages=219–224}}</ref>

Examples:

Observation:  either three stemmed [ږد, کېږد, کېښود] or four stemmed [یښود ږد, کېږد, کېښود] 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" | Verb
! rowspan="2" | Meaning
! colspan="2" |Present
! colspan="2" |Past
|-
! Perfective
! Imperfectiv
! Perfective
! Imperfective
|-
|یښودل <br /> ix̌odә́l|| to put || -کېږد<br /> kéẓ̌d-|| -ږد <br /> ẓ̌d- || -(کېښود(ل <br />kéx̌od(əl)- || -(کېښود(ل <br />kex̌od(ә́l)-
-(یښود(ل <br />ix̌od(ә́l)-
|}

Observation: Four stems 
 		
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" | Verb	
! rowspan="2" | Meaning	
! colspan="2" |Present
! colspan="2" |Past	
|-
! Perfective
! Imperfective	
! Perfective	
! Imperfective
|-
|بېول<br /> bewә́l	
بوول
bowә́l
| to take [to a place]
to lead away
| -بوځ<br /> bódz-|| -بياي<br /> byāy- || -(بوتل(ل <br />bótl(əl)-|| -(بېو(ل<br />bew(ә́l)-
or
-(بوو(ل<br />bow(ә́l)-
|}
 
Observation: Four Stems
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" | Verb	
! rowspan="2" | Meaning	
! colspan="2" |Present
! colspan="2" |Past	
|-
! Perfective
! Imperfective	
! Perfective	
! Imperfective
|-
|تلل<br />tlә́l
| to go
| -و)لاړش) <br /> (w)lā́ṛ š‑-|| -ځ 
dz- 
| -و)لاړل) 
(w)lā́ṛəl‑
| -(تل(ل <br />tl(ә́l)-
|}

Observation: This example contains locative prefixes را,در,ور  
 		
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" | Verb
! rowspan="2" |Meaning
! colspan="2" |Present
! colspan="2" |Past
|-
! Perfective
!Imperfective
!Perfective
!Imperfective
|-
|راتلل<br /> rā tlә́l|| to come (towards 1st person)|| -راش<br /> rā́ sh-|| -راځ<br /> rā dz- || -(راغ(ل <br />rā́ ğ(l)-|| -(راتل(ل <br />rā tl(ә́l)-
|-
|درتلل<br /> dar tlә́l	
|to go (towards 2nd person
| -درش<br /> dә́r sh-
| -درځ<br /> dәr dz-
| -(درغ(ل <br />dә́r ğ(l)-
| -(درتل(ل <br />dәr tl(ә́l)-
|-
|ورتلل<br /> war tlә́l	
|to go (towards 3rd person)	
| -ورش<br /> wә́r sh-
| -ورځ<br /> wәr dz-
| -(ورغ(ل <br />wә́r ğ(l)-
| -(ورتل(ل <br />wәr tl(ә́l)-
|}

Observation:Three stems:وړ [wṛ] for imperfective and یوس + یووړ for the perfectives . Note – Prefixed وړل /wṛә́l/ 'to carry', use its weak stem [as illustrated with پرېوتل above]
 		
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" | Verb
! rowspan="2" | Meaning
! colspan="2" |Present
! colspan="2" |Past
|-
! Perfective
! Imperfective
! Perfective
! Imperfective
|-
|وړل<br />wṛә́l|| to carry|| -یوس<br />yós-|| -وړ<br />wṛ- || -(یووړ(ل <br />yówṛ(әl)-|| -(وړ(ل <br />wṛ(ә́l)-
|}
 
'''Notes:<ref name=":4" />'''

• Present imperfective base = (present) imperfective stem	

• Present perfective base: initial-stressed present perfective stem	

• Past imperfective base: (past continuous) stem+ (ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)

• Past perfective base: initial-stressed past perfective stem + (ل /ə́l/—prohibited in 3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)

=== کول and کېدل ===
Here there use as main verbs are alluded to.
To the verb – to do: The brackete [ṛ] in the present perfective base of کول /kawә́l/ 'to do' indicates that it sometimes is not pronounced in speech<ref name=":5">{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=219}}</ref>

'''Important''': Here there use as main verbs are alluded to - when کول and کېدل are used as verbalizers, their perfective forms are not formed with the first conjugation prefix و  /wә́/, but are irregular.<ref name=":5" />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="4" | کول
kawә́l
! rowspan="2" |
 
! colspan="2" |Imperfective	
! colspan="2" |Perfective
|-
! Stem
! Base	
! Stem	
! Base	
|-
!Present
| rowspan="2" |کو
 	
kaw
 	
| -کو 
 	
kaw- ́	
|کړ	
k[ṛ]
| -وکړ	
wə́ k[ṛ]‑
|-
! Past
 
| -(کو(ل	
kaw(ə́l)- 
 	
| کړ
kṛ
| -(وکړ(ل	
wə́ kṛ(əl)-	
|}
 	
To the verb – to become	
 		
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="4" | کېدل	
kedә́l
 	
! rowspan="2" |
 	
! colspan="2" |Imperfective	
! colspan="2" |Perfective	
|-
! Stem
! Base
! Stem
! Base
|-
!Present	
|کېږ	
kéẓ̌
| -کېږ
kéẓ̌-	
|ش	
š
 
| -وش	
wə́ š‑
|-
! Past
 	
|کېد	
ked	
| -(کېد(ل	
ked(ə́l)-	 
| شو	
šw
| -(و)شو(ل)
wə́ šw(əl)-
|}
 
'''Notes'''<ref>{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wS7nBQAAQBAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects|date=2013-12-12|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=978-1-61451-231-8|page=220}}</ref>''':'''

• Present imperfective base = (present) imperfective stem

• Present perfective base:  و  /wә́/ + present perfective stem

• Past imperfective base: (past continuous) stem+ ( ل /ə́l/—prohibited in  3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)

• Past perfective base: و  /wә́/ + past perfective stem + ( ل  /‑ə́l-/—prohibited in  3rd Person Sing. Masc; optional elsewhere)

== Verbs: aspect ==
Pashto in every tense has an [[Grammatical aspect|aspect]]: [[perfective aspect]] [بشپړاړخ] and [[imperfective aspect]] [نابشپړاړخ]. The perfective aspect indicates completion or termination of an action. The imperfective aspect indicates continuity of an action or the habitual nature of the action.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | Present 
! colspan="2" | Past
|-
! style="border-right;" |<small>Perfective</small>
! style="border-left;" |<small>Imperfective</small>
! style="border-right;" |<small>Perfective</small> 
! style="border-left;" |<small>Imperfective</small>
|-
! Verb – خوړل [to eat]
| style="border-right: " |زه ډوډۍ '''وخورم''' نو بيا به راشم<br/>[Once] I eat food then i'll come
| style="border-left: " | زه ډوډۍ '''خورم'''<br/>I am eating
| style="border-right: " |ما ډوډۍ '''وخوړه'''<br/>I ate food
| style="border-left: " | ما ډوډۍ '''خوړه''' چې هغۀ راغلو<br/>I was eating when he came
|-
!Nuanance 
|Completing the action [to eat]
in the present moment
|Continuing the action [to eat]
in the present moment
|Completion of the action [to eat] 
in the past
|Continuity of the action [to eat]
in the past
|}

=== Stress ===
{{See also|Pashto phonology}}
In both aspects the [[Stress (linguistics)|stress [خج]]] is applied to the verb. In perfective, the stress is applied to the initial part of the verb, while in the imperfective it is generally applied to the final part of the verb.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ullah|first=Noor|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KToHywAACAAJ&q=pashto+grammar|title=Pashto Grammar|year=2011|isbn=978-1-4567-8007-4|page=11}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | Aspect 
|-
! style="border-right;" |<small>Perfective</small>
! style="border-left;" |<small>Imperfective</small>
|-
! Example: Wah'''ə́'''l [to beat]
| style="border-right: none;" |ما ډوکړه '''و'''وهله 
| style="border-left: none;" | زه ډوکړه و'''هم''' 
|-
!Transliteration 
|Mā ḍukṛá '''wə́'''-wahəla
|Zə ḍukṛá wah'''ə́m'''
|-
!Stress notes
|Stress shifts to the prefix w'''ə́'''
|Stress to the final verbal suffix '''ə́'''m
|-
!Literal meaning
|I [pronoun oblique case] small-drum [female-singular noun] beat [feminine 3rd person past tense]
|I [pronoun direct case] small-drum [female-singular noun] am-beating [1st person present tense]
|-
!English Equivalent
|I played the small-drum.
|I am playing the small drum
|}

==== First conjugation ====
First conjugation verbs, e.g. وهل as above, can be recognised by perfective form, which begin with the prefix و /'''wə́'''/, which carries an inherent stress. In '''a-initial''' verbs, the perfecive prefix و  /'''wə́'''/ coalesces with the /'''a'''/ to form a prefix وا /'''wā́'''/.
<ref name=":3" />
Example:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" |	
! colspan="2" | Aspect 
|-
! style="border-right;" |<small>Perfective</small>
! style="border-left;" |<small>Imperfective</small>
|-
! Example: Wah'''ə́'''l [to beat]
| style="border-right: none;" |ما پانګه '''وا'''چوله 
| style="border-left: none;" | زه پانګه اچو'''م''' 
|-
!Transliteration
|Mā  pā́nga '''wā́'''cawə́la
|Zə pā́nga acaw'''ə́m'''
|-
!Stress notes
|Stress shifts to the prefix w'''ā́'''
|Stress to the final verbal suffix '''ə́'''m
|-
!Literal meaning
|I [pronoun oblique case] capital [female-singular noun] pour [feminine 3rd person past tense]	
|I [pronoun direct case] capital [female-singular noun] pour [1st person present tense]
|-
!English Equivalent
|I investeded
|I am investing	
|}

==== Second conjugation ====
These are referred to as prefixed verbs aboves: all of the form prefix + stem. These behave morphosyntactically: they undergo stress shift to form the perfectived, and they can be separated from the stem by a second-position clitic or the negative morpheme.<ref name=":3" />
{{Listen|filename=Ps-stress-perfective-impperfective.wav|title=کښېناستم - Stress to Distinguish Aspect|description=First pronunciation: imperfective aspect with final stress [ә́m],
 Second pronunciation: perfective aspect with initial stress on prefix [ké]|format=[[Wav]]}}

Example:
 	
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" |	
! colspan="2" | Aspect 	
|-
! style="border-right;" |<small>Perfective</small>
! style="border-left;" |<small>Imperfective</small>
|-
! Example: K['''x̌]'''enɑstə́l [to sit]	
| style="border-right: none;" |کښېناستم 	
| style="border-left: none;" | کښېناستم 	
|-
!Transliteration 
|'''ké'''nɑstəm
|kenɑst'''ə́m'''
|-	
!Stress notes	
|Stress shifts to the prefix  k'''é'''	
|Stress to the final verbal suffix '''ə́'''m	
|-	
!Literal meaning	
|sit [1st person past tense]	
|sit [1st person past tense]	
|-
!English Equivalent
|I sat down
|I was sitting down	
|}

==== Third conjugation ====
These are called compound verbs above – those with adjective complements and noun complements + forms of کول /kawə́l/ or کېدل /kedə́l/. Here the perfective is formed by:<ref name=":3" />
 
* shifting stress from the verbalizer to the noun or adjective complement, according to the lexical stress of noun or adjective	
* using the irregular perfective forms of the verbalizer (rather than the forms with و  /wə́/).
	
Many third conjugation verbs are contracted in the imperfective aspect, in perfective constructions, the complement is always separate from the verbalizer.
 
Example 1:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" |	
! colspan="2" | Aspect 
|-
! style="border-right;" |<small>Perfective</small>
! style="border-left;" |<small>Imperfective</small>
|-
! Transitive: Joṛ-awə́l [to make]
| style="border-right: none;" |ډوډۍ مې جوړه کړه 	
| style="border-left: none;" | ډوډۍ جوړو'''م''' 	
|-	
!Transliteration 	
|ḍoḍə́i me '''jó'''ṛa kṛa	
|ḍoḍə́i joṛaw'''ə́m'''
|-	
!Stress notes	
|Stress shifts to the adjective element j'''ó'''ṛa	
|Stress to the verb element in '''ə́'''m	
|-	
!Literal meaning	
|food/bread [feminine noun] I [1st person sing. weak pronoun] made [singular feminine adjective] do [3rd person sing. fem. past tense] 	
|food/bread [feminine noun] make [1st person present tense]	
|-	
!English Equivalent	
|I made food
|I am making food	
|}
 	
Example 2:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | Aspect 
!Note 	
|-	
! style="border-right;" |<small>Perfective</small>	
! style="border-left;" |<small>Imperfective</small>	
| rowspan="6" |'''<big>The verbal suffix ېږ [éẓ̌] is stressed in the imperfective.</big>'''
Due to this the final syllable ي[i] in our example is not stressed.	

Compare the past imperfective sentence	

''کور جوړېده'' 	

kor joṛedə́ 	

''The house was getting made''		

Here the normal rules of aspect-stress are followed with the final syllable '''də́''' being stressed.	
|-	
! Intransitive: Joṛ-edə́l [to get made]	
| style="border-right: none;" |کور جوړ شه 
| style="border-left: none;" | کور جوړېږي 	
|-
!Transliteration 	
|kor '''jó'''ṛ šə	
|kor joṛ'''éẓ̌i'''	
|-	
!Stress notes	
|Stress shifts to the adjective element  j'''ó'''ṛ
|Stress to the verbal element in '''é'''ẓ̌i
|-	
!Literal meaning	
|house [masc. sing. noun]  made [singular masc. adjective] do [3rd person sing. masc. past tense] 	
|house [masc. sing. noun] make [1st person present tense]	
|-	
!English Equivalent
|The house got made
|The house is getting made
|}

==Verbs: verbal suffixes==
Pashto utilises verbal suffixes [د کړ تاړي].

===Personal suffixes ===
Verbal suffixes in Pashto denote [[Grammatical person|person]], [[Grammatical gender|gender]] and [[Grammatical number|number]].<ref name=":0" /> 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! Number
! Person
! Gender
! Verbal suffix 
! Dialect variation
|-
! rowspan="6" |Singular
! rowspan="2" | 1st person
!
|م<br />əm
|
|-
! Feminine
| مه<br />əma
|
|-
! 2nd person
!
| ې<br />e
|
|-
! 3rd person present
!
|ي<br />i
|
|-
! rowspan="2" |3rd person past
! Masculine
| verb stem only [no suffix]<br/>''or''<br/>ۀ / ه <br />ə
| و <br />o – in  Peshawar Dialect<br/>'''''See below'''''
|-
! Feminine
| ه<br />a
|
|-
! rowspan="6" | Plural
! 1st person
!
| و<br />u
| ي<br />i – in Wazirwola and Dzadrani
|-
! 2nd person
!
| ئ<br />əɪ
|است<br /> āst – in South Western
|-
! 3rd person present
!
|ي<br />i
|
|-
! rowspan="2" |3rd person past
! Masculine
| ل<br />əl
|
|-
! Feminine
| ې<br />e
|
|}
It is easy to demonstrate these in with intransitive verbs in the imperfective.

====Present imperfective tense====
Gəḍéẓ̌ is the present imperfective stem of the verb ''gaḍedəl'' [to dance]. 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! Number
! Person
! Verbal suffix
! Example 
! Translation
|-
! rowspan="3" |Singular
! 1st person
| م<br />əm || زه ګډېږم<br />Zə gaḍéẓ̌əm||I am dancing
|-
! 2nd person
| ې<br />e || ته ګډېږې<br />Tə gaḍéẓ̌ē||You are dancing
|-
! 3rd person
| ي<br />i || دی/دا ګډېږي<br />Day/Dā gaḍéẓ̌i||He/She is dancing
|-
! rowspan="3" |Plural
! 1st person
| و<br />ū || موږ ګډېږو<br />Muẓ̌ gaḍéẓ̌u|| We are dancing
|-
! 2nd person
| ئ<br />ai || تاسو ګډېږئ<br /> Tā́so gaḍéẓ̌ai|| You are dancing
|-
! 3rd person
| ي<br />i || دوی/هغوی ګډېږي<br />Dúi/Hağúi gaḍéẓ̌i||They are dancing
|}

====Past imperfective tense====
Gəḍēd is the past stem of the verb ''gaḍēdəl'' [to dance].
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! Number
! Person
! Gender
! Verbal suffix 
! Example 
! Translation
|-
! rowspan="4" |Singular
! 1st person 
!
|م<br />əm|| زه ګډېدم<br />Zə gaḍedә́m||I was dancing
|-
! 2nd person
!
| ې<br />e || تۀ ګډېدې<br />Tə gaḍedé||You were dancing
|-
! rowspan="2" |3rd person
! Masculine
| ۀ <br />ə || دی ګډېدۀ<br />Day gaḍedә́ ||He was dancing
|-
! Feminine
| ه<br />a|| دا ګډېده<br />Dā gaḍedá ||She was dancing
|-
! rowspan="4" | Plural
! 1st person
!
| و<br />u || موږ ګډېدو<br />Muẓ̌ gaḍedú|| We were dancing
|-
! 2nd person
!
| ئ<br />әi || تاسو ګډېدئ<br /> Tā́so gaḍedә́i|| Your were dancing
|-
! rowspan="2" |3rd person
!
| ل<br />əl|| دوی/هغوی ګډېدل<br />Dúi/Hağúi gaḍedә́l||They were dancing
|-
! Feminine
| ې<br />e|| دوی/هغوی ګډېدې<br />Dúi/Hağúi gaḍedé||They were dancing
|}

'''Note:''' In the plural the 3rd person past masculine can denote both genders when talking about a group. While in the plural the 3rd person past feminine is only used when talking about a group of individuals classed in the female gender.

''Example:''

* هغوی ګډېدل [They were dancing] – can imply only males dancing or both males and females dancing
* هغوی ګډېدې [They were dancing] – implies only women were dancing. It can also be used for transgenders [ايجړاګان] by itself. But you can not say ايجړاګان ګډېدې since ايجړا is a masculine noun so one would use ايجړاګان ګډېدل.

=== 3rd Person Past Singular Masculine ===
Generally ه [ə] or  no-stem suffix is employed. But sometimes  ئ [əi] is found also.
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="5" |PAST – 3rd Person  Singular Masculine
|-
!Morphology 
!Verb
!Verbal Suffix employed
!Imperfective
!Perfective
|-
| rowspan="6" |وتل-
-watəl
|الوتل 
alwatә́l

to fly
! rowspan="6" |'''none'''
|الوت
alwát
|والوت
wā́lwat
|-
|پرېوتل
prewatә́l

to fall
|پرېووت
prewót
|پرېووت
préwot
|-
|پوري وتل
pori watә́l

to cross
|پوري ووت
pori wót
|پوري ووت
póri wot
|-
|ننوتل
nənawatә́l

to enter
|ننوت
nənawát
|ننوت
nә́nawat
|-
|وتل
watә́l

to go out
|وت
wát

wót
|ووت
wә́wat

wә́wot
|-
|تېروتل
terwatә́l

to be mistaken
|تېروت
terwát
|تېروت
térwat
|-
| rowspan="3" |تلل-
-tləl
|راتلل<br />rā tlә́l

to come
! rowspan="3" |ئ
əi
|راغئ
rāğә́i
|راغئ
rā́ğəi
|-
|درتلل<br />dar tlә́l
to go

[towards 2nd person]
|درغئ
darğә́i
|درغئ
dárğәi
|-
|ورتلل<br />war tlә́l
[towards 3rd person]
|ورغئ
warğә́i
|ورغئ
wárğəi
|-
| rowspan="5" |
|اروېدل
to hear
! rowspan="5" |ۀ
ə
|اروېده
arwedә́
|وروېده
wárweda
|-
|ایشېدل
to boil
|ایشېده
išedә́
|وایشېده
wә́ išedә́
|-
|برېښېدل
to shine/appear
|برېښېده
brex̌dә́
|وبرېښېده
wә́ brex̌də
|-
|درومېدل
to march
|درومېده
drumedә́
|ودرومېده
wә́ drumedə
|-
|زېږېدل
to be born
|زېږېده
zeẓ̌edә́
|وزېږېده
wә́ zeẓ̌edə
|}

==== Plural suffix of وتل watəl ====
With وتل the plural suffix ل(əl) is not used instead:
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="4" |PAST – 3rd Person  Singular Masculine
! rowspan="2" |Change
! colspan="2" |PAST – 3rd Person  Plural Masculine
|-
!Verb
!Verbal Suffix employed
!Imperfective
!Perfective
!Imperfective
!Perfective
|-
|الوتل 
alwatә́l

to fly
! rowspan="6" |'''none'''
|الوت
alwát
|والوت
wā́lwat
! rowspan="6" |ووت← واتۀ
wot → wātə
|الوته
alwātә́
|والواته
wā́lwātə
|-
|پرېوتل
prewatә́l

to fall
|پرېووت
prewót
|پرېووت
préwot
|پرېواته
prewātә́
|پرېواته
préwātә́
|-
|پوري وتل
pori watә́l

to cross
|پوري ووت
pori wót
|پوري ووت
póri wot
|پوري واته
pori wātә́
|پوري واته
póri wātə
|-
|ننوتل
nənawatә́l

to enter
|ننوت
nənawát
|ننوت
nә́nawat
|ننواته
nənawātә́
|ننواته
nә́nawātə
|-
|وتل
watә́l

to go out
|وت
wát

wót
|ووت
wә́wat

wә́wot
|واته
wātә́
|وواته
wә́wātə
|-
|تېروتل
terwatә́l

to be mistaken
|تېروت
terwát
|تېروت
térwat
|تېرواته
terwātә́
|تېرواته
térwātә́
|}

== Verbs: agreement ==
=== Intransitive verbs ===
As can be seen from the intransitive verb above [ګډېدل] – the verb agrees with the [[Subject (grammar)|subject]].

=== Agreement – transitive verbs ===

* [[Ergative case|Ergative]] construction is used in the past tense of [[transitive verb]]s: the predicate [verb] agrees in person, number and gender with the [[Object (grammar)|object]]. The [[Subject (grammar)|subject]] changes to into the oblique case.
* In the present tense the transitive verb agrees with the subject: in person, number and gender.

Example 1: خوړل – transitive verb – to eat
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" |Past
|-
!Verb
!Object
!Subject
|-
|وخړه / وخړله
wә́xwṛa / wә́xwṛәla
|دوډۍ
ḍoḍә́i
|سړي
saṛí
|-
|eat
|food
|man
|-
|past perfective stem – with
3rd person singular '''feminine''' verbal suffix
|noun – singular, '''feminine''', direct case
|noun – singular, masculine, '''oblique''' case
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; |The man ate the food
|}
Compare: 
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" |Present
|-
!Verb
!Object
!Subject
|-
|خوري
xwrí
|دوډۍ
ḍoḍә́i
|سړی
saṛáy
|-
|eat
|food
|man
|-
|present imperfective stem – with
3rd person singular '''masculine''' verbal suffix
|noun – singular, feminine, direct case
|noun – singular, '''masculine''', '''direct''' case
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; |The man is eating the food
|}
Example 2: اغوستل – transitive verb – to put on/dress
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" |Past
|-
!Verb
!Object
!Subject
|-
|واغوستې
wā́ğoste
|جامې
jāmé
|ما
mā
|-
|wear
|clothes
|I
|-
|past perfective stem – with
3rd person '''plural''' '''feminine''' verbal suffix
|noun – '''plural feminine''' direct case
|noun – singular, '''oblique''' case
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; |I wore the clothes
|}
Compare:
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" |Present
|-
!Verb
!Object
!Subject
|-
|اغوندم
ağundә́m
|جامې
jāmé
|زه
zә
|-
|put-on
|clothes
|I
|-
|present imperfective stem – with
'''1st person singular''' verbal suffix
|noun – '''plural, feminine''', direct case
|noun – '''singular''', '''direct''' case
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; |I am wearing the clothes
|}

==== Compound transitive verbs – split agreement ====
In the present tense the nominal/adjectival part of the compound verb agrees with the object. But the auxiliary کول [to do] agrees with the subject.

Example: پاکول – compound transitive verb – to clean
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="4" |Present
|-
! colspan="2" |Compound verb
!
!
|-
!Auxiliary
!Adjectival component
!Object
!Subject
|-
|كړي
ki
|پاکه
pā́ka
|کوټه 
koṭá
|سړی
saṛáy
|-
|do
|clean
|room
|man
|-
|present perfective stem – with
3rd person singular masculine verbal suffix
|adjective – '''''singular, feminine'',''' direct case
|noun – '''''singular, feminine''','' direct case
|noun – singular, masculine, direct case
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center; |[When] the man cleans the room
|}
In the past both nominal/adjectival and auxiliary components agree with the object.

Example: پاکول – compound transitive verb – to clean
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="4" |Past
|-
! colspan="2" |Compound verb
!
!
|-
!Auxiliary
!Adjectival component
!Object
!Subject
|-
|كولې
kawә́le
|پاکې
pāke
|کوټې
koṭé
|سړي
saṛí
|-
|do
|clean
|rooms
|man
|-
|past imperfective stem – with
3rd person '''plural feminine''' verbal suffix
|adjective – '''plural, feminine,''' direct case
|noun – '''plural, feminine''', direct case
|noun – singular, masculine, oblique case
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center; |The man was cleaning the rooms
|}

== Verbs: participle ==

=== Present participle ===
The present participle is formed with the past imperfective stem without ل (əl) + ونک (unk) and declension follows the pattern of unstressed ی (ay).

Example ليکل [likəˈl] – writer → ليک [lik] past imperfective stem → ليکونکی [likəwúnkay] – writer
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | Masculine
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
! style="border-right;" |<small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" |<small>Plural</small>
! style="border-right;" |<small>Singular</small>
! style="border-left;" |<small>Plural</small>
|-
! Direct
| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکی<br/>likúnkay
| style="border-left: none;" | ليکونکي<br/>likúnki
| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکې<br/>likúnke
| style="border-left: none;" | ليکونکې<br/>likúnke
|-
! Oblique
| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکي<br/>likúnki
| style="border-left: none;" | ليکونکو <br/>likúnko
| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکې <br/>likúnke
| style="border-left: none;" |ليکونکو <br/>likúnko
|-
! Ablative
| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکي<br/>likúnki
| style="border-left: none;" | ليکونکو <br/>likúnko
| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکې <br/>likúnke
| style="border-left: none;" |ليکونکو <br/>likúnko
|-
! Vocative
| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکیه<br/>likúnkya
| style="border-left: none;" |ليکونکو<br/>likúnko
| style="border-right: none;" |ليکونکې<br/>likúnke
| style="border-left: none;" |ليکونکو<br/>likúnko
|}

=== Past participle ===

==== Past participle suffix ====
The past participle employs the following stems. It is used in perfect constructions of the verb.
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Masculine
! colspan="2" |Feminine
|-
!<small>Singular</small>
!<small>Plural</small>
!<small>Singular</small>
!<small>Plural</small>
|-
|ی<br/>ay
|ي<br/>i
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |ې<br/>e
|}

==== Present perfect ====
This is formed in the following ways:

Category 1 [non-compound verbs]: Past imperfective stem + past participle suffix + present imperfective of "to be"

Category 2 [compound verbs]: Past perfective stem of کېدل-ېدل and کول-ول + past participle suffix + present imperfective of "to be"

Example: of Category 1 verb رسېدل
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! colspan="2" |
! Singular
!Plural
!Translation
|-
! rowspan="2" |1st person
! Masculine
|رسېدلی یم
rasedə́lay

yəm
|رسېدلي یو
rasedə́li yu
| rowspan="2" |Singular: I have reached
Plural: We have reached
|-
!Feminine
| رسېدلې يمه
rasedə́le

yəmá
|رسېدلې یو
rasedə́le yu
|-
! rowspan="2" |2nd person
!Masculine
|رسېدلی یې
rasedə́lay ye
|رسېدلي یئ
rasedə́li yəy
| rowspan="2" |Singular: You have reached
Plural: You have reached
|-
!Feminine
|رسېدلې یې
rasedə́le ye
|رسېدلې یئ
rasedə́le yəy
|-
! rowspan="2" |3rd person
!Masculine
|رسېدلی دی
rasedə́lay day
|رسېدلي دي
rasedə́li di
| rowspan="2" |Singular masc: He has reached
Singular fem.: She has reached

Plural: They have reached
|-
!Feminine
|رسېدلې ده
rasedə́le da
|رسېدلې دي
rasedə́le di
|}

==== Future perfect ====
Formed by به [future marker] +present perfect
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! colspan="2" |
! Singular
!Plural
!Translation
|-
! rowspan="2" |1st person
! Masculine
|به رسېدلی یم 
bə rasedə́lay

yəm
|به رسېدلي یو
bə rasedə́li yu
| rowspan="2" |Singular: I will have reached
Plural: We will have reached
|-
!Feminine
| به رسېدلې يمه
bə rasedə́le

yəmá
|به رسېدلې یو
bə rasedə́le yu
|-
! rowspan="2" |2nd person
!Masculine
|به رسېدلی یې
bə rasedə́lay ye
|به رسېدلي یئ
bə rasedə́li yəy
| rowspan="2" |Singular: You will have reached
Plural: You will have reached
|-
!Feminine
|به رسېدلې یې
bə rasedə́le ye
|به رسېدلې یئ
bə rasedə́le yəy
|-
! rowspan="2" |3rd person
!Masculine
|به رسېدلی دی
bə rasedə́lay day
|به رسېدلي دي
bə rasedə́li di
| rowspan="2" |Singular masc: He will have reached
Singular fem.: She will have reached

Plural: They will have reached
|-
!Feminine
|به رسېدلې ده
bə rasedə́le da
|به رسېدلې دي
bə rasedə́le di
|}

==== Past perfect ====
This is formed in the following ways:

Category 1 [non-compound verbs]: Past imperfective stem + past participle suffix + past imperfective of "to be"

Category 2 [compound verbs]: Past perfective stem of کېدل-ېدل and کول-ول + past participle suffix + past imperfective of "to be"

Example:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! colspan="2" |
! Singular
!Plural
!Translation
|-
! rowspan="2" |1st person
! Masculine
|رسېدلی وم
rasedə́lay

wəm
|رسېدلي وو
rasedə́li wu
| rowspan="2" |Singular: I had reached
Plural: We had reached
|-
!Feminine
| رسېدلی ومه
rasedə́lay

wəmá
|رسېدلې وو
rasedə́le wu
|-
! rowspan="2" |2nd person
!Masculine
|رسېدلی وې
rasedə́lay we
|رسېدلي وئ
rasedə́li wəy
| rowspan="2" |Singular: You had reached
Plural: You all had reached
|-
!Feminine
|رسېدلې وې
rasedə́le we
|رسېدلې وئ
rasedə́le wəy
|-
! rowspan="2" |3rd person
!Masculine
|رسېدلی وه
rasedə́lay wə
|رسېدلي وو
rasedə́li wu
| rowspan="2" |Singular masc.: He had reached
Singular fem.: She had

Plural: They had reached
|-
!Feminine
|رسېدلې وه
rasedə́le wa
|رسېدلې وې
rasedə́le we
|}

==== Agreement ====
# Transitive verbs uses ergative construction: Past participle + verb "to be" agree with object; subject is in oblique case
# Intransitive verbs: Past participle+ verb "to be" agree with the subject

Example: Intransitive Category 2 verb پخېدل [to ripen, mature]
{| class="wikitable"
! Subject || Past participle || To be [present]
!To be past
!Grammar
|-
!'''زه [masculine]'''
| پوخ شوی
pox šə́way 
| يم
yəm
|وم
wəm
|1st person, singular, masculine
|-
!'''زه[feminine]'''
| پخه شوې<br />paxa šə́we
| يمه
yəmá
|ومه
wəmá
|1st person, singular, feminine
|-
!'''موږ'''
| پاخه شوي<br />pāxə šə́wi||يو

yu
|وو
wu
|1st person, plural, masculine
|-
!'''موږ [all women]'''
| پخې شوې
paxe šə́we
| يو
yu
|وو
wu
|1st person, plural, feminine
|-
!'''ته [masculine]'''
|پوخ شوی
pox šə́way
|يې
ye
|وې
we
|2nd person, singular, masculine
|-
!'''ته [femine]'''
|پخه شوې<br />paxa šə́we
|يې
ye
|وې
we
|2nd person, singular, feminine
|-
!'''تاسو''' 
|پاخه شوي<br />pāxə šə́wi
|يئ
yəi
|وئ
əi
|2nd person, plural, masculine
|-
!'''تاسو [all woment]'''
|پخې شوې
paxe šə́we
|يئ
yəi
|وئ
əi
|2nd person, plural, feminine
|-
!'''الو'''
|پوخ شوی
pox šə́way
|دی
day
|وه
wə
|3rd person, singular, masculine
|-
!'''الوګان'''
|پاخه شوي<br />pāxə šə́wi
|دي
di
|وو
wu
|3rd person, plural, masculine
|-
!'''مڼه'''
|پخه شوې<br />paxa šə́we
|ده
da
|وه
wa
|3rd person, singular, feminine
|-
!'''مڼې'''
|پخې شوې
paxe šə́we
|دي
di
|وې
we
|3rd person, plural, feminine
|}

== Verbs: potential construction ==

=== Optative ===
The imperfective optative = past imperfective base of verb+ ای-āy [Southern Dialects], ی-ay [North Western Dialects], ې [North Eastern Dialects]

The perfective optative = past perfective base of verb+ ای-āy [Southern Dialects], ی-ay [North Western Dialects], ې [North Eastern Dialects]

=== Present potential ===
Formed by:

Imperfective optative + present perfective of کېدل

Example:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!
! Singular
!Plural
!Translation
|-
!1st person
|رسېدلی شم
rasedə́lay šəm

رسېدی شم

rasedáy šəm
|رسېدلی شو
rasedə́lay šu

رسېدی شو

rasedáy šu
|I/We can reach
|-
!2nd person
|رسېدلی شې
rasedə́lay še

رسېدی شې

rasedáy še
|رسېدلی شئ
rasedə́lay šəy

رسېدی شئ

rasedáy šəy
|You can reach
|-
!3rd person
| colspan="2" |رسېدلی شي
rasedə́lay ši

رسېدی شي

rasedáy ši
|He/She/They can reach
|}

=== Past potential ===

==== Past potential 1 ====
To indicate:

# Event did not take place: مونږ تېر کال جوار کرلی شوه [We might have been able to plant corn last year]
# Event carried out over extended period of time: مونږ ډرامې ليدلی شوې [We were able to watch TV-shows]

Formed by:

Imperfective optative + present perfective of کېدل

Example:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!
! Singular
!Plural
|-
!1st person
|رسېدلی شو(ل)م
rasedə́lay šw(əl)əm

رسېدی شو(ل)م

rasedáy šw(əl)əm
|رسېدلی شو(ل)و
rasedə́lay šw(əl)u

رسېدی شو(ل)و

rasedáy šw(əl)u
|-
!2nd person
|رسېدلی شو(ل)ې
rasedə́lay šw(əl)e

رسېدی شو(ل)ې

rasedáy šw(əl)e
|رسېدلی شو(ل)ئ
rasedə́lay šw(əl)əy

رسېدی شو(ل)ئ

rasedáy šw(əl)əy
|-
!3rd person
| colspan="2" |رسېدلی شو(ل)ه
rasedə́lay šw(əl)e

رسېدی شو(ل)ه

rasedáy šw(əl)e
|}

==== Past potential 2 ====
To indicate:

# Where the event was actually carried out e.g. تۀ هلته په وخت ورسېدلی شوې؟ [You were able to get there on time]

Formed by:

Perfective optative + past perfective of کېدل
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!
! Singular
!Plural
|-
!1st person
|ورسېد(ل)ی شو(ل)م
wə́rased(əl)ay šw(əl)əm
|ورسېد(ل)ی شو(ل)و
wə́rased(əl)ay šw(əl)u
|-
!2nd person
|ورسېد(ل)ی شو(ل)ې
wə́rased(əl)ay šw(əl)e
|رسېدلورسېد(ل)ی شو(ل)ئ
wə́rased(əl)ay šw(əl)əy
|-
!3rd person
| colspan="2" |ورسېد(ل)ی شو(ل)ه
wə́rased(əl)ay šw(əl)ə
|}

== Auxiliary: "to be" ==
The verb "to be" is irregular in Pashto and does not have an infinitive form.

===Present imperfective===
Present imperfective tense of "to be":
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" | Person || Singular || Plural
|-
! colspan="2" | '''1st''' 
| زه يم<br />zə yəm 
زه يمه<br />zə yəma
| موږ يو<br />muẓ̌ yū
|-
! colspan="2" | '''2nd''' 
| ته يې<br />tə ye || تاسو يئ \ ياست<br />tā́so yəy<br />(in Southern dialect – yāst)<ref name="Lebedev" /><ref name="KandahariGrammar">[http://learnpashtu.blogspot.ru/2010/12/short-summary-of-pashto-grammar.html Short Summary of Pashto Grammar]</ref>
|-
! rowspan="2" | '''3rd''' 
!Masculine
| دی دی<br />day day<ref name="Lebedev" />

| rowspan="2" | دوی دي<br />duy di
|-
!Feminine
|دا ده<br />dā da
|}

===Present perfective form===
Present perfective tense of "to be":
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" | Person || Singular || Plural
|-
! colspan="2" |'''1st'''
| زه شم<br />zə shəm || موږ شو <br />muẓ̌ shu
|-
! colspan="2" |'''2nd'''
| ته شې<br />tə she
| تاسو شئ<br />tā́so šəy
|-
! rowspan="2" |'''3rd'''
!Masc.
| دی وي<br />day wi

| rowspan="2" | دوی وي<br />dui wi
|-
!Fem.
|دا وي<br />dā wi
|}

===Past  form===
Past  tense of "to be":
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" | Person || Singular || Plural
|-
! colspan="2" | '''1st''' 
| زه وم<br />zə wəm 
زه ومه<br />zə wəma
| موږ وو<br />muẓ̌ wu
|-
! colspan="2" | '''2nd''' 
| ته وې<br />tə we || تاسو وئ\واست<br />tā́so wəy<br />(in Southern dialect – wāst)<ref name="Lebedev" />
|-
! '''3rd''' 
!Masc.
| دی ؤ<br />day wə || دوی وو\ول<br />dui wu<br />(in Southern dialect – wəl)<ref name="MFarooq" /><ref name="KandahariGrammar" />
|-
! '''3rd''' 
!Fem
| دا وه<br />dā wa || دوی وې<br />dui we
|}

===Future tense===
In Pashto the future tense [ راتلونکی مهال]<ref>[http://www.qamosona.com/G/index.php/term/,6f57ae9b61545aad9b9ea5adac585d.xhtml Pashto Garshod &#91;M. S. Wakili&#93;]</ref> is the same as the present tense [اوسنی مهال]<ref>[http://qamosona.com/G/index.php/term/,6f57ae9b61545aad9b9ea5aea55f.xhtml Pashto Garshod &#91;M. S. Wakili&#93;]</ref> with the exception that in the future tense the marker '''به''' [bə] is added.

In the third person future tense, also, irrespective of number or gender وي is used.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ullah|first=Noor|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KToHywAACAAJ&q=noorullah+pashto+grammar|title=Pashto Grammar|date=2011|publisher=AuthorHouse|isbn=978-1-4567-8007-4|page=67}}</ref>

Future tense of "to be":
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Person
!Singular
!Plural
|-
! colspan="2" |1st
|به يم
bə yəm 
|به يو
bə yu 
|-
! colspan="2" |2nd 
|به يې
bə ye
|به يئ
bə yəy
|-
! rowspan="2" |3rd Person
!Masculine
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" | به وي
bə wi
|-
!Feminine
|}

=== Imperative Form ===
Also known as Command Form
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Person!! Singular !! Plural
|-
!'''2nd''' 
| ته شه <br /> tə sha-can ||تاسو شئ

tā́so yəi
|}

=== "Wi" – usage ===
وي ''[wi]'' is also used; this is the third person singular and plural of the present tense of the verb to be. وي is used when an assumption or a given fact is being discussed where as دی/ده/دي are used reporting an observation. شته functions as "there is" in English.
{| class="wikitable"
! !! Sentence !! Meaning
|-
!وي
|سړي دلته ناست وي
|Men sit here [fact; speaker assumes this as true]
|-
!دي
|سړي دلته ناست دي
|Men are sitting here [an observation; speaker sees them]
|}

== Verbs: causative construction ==
This is used to make verbs that mean "to make (someone/something) do X" [where do X is the original verb].

Formation: verb stem + an affix و  /‑aw‑/.

The causative can either use the present stem or past stem [and sometimes both] – depending on the original verb.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" | Original verb
! colspan="2" |Stem used in bold
! rowspan="2" |Causative verb
|-
! Present
! Past
|-
|لوستل<br /> lwastә́l
to read
| '''-لول <br /> lwal-'''|| ‑ لوست
lwast- 
| لولول <br />lwalawә́l
to cause to read
|-
|زنګل
zangә́l

to swing
| -زانګ
zāng-
|'''-زنګ'''
'''zang-'''
|زنګول
zangawә́l

to rock [e.g. in a cradle]
|-
|الوتل
alwatә́l

to fly
|'''-الوز'''
'''alwuz-'''
| -الوت
alwat-
|الوزول
alwuzawә́l

to make fly; to explode something
|-
|اغوستل
aghustә́l

to wear
|'''-اغوند'''
'''aghund-'''
|'''-اغوست'''
'''aghust-'''
|اغوندول/ اغوستول
aghundawә́l/aghustawә́l

to dress someone
|}
Example:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!خندل – original verb
! خندول – causative verb
|-
|مه خانده
má xānda
|مه (يې) خندوه
má (ye) xandawa
|-
|Don't laugh !
|Don't make him/her laugh !
|}

== Verbs: imperative form ==
This is used to make commands. The present stems of the verbs are used to make commands:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" | Verb
! colspan="2" |Stem used in bold
|-
! Present
! Past
|-
|لوستل<br /> lwastә́l
to read
| '''-لول <br /> lwal-'''|| ‑ لوست
lwast- 
|}

=== Number ===
The two verbal suffixes are employed:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!Number
! Suffix
|-
!Singular
|ه
a
|-
!Plural
|ئ
əi
|}
Example:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" | Verb
! colspan="2" |Number
|-
! Singular
! Plural
|-
| rowspan="2" |راتلل<br /> rātlә́l
to come
| '''راځه <br />''' rādzá|| '''راځئ''' 
rādzә́i 
|-
|come
|come
|}
The singular is told to one person; the plural is told to more than one person or as form of respectful command.

=== Positive command ===
Pashto positive imperative have two aspects: perfective (initial stress) an imperfective (final stress)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! colspan="2" |وهل – to beat
wahә́l
|-
!Imperfective
! Perfective
|-
|وهه
wahá
|و وهه
wә́ waha
|-
|beat it [focus on continuance]
|beat it [focus on completion]
|}
In general the perfective aspect is used to make commands. However, for doubly irregular verbs, the imperfective aspect is used.

==== Intensive ====
The imperfective aspect in the imperative is also used to convey a sense of an urgent command example:
{{Text and translation|خوره چې ځو|xwrá če dzú|Finish eating, so we go.}}

==== Compound verbs ====

===== Transitive =====
For compounds in the transitive, the nominal/adjective part of the verb agrees with the direct object.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! colspan="2" |پاکول – to clean
pākawә́l
|-
!Masculine object
! Feminine object
|-
!کور
!کوټه
|-
|ته کور پاک کړه
tә kor pā́k ka
|ته کوټه پاکه کړه
tә koṭá pā́ka ka
|-
|Clean the house
|Clean the room
|}
Where the is no object, the nominal/adjective part of the verb agrees with the subject
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! colspan="2" |پاکول – to clean
pākawә́l
|-
! colspan="2" |No object of the verb
|-
!Masculine subject
! Feminine subject
|-
!Said to a male
!Said to a female
|-
|ته پاک کړه
tә pā́k ka
|ته پاکه کړه
tә pā́ka ka
|-
|You clean it
|You clean it
|}

===== Intransitive =====
For compounds in the intransitive, the nominal/adjective part of the verb agrees with the subject
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! colspan="2" |پاکېدل – to get clean
pākedә́l
|-
!Masculine subject
! Feminine subject
|-
|ته پاک شه
tә pā́k ša
|ته پاکه شه
tә pā́ka ša
|-
|Get clean
|Get clean
|}

=== Negative command ===
Pashto Negative Imperatives only employs the Imperfective Aspect with stress on the particle مه /má/.

Compare:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! colspan="2" |وهل – to beat
wahә́l
|-
!Imperfective -positive
! Negative command
|-
|وهه
wahá
|مه وهه
má waha
|-
|beat it
|don't beat it 
|}

==== Prefixed verbs ====
North Eastern Pashto treats negative forms differently for prefixed verbs, placing the negative particle before the entire verb, whereas some other dialects place it between the prefix and the stem.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! colspan="2" |پرېکول – to cut 
prekawә́l
|-
! colspan="2" |Prefix: پرې
Stem: کول
|-
!North Eastern
! Other
|-
|مه پرېکوه
má pre kawa
|پرې مه کوه
pre má kawa
|-
|don't cut
|don't cut
|}

==Verbs: phrasal verbs==
These by adding noun to verbs to make verbs phrase-like meaning.
{| class="wikitable"
! Examples !! Word 
!Root verb!! Final verb 
|-
!توره کول
túra kawə́l
|sword
|to do||to perform a brave act
|-
!تڼۍ شلول
taṇә́i šlawə́l 
|button(s)
|to tear||to toil/endeavour 
|-
!ټېل وهل 
ṭel wahə́l
|push 
|to beat
|to shove
|-
!سا اخستل 
sā axәstә́l
|breath
|to take
|to breathe
|}

== Verbalisers: Kawə́l and Kedə́l ==
These two verbs, کول and کېدل, are  used to form compound verbs (denominal verbs). They use the irregular form in the perfective: without  prefix و  /wə́/.

=== Kawə́l ===
Here are the forms of Kawə́l<ref>{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|pages=239–245}}</ref> as a verbaliser [not a main verb]:
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="3" |
! colspan="5" |Present
! rowspan="7" |
! colspan="2" rowspan="3" |
! colspan="5" |Past
|-
! colspan="2" |Imperfective
! rowspan="4" |
! colspan="2" |Perfective
! colspan="2" |Imperfective
! rowspan="6" |
! colspan="2" |Perfective
|-
!Singular
!Plural
!Singular
!Plural
!Singular
!Plural
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!1st Person
|کوم
kawə́m
|کوو
kawú
|کړم
kəm

kṛəm
|کړو
ku

kṛu
! colspan="2" |1st Person
|کولم
kawə́ləm
|کولو
kawə́lu
|کړم
kṛəm

کړلم

kṛə́ləm
|کړو

kṛu

کړلو

kṛə́lu
|-
!2nd Person
|کوې
kawé
|کوئ
kawə́y
|کړې
ke

kṛe
|کړئ
kəy

kṛəy
! colspan="2" |2nd Person
|کولې
kawə́le
|کولئ
kawə́ləy
|کړې
kṛe

کړلې

kṛə́le
|کړئ
kṛəy

کړلئ

kṛə́ləy
|-
! rowspan="2" |3rd Person
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" |کوي
kawí
! rowspan="2" |
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" |کړي
ki

kṛi
! rowspan="2" |3rd Person
!Masculine
|کوه
kawə́

کاوه

kāwə́
|(کول(ه
kawə́l(ə)
|کړ
kəṛ

که

kə
|کړل

kṛəl

کړله

kṛə́lə
|-
!Feminine
|کوله
kawə́la

کوه

kawá
|کولې
kawə́le

کوې

kawé
|کړه
kṛa

که

ka

کړله

kṛə́la
|کړلې
kṛə́le

کړې

kṛe
|}
As mentioned by Anna Boyle :  ړ /ṛ/ in present perfective forms is  written, and  pronounced in careful speech, but is unpronounced in many dialect.<ref>{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=242}}</ref> She mentions that in past 3rd person, even the /ṛ/ can be dropped, since the

personal suffixes differ from those in the present: past  ه /ə, a/ as opposed present ي /i/; thus revealing tense without need of  ړ  /ṛ/.<ref>{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=243}}</ref>

=== Kedə́l ===
Here are the forms of Kedə́l<ref>{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|pages=234–239}}</ref> as a verbaliser [not a main verb]:
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="3" |
! colspan="5" |Present
! rowspan="7" |
! colspan="2" rowspan="3" |
! colspan="5" |Past
|-
! colspan="2" |Imperfective
! rowspan="4" |
! colspan="2" |Perfective
! colspan="2" |Imperfective
! rowspan="6" |
! colspan="2" |Perfective
|-
!Singular
!Plural
!Singular
!Plural
!Singular
!Plural
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!1st Person
|کېږم
kéẓ̌əm
|کېږو
kéẓ̌u
|شم
šəm
|شو
šu
! colspan="2" |1st Person
|کېد(ل)م
ked(ə́l)ə́m
|کېد(ل)و
ked(ə́l)ú
|شو(ل)م
šw(ə́l)əm
|شو(ل)و
šw(ə́l)u
|-
!2nd Person
|کېږې
kéẓ̌e
|کېږئ
kéẓ̌əy
|شې
še
|شئ
šəy
! colspan="2" |2nd Person
|کېد(ل)ې
ked(ə́l)é
|کېد(ل)ئ
ked(ə́l)ə́y
|شو(ل)ې
šw(ə́l)e
|شو(ل)ئ
šw(ə́l)əy
|-
! rowspan="2" |3rd Person
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" |کېږی
kéẓ̌i
! rowspan="2" |
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" |شي
ši
! rowspan="2" |3rd Person
!Masculine
|کېده
kedə́
|کېدل(ه)
kedə́l(ə́)
|شه
šə
|شول(ه)
šwə́l(ə́)
|-
!Feminine
|کېد(ل)ه
ked(ə́l)á
|کېد(ل)ې
ked(ə́l)é
|شو(ل)ه
šw(ə́l)á
|شو(ل)ې
šw(ə́l)é
|}
As mentioned by Anna Boyle the 1st and 2nd person forms of Kedə́l are the same  to those of the present perfective forms of "''to be''".<ref>{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=236}}</ref>

== Future Tense ==
The future tense is formed with the addition of به /bә/; which has been defined by Tegey as a "future marker"<ref>{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQGVvQEACAAJ&q=Tegey+pashto+grammar|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=126}}</ref> and as a "modal clitic" by Boyle.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=369}}</ref>

=== Future Expression ===
The clitic  به /bә/ is added to the present perfective verb to convey future time event, speculation, or doubt.<ref name=":6" />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! colspan="2" | Verb
! Present Perfective
! Future 
|-
! rowspan="3" |وهل
wahә́l

to beat
!
! -ووه
wә́ wah- 
!-به ووه
bə wә́wah-
|-
! rowspan="2" |Example:
1st Person Singular
|زه ووهم
(zə) wә́ wahәm
|زه به ووهم
(zə) bə wә́wahəm
|-
|I beat [completed in present]
|I will beat
|}

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= پلار به مې ګانده پيسې  ولېږي
|plār bә me paisé wә́leẓ̌i
|father:M:DIR will:FUT I:1:SG:WK money:F:DIR:PL  send:AOR:PRS:3:SG:M
|My father will send money
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
WK:weak}}

=== With Present Imperfective Tense ===
The clitic  به /bә/ is added to the present imperfective  verb to convey future event – but with. different nuances explained below.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! colspan="2" | Verb
! Present Imperfective
! Future 
|-
! rowspan="3" |وهل
wahә́l

to beat
!
! -ووه
wә́ wah- 
!-به ووه
bə wә́wah-
|-
! rowspan="2" |Example:
1st Person Singular
|زه وهم
(zə)  wahә́m
|زه به وهم
(zə) bə wahә́m
|-
|I am beating
|I will keep on beating
|}

* To describe a  future reference that is repeated or ongoing:<ref name=":6"/>

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= پلار به مې  پيسې لېږي او زه به خورمه
|plār bә me paisé léẓ̌i aw zә bә xwrә́ma
|father:M:DIR will:FUT I:1:SG:WK money:F:DIR:PL  send:AOR:PRS:3:SG:M and I:1:SG:STR:DIR will:FUT eat:CONT:PRS:3:SG:F
|My father will send money and I will (continue to) eat
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
WK:weak
STR:strong}}

* Present Imperfective verb base is also used where future marker like "tomorrow", "next week" etc. is used:<ref>{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQGVvQEACAAJ&q=Tegey+pashto+grammar|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=129}}</ref>

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= پلار به مې پيسې ګانده  لېږي
|plār bә me paisé gā́nda léẓ̌i
|father:M:DIR will:FUT I:1:SG:WK money:F:DIR:PL  tomorrow:F:DIR send:AOR:PRS:3:SG:M
|My father will send money tomorrow
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
WK:weak
STR:strong}}

* To contrast a future action with another future action:<ref>{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQGVvQEACAAJ&q=pashto+grammar+tegey|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=130}}</ref>

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= ته به ځې زه به پاتې کېږم
|tә bә dzé zә bә pāte kéẓ̌әm
|you:2:SG:STR:DIR will:FUT go:CONT:PRS:2:SG I:1:SG:STR:DIR will:FUT behind:F become:CONT:PRS:1:SG
|You'll be going, I'll be staying.
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
WK:weak
STR:strong
COMP: complementizer}}

== Negative Future Expressions ==
With Present Perfect Base, negative future expressions can be created with the negative marker نه /nә/ and future marker  به /bә/.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQGVvQEACAAJ&q=pashto+grammar+tegey|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=127}}</ref>

=== First Conjugation Class ===

==== Simple Verbs ====
If there is a grammatical subject or object:<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQGVvQEACAAJ&q=pashto+grammar+tegey|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=128}}</ref>

Subject/Object +  به /bә/ + و /wә́/ + نه /nә/ + present verb stem + verbal suffix

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= مېوه به و نه خوري
|mewá bә wә́ nə xwri
|fruit:F:SG:DIR will:FUT eat...:AOR:PRS:3 not:NEG ...eat:AOR:PRS:3
|He/She/They will not eat the fruit
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
WK:weak
STR:strong
COMP: complementizer}}

If there is both a grammatical subject and object:<ref name=":2"/>

Subject +  به /bә/ + object+ و /wә́/ + نه /nә/ + present verb stem + verbal suffix

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= زه به ليک و نه لېږم
|zә bә lik wә́ nə léẓ̌әm
|I:1:SG:STR:DIR will:FUT letter:SG:M:DIR send...:AOR:PRS:1:SG not:NEG ...send:AOR:PRS:1:SG
|I will not send the letter
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
WK:weak
STR:strong
COMP: complementizer}}

If there is no grammatical subject nor grammatical object:<ref name=":2" />

و /wә́/ +  به /bә/ + نه /nә/ + present verb stem + verbal suffix

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= و به نه ګرځي
|wә́ bә nə gardzi
|walk...:AOR:PRS:3  will:FUT  not:NEG ...walk:AOR:PRS:3
|He/She/They will not walk
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
WK:weak
STR:strong
COMP: complementizer}}

==== a-initial verbs ====
The و /wә́/ changes to وا /wā́/.<ref name=":2"/> Thereby:

If there is a grammatical subject or object:

Subject/Object +  به /bә/ +  وا /wā́/ + نه /nә/ + present verb stem + verbal suffix

''Verb: اخستل [axstә́l]''

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= مېوه به وا نه خلي
|mewá bә wā́ nə xli
|fruit:F:SG:DIR will:FUT buy...:AOR:PRS:3 not:NEG ...buy:AOR:PRS:3
|He/She/They will not buy the fruit
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
WK:weak
STR:strong
COMP: complementizer}}

If there is both a grammatical subject and object:

Subject +  به /bә/ + object+ وا /wā́/ + نه /nә/ + present verb stem + verbal suffix

''Verb: استول [astawә́l]''

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= موږ به ليک وا نه ستوو
|munẓ̌ bә lik wā́ nə stawu
|we:1:PL:STR:DIR will:FUT letter:SG:M:DIR send...:AOR:PRS:1:SG not:NEG ...send:AOR:PRS:1:SG
|We will not send the letter
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
WK:weak
STR:strong
COMP: complementizer}}

If there is no grammatical subject nor grammatical object:

وا /wā́/ +  به /bә/ + نه /nә/ + present verb stem + verbal suffix

''Verb: اچول [ačawә́l]''

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= وا به نه چوې
|wā́ bә nə čawe
|put...:AOR:PRS:2:SG  will:FUT  not:NEG ...put:AOR:PRS:2:SG
|You will not put it
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
WK:weak
STR:strong
COMP: complementizer}}

=== Second Conjugation Class ===
First: Between the prefix and the verb base  نه /nә́/  is placed<ref>{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQGVvQEACAAJ|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=129}}</ref> 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! Verb
! Example
! Future 
|-
|{{interlinear|top= بوول|bowә́l|{to take}|}}
|{{interlinear|top= بوزو|bózu|{we take}|}}
|{{interlinear|top= بو نه زو|{bo nә́ zu}|{(we) not take}|}}
|}
Second:  به /bә/  can then be placed

Before verb:

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= کور ته به لاړ نه شو
|kor ta bә lāṛ nә́ šu
|house:M:SG:DIR to:POST will:FUT go...:AOR:PRS:1:PL not:NEG  go...:AOR:PRS:1:PL
|We wont got to the house
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
WK:weak
STR:strong
COMP: complementizer}}

Or before the object (likely where there is a subject)

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= موږ به کور ته  لاړ نه شو
|muẓ̌ bə kor ta lāṛ nә́ šu
|we:1:PL:STR:DIR will:FUT house:M:SG:DIR to:POST  go...:AOR:PRS:1:PL not:NEG  go...:AOR:PRS:1:PL
|We wont got to the house
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
WK:weak
STR:strong
COMP: complementizer}}

=== Third Conjugation Class ===
With compound verbs: نه /nә/  is inserted between the verb element and the noun/adjective element.<ref name=":2"/>

Example: روغېدل [roğedә́l]

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= ته به روغه نه شې
|tə bә róğa nə še
|you:2:SG:STR:DIR  will:FUT recover...:F:ADJ:SG not:NEG ...become:AOR:PRS:2:SG
|You won't recover
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
WK:weak
STR:strong
COMP: complementizer}}

== "Bә" With Past Imperfective Tense ==
The marker به /bә/ is also used to convey habitual actions in the past.<ref>{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ&q=pashto+grammar|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|pages=369, 371}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! colspan="2" | Verb
! Past Imperfective
! With به 
|-
! rowspan="3" |وهل
wahә́l

to beat
!
! -وهل
wahә́l- 
!-به وهل
bə wahәl-
|-
! rowspan="2" |Example:
1st Person Singular
|وهلم
wahә́lәm
|به وهلم
bə wahә́lәm
|-
|I was being beaten
|I would be beat
|}

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= کله  چې هغۀ به ډول غږوۀ زه به ګډېدم
|kála če bә hağә́ ḍol ğaẓ̌awә́ zә bә gaḍedә́m
|when that:COMP would he:3:SG:M:STR:OBL drum:SG:M:DIR sound:PST:3:SG:M I:1:SG:STR:DIR would dance:PST:1:SG
|When he would play the drum, I would dance
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
WK:weak
STR:strong
COMP: complementizer}}

== Adverbs ==
Adverbs that modify adjectives, verbs or verb phrases, and sentences; can be divided into the classes of time, place, manner, and degree.<ref name=":7">{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=378}}</ref>

These adverbs can act alone or as part of an adpositional phrase.

''Acting alone:''

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= مخکښې راغله
|mə́xkx̌e rā́ğla
|before:ADV come:AOR:PST:3:SG:F
|She came earlier
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

''Acting as adipositional phrase:''

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= د ماما نه مخکښې راغله
|də māmā́ na mə́xkx̌e rā́ğla
|of maternal-uncle:DIR:M:SG from before:ADV come:AOR:PST:3:SG:F
|She came before (my) uncle
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

=== Adverbs of time ===
These include adverbs with time reference and quantifier-like items.<ref name=":7"/>

Common adverbs of time:
{| class="wikitable"
! Adverb !! Transliteration !! Meaning 
|-
!تل
|təl
|always
|-
!هر کله 
|har kә́la
|whenever 
|-
!هیڅ کله (نه)
|hits kә́la (na)
|never
|-
!اوس
|os 
[some dialects: وس "was"]
|now
|-
!نن
|nən
|today
|-
!پرون
|parún
|yesterday
|-
!ګانده
|gā́nda
| rowspan="2" |tomorrow
|-
!سبا
|sabā́
|-
!وختي
|waxtí
|early
|-
!وروسته
|wrústa
| rowspan="2" |later
|-
!پس
|pas
|-
!مخکښې
|mə́xkx̌e
|before
|-
!لا
|lā
|yet
|}

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= تل دې خدای لره
|təl de xwdā́y lará
|always:ADV NEC god:DIR have:CONT:PRS:IMP:SG
|May God keep you (well/alive) forever!
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

=== Adverbs of place ===
This informs us where something takes place.

Common adverbs of time:<ref>{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=381}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! Adverb !! Transliteration !! Meaning 
|-
!پورته
|pórta
| rowspan="2" |above
|-
!پاسه 
|рā́sa
|-
!دننه
|danə́na
| rowspan="2" |inside
|-
!ننه
|nə́na
|-
!دباندي
|dəbā́ndi
| rowspan="2" |outside
|-
!بهر
|bahár
|-
!باندې
|bā́nde
|on top
|-
!لاندې
|lā́nde
|below
|-
!نژدې
|nəždé
|near
|-
!پوري
|póre
|around
|-
!لرې
|lә́re
|far
|-
!کښته
|kx̌ə́ta
|underneath
|-
!هيچرې
|hičárta
| rowspan="2" |nowhere
|-
!هيچرته
|hičáre
|}

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= کښته کښېنه
|kx̌ə́ta kx̌éna
|underneath:ADV sit:AOR:PRS:IMP:SG
|Sit down.
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

==== Demonstrative pronouns ====
These are both adverbs and demonstrative pronouns
{| class="wikitable"
! Adverb 
! colspan="3" |Transliteration!! Meaning 
|-
! rowspan="3" |دلته
| colspan="3" |də́lta
| rowspan="3" |here
|-
!Waziri
|دېلې
déle
|دولته
dɔláta
|-
!Other Dialects
| colspan="2" |دلې
dále
|-
! rowspan="2" |هلته
| colspan="3" |hálta
| rowspan="2" |there
|-
!Other Dialects
| colspan="2" |هلې
hále
|}

Example sentence in Waziri:

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= دېلې ځں
|déle dzə̃
|hereADV go:CONT:PRS:1:SG
|I am going here
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

==Adpositions==
Pashto has pre-positions, post-positions and pre-post-positions. Adpositions generally govern either oblique or ablative case assignment to their objects.<ref name="Anna B. David 2014 399">{{cite book|title= A Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects|first= Anna B.|last= David|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|year=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|page=399}}</ref>

===Prepositions===
List of prepositions
{| class="wikitable"
! Preposition !! Dialect variation !! Meaning 
!Uses
|-
!د
də
|/de/, /ye/, /e/ 
[Middle dialects]
|of
|
# Mark possession e.g. د سړي لاس [A man's hand]
# To mark the objects of transitive nominalizations or gerunds
# To mark the subjects of intransitive nominalizations or gerunds
# Marks the item denoting the possessor or the holonym of which another adpositional phrase may denote the possessed item or be the meronym
|-
!له
lə 
|د
də

[North Eastern]
|from 
|
# It is only considered part of a circumposition/ambiposition. 
# However, له /lə/ can function as a preposition of ablative function or of origin, when its object appears with ablative case marking. e.g. له پلاره راغلئ یم [I have come from father; North Western and South Western Dialects]
|-
!بې
be
|
|without
|
# Considered as prefix. But can also be considered a preposition since the noun followed by بې shows ablative case-marking e.g. بې پلاره – with پلار being in the ablative case
|-
!په
pə
|پر
/pər/
|on; at
|
# Used as preposition to express location e.g. په مېز مې کېښود [I kept it on the table]
# Used as part circumposition containing it may be used to express location e.g. په ... باندې
# Can govern a noun that refers to a time of day e.g. په يوې بجې راشه [Come at 1 O'Clock]
|-
!تر
tər
|
|till; than
|
# Usually used as an ambiposition/circumpositions to express "up to, until" e.g. تر پېښور پورې لاړم [I went till Peshawar]
# As a preposition; is used in comparative and superlative constructions e.g. زه تر ماما دنګ يم [I am taller than my maternal-uncle]
|-
!لکه
laká
|
|like
|
# As a preposition used as "like"e.g. لکه د زمري زورور يم [I am strong like a lion]
|}

===Postpositions===
{| class="wikitable"
! Preposition !! Dialect variaition !! Meaning 
!Uses
|-
!ته
tə
| ||to
|
# Denotes destination. The object appears in the oblique case form. Example کور '''ته''' ځم [I am going to the house]
|-
!ته
tə
|له
lə

[North Eastern]
|for
|
# Denotes recipients e.g. ځان ته څپلۍ هم اخلم [I am buying shoes also for myself]
|}

===Ambipositions===
Pashto uses a significant amount of ambipositions ([[circumposition]]s). These usually have two elements, with the noun object positioned between the two elements.

The '''initial element''' is likely to be one of these four elements:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! !! Transliteration
|-
! په 
| pə
|-
! له 
| lə
|-
!د
|də
|-
! تر 
| tər
|}

The '''final''' element is likely to be one of these words:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! !! Transliteration
!Meaning
|-
! لاندې 
| lā́nde
|below
|-
! پسې 
| pəsé
|after
|-
! نه 
| na
|
|-
! پورې 
| póre
|
|-
! سره 
| sará
|with
|-
! کې/کښې 
| ke/kx̌e
|on
|-
! باندې 
| bā́nde
|on
|-
! څخه
| tsә́xa
|
|-
!غوندې
|ğwә́nde
|like
|}

Here is a list of the simple formations:
{| class="wikitable"
!Second Component →
! rowspan="2" |کښې...
... ke
! rowspan="2" |نه....

... na
! rowspan="2" |لاندې...
...lā́nde
! rowspan="2" |باندې...
... bā́nde
! rowspan="2" |پسې...
... pəsé
! rowspan="2" |پورې...
... póre
! rowspan="2" |سره...
... sará
! rowspan="2" |څخه...
...tsә́xa
! rowspan="2" |وروستو...
wrústo.
|-
!First Component
↓
|-
!...د
də ...
|
|د...نه
də...na

'from'
|د ...لاندې
də...lā́nde

'under'
|
|د ... پسې
də...pəsé

'after'
|د ... پورې
də...póre

'up to,

across'
|د...سره
də...sará

'with'
|
|د...څخه
də...tsә́xa

'from'
|-
!...له

lə ...
|
|له...نه
lə...na

'from'
|له...لاندې
lə...lā́nde

'under'
|
|
|
|له...سره
lə...sará

'with'
|
|له...څخه
lə...tsә́xa

'from'
|-
!...پر
pər ...
| rowspan="2" | په... کښې
pə...ke

'in, at, on'
|
|
| rowspan="2" |په...باندې
pə...bā́nde

'on top of, by

means of'
| rowspan="2" |په...پسې
pə...pəsé

'after,

behind'
|پر ... پورې
pər...póre

'with'
| rowspan="2" |په...سره
pə...sará

'with'
|
|
|-
!...په 
pə ...
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!...تر
tər ...
|
|
|تر...لاندې

tər...lā́nde

'under'
|
|
|تر...پورې
tər...póre

'until, up to'
|
|
|تر ... وروستو
tər...wrústo

'after'
|}

Examples 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! !! Example !! Example's meaning
|-
! په ... کښې 
| په سيند کښې || in the river
|-
! په ... پسې 
| په ما پسې || after me
|-
! پر ... باندې 
| په مېز باندې || on the table
|-
! له ... سره 
| له سړي سره || with a man
|-
! تر ... لاندې 
|تر مېز لاندې || under the table 
|-
! له ... څخه 
| له سړي څخه || from a man
|-
! له ... نه 
| له سړي نه || from a man
|-
! د ... نه 
| د سړي نه || from a man
|-
!تر ... پورې 
| تر پېښور پورې|| till Peshawar
|-
!تر ... وروستو
|تر خوراک وروستو || after food
|}

The first element '''must''' be dropped when the object of the pre-position is a weak pronoun. Examples:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Example sentence !! Meaning
|-
| سړی '''ور سره''' ځي|| A man is going with him/her
|-
| سړي '''ور سره''' ځي|| Men are going with him/her
|-
| چاړه مې '''''در'' نه''' واخس|| I took the knife from you
|-
| ليک '''''ور'' باندې''' ايښی دی || The letter is on it
|}

Sometimes in colloquial Pashto, the word له is dropped from نه and سره. 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! !! Colloquial Pashto
|-
! له سړي نه 
| سړي نه
|-
! له سړي سره 
| سړي سره 
|}

===Phrases===
Pashto consist of combinations of circumposition phrases and additional words.

==== With له.... نه ====
These use ambiposition له.... نه + additional word

In some dialects له is replaced by د
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Component
!Meaning
|-
! له.... نه پخوا
له ... نه مخکې
|From + before
|before
|-
!له...نه پس
له...نه پسته

له...نه ورستو

له ... نه وروستۀ 
|From + after
|after
|-
!له...نه+ بهرر 
|From + outside
|outside
|}
Examples
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Phrase !! Sentence !! Meaning
|-
! له .. نه پخوا 
| له تا نه پخوا راغله || She came before you
|-
!د ...نه مخکې
|ستا نه مخکې راغله
[د+تا = ستا]
|She came before you
|-
!له ... نه وروستو
|له تا نه وروستو راغله
|She came after you
|-
! د ... نه بهر 
| د ور نه بهر ولاړ و || He was standing outside the door
|}

==== With د ... په ====
Examples:
{| class="wikitable"
! !! '''Meaning''' 
|-
!'''د ... په اړه'''<br />də ... pə aṛá 
| about{{ref|a}}
|-
!'''د ... په شان'''<br />də ... pə šān 
| like 
|-
!'''د ... په وړاندې'''
də ... pə wṛā́nde
|against/opposite
|-
!'''د ... په پرتله'''
də ... pə partalá
|in comparison to
|-
!'''د ... له مخې'''
də ... lə mә́xe
|according to 
|-
!د ... په ځای
də ...pə dzāy
|instead of 
|}
Examples:

Note: the possessive phrase [də/د] can be substituted with a weak possessive pronoun.
{| class="wikitable"
! !! '''Sentence where د not dropped''' !! '''Meaning''' !! '''Sentence with possessive pronouns''' !! Meaning
|-
!'''د ... په اړه'''
| د سړي په اړه يې څه ووې
də saṛí pə aṛá ye tsə wә́ we
| What did he/she say about the man || زما په اړه يې څه ووې
zmā pə aṛá ye tsə wә́ we
| What did he/she say about me
|-
!'''د ... په شان'''
| د سپوږمۍ په شان ښځه غواړم
də spoẓ̌mә́i pa šān x̌ә́dza ğwāṛә́m
| I want a wife like the moon || ستا په شان ښځه غواړم
stā pa šān x̌ә́dza ğwāṛә́m
| I want a wife like you
|-
!'''د ... په وړاندې'''
|د بلې ډلې په وړاندې يې وينه وکړه
də bә́le ḍále pə wṛā́nde ye wә́ina wә́ kṛa
|[They/He/She] talked against the other party
|ستا په وړاندې يې وينه وکړه
stā pə wṛā́nde ye wә́ina wә́ kṛa
|[They/He/She] talked against you.
|-
!'''د ... په پرتله'''
|د پيشوګانو په پرتله سپي زيات مينه ناک وي
də pišogā́no pə partalá spí zyāt minanā́k wi
|In comparison to cats, dogs are more affection
|زموږ په پرتله هغوی لټ دي
zmuẓ̌ pə partalá hağúi laṭ di
|In comparison to us, they are lazy
|-
!'''د ... له مخې'''
|د دې څېړنې له مخې دا ډېر ګټور دی
də de tseṛә́ne lə mә́xe dā ḍer gaṭawár day
|According to this research this is very beneficial
|ستا له مخې څنګه شانتې سړی دی
stā lə mә́xe tsə́nga šā́nte saṛáy day
|According to you, what kind of a guy is he.
|-
!د ... په ځای
|د کابل په ځای کندهار ته لاړ شه
də kābə́l pə dzāy kandahā́r tə lā́ṛ sha
|Instead of Kabul go to Kandahar
|زما په ځای بل کس ټاکل شوی دی
zmā pə dzāy bəl kas ṭākə́l šə́way day
|He has been elected instead of me
|}

== Adpositions and noun cases ==

=== Oblique case ===
Most common case. The object [noun] of an adposition is most often assigned the oblique case.

Used with:

* ته /tə/ 'to' 
* سره /səra/ '[comitative] with'
* the prepositions د /də/ 'of' and په /pə/ 'at', plus any circumposition consisting of a postposition and one of these two prepositions; 
* the circumposition له ... نه /lə ... na/ 'from/.

Example: سړی [using preposition د] and ښځه [using preposition په] are in oblique case; compare ملګری in direct case

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= د سړي ملګری په ښځې اوسېږي
|də saṛí malgə́ray pə x̌ə́dze oséẓ̌i
|of:PREP man:M:OBL friend:M:DIR on:PREP woman:F:OBL live:CONT:PRS:3:SG:M
|The man's friend lives on [his] wife
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case}}

Example: ما -oblique pronoun used with circumposition په...کښې

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= په ما کښې ده
|pə mā ke da
|on:PREP me:1:SG:STR:OBL in:POST be:CONT:PRS:3:SG:F
|She/it is in me
|abbreviations=STR: strong
COMIT: comitative}}

=== Ablative case ===
Used with:

* له /lə/ 'from'; and also د /də/ having the same meaning 'from'
* تر /tər/ 'from, originating from'
* Circumposition containing تر /tər/, له /lə/; except له ... نه /lə ... na/ 'from/
*په /pə/ the instrumental usage only found in construction with an adjectival, rather than nominal, object

Example: circumposition '''تر ... پورې'''

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= تر کوره پورې تلم
|tər kóra póre tlә́m
|till:PREP house:M:ABL till:POST go:CONT:PST:1:SG
|I was going till the house
|abbreviations=STR: strong
COMIT: comitative
DIR:directional}}

With د /də/, having the object marked in the ablative case gives the sense of '(motion) away from':

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= د کوره راغلم
|də kóra rā́ğləm
|from:COMIT house:M:ABL come:AOR:PST:1:SG
|I came from the house
|abbreviations=STR: strong
COMIT: comitative
DIR:directional}}

په /pə/ 'the instrumental usage + adjective:

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= کور مې په ګرانه جوړ کړی دی
|kor me pә grā́na joṛ kә́ṛay day
|house:M:DIR I:1:SG:WK with:INSTR difficult:ADJ:M:DIR make:M:DIR do:AOR:PTCP:M:DIR be:CONT:PRS:3:SG:M
|I have made the house with difficulty
|abbreviations=STR: strong
COMIT: comitative
WK: weak pronoun
DIR: direct}}

=== Mixed ablative case and oblique cases ===
Other adpositions can assign either oblique or ablative case to the object, without a difference in meaning.

Example: with سړی in oblique case

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= بې سړي کور تش وي
|be saṛí kor tә́š wi
|without:PREP man:M:OBL house:M:DIR empty:ADJ:M be:AOR:PRS:3:SG:M
|Without a man, a house is empty
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case}}

Example: with سړی in ablative case

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= بې سړیه کور تش وي
|be saṛiya kor tә́š wi
|without:PREP man:M:ABL house:M:DIR empty:ADJ:M be:AOR:PRS:3:SG:M
|Without a man, a house is empty
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case}}

== Passive voice ==
Pashto does not have a distinguishable morphological passive construction. The construction identified by some comprises a special case of denominal verbs.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ullah|first=Noor|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-XRingEACAAJ|title=Pashto Grammar|date=2011|publisher=AuthorHouse|isbn=978-1-4567-8007-4|page=71}}</ref> The verbal part of the construction consists of a form of the verbaliser کېدل /kedә́l ('to become') and a verbal complement (in the infinitive form).The actor is expressed as the subject of the sentence, and that noun is case-marked direct and triggers verb agreement (in both past and present).

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= په ښار کښې ددوو ودانیو بنسټ کېښودل شو
|pә x̌ār ke dә dwo wədānə́yo bənsáṭ kex̌awdə́l šo
|in:PREP city:M in:POST of:PREP two:F:PL:OBL building:F:PL:OBL foundation:M:DIR place:INF become:AOR:PST:3:SG:M
|The foundations of two buildings were laid in the city
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case}}

The auxiliary verb کېدل combined with the infinitive وهل:
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Active
! rowspan="2" |"Passive"
! rowspan="5" |Example:
! colspan="2" |Present
! colspan="2" |Past
|-
!Imperfective
!Perfective
!Imperfective!! '''Perfective''' 
|-
! rowspan="2" |وهل
wahә́l
! rowspan="2" |'''وهل کېدل'''
wahә́l kedә́l
|زه وهل کېږم
|که زه ووهل شم
|زه وهل کېدلم
| زه ووهل شوم
|-
|zә wahә́l kéẓ̌әm
|kә zә wә́ wahәl šәm
|zә wahә́l kedә́lәm
|zә wә́ wahәl šwәm
|-
!to beat
!to beaten
|I am being beaten
|Should I be beaten
|I was being beaten
|I was beaten
|}
If the actor, if expressed, will most likely appear in an adpositional phrase governed by the circumposition د ...له خوا /də...lə xwā/ or د...له لورې /də...lə lure/.
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" |Present
! colspan="2" |Past
|-
!Imperfective
!Perfective
!Imperfective!! '''Perfective''' 
|-
! rowspan="2" |وهل 
|زه د خځې له خوا وهل کېږم
|که زه د خځې له خوا ووهل شم
|زه د خځې له خوا وهل کېدلم
| زه د خځې له خوا ووهل شوم
|-
|zә dә x̌ә́źe lә xwā wahә́l kéẓ̌әm
|kә zә dә x̌ә́źe lә xwā wә́ wahәl šәm
|zә dә x̌ә́źe lә xwā wahә́l kedә́lәm
|zә dә x̌ә́źe lә xwā wә́ wahәl šwәm
|-
!Meaning
|I am being beaten by the woman
|Should I be beaten by the woman
|I was being beaten by the woman
|I was beaten by the woman
|}
As with active sentences, the subject may be expressed through the verb agreement suffix alone

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= د خځې له خوا وهل کېږم
|dә x̌ә́źe lә xwā wahә́l kéẓ̌әm
|of:PREP woman:F:OBL from:PREP side:F:OBL beat:INF become:CONT:PRS:1:SG
|I am being beaten by the woman
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case}}

This construction may modify a noun; like most noun modifiers, it precedes the head.

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= د  ښځې لوري ليکل شوي څېړنې لټوم
|dә x̌ә́źe lә lúre likә́l sә́wi śeṛáne laṭawә́m
|of:PREP woman:F:OBL from:PREP side:F:OBL write:INF become:AOR:PST:PTCP:PL:M:DIR research:F:PL:DIR find:CONT:PRS:1:SG
|I am finding the studies that were written by the woman
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case}}

== Adverbial Clauses ==
Pashto utilises conjunction phrases as [[adverbs]]. 
Examples:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Conjunction !! Transliteration !! Literal meaning !! English approximate
|-
! هيڅ کله نه 
| hits kә́la na || nothing when no || never, at no time
|-
! که هر څنګه 
| kə hər tsә́nga || if ever how || howsoever, in whatever way
|- 
!راځه چې 
| rādzá che || come that || (come) let's 
|- 
!تر اوسه پورې 
| tər ósa póre || till now up to/till || so far, as yet, up till now
|- 
!تر دغه پورې 
| tər dáğa póre || till this till || as far as this
|- 
!تر کله پورې 
| tər kә́la póre || till when till || till when?, how long? 
|- 
!تر کومه پورې 
| tər kóma póre || till where till || how far?, to where?
|}

== Particles ==
Anna Boyle Davids defines particles "any lexically free item that does not host inflection and that does not function as the argument or complement of a verb or adposition".<ref>{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=367}}</ref>

=== Existential ===
The word ''شته [shta]'' and  its  negative form  نشته /nə́ šta/ is used to denote existence.
{| class="wikitable"
! Sentence !! Literal meaning !! Meaning
|-
| پړنګ شته ؟
pṛāng šta ?
| Tiger there-is/are (exists)? || Is there a tiger?
|-
| نشته
ná šta
| not-there-is/are || There isn't
|}

== Modal Particles ==
Anna Boyle Davids defines these as: "...uninflected sentence-level modifiers. The clause within the scope of the particle may appear as a main clause or as a finite subordinate clause".<ref name=":6"/> چې {{IPA|/t͡ʃe/}}  can appear as a main clause and as a finite subordinate clause.

=== Affirmative ===

==== که نه ====
Affirmation questions and statements contain the affirmation particle: که نه /kə ná/ (''literally:'' "if/or no").<ref>{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=374}}</ref>

Affirmative Question Example:
{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= لاړې که نه ؟
|lā́ṛe kə ná
|go:AOR:PST:2:SG or:PARTICLE no:NEG
|You went, didn't you?
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation
PARTICLE: particle}}

Affirmative Statement Example:
{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= نه که نه
|ná  kə ná
|no:NEG or:PARTICLE no:NEG
|No, of-course not;
No, I didn't you know
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation
PARTICLE: particle}}

=== Deontic ===

==== دې ====
The modal دې [de; Southern dialects: di] expresses a duty or obligation like "must " when used with the perfective tense of a verb.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ey5bmgEACAAJ&q=tegey+pashto+grammar|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=148}}</ref>

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= هغه دې وګډېږي
|hağá de wә́gaḍegi
|he:3SG:STR:DIR NEC dance:AOR:PRS:3:SG
|He should/must dance
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

==== باید ====
The modal "bāyád" is also found in construction with the present perfective form of the verb.  Tegey notes that like English "should" it carries ambiguity.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Tegey|first=Habibullah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ey5bmgEACAAJ&q=tegey+pashto+grammar|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|date=1996|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|page=162}}</ref>

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= هغه بايد وګډېږي
|hağá bāyád wә́gaḍegi
|he:3SG:STR:DIR NEC dance:AOR:PRS:3:SG
|He should dance
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

==== پکار دى ====
"Pəkā́r day" [it is needed] is also used as deontic clause

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= پکار دی چې ته دلته راشې
|pəkā́r day če tә də́lta rā́še
|necessary be:CONT:PRS:3:SG:M  COMP you:2:SG:STR:DIR here:DEM come:AOR:PRS:2:SG
|You should come here
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

=== Emphatic ===

==== خو ====
The particle خو /xo/ appears in the second-position and denotes emphasis.<ref>{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=375}}</ref>

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= دا خو منو ده
|dā xo manó da
|this:DIR xo:EMPH shark:F:DIR be:CONT:PRS:3:SG:F
|This is a shark!
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
EMPH: emphatic
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation}}

Note: as an  emphatic خو /xo/ is considered to be different from the conjunction خو /xo/ 'but'.

=== Possibility ===

==== ښایي / ښائي ====
The particle x̌ā́yi  is placed sentence-initially and can appear in construction with the complementizer چې [če]<ref>{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=373}}</ref>

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= ښايي چې سبا ته راشي
|x̌ā́yi če sabā́ ta rā́ši
|maybe:PARTICLE that:COMP tomorrow:ADV to come:AOR:PRS:3
|Maybe he/she will come tomorrow
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation
PARTICLE:particle
COMP: complementizer}}

The particle x̌ā́yi  can also demonstrate deonitic "should"

==== کېدی شي ====
Kedáy ši (could become) which potential construction of the verb "to become" – کېدل /kedә́l/ is also used as particle to denote possibility – again as above '''چې''' maybe used

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= کېدی شي [چې] سبا  راشي
|kedáy ši [če] sabā́ rā́ši
|become:CONT:PST:OPT become:AOR:PRS:3 [that:COMP] tomorrow:ADV come:AOR:PRS:3
|Maybe/perhaps he/she will come tomorrow
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation
PARTICLE:particle
COMP: complementizer}}

=== Vocative ===
The following vocatives have been noted:
{| class="wikitable"
!Vocactive
!Transliteration
!Meaning
!Example
|-
!اي
|ai
| rowspan="3" |hey !
|اي نجلۍ
ai njlə́i

hey girl
|-
!اې
|e
|اې سړیه
e saṛáya

hey man
|-
!آ
|ā
|آ ښځې
ā x̌ə́dze

hey woman
|-
!الۍ
|alə́i
|oh !
|الۍ دا دې څه وکړه
alə́i dā de tsə wə́ kṛə

oh what did you do 
|-
!وئ<ref>{{Cite web|title=وئ – Daryab Pashto Glossary [Qalandar Momand]|url=https://qamosona.com/G3/index.php/term/,6f57ae9b61545a9c6d57b1b0a55d5eae.xhtml|access-date=2021-03-05|website=qamosona.com}}</ref>
|wə́i
|darn it, ouch
|وئ خوږ شوم
wə́i xúẓ̌ šwəm
|}

=== Wish ===

==== کاشکې ====
The particle  کاشکې /kāške/ or کاشکي /kāški/ is used  as English "if only"; to express wish or desire that something would happen or would have happened.<ref>{{Cite book|last=David|first=Anne Boyle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zK7zMgEACAAJ|title=Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and Its Dialects|date=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=347}}</ref>

It can be used with an optative verb, to express a counterfactual wish.

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= کاشکې وختي تللی وای!
|kā́ške waxtí tlә́lay wāy
|if-only:PARTICLE early:ADV gone:AOR:PST:PTCP:M:DIR be:CONT:PST:OPT
|I wish you had gone earlier
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation
PARTICLE:particle
COMP: complementizer}}

It can also be used with the present perfective verb, to express a polite request.

Example, from [[Khan Abdul Ghani Khan|Ghani Khan's]] poetry:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Meena (unplugged) {{!}} Bilawal Sayed {{!}} Ghani Khan – YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRlHkcEpAck|access-date=2021-02-06|website=www.youtube.com}}</ref>

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= هغې وې خوږه دلبره کاشکې ستا عقل زما شي
|hağé we xoẓ̌á dilbára kā́ske stā akә́l zmā ši
|she:3:F:STR:OBL say:CONT:PST:3 sweet:ADJ:M:VOC beloved:N:M:VOC if-only:PARTICLE your:2:SG:STR:POSS intelligence:N:M:DIR my:1:SG:STR:POSS become:AOR:PRS-PRS:3
|She was saying oh sweet beloved, if only your intelligence be mine
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation
PARTICLE:particle
COMP: complementizer}}

== Nuance ==
In this section the nuances or the [[semantics]] in relation to specific words will be explained.

=== راوړل and راوستل ===
Both راوستل /rāwastә́l/  and راوړل /rāwṛә́l/ are both transitive verbs denoting the meaning of "to bring"; but their nuance is different. راوړل /rāwṛә́l/ has the meaning in which the subject is directly involved thus have the meaning more inline with  "to bring and carry".  راوستل /rāwastә́l/  has the meaning in which the subject is causing the object to be brought but the object by its own motion is come thus having a meaning closer to "to bring along".<ref>{{Cite web|title=د (را وړل) او (را وستل) توپیر – YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r46gYlo7cnY|access-date=2021-02-08|website=www.youtube.com}}</ref>

==== Tangible Objects ====
Example راوړل:

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= اوبه مې راوړې
|obә́ me rā́wṛe
|water:N:F:DIR I:SG:WK bring:AOR:PST:3:F:PL
|I brought the water
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
WK:weak
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation
PARTICLE:particle
COMP: complementizer}}

''Explanation:'' Here the water is being brought by the speaker by his own hand or through a container e.g. by a glass

Example راوستل:

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= اوبه مې راوستې
|obә́ me rā́waste
|water:N:F:DIR I:SG:WK bring:AOR:PST:3:F:PL
|I brought  the water
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
WK:weak
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation
PARTICLE:particle
COMP: complementizer}}

''Explanation:'' Here the water is being brought by the speaker as he/she has caused its bringing e.g. has made a canal/channel from the river bringing about the water

==== Intangible Objects ====
For intangible object  راوستل /rāwastә́l/ is better suited; as the object or concepts comes by its own motion.

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= پرمختګ يې راوست
|parmәxtág ye rā́wast
|development:N:M:DIR 3:WK bring:AOR:PST:3:M:SG
|He/she/they brought development
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
WK:weak
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation
PARTICLE:particle
COMP: complementizer}}

But for bringing "news", "omens/luck" or "diseases"  راوړل /rāwṛә́l/  is used – perhaps as the subject is implied to carry it.

{{interlinear|number=ex:
|top= ښه خبر دې راوړ
|x̌ə xabár de rā́waṛ
|good:ADJ news:N:M:DIR 2:WK bring:AOR:PST:3:M:SG
|You brought good news
|abbreviations=DIR:direct case
STR:strong
WK:weak
NEC:modal of necessity or obligation
PARTICLE:particle
COMP: complementizer}}

=== Adjectives ===
As noted by Ghaza Noor, the choice of an adjective suffix can also have a change on the meaning.<ref>{{Citation|title=اغېزناک او اغېزمن|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_SJEBgt8I|language=en|access-date=2021-02-18}}</ref>

Example: اغېز – ağéz – effect [noun.masc.sing and plural]
{| class="wikitable"
!Adjective 
!Transliteration
!Meaning
!Nuance
!Example Sentence
|-
| rowspan="2" |اغېزمن
| rowspan="2" |ağezmán
| rowspan="2" |affected
| rowspan="2" |to describe the subject or object being influenced
|زه له تا څخه اغېزمن شوم
|-
|zə stā na ağezmán šwəm
I am affected by you
|-
| rowspan="2" |اغېزناک
| rowspan="2" |ağeznā́k
| rowspan="2" |effective
| rowspan="2" |to describe the subject or object having the effective influence
|ته اغېزناکه وينه کوې
|-
|tə ağeznā́ka waina kawé
You talk effectively
|}

== Slang ==
Pashto also has rich slang language. Examples:
{| class="wikitable"
!Slang
!Literary
!Meaning
!Notes
|-
|بمبه راخوشې که
bambá rā́ xwǝše ka
|بمبه ولګوه
bambá wə́ lagawa
|Turn on the faucet/tap
|خوشې (xwǝ́še) means  "set free/loose"; 
so a literal translation would be "Let loose the tap!"
|-
|غوړي مې په کټوۍ کې ور وويشتل
ğwaṛí me pə kaṭwə́i ke war wə́ wištəl
|غوړي مې په کټوۍ کښې ور واچول
ğwaṛí me pə kaṭwə́i kx̌e war wə́ wištəl
|I have put the oil in the cooking pot
|ويشتل (wištǝ́l) means "to shoot [e.g a gun"; 
so a literal translation would be "I flung the oil in the cooking pot"
|}

==Syntax==
Pashto has subject-object-verb (SOV) word order as opposed to English subject-verb-object (SVO) word order. In intransitive sentences where there is no object Pashto and English both have subject-verb (SV) word order.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Tegey|first1=Habibullah|last2=Robson|first2=Barbara|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|location=Washington|year=1996|page=178|url=http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED399825.pdf}}</ref>

In Pashto, however, all modifiers precede the verb whereas in English most of the verbal modifiers follow the verb.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Tegey|first1=Habibullah|last2=Robson|first2=Barbara|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|location=Washington|year=1996|page=179|url=http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED399825.pdf}}</ref>

===Phrasal syntax===
Pashto exhibits strong head-final order in noun phrases and verb phrases.<ref name="Anna B. David 2014 399"/>

====Noun phrases====
Pashto noun phrases generally exhibit the internal order determiner – quantifier – adjective – noun.<ref name="Anna B. David 2014 399"/>

====Adpositional phrases====
The salient exception to the head-final principle can be found in adpositional phrases, given the existence of prepositions, postpositions, and circumpositions.<ref>{{cite book|title= A Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects|first= Anna B.|last= David|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|year=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|page=400}}</ref>

====Verb phrases====
Generally, head-final order is found also in the verb phrase, with the verb, if any, as the final element. Relative clauses and sentence-level modifiers may appear in postclausal position.<ref name="Anna B. David 2014 401">{{cite book|title= A Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects|first= Anna B.|last= David|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|year=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|page=401}}</ref>

=====Light verb constructions=====
Pashto has a robust system of light verb constructions (LVC), two-word expressions that are semantically interpretable as a single predicate. Only one of the two canonical types—those of the form noun/adjective + verb (N-V).<ref name="Anna B. David 2014 401"/>

As verbs are a closed class in Pashto, the LVC is the only means of creating new verbal forms in the language; it is also used as a way of importing loanwords, with the borrowed word filling the complement slot.<ref name="Anna B. David 2014 401"/>

The inventory of light verbs in Pashto should not surprise anyone familiar with LVCs. In addition to the verbs کېدل /kedəl/ 'to become' and کول /kawəl/ 'to make; to do', which we refer to as the intransitive and transitive verbalisers when they act as light verbs, Pashto uses the verbs اخیستل /axistəl/ 'to take', وهل /wahəl/ 'to beat', نيول /niwəl/ 'to seize; to grasp', and ایستل /istəl/ 'to throw out' as light verbs.

Adjective complements of N-V LVCs always show agreement with the undergoer of the action of the verb, which is in turn marked in accordance with Pashto's system of split ergativity. Nominal complements are usually treated as the direct object of the verb, and are therefore also case-marked according to split-ergative alignment. The undergoer of the action, on the other hand, cannot be a direct object, as the verb can have at most two arguments; it is instead indicated by an adposition and accordingly case-marked oblique.<ref name="Anna B. David 2014 403">{{cite book|title= A Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects|first= Anna B.|last= David|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|year=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|page=403}}</ref>

=====Elements in the verbal group=====
======The verbal group in general Pashto======
Certain particles can be inserted between:
* The perfective prefix و /wə/́and its verb.
* A prefix or pseudo-prefix and its verb. (This includes both the a-initial complex verbs and second conjugation, or prefixed, verbs.)
* The complement of a denominal verb and its verbalizer.<ref name="Anna B. David 2014 403"/>
The particles that interact with verbs in this way are:
* The modal clitics به /bə/ and دې /de/
* The weak personal pronouns, or pronominal clitics مې /me/, دې /de/, یې /ye/, and مو /mo/
*The adverbial clitics خو /xo/ and نو /no/
* The negatives نه /ná/ and مه /má/
Modals, weak personal pronouns, and adverbials are all second-position clitics. They also obey strict rules of ordering relative to each other. Tegey (1977) reports the following ordering of enclitics between verbal components: خو /xo/> به /bə/> { مو /mo/| مې /me/| دې /de/| یې /ye/} > نو /no/. If the first syllable of the verb does not carry stress (that is, if it is an imperfective form), the negative precedes the verb, and the clitics follow the negative. Also, if a perfective form is negated, the negative marker—not the initial syllable of the verb—takes the stress.<ref>{{cite book|title= A Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects|first= Anna B.|last= David|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|year=2014|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|pages=403–404}}</ref>

======Negative placement in the perfective verb phrase======
The negative particle نه /ná/ nearly always precedes the verb and is placed as close to the verb stem as possible. In perfective constructions, it therefore follows the perfective marker و /wə/ for simplex verbs, and either initial /a/, the prefix, or the light verb complement for complex verbs. Because it carries an inherent stress, it takes the main stress in a perfective verb phrase.<ref name=":0">{{cite book|first=Anna B.|last=David|title=A Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects|publisher=De Gruyter Mouton|year=2014|isbn=978-1-61451-303-2|page=192}}</ref>

== Numbers ==

=== Cardinal numbers ===
Direct case, masculine<ref name="Pashto Dictionary (Neologisms)">{{Cite book|author=M A Zyar|url=https://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/188250861?access_key=key-80o9wylhskfeade1a3l&allow_share=false&escape=false&show_recommendations=false&view_mode=scroll|title=Pashto Dictionary (Neologisms)|publisher=Danish Press|year=2012|edition=2|location=Peshawar|page=363|author-link=Mujawar Ahmad Zyar}}</ref>
{| class="standard"
!Pashto
!Pronunciation
!
|-
|نشت
|nasht
|0
|-
|-
|یو
|yaw, yo
|1
|-
|دوه
|dwa
|2
|-
|درې
|dre
|3
|-
|څلور
|tsalor
|4
|-
|پنځه
|pindzə
|5
|-
|شپږ
|špəg/špəʐ
|6
|-
|اووه
|owə
|7
|-
|اته
|atə
|8
|-
|نه، نهه
|nə, nəha
|9
|-
|لس
|las
|10
|-
|یوولس
|yawolas
|11
|-
|دوولس
|dwolas
|12
|-
|دیرلس
|dyārlas
|13
|-
|څوارلس، څورلس
|tswarlas, tswārlas
|14
|-
|پنځلس
|pindzəlas
|15
|-
|شپاړس
|špāṛas
|16
|-
|اووه‌لس
|owəlas
|17
|-
|اته‌لس
|atəlas
|18
|-
|نونس, نورلس
|nunas, nurlas
|19
|-
|شل
|šəl
|20
|-
|یوویشت
|yavwišt
|21
|-
|دوه‌ویشت
|dwawišt
|22
|-
|درویشت
|dərwišt, dreyšt
|23
|-
|څلېرویشت
|tsalerwišt
|24
|-
|پنځه‌ویشت
|pindzəwišt
|25
|-
|شپږویشت
|špagwišt
|26
|-
|اوه‌ویشت
|owəwišt
|27
|-
|اته‌ویشت
|atəwišt
|28
|-
|نه‌ویشت
|nəwišt
|29
|-
|دېرش
|derš
|30
|-
|یودېرش
|yawderš
|31
|-
|دودېرش
|dwaderš
|32
|-
|دریدېرش
|drederš
|33
|-
|څلوردېرش
|tsalorderš
|34
|-
|پنځه‌دېرش
|pindzəderš
|35
|-
|شپوږدېرش
|špugderš
|36
|-
|اوه‌دېرش
|owəderš
|37
|-
|اته‌دېرش
|atəderš
|38
|-
|نه‌دېرش
|nəderš
|39
|-
|څلوېښت
|tsalvešt
|40
|-
|پنځوس
|pindzos
|50
|-
|شپېته
|špetə
|60
|-
|اویا
|awyā
|70
|-
|اتیا
|atya
|80
|-
|نوي
|nwi, nəwi
|90
|-
|سل
|səl
|100
|-
|یوسلویو
|yaw səlo yav
|101
|-
|یوسلودوه
|yaw səlo dwa
|102
|-
|یوسلوشل
|yaw səlo šəl
|120
|-
|دوه‌سوه
|dwa sawa
|200
|-
|دوه سوه او لس
|dwa sawa aw las
|210
|-
|درې سوه
|dre sawa
|300
|-
|زر
|zər
|1000
|-
|یوزرویو
|yaw zəro yaw
|1001
|-
|یوزرودوه‌سوه اوپنځه‌دېرش
|yaw zəro dwa sawa aw pindzəderš
|1235
|-
|لک
|lak
|100 000
|-
|ملیون
|milyon
|1 000 000
|-
|کروړ
|kroṛ
|10 000 000
|-
|ملیارد
|milyard
|1 000 000 000
|}

=== Ordinal numbers ===
Direct case, masc., sing.

* 1st لومړی lumṛai [also ړومبی]
* 2nd دويم dwaim [also دوهم]
* 3rd درېيم drəyam
* 4th څلورم tsaloram
* 5th پنځم pindzam
* 6th شپږم špaẓ̌am
* 7th اووم uwam
* 8th اتم atam
* 9th نهم nəham
* 10th لسم lasam

==Notes ==
:1.{{note|a}} په بارې کښې [pə bâre ke] is also used but this is a word-for-word borrowing from Hindi/Urdu के बारे में/کے بارے میں [kē bārē mēⁿ]. The Hindi word bārē [बारे/بارے] is itself from Persian در بارهٔ [dar bāraye\dar bāreye]
:2.{{note|b}} Pashto has a rich number of [[Pashto dialects|dialects]] due to which the language has been spelled several ways in English: Pashto, Pakhto, Pukhto.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Tegey|first1=Habibullah|last2=Robson|first2=Barbara|title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto|publisher=Center for Applied Linguistics|location=Washington|year=1996|page=4|url=http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED399825.pdf}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*Anne Boyle David, "Descriptive Grammar of Pashto and its Dialects"
*Habibullah Tegey & Barbara Robson {{cite web|url= http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED399825.pdf |title=A Reference Grammar of Pashto }} (1996) Center for Applied Linguistics
*Herbert Penzl, ''A Grammar of Pashto: A Descriptive Study of the Dialect of Kandahar, Afghanistan''
*Georg Morgenstierne, "'AFGHANISTAN vi. Paṧtō'", {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090610013053/http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iranica.com%2Fnewsite%2Farticles%2Funicode%2Fv1f5%2Fv1f5a040a.html Encyclopaedia Iranica]}}
*Longnow, Rosettaproject, [https://archive.org/download/rosettaproject_pbt_morsyn-2/rosettaproject_pbt_morsyn-2.pdf Pashto, Southern Grammar]
*Mohammad Abid Khan & Fatima-Tuz-Zuhra, "Towards the Computational treatment of the Pashto Verb" 18(1) Scientific Khyber pp.&nbsp;123–141 (2005)
* Noor Ullah, "Pashto Grammar" (2011), {{ISBN|978-1-4567-8007-4}}
* M. Zyar, "''ليک لارښود'' – Writing Guide" (2006)

{{Pashto language}}
{{Grammars of South Asian languages}}
{{language grammars}}

[[Category:Pashto]]
[[Category:Iranian grammars]]