Lesson Twenty-Seven

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L: basheera yaara, nun wăle khufa khufa yawaaze naast ye? Dear Bashira, why are you sitting alone, so sad today?	بشيره ياره، نن ولې خفه خفه يواځې ناست يې؟
H: tru me muR shíway day. My uncle has died.	ترۀ مې مړ شوے دے.
L: de sara zu Der khufa shwum, daa tsu wakht? This makes me very sad, when was it?	دې سره زۀ ډېر خفه شوم، دا څۀ وخت؟
H: nun sahár raa-ta khabúr miláaw sho. The news came to me this morning.	نن سحر راته خبر مِلاؤ شو.
L: zmaa Der afsós day. janaazá ba kala wee? I am very sorry. When will the funeral be?	زما ډېر افسوس دے. جنازه به کله وى؟
H: janaasá ba tsalór baje wee. The funeral will be at four o'clock.	جنازه به څلور بجې وى.
L: zu taa sara janaazé ta tlul ghwaaRum. I want to go with you to the ceremony.	زۀ تا سره جنازې ته تلل غواړم.
H: zu kho halta oos rawáan yim, tu oos maa sara halta ze? I am going there now, will you come with me?	زۀ خو هلته اوس روان يم، تۀ اوس ما سره هلته ځې؟
L: zu Der khufa yim che de de dUnyaa na, yo khu saRáy láaRo. I am very sad, that a good man has left the world.	زۀ ډېر خفه يم چې د دې دُنيا نه، يو ښۀ سړے لاړو.
H: kho khUdáay ta ba daa manzóora wa. hăr yo saRáy che de dUnyáa ta raaghúlay day, waapás ba zee. But that was God's will. Every man who has come into the world will return.	خو خُدائ ته به دا منظوره وه. هر يو سړے چې دې دُنيا ته راغلے دے، واپس به ځى.
L: khUdaay de óobakhkhee. May God forgive him.	خُدائ دې وبخښى.
L: khUdaay de taaso lo sabur dăr-kRee. May God give you patience.	خُدائ دې تاسو له صبر درکړى.

The past potential

There are two forms of the past potential in Pukhto.

Imperfective Past Potential - “I could … / I couldn’t”

This form is to express if something was possible over a period of time, or in general in the past.

Form: infinitive + ـے - -ay + شول - shwul root conjugated.

Perfective Past Potential - “I could … / I couldn’t”

This form is used if something was possible at one particular moment, or in one particular attempt.

Form: perfective root + ـے - -ay + شول - shwul root conjugated.

Note: some verbs, like راتلل - raatlúl apear to only use thi imperfective form.

Examples with the imperfective past potential

taa wăr-sara madúd kawúlay sho?	Could you have helped them?	تا ورسره مدد کولے شو؟
aw, maa du haghwee madúd kawúlay sho, kho oo-me-ne-ko.	Yes, I could have helped them, but I didn't.	آو، ما د هغوى مدد کولے شو، خو ومې نۀ کو.
haghé pu khpúla pakhawúlay shwa?	Could she have cooked it herself?	هغې په خپله پخولے شوه؟
zu paróon taaso kara nu shwum raatláy.	I couldn't come to your house yesterday.	زۀ پرُون تاسو کره نۀ شوم راتلے.
moong khpul kaar khilaasawulay sho, kho zmoong Der melmaanú woo.	We could have finished the work, but we had lots of guests.	مُونږ خپل کار خلاصولے شو، خو زمُونږ ډېر مېلمانۀ وُو.
haghé dwa wraze makhke khpul kaar nu sho khilaasawúlay.	She couldn't have finished her work two days ago.	هغې دوه ورځې مخکښې خپل کار نۀ شو خلاصولے.
haghú ze botlay nu shwum.	He couldn't take me.	هغۀ زۀ بوتلے نۀ شوم.
haghwée me nun nu shoo leedáy	I couldn't see them today.	هغوى مې نن نۀ شو ليدے.
wăle taa largée nu shoo maatawúlay?	Why couldn't you have broken the wood?	ولې تا لرګى نۀ شُو ماتولے؟
moong palaam no sho khoRay, zuka che wreejze kharáabe we!	We couldn't eat the pulao, because the rice was bad!	مُونږ پلاؤ نۀ شو خوړے، ځکه چې وريژې خرابې وې!
taaso arabée hum wayulay shwa?	Could you speak Arabic too?	تاسو عربى هم وئيلے شوه؟
taa khpul afsúr sara khabúre kawúlay shwe, kho taa oo-nu-ke.	You could have talked to your boss, but you didn't.	تا خپل افسر سره خبرې کولے شوې، خو تا ونۀ کې.
zu du ziyaarút wraz tlay shwum.	I could have gone on Thursday.	زۀ د زيارت په ورځ تلے شوم.
tu paróon wăle nu shwe raatláy?	Why couldn't you have come yesterday?	تۀ پرُون ولې نۀ شوې راتلے؟
ku zu halta tlay shway, zu ba halta ke wum.	If I could have gone there I would have been there.	کۀ زۀ هلته تلے شوے، زۀ به هلته کښې وم.

NOTES:

Because this is a past tense construction, when the verb is transitive, the شول - swul root on the end is conjugated according to the object. Otherwise it agrees with the subject.
Conditional (past subjunctive) sentences can also occur with the past potential. In such cases, the شول - shwul root at the end is conjugated as شوے - shway. Note the examples below:

ku zu raatláy shway, no taa ta ba me wayulee woo.	If I could have come, I would have told you.	کۀ زۀ راتلے شوے، نو تا ته به مې وئيلي وُو.
ku me kawúlay shway, mrasta ba me dăr-sara kúRe wa.	If I could have done it, I would have helped you.	کۀ مې کولے شوے، مرسته به مې درسره کړې وه.

Emphatic and exclamatory

tsomra zur zur looyége!	How quickly you are growing!	څومره زر زر لوئېږې!
óogora! tsóomra wro wro haghá rawáana da!	Look! How slowly she is moving!	وګوره! څومره ورو ورو هغه روانه ده!
haghá tsóomra DoDúy khorée!	How much food he eats!	هغه څومره ډوډۍ خورى!
aah! haghá tsóna [tsóomra] khkÚle da!	Oh! How beautiful she is!	آه! هغه څونه [څومره] ښکُلې ده!
doomra looy kor!	Such a big house!	دومره لوئ کور!
tsoomra zur raa-óorasede!	How quickly you arrived!	څومره زر راورسېدې!
zu doomra stúRay shíway yim, che wayulay nu shum.	I'm so tired I can't say!	زۀ دومره ستړے شوے يم چې وئيلے نۀ شم!
haghá doomra naaráasta day, che tapós ye mu kawa!	He's so lazy, don't even ask him!	هغه دومره ناراسته دے، چې تپوس يې مۀ کوه!
haghá dóomra sabúq waayee, che wayulay nu shum!	He studies so much, that I can't say!	هغه دومره سبق وائى، چې وئيلے نۀ شم!
tsu ajéeba saRáy day!	What a strange man!	څۀ عجيبه سړے دے!

NOTE:

In the first two sentences the adverbs زر زر - zur zur and ورو ورو - wro wro are repeated for emphasis. You will often hear this type of emphasis in spoken Pukhto.

Rhyming words

You have probably heard words that are combined with a second one in a delightful rhyming couplet. Often the second word starts with an مـ - m- although this has no meaning. For example:

DoDúy moDúy tayáara da?

Is the food-mood ready?

ډوډۍ موډۍ تیاره ده؟

👆 Make sentences with the following words that are commonly combined in this way.

chaay

tea

چائې

pinT

trousers

پنټ

laambúl

bathe

لامبل

khog

sweet

خوږ

pakáy

fan

پکے

halúk

boy

هلک

juraabé

socks

جرابې

stúrge

ayes

سترګې

búluf

light bulb

بلب

jaamé

clothes

جامې

kitaabóona

books

کتابونه

saRáy

man

سړے

Some useful idioms

The normal sequence of learning is first the pronunciation, then the grammar, and finally the vocabulary is mastered. Idioms are an important part of this process. Like proverbs, the use of an idiom at the right time and place in a conversation will always be appreciated by your friends. Here are a few to get you started:

Equating people with animals:

nun zu du hágha zanaawaaraano noomóona zda kawúm kum che khaluq insaanáano to waayee.	Today I'm learning names of animals that people use to call others by.	نن زۀ د هغه ځناورانو نُومُونه زده کوم چې خلق انسانانو ته وائى.
haghá du zmaree pu shaan bahaadúr day.	He is as brave as a lion.	هغه د زمرى په شان بهادر دے.
doomra ghúTa da lăka mékha.	She is as fat as a buffalo.	دومره غته ده لکه مېښه.
stúrge ye do osúy pu shaan khkÚle dee.	Her ayes are as beautiful as a deer's.	سترګې يې د اوسۍ په شان ښکُلې دى.
daase gúrze lăka zúrka.	She walks like a partridge.	داسې ګرځى لکه زرکه.
daase háNkee che lăka spay.	She makes a noise like a dog [eating].	داسې هڼکی چې لکه سپے.
du spee pu shaan ghapégee.	He barks like a dog.	د سپى په شان غپېږى.
oos to maa ta noor daase noomóona óowaaya.	Now tell me some more names like this.	اوس ته ما ته نور داسې نُومُونه ووايه.

Equating parts of the body with special meaning:

pu pukhto ke khaluq waayee che ...	In Pukhto people say that …	په پښتو کښې خلق وائى چې ...
haghá du săr na tur khpo pore du gUnáa na Duk day.	He is full of sin from head to foot.	هغه د سر نه تر پښو پورې د ګُناه نه ډک دے.
Der nooraanee mukh laree.	He has a very shining (holy) face.	ډېر نورانى مخ لرى.
ghwugoona me neewúlee dee, che byaa ba daase nu kawum.	I pulled my ears (in repentance), so that I will not do it again.	غوږُونه مې نيولى دى، چې بيا به داسې نۀ کوم.
haghú zmaa ghwugóona óokhoRul.	He ate my ears off (with talk).	هغۀ زما غوږُونه وخوړل.
zu ye tur póze ráawustum.	I've had it with him up to my nose.	زۀ يې تر پوزې راوستم.
daa zmaa du zRu ToTá da!	She is a piece of my heart!	دا زما د زړۀ ټوټه ده!
du zRu pu ghwugo ye wáawra!	Listen with your heart's ear!	د زړۀ په غوږو يې واؤره!
ghwugóona ye raa-ta paakhú ku [kRul].	He cooked my ears off.	غوږُونه يې راته پاخۀ کهٔ [کړل].
tu oos maa ta daase noor misaalóona óowaaya, che du badún d andaamóona sara lúgee.	Now give me some more examples related to parts of the body.	ته اوس ما ته داسې نور مِثالُونه ووايه چې د بدن د اندامونو سره لږى.

Comprehension drill: Body language

👆 Much communication is without words. Below is a list of some common body language. Have your helper read the command, and show the unspoken way to “say” the same. Then you show the right sign at the given command. Finally you give the meaning of signs that your helper gives.

dălta ráasha!	دلته راشه!
paysé mu raa-oobaasa!	پیسې مۀ راوباسه!
hayráan sho!	حیران شو!
za!	ځه!
tsu kawe?	څهٔ کوې؟
khufa!	خفه!
khosháala!	خوشحاله!
chup sha!	چپ شه!
óodrega!	ودرېږه!
kéna!	کښېنه!
Der khu!	ډېر ښۀ!
zu taabidáar yim!	زۀ تابعدار يم!

pu góota ye shmaar ka!	په ګوته يې شمار که!
payse shmaar ka!	پیسې شمار که!
paagúl day!	پاګل دے!
dunúna raazéy!	دننه راځئ!
góroo ba!	ګورُو به!
khu kaar de kúRay wo.	ښۀ کار دې کړے وو!
khúze!	ښځې!
haghú ta ma waaya!	هغۀ ته مۀ وايه!
shermége!	شرمېږې!
za che zóo!	ځه چې ځُو!
mUaaf ka!	معاف که!
mú-kawa!	مۀ کوه!

Memorising moment

Rahman Baba

زمُونږ دومره قِسمت چرته دے؟

zmoong dóomra qismút chărta day?

Where would be so much luck for us?

چې اختر تېر شى نکريزی په دیوال اوتپه.

che akhtár ter shee nakréezee pu deewáal óotapa.

When the festivities have ended, henna is pasted on the wall.

هر ز نده چې د مرده په قبر ورشى،

دومره بس دے نصيحت په دې دُنيا.

hăr zindá che du mUrdá pu qúbur wăr-shee,

dóomra bas day naseehút pu de dUnyáa.

Any living person who sees a grave,

For him this advice is enough.

کۀ هزار هزار پشتۍ ورله څوک ورکړى

بې بُنياده دے بُنياد د دې دُنيا.

ku hazáar, hazáar pushtúy wăr-la tsok wăr-kRee

be bUnyáada day bUnyáad du de dUnyáa.

Even if someone gives thousands and thousands of supports,

The foundation of this world is baseless.

Exercises for Lesson Twenty-Seven

Complete the following sentences in the past potential.

zu téra shpa tlúlay.

زۀ تېره شپه تللے.

Der óobakha, dărtlulay nu.

ډېر وبخښه، درتللے نۀ.

Der graan wo, akhistúlay me nu.

ډېر ګران وو اخستلے مې نۀ.

Der baaráan waredó, tu me leedúlay nu.

ډېر باران ورېدو، تۀ مې ليدلے نۀ.

hawaa Dera yakha wa, oobú me skulay nu.

هوا ډېره يخه وه، اوبۀ مې څکلے نۀ.

maa hágha moTúr chalawúlay.

ما هغه موټر چلولے.

zaahíd khu rabáab wahúlay.

زاهد ښۀ رباب وهلے.

haghwée Déry khe qeesé leekúlay.

هغوى ډېرې ښې قيصې ليکلے.