In the previous chapter we talked about why words inflect. Now we will explain how words inflect. What actualy happens to them? How do they change?

Like many things in Pashto, inflection can seem mysterious and intimidating. Why do the words change so much, and how!? 😩 But, we'll see that there are just a few basic patterns that the words follow, and it's not so scary or confusing after all.

Below are the 5 (and a half) basic patterns for inflecting nouns, participles, and adjectives. Notice how all these patterns work with both masculine and feminine genders.

Don't worry about memorizing them all perfectly to start. Instead keep looking back and use them as guides to help you as you get familiar with the inflections over time.

1. Basic

These words always end in:

• Masculine: - consonant or a shwa (ـه - -u vowel)
• Feminine: - ـه - -a

Note: See exceptions below.

2. Words ending in an unstressed ی - ay

3. Words ending in a stressed ی - áy

This is very similar to pattern #2, but with the stress on the last syllable the feminine inflection changes.

4. Words with the "Pashtoon" pattern

These words are a little irregular but you can see a common patten based around:

• lengthening the 1st masculine inflection with ا ـ ـه - aa _ u
• shortening the other forms and adding the ـه - -a, ـې - -e, ـو - -o endings

Note: See exception below.

5. Shorter words that squish

These are also a little irregular but instead of lengthening the 1st masculine inflection they compress it as well and take just an ـه - -u on the end.

Extra half pattern: Inanimate feminine nouns ending in ي - ee

There is one more pattern which only works for inanimate feminine nouns ending in ي - ee.

Note that this pattern only works with feminine, non-living nouns. Animate nouns like بي بي - beebee (grandmother) will not inflect like this, and masculine nouns like قاضي - qaazee (judge) also will not inflect. Adjectives ending in ـي - ee will also not inflect.

Not all words inflect

It's important to know that not all words can be inflected. If a word doesn't fit into one of these 6 patterns, you can't inflect it. For example, if an adjective ends in an ـه - -a in the masculine form, you can't inflect it because it doesn't fit any of the patterns above. 🙅‍♂️

Exceptions

Pattern 1 feminine nouns without an ـه - a ending

There are a number of feminine nouns which follow the basic pattern, but are missing an ـه - a ending.

For example:

• لار - laar (road)
• ورځ - wradz (day)
• میاشت - myaasht (month)
• غېږ - gheG (bosom)
• څنګل - tsangul (elbow)
• بړستن - bRastun (blanket)
• ږمنځ - Gmundz (comb)
• ستن - stun (needle)
• لمن - lamun (skirt)
• څرمن - tsarmún (leather)
• توشک - toshák (cushion)
• کنځل - kundzul (swear word)
• لوېشت - lwesht (span)
• منګل - mangúl (claw)
• ورېځ - wurédz (cloud)

Exceptions in inflection

Whatever kind of word you're using, it will always inflect for the three reasons that we mentioned earlier. However, there are a few exceptions.

Pattern 1 words in sandwiches starting with په - pu

When you put a pattern 1 - basic word in a sandwich starting with په ... - pu ... sandwich, the first inflection is optional. Some people will use it, some will not.

For example:

But if you make it plural, it will always use the second inflection. Only the first inflection is skipped.

Remember that in any other kind of sandwich, you will always use the first inflection with these pattern 1 words. They are only optional with sandwiches starting with په ... - pu ....

Pattern 4 masculine animate nouns

Pattern 4 masculine animate nouns (ie. a person or animal) in this pattern will often only use the first inflection for the plural. Some people will use the first inflection for all three reasons, but most will not.

In sandwiches

For example, if we put the the masculine singular word پښټون - puxtoon in a sandwich, usually people will not inflect it. But the feminine form will always inflect.

As subjects of past tense transitive verbs

Plural

But these words will always use the first inflection for the plural.

Pattern 4 masculine animate unusual nouns

There are a few words that don't perfectly fit the "Pashtoon" pattern. For example:

• مېلمه - melmá (guest)
• کوربه - korbá (host)

When masculine, these words will only use the first inflection for plurals. They will not use the first inflection for sandwiches or for subjects of transitive past tense words. For example: