Directional Pronouns

Pashto has 3 directional pronouns that indicate the direction that a word is focussed towards.

PersonDirectional Pronoun
1st
را
raa
me, we
2nd
در
dăr
you, you (pl.)
3rd
ور
wăr
him, her, it, them

With the Verb "to give"

There are different verbs used for "to give" depending on which direction the giving is happening.

Person ReceivingVerb
1stراکول - raakawúl (to give to me/us)
2ndدرکول - dărkawúl (to give to you/you pl.)
3rdورکول - wărkawul (to give to him/her/it/them)

The choice of را، در، ور - raa, dăr, wăr depends on who is on the receiving end of the giving.

ما ته کتاب راکړه
maa ta kitáab ráakRa
Give me the book.
مونږ ته پیسې راکوي
moonG ta paysé raakawee
He gives us money.
چای درکړم؟
chaay dărkRum?
Should I give you tea?
تاسو ته پیسې درکوي.
taaso ta paysé dărkawee.
He gives you money.
دا کتاب ده ته ورکړه
daa kitaab du ta wărkRa
Give this book to him.
مونږ هغوي ته پیسې ورکوو
moonG haghwee ta payse wărkawoo.
We give them money.

With "to go"

It's very common to add the directional pronouns in front of the verbs "to go" to indication which direction someone is going.

DirectionVerb
تلل - tlúl (to go)
1stراتلل - raatlúl (to come - here, to me/us)
2ndدرتلل - dărtlúl (to go - to you)
3rdورتلل - wărtlúl (to go - there, to him/her/them)
هغه اوس راځي
haghá oos raadzée
He's coming now
دلته راشه!
dălta ráasha!
Come here!
هلته ورشه!
hălta wărsha!
Go there!
زه درځم.
zu dărdzúm
I'm coming to you.

These directional verbs are really common when talking about someone knowing a language, because in Pashto we can say that a language "goes to" someone if they know it.

پښتو راځي.
puxto raadzée.
I know Pashto. (lit. Pashto comes to me.)
پښتو درځي؟
puxto dărdzée?
Do you know Pashto? (lit. Does Pashto come to you?)
پښتو ورځي.
puxto wărdzée.
She knows Pashto. (lit. Pashto comes to her.)

With other verbs

These directional pronouns can also get added on to all kinds of other verbs to make the direction clearer. Note that when they do get added on, they go before the و - óo prefix in the perfective forms.

VerbExample W/ Directional Pronoun
لېږل
legúl
to send
دا عکس راولېږه
daa aks raa-óoleGa
Send me that picture
سمه ده. اوس یې درلېږم.
sama da. oos ye dăr-léGum
Ok. I'm sending you it now
استول
astawul
to send
پرون یې پیغام راواستاوه.
paróon ye paygháam raa-wáastawu.
She sent me a message yesterday.
زه به ورته یو پیغام ورواستوم.
zu ba wăr-ta yo payghaan wăr-wáastawum.
I'll send her a message.

In Some Sandwiches

These directional pronouns can be used instead of regular pronouns in the following sandwiches:

  • "to" ... ته - ... ta etc.
  • "from" له ... نه - la ... na, له ... څخه - la ... tsukha etc.
  • "with" له ... سره - la ... sara, etc.

When you put these directional pronouns in these sandwiches, the first part (له - la, د - du) is always left out.

ولې راته ګورې؟
wăle raa-ta góre?
Why are you looking at me/us?
راته ووایه!
raa-ta óowaaya!
Tell me/us!
درسره چای شته؟
dăr-sara chaay shta?
Is there tea with you? Do you have tea?
اوبه ورڅخه راځي.
oobu wăr-tsukha raadzée.
Water comes from it.

As Prefixes on Adjectives

👷‍♂️ Coming Soon ✍


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