The official languages of Afghanistan are Dari Persian and Pashto. Dari Persian has been an official language of Afghanistan since 1964, while Pashto has been in place as far back as 1936. Both are Indo-European languages that are from the sub-family of Iranian languages. In terms of percentages, recent studies have suggested that 50 percent of Afghanistan’s population speak Dari Persian. Secondly, 35 percent use Pashto as their first language while 11 percent use Uzbek and Turkmen. The final 4 percent of the population have a native tongue of one of thirty minority languages. The two official languages can be found all over the country but did initially, and still do to some extent, have a specific geographical area.
Dari Persian has always been considered the prestige language and is used as the main means of inter-ethnic communication. It has maintained its status as the lingua franca and is the native tongue of a wide range of Afghan ethnic groups including the Tajiks (Afghanistan’s second largest ethnic group), Aimak, Kizibash and the Hazara. Afghanistan’s second official language, Pashto is the native tongue of the single largest ethno-linguistic group within the country, the Pashtuns.
There are a number of other languages that exist within Afghanistan. These include Uzbeck, Turkmen, Arabic, Pashavi, Nuristani and Balochi languages. All of these are used as native tongues by minority groups across Afghanistan and have official language status in the regions where they are widely spoken. Minor languages that are spoken within the country also include Pamiri (Shughni, Munji, Ishkashimi and Wakhi), Brahui, Hindko and Kyrgyz. There are an increasingly larger number of Afghans who can also speak and understand Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi and English. The variety of languages that are found today in Afghanistan are a reflection of the country’s complex history. The wide range of languages that are used can be categorised geographically, socially and within ethnic groups.
Dari Persian has always been considered the prestige language and is used as the main means of inter-ethnic communication. It has maintained its status as the lingua franca and is the native tongue of a wide range of Afghan ethnic groups including the Tajiks (Afghanistan’s second largest ethnic group), Aimak, Kizibash and the Hazara. Afghanistan’s second official language, Pashto is the native tongue of the single largest ethno-linguistic group within the country, the Pashtuns.
There are a number of other languages that exist within Afghanistan. These include Uzbeck, Turkmen, Arabic, Pashavi, Nuristani and Balochi languages. All of these are used as native tongues by minority groups across Afghanistan and have official language status in the regions where they are widely spoken. Minor languages that are spoken within the country also include Pamiri (Shughni, Munji, Ishkashimi and Wakhi), Brahui, Hindko and Kyrgyz. There are an increasingly larger number of Afghans who can also speak and understand Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi and English. The variety of languages that are found today in Afghanistan are a reflection of the country’s complex history. The wide range of languages that are used can be categorised geographically, socially and within ethnic groups.
