Languages of Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a linguistically diverse nation with upwards of 40 distinct languages spoken. Dari (dialect of Farsi) and Pashto serve as the two main official languages whereas English also remain popular. Dari historically served as the lingua franca between different ethnic groups in the region.

Languages of Afghanistan
Ethnolinguistic groups of Afghanistan in 1997 (Hazaragi and Tajik are dialects of Persian)[1]
Official	Pashto, Dari
Regional	Uzbek, Turkmen, Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani
Minority	Arabic, Gujari, Urdu, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Sindhi
Foreign	English (c. 5%)[2]
Signed	Afghan Sign Language
Keyboard layout	Pashto keyboard (ISIRI 9147)

Pashto is spoken by over 75% of the population in Afghanistan, followed by Dari 48%, Uzbek 11%, English 6%, Turkmen 3%, Urdu 3%, Pashayi 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, and Balochi 1% (2020 est). Data represents the most widely-spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because there is much bilingualism in the country and because respondents were allowed to select more than one language. The Turkic languages, Uzbek and Turkmen, as well as Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them.^[3]

Both Farsi (Persian) and Pashto are Indo-European languages from the Iranian languages sub-family. Other regional languages, such as Uzbek, Turkmen, Balochi, Pashayi, and Nuristani are spoken by minority groups across the country.

Minor languages include: Ashkunu, Kamkata-viri, Wasi-wari, Tregami, Kalasha-ala, Pamiri (Shughni, Munji, Ishkashimi and Wakhi), Brahui, Arabic, Pashai, Kyrgyz, and Punjabi.^[4] Linguist Harald Haarmann believes that Afghanistan is home to more than 40 minor languages,^[5] with around 200 different dialects.

Overview

Many local languages are dialects and/or endangered.^{[Note 1][5]} Dari, as a shared language between multiple ethnic groups in the country, has, historically, served as a lingua franca between different groups in the region, and is the most widely understood language in the country.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][Note 2]}

The Persian or Dari language functions as the nation's lingua franca and is the native tongue of several of Afghanistan's ethnic groups including the Tajiks, Hazaras, and Aimaqs.^[13] Pashto is the native tongue of the Pashtuns, the dominant ethnic group in Afghanistan.^[14] Due to Afghanistan's multi-ethnic character, multilingualism is a common phenomenon.

The exact figures about the size and composition of the various ethnolinguistic groups are unavailable since no systematic census has been held in Afghanistan in decades.^[15] The table below displays estimates of the major languages spoken in Afghanistan per sample statistics:

Spoken Languages in Afghanistan

Language	2006 (as L1) (out of 6,226)[8]	2006 (as L2) (out of 6,226)[8]	2013 (out of 9,260)[7]	2020 (L1 + L2)[16]
Dari	49%	26%	48%	77%
Pashto	40%	5%	25%	48%
Uzbek	9%	2%	9%	11%
Turkmen	2%	3%	3%	3%
Balochi	0%	0%	1%	1%
Pashayi	0%	1%	1%	1%
Nuristani	N/A	N/A	1%	1%
Arabic	0%	2%	1%	1%
English	0%	8%	5%	6%
Urdu	0%	7%	2%	3%

Statistics vary considerably from source to source, the amount of total Dari (L1+L2) speakers tends to be the most consistent (77-80%). Between sources the amount of L1 speakers of Pashto and Dari vary considerably. With Encyclopedia Britannica estimating that roughly 1/2 of the population of Afghanistan speaks Dari natively, and "more than" 2/5 of Afghanistan speaking Pashto natively. While estimating a lower amount of native Pashto speakers then other sources, Britannica estimates that roughly 20% of the population spoke Pashto as a second language (an estimate higher that most other sources). Britannica also notes that many Pashtuns (particularly in urban areas) speak Dari as their first language, so the quantity of first language speakers is not a reliable indication of ethnicity.^[17] Other sources may give higher estimates for L1 Pashto speakers but lower estimates for L2 speakers, and may give varying estimates for Dari depending on whether regional varieties of Dari such as Hazaragi and Aimaqi are counted as languages or dialects. Encyclopedia Iranica estimates that 50-55% of Afghanistan speaks Pashto as their native language, but estimates few second language speakers (no estimate was given, only that the amount of L2 speakers was "less than 10%"). Iranica also estimated 25% of Afghanistan natively speaking Dari^[18] but also categorized varieties of Persian spoken in central Afghanistan as different languages as Dari, and gave no estimates to the percentage of non-Dari Persian speakers. Iranica also made no reference to how many ethnic Pashtuns spoke Dari as their first language.

A sizeable population in Afghanistan, especially in Kabul, can also speak and understand Urdu due to the mass migration of Afghan refugees during the Soviet–Afghan War.^[19][20][21]

Language policy

The national official languages of the country are Dari and Pashto, first established by the 1964 Constitution of Afghanistan. Dari is the most widely spoken language of Afghanistan's languages and acts as a lingua franca for the country. In 1980, other regional languages were granted official status in the regions where they are the language of the majority.^[22] This policy was codified in the 2004 Constitution of Afghanistan, which established Uzbek, Turkmen, Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani, and Pamiri as official languages in areas where they are spoken by a majority of the population.^[23] Officially, the Taliban government since 2021 has retained the national co-official status of Dari and Pashto as well as the regional status of ethnic minority languages.^[24][25] However, the Taliban have been accused of restricting the use of Dari and ethnic minority languages including Uzbek, in favor of Pashto.^[26][27]

Language families

Afghanistan Language Families[28] language percent Iranic   85.4% Turkic   10.7% Other (Nuristani, Indo Aryan, Dravidian)   3.9%

Since Afghanistan is predominantly located on the Iranian plateau, the majority of spoken languages belong to the family of Iranic languages. Turkic languages are spoken sparsely at the northern intersection of the plateau with Central Asia. Similarly, Nuristani languages and Dravidian languages are spoken sparsely at some regions where the plateau intersects with the Indian subcontinent.

Endangered languages

Until 2004, Dari and Pashto were the only languages promoted by the government. Though policy has since changed, it has still harmed many minority languages of the country. The table below shows endangered languages spoken in Afghanistan that are recognized by UNESCO.^[29][30] UNESCO recognizes 23 endangered languages in Afghanistan, 12 of which are exclusively spoken in Afghanistan and one having gone extinct after UNESCO's survey.

Language	UNESCO Status	Language Group	Language Family	Native to	Speakers (All Countries)
Ashkun	Definitely endangered	Nuristani (Indo-Iranian)	Indo-European	Afghanistan (exclusively)	40,000 (2011)
Brahui	Vulnerable	Northern Dravidian	Dravidian	Afghanistan, Pakistan	2,864,400 (2018)
Central Asian Arabic	Definitely endangered	Semitic	Afro-Asiatic	Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan	6,000 (2003)
Gawar-Bati	Definitely endangered	Indo-Aryan (Indo-Iranian)	Indo-European	Afghanistan, Pakistan	9,500 (1992)
Kamkata-vari	Definitely endangered	Nuristani	Indo-European	Afghanistan, Pakistan	40,000 (2017)
Moghol	Moribund(i)	Moghol(ii)	Mongolic	Afghanistan (exclusively)	200 (2003)(iii)
Munji	Severely endangered	Iranian (Indo-Iranian)	Indo-European	Afghanistan (exclusively)	5,300 (2008)
Nangalami	Severely endangered	Indo-Aryan	Indo-European	Afghanistan (exclusively)	5,000 (1994)
Ormuri	Definitely endangered	Iranian	Indo-European	Afghanistan, Pakistan	6,000 (2004)
Parachi	Definitely endangered	Iranian	Indo-European	Afghanistan (exclusively)	3,500 (2009)
Parya	Severely endangered	Indo-Aryan	Indo-European	Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan	2,600 (No Date)(iv)
Pashayi	Vulnerable	Indo-Aryan	Indo-European	Afghanistan (exclusively)	400,000 (2011)
Rushani	Definitely endangered	Iranian	Indo-European	Afghanistan, Tajikistan	18,000 (1990)
Savi	Definitely endangered	Indo-Aryan	Indo-European	Afghanistan (exclusively)	9,000 (2017)
Sanglechi	Severely endangered	Iranian	Indo-European	Afghanistan, Tajikistan	2,200 (2009)
Shughni	Vulnerable	Iranian	Indo-European	Afghanistan, Tajikistan	75,000 (1990)
Shumashti	Severely endangered	Indo-Aryan	Indo-European	Afghanistan (exclusively)	1,000 (1994)
Tirahi	Moribund(i)	Indo-Aryan	Indo-European	Afghanistan (exclusively)	100 (undated)[31]
Tregami	Severely endangered	Nuristani	Indo-European	Afghanistan (exclusively)	3,500 (2011)
Kalasha-Ala	Definitely endangered	Nuristani	Indo-European	Afghanistan (exclusively)	12,000 (2011)
Wakhi	Definitely endangered	Iranian	Indo-European	Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan	58,000 (2012)
Wasi-Wari	Definitely endangered	Nuristani	Indo-European	Afghanistan (exclusively)	8,000 (2011)
Wotapuri-Katarqalai	Extinct (no living speakers left)	Indo-Aryan	Indo-European	Afghanistan (formerly)	0

• ^(i) lit. "verge of death" Language has so few speakers, it is unlikely to survive unless immediate action is taken to preserve it
• ^(ii) Moghol is the only language in its branch
• ^(iii) Possibly Extinct
• ^(iv) Language has died or gone extinct in Afghanistan, but survives elsewhere.

See also

• Afghanistan portal

• Demographics of Afghanistan
• Ethnic groups in Afghanistan
• Turkic people in Afghanistan