Afghanistan is a diverse country of contrasts from snowy mountains to vast dry deserts and everything in between, the people come from all kinds of groups and speak all kinds of languages. It’s people are the result of mass migrations and invading armies and to this day represent the ancient history of the country which spans thousands of years and hundreds of empires. For people coming to Afghanistan understanding the linguistic background of the country can give you an insight into modern issues. Further, knowing a little of the local languages is a sure fire way to have the best trip you can in the country.
How Many languages are spoken in Afghanistan?
There are numerous languages and dialects spoken in Afghanistan, but most linguistics agree it is around 40-50 languages that are currently spoken in Afghanistan. The two main languages of the country are Dari (a dialect of Persian) and Pashto. These are the two official languages of Afghanistan and are spoken by the majority of the population, though not all people speak both. Aside from these main two languages there are numerous languages that exist in small remote pockets of the country which can be completely unrelated to others close by.
If you’re wanting to learn few local words to get by then Dari is the most useful, followed by Pashto. Pashto is especially useful in Kandahar.
Dari vs Pashto: What is the difference? And which one is more widely spoken?
Both Dari and Pashto are considered co-official languages in Afghanistan, both are taught in schools and used in government, but both come from entirely different language groups.
Dari is a variety of Persian and is historically the language of Afghan cities, poets and many of its ethnic groups. Dari is widely spoken throughout Kabul, Bamiyan, Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif. Dari is traditionally the first language of the Tajiks, Aimaqs, Hazara and many urban Pashtuns and is the most widely spoken language in the country.
Pashto is in the same language branch of Dari but is a completely different language. Pashto is the mother tongue of the Pashtun ethnic group, which is the largest single ethnic group in the country accounting for around 40% of the population. Pashto is spoken mostly in the southern areas of Afghanistan as well as across the border in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province of Pakistan.
In terms of numbers Dari is more widely spoken with around 70-80% of the population speaking Dari to some degree. Pashto is the first language of around 40-50% of people in the country and under Taliban rule has been given more prominence in both daily life and government.
Is Dari the same as Farsi?
The answer is both yes and no. Many people will actually agree that they are different versions of the same language (Persian). They are similar in the way that there is a difference between American and British English. Dari is older and has some terms and grammar not used by the more modern Farsi that is used Iran. Both of these languages are mutually intelligible and someone from Tehran could hold a conversation with someone from Kabul with no problem.
There is also a third branch in this group which is Tajik. Again, this is also a version of Persian which each branch can understand, however modern Tajik has a heavier influence from Russia after being a part of the Soviet Union.
Afghanistan’s minority languages: Uzbek, Turkmen, Hazaragi and more
In addition to Dari and Pashto, there are numerous minority languages spoken by different ethnic groups in the country.
Uzbek – spoken by much of Uzbek population around the area near Mazar-i-Sharif in the north. The dialect in Afghanistan is closely related to the dialect spoken today in modern Uzbekistan.
Turkmen – Spoken by the Turkmen people near the border with Turkmenistan. This is another Turkic language family member and is similar to Uzbek but still distinct.
Hazaragi – Traditionally spoken by the Hazara people of Bamiyan is a variation of Dari that is said to be distinct enough to be its own language.
Balochi - Spoken by the Baloch peoples of the very southern part of Afghanistan which stretches into Baluchistan near the Pakistan and Iranian borders.
Pashai and Nuristani – These languages are some of the oldest in Afghanistan and while they are branches of the Indo-Aryan language group like Dari, they are completely different and are classified separately.
Pamiri – Spoken in the remote northern Wakkhan corridor, these languages (Wakhi, Ishakshimi and Shughni) are considered some of the rarest on earth. These languages have no written form and are only spoken by a few thousand people each.
Do Afghans speak English? What can travellers expect
If you are in major cities and visiting tourist sites, then you will likely encounter people with a basic level of English. Outside of the cities however people will not speak English. Many people especially in Kabul worked previously with foreign military forces and so it is possible to find some people in Kabul who speak fantastic English. There are also many Afghans who grew up as refuges overseas who will have a good level of English.
If you are visiting Afghanistan on a Saiga Tours group tour then the language barrier won’t be an issue as we have guides that speak both Dari and Pashto and who can help you perfect important phrases on the road. To see what tours we have available check out our Afghanistan Group Tours section of our website. To secure your place send an email to
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