Afghanistan has two official languages, Dari and Pashto. Dari is the Afghan variety of Persian, and Pashto is a separate language from the same wider family. Many Afghans speak both, but people are usually most at ease in the language they grew up with, and that matters in a medical, legal or council appointment.
Who usually speaks which
- Dari is widely spoken in Kabul and in the north and west of Afghanistan, and it is the first language of most Tajik and Hazara Afghans.
- Pashto is the first language of most Pashtuns, especially in the south and east of the country.
- Many people from Kabul and other cities are comfortable in both.
- Some Afghans speak other languages as well, such as Uzbek or Turkmen.
Ask before you book
- Ask the client which language they prefer, rather than guessing from where they come from.
- If you are not sure, a short phone call with an interpreter can settle it in a minute.
- If the client speaks the Hazaragi dialect, they usually understand Dari well, but tell the interpreter in advance.
- Book an interpreter who works in the language the client chose.
What I cover
I interpret and translate in Dari, Farsi and Sorani Kurdish, and I do not work in Pashto. If your client is more comfortable in Pashto, I will say so honestly, so that you can book a Pashto interpreter.