You don't need fluent Pashto to travel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but a few basic Pashto phrases go a long way for tourists. Urdu works almost everywhere, and English gets by in hotels and with younger people. Still, a handful of Pashto words, especially the greeting, change how a shopkeeper or a driver treats you, and in smaller villages off the main road they are genuinely useful.
This is a short, practical list: greetings, directions, food and a few polite phrases, with rough pronunciation rather than the Pashto script, since that is what you will actually use on the road.
Greetings and everyday courtesy
Pashto has its own greetings, separate from Urdu's "assalam-o-alaikum", though that is understood everywhere too.
| English | Pashto (romanised) |
|---|---|
| Hello | Salaam |
| How are you? | Tsenga ye? |
| I am fine, thank you | Za kha yam, manana |
| Thank you | Manana |
| Please | Mehrabani |
| Yes | Ho |
| No | Na |
| Goodbye | Khudai pa aman |
"Manana" is the one word worth remembering above all others. Said with a small nod, it is understood and appreciated everywhere in the province, from a fruit seller in Peshawar's Qissa Khwani Bazaar to a guesthouse owner in Chitral.
Asking for directions and getting help
| English | Pashto (romanised) |
|---|---|
| Where is...? | ...cheerta de? |
| I need a taxi | Za taxi ta artia laram |
| How much is this? | Da tso paisay di? |
| I am lost | Za warka yam |
| Can you help me? | Ta mrasta kolai she? |
| Help! | Mrasta! |
Numbers are worth learning separately, because prices and directions both depend on them. In practice most vendors in tourist areas will write a price on paper or show it on a calculator if your Pashto numbers run out, so don't worry about memorising beyond ten.
Food and shopping
| English | Pashto (romanised) |
|---|---|
| I would like this | Za da ghwaram |
| Is it spicy? | Da masala lari? |
| Can I get the bill? | Hisab rakrai |
| Good / nice | Kha / Khegara |
Food words matter less than they might elsewhere in Pakistan, because most restaurants along the main tourist routes, Peshawar, Swat, Chitral and the Galiyat, run in Urdu and Pashto together, and menus for the well-known dishes (chapli kebab, tikka, karahi) are the same words you already know.
A few words that carry weight
Two phrases do more socially than the rest of the list combined:
- "Manana" (thank you) at the end of any interaction, however brief.
- "Pa khair raghlay", roughly "welcome", is what you'll hear said to you on arrival at a hujra or a home. You don't need to say it back; a smile and "manana" is the right response.
If you are invited into someone's home or hujra, a little of the etiquette around it matters more than the vocabulary. Our guide to Pashtun etiquette covers hujra customs, dress and what to do if you're asked in for tea.
When Urdu or English will do
Don't over-prepare. In Peshawar, Mingora, Chitral town and any hotel or tour office in the province, Urdu is the working language and English is common among younger staff and guides. Pashto phrases earn goodwill in villages, at roadside dhabas, and with older drivers and shopkeepers who deal less with outsiders. Nobody expects a visitor to be fluent, and a mispronounced attempt is taken as a compliment, not a failure.
If your trip is mostly Peshawar, the Galiyat or a guided tour, Urdu alone is enough. If you're heading into rural Swat, Dir, Chitral or the Kalash valleys independently, the phrases above are worth having ready on your phone as well as in your head, since signal is patchy and you may not be able to look them up when you need them.
Our travel guide has more on getting around KPK day to day, including transport and money, and our trip planning page can help you build the rest of the itinerary around it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to speak Pashto to travel in KPK?
No. Urdu is understood and spoken across the province, and English works in hotels, tour offices and with most younger guides. Pashto is a bonus, not a requirement.
Is Pashto the same in Pakistan and Afghanistan?
It's the same language with regional dialect differences. The phrases above, used in Pakistani KPK, are understood on both sides of the border, though pronunciation and some vocabulary shift the further west you go.
What is the most useful single Pashto word for a visitor?
"Manana" (thank you). It is short, easy to say, and used constantly in everyday politeness.
Will people mind if I mispronounce Pashto words?
No. Attempting a few words of Pashto is almost always taken warmly, as a sign of respect, rather than judged for accuracy.
Is Pashto written the same as Urdu?
Pashto uses a version of the Arabic script with some extra letters for sounds Urdu doesn't have, so the written forms look similar but aren't identical. Travellers get by without reading Pashto script at all, since signage in tourist areas is usually in Urdu or English too.
