If you want to learn languages similar to Dari, you reached the right point! Here, you will have several languages to choose from.
Some major languages similar to Dari are Farsi and Pashto. They belong to the Indo-Iranian languages. Also, Balochi, Urdu, Turkmen, and Uzbek are some helpful options.
Languages Similar To Dari – 10 Relevant Languages!
Dari is a Persian dialect spoken across Afghanistan and Tajikistan by over 12 million people.
Do you know how to speak Dari? If not, don’t worry – you’re not alone.
If you want to learn Dari, know it is similar to other languages. This makes learning the dialect easier for language enthusiasts such as yourself.
Some languages related to Dari are Farsi and Tajik, as they share a common root. In addition, languages spoken by the Pashtun ethnic group, such as Pashto and Wakhi, are like Dari.
Moreover, languages in the bordering countries of Afghanistan, such as Uzbek and Turkmen, have connections to Dari.
Today we will share a good list of languages similar to Dari. This helps you understand the languages around Afghanistan and your language better.
Dari and Farsi are two different languages, they share several similarities. For one thing, they both use the Arabic alphabet, such as فارسی and دری. This help people of both languages to understand each other more easily.
In terms of vocabulary, there are also many similarities between the two languages. Therefore, a shared vocabulary is a source of communication between Afghans and Iranians.
For example, both Dari and Farsi use the words “Khoon” (blood) and “Khuda” (god).
In the same way, both languages also share some expressions and sayings. Like, “shoma khaste nabashi” (you are welcome) and “man kheyli khoshhalam” (I am very happy).
Finally, both languages have similar intonation and pronunciation. This makes it easier to speak a language to understand and communicate with each other.
2. Pashto And Dari Use Similar Alphabets:
Dari and Pashto are two of the official languages of Afghanistan. Almost all Afghans are either bilingual or multilingual. So they speak both and sometimes even more than two languages.
Dari is a variety of Persian and Pashto is a member of the Eastern Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group. Despite their different origins, the two languages share several features.
For instance, both use the Arabic alphabet and have a rich tradition of poetry. For example, the national poet of Afghanistan, Khushal Khattak, wrote in both languages.
In addition, there are many loanwords from Arabic and Persian in both Dari and Pashto. For example, the word for “tea” (chai) is the same in both languages.
Moreover, most Afghans can understand each other when they speak either language. Though the dialects may be different, the languages are mutually intelligible.
3. Wakhi Also Have Verb Conjugations:
Dari and Wakhi are two closely related languages. They belong to the Eastern Iranian group of the Indo-Iranian branch. And this branch is from the Indo-European language group.
Although they are common in some areas of Central Asia, they share many features in common. Like, a similar grammar and verb conjugation.
For example, both languages use the endings -am, -i, and -o. This shows the first, second, and third person (singular forms) of the present tense, respectively.
For example, the Wakhi verb “khar” (“to eat”) for the three persons is as follows:
– Kharam (first person singular present)
– Khari (second person singular present)
– Kharo (third-person singular present)
Furthermore, both Dari and Wakhi use the ending -ad to mark the past tense as “Kharad” (“ate”). This similarity between the two languages makes it easy for speakers of Wakhi to use Dari and vice versa.
4. Uzbek Values Honorifics As Well:
Although Dari and Uzbek are different, both have a system of honorifics in common. In both languages, the honorifics show social status and relationships between individuals.
For example, younger people use honorifics when addressing older people. Also, men use them when addressing women.
For instance, “aybosh” (“sir”) and “muhtarma” (“madam”) are two honorifics in both cases. In addition, they have special honorifics for religious figures such as imams.
However, there are also some differences in the use of honorifics between Dari and Uzbek.
For instance, in Uzbek, it is more common to use honorifics when addressing strangers. While in Dari, they are typically only used with close friends and family.
Nevertheless, the similarities between the two languages in honorifics far outweigh the differences.
5. Turkmen Has SOV Order Like Dari:
Dari and Turkmen are two languages in Central Asia that share many similarities. These two are not mutually intelligible. Still, speakers can pick many common points.
One notable similarity is that both languages use the subject-object-verb word order.
The sentence’s subject typically comes before the object, and the verb comes last. For example, the sentence “I see you” would be “I you see” in them.
This word order is relatively uncommon among languages. So this makes it all the more remarkable that Dari and Turkmen should share it.
This similarity is likely because both languages are descended from a common ancestor. Whatever the reason, it is clear that both have this in common, even if they are not mutually intelligible.
6. Kurdish And Dari Have Many Cognates:
Dari and Kurdish are two languages that share a lot of similarities. A large number of words (almost 40%) in both languages are cognates. This means they have the same or similar meanings.
For instance, the word “dokhtar” in Dari means “daughter” and the same word in Kurdish has the same meaning. Another example is the word “razi” which means “satisfied” in both languages.
Because of these shared words, it is possible to understand some of the meanings in each language. Even if you don’t understand the whole thing, still get some points.
In addition, both languages have borrowed extensively from other languages over the centuries.
For instance, the Arabic word ‘Habibi’ is common in both languages.
This is especially apparent in Dari’s case. This is because it borrows words from Persian, Arabic, and Turkish. As a result, Dari and Kurdish are quite close to each other.
7. Kalasha-munji And Dari Has Common Sound System:
Dari is very similar to Kalasha-munji. They are both spoken in the Hindu Kush mountain range and share some sound systems.
Sound systems refer to how languages use sounds to form words. For example, these languages use a wide range of vowel sounds, with Kalasha-munji.
For example, some words have the same sound in Kalasha-munji and Dari. Like, ‘shokr’ and ‘kharab’ means thank you and bad, respectively. This is because both languages have the same sound/ meaning.
Further, these two also have a rich system of consonants. Like, stops, fricatives, and affricates are particularly common.
However, a difference between the two languages is in their treatment of vowel length.
In Dari, vowels can be either short or long, while in Kalasha-munji, all vowels are always long.
Despite the differences, the two languages are mutually intelligible. Therefore, speakers of both can understand each other with relatively little difficulty.
8. Balochi Also Has A Great Influence Of Persian Like Dari:
Dari is one of the official languages of Afghanistan. Almost a quarter of the population speaks it as their first language. Some people speak it in the region of Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan.
Conversely, Balochi is another Iranian language. Around 3 million people speak it in Pakistan and Iran. Though they are different languages, Dari and Balochi share some similarities.
Such as, both use the Arabic alphabet and have many loanwords from Arabic and Persian. For example, the word “madam” in Dari is “mohtarama” like in Balochi.
In addition, both languages are typically written right-to-left. This shows the languages have shared roots and come under the same language family.
Generally, languages similar to Dari are simpler for native Dari speakers to pick up.
So, if you want to learn languages like Balochi and Pashto, you will have an easier time if your language is Dari.
9. Hazaragi Is Quite Close To Dari In Pronunciations:
Dari and Hazaragi are two dialects of Persian. Thus, there are some noteworthy similarities between the two. For one, Dari and Hazaragi speakers depend on Persian for daily communication.
For instance, “chai” and “khub” refer to tea and good, respectively. This is partly because both dialects share a lot of vocabulary with Persian.
In addition, both Dari and Hazaragi speakers tend to use a lot of Persian in their speeches. For example, the phrase “Khoda Hafez,” which means “God bless you,” is very common in both languages.
This is likely because Persian heavily influenced both dialects during their development.
As a result, speakers of both Dari and Hazaragi tend to be highly proficient in Persian. In short, Hazaragi and Dari rely on Persian even in common everyday speech.
10. Urdu Use Perso-Arabic Script:
Dari and Urdu are part of the Indo-Iranian family and are written in the Persian script. As a result, they share several similarities in terms of grammar and vocabulary.
For instance, both use the subject-verb-object word order and have rich literary traditions.
Additionally, both Dari and Urdu employ a Perso-Arabic script. This helps speakers of the languages to recognize/understand words in these languages.
For Instance, many of the Urdu words such as گاہ (gah: home), باغ (baagh: garden), andدریا (dariyaa: river) are also same in Dari.
However, there are also some significant differences between the two languages. For Instance, Dari has a heavy influence on Persian. At the same time, Urdu comes under Hindi and Punjabi influence.
Thus, Comprehension can be a challenge for those who only know one language. In spite of this, they are still two close languages.
Conclusion:
People interested in learning languages can find commonalities between Dari and other languages.
This helps them understand their language better. Further, it will give them greater insight into the languages of Afghanistan’s neighbors.
For example, languages like Uzbek and Turkmen have strong connections to Dari. Also, Farsi, Pashto, Urdu, and some other options shared above are great.
There you have it! We hope this article has given you a good overview of languages similar to Dari.
Knowing what these languages have in common will provide great insights. In addition, it will help you to get your native language and those spoken by people nearby.
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