Online Pashto Keyboard – Type in Pashto Instantly
All Keyboards is a free online Pashto keyboard that lets you type in Pashto (Pashto (Perso-Arabic) script, right to left) directly in your browser – no software or fonts to install. Type with your own keyboard or click the on-screen keys using the Pashto – Phonetic layout, where each key types the Pashto letter that sounds like it, or simply speak and let voice typing write Pashto for you. Copy the text into WhatsApp, email, Word or social media, download it as a file, print it, or translate it in one click.
How to Use the Pashto Keyboard
- Choose the layout. Keep Keyboard Type on Pashto – Phonetic to type in Pashto, or switch to English – QWERTY for English. The text box writes from right to left.
- Start typing. Click the keys of the on-screen keyboard with your mouse or finger, or type on your computer keyboard – each key types the Pashto letter that sounds like its English letter, for example k → ن, b → ذ and s → س.
- Use Shift and Caps Lock for more letters. They switch to the second set of characters – letters with dots and the vowel marks, such as », ۍ, ډ and ړ (Shift + k → »).
- Use Ctrl or Alt for special characters. The third set holds the Pashto numerals 1 2 3 and other signs.
- Save or share your text. Use the toolbar above the text box to start a new text, download it as a .txt file, copy, print, share it on WhatsApp or by email, work in full screen, or translate it into English and other languages.
How Pashto Letters Join to Make Words
Pashto is written from right to left, and most letters join the letter after them. Pashto adds letters of its own to the Arabic and Persian ones, for sounds such as the retroflex ټ ډ ړ ڼ and the special ښ ږ.
Three rules to remember
- Letters join: ک + ت + ا + ب = کتاب (kitāb, book) – press ; j h f.
- Some letters never join the next one: ا د ډ ذ ر ړ ز ږ ژ و join only to the letter before them – ورځ (wradz, day) – press , v Shift+t.
- Letters of its own: ښ is a sound between "sh" and "kh" – پښتو (pashto) – press m Shift+q j ,.
Practice words
| Word | Meaning | Letters | Keys to press |
|---|---|---|---|
| کور | house | ک + و + ر | ; , v |
| اوبه | water | ا + و + ب + ه | h , f i |
| کتاب | book | ک + ت + ا + ب | ; j h f |
| پښتو | Pashto | پ + ښ + ت + و | m Shift+q j , |
| سلام | hello | س + ل + ا + م | s g h l |
Want to learn every letter first? See the complete Pashto alphabet with pronunciation and examples.
About the Pashto Language
Pashto (پښتو) is an Eastern Iranian language of the Indo-European family, the language of the Pashtun people. It is one of the two official languages of Afghanistan, with Dari, and the main language of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. Pashto is written from right to left in an alphabet of 44 letters, which extends the Arabic and Persian letters with signs for its own sounds. It has two genders and a rich oral poetry, the two-line landay.
- Script
- Pashto alphabet (پښتو الفبا), right to left
- Language family
- Eastern Iranian (Indo-European)
- Official status
- Official language of Afghanistan; provincial language in Pakistan
- Related languages
- Persian, Balochi, Kurdish, Ossetian
How old is Pashto?
Pashto literature goes back at least to the 16th century. The warrior-poet Khushal Khan Khattak and the Sufi poet Rahman Baba (17th century) are the most celebrated Pashto poets.
How many people speak Pashto?
About 50–60 million people speak Pashto, most of them in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Where is Pashto spoken?
Pashto is spoken in Afghanistan and in Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan), and by Pashtun communities in the Gulf countries, India, Iran and Europe.
A landay is a Pashto folk poem of just two lines – 9 and 13 syllables – often sung by women.
Common Pashto Phrases
A greeting and everyday phrases, to see how Pashto looks. Click a phrase to add it to the text box.
Pashto Alphabet at a Glance (Alifbe)
The Pashto alphabet has 44 letters, written right to left. Letters such as ټ ډ ړ ږ ښ ګ ڼ څ ځ write sounds that Arabic and Persian do not have.
Vowels غږونه 5
آ ې ۍ ي و
Written as full letters at the start of a word or on their own.
Letters توري 43
- The be family
- ب پ ت ټ ث
- The jim family
- ج ځ چ څ ح خ
- Dāl and re
- د ډ ذ ر ړ ز ژ ږ
- Sin to ghayn
- س ش ښ ص ض ط ظ ع غ
- Fe to nun
- ف ق ک ګ ل م ن ڼ
- Wāw, he and ye
- و ه ي ی ې ۍ ئ
Grouped by shape – dots above or below tell the letters of a group apart.
Numerals شمېرې
۰ ۱ ۲ ۳ ۴ ۵ ۶ ۷ ۸ ۹
Written left to right, even inside right-to-left text.
Hear every letter and practise reading on the Pashto alphabet page.
Pashto Keyboard – Frequently Asked Questions
How do I type in Pashto?
Click the keys of the on-screen Pashto – Phonetic keyboard, or type on your own keyboard – each key types the Pashto character shown on it.
Is the online Pashto keyboard free?
Yes. The keyboard, translator, typing tutor and image to text tool are free to use, with no sign-up and nothing to install.
Do I need to install Pashto fonts?
No. The page loads a Unicode font for the Pashto (Perso-Arabic) script, so Pashto text shows correctly in any modern browser, and the text you copy works in WhatsApp, Word and email.
How many letters does the Pashto alphabet have?
The Pashto alphabet has 44 letters, 10 letters of its own and 2 genders. See every letter with its pronunciation on the alphabet page.
Where is Pashto spoken?
Pashto is spoken in Afghanistan and in Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan), and by Pashtun communities in the Gulf countries, India, Iran and Europe.
Can I translate Pashto text?
Yes. Type your text, choose a language next to Translate and press the button – the translator opens with your text translated into English or any other supported language.
Can I type Pashto by voice?
Not yet. Browsers do not offer speech recognition for Pashto yet, so the microphone is hidden on this page.