What? There is no Pashto on Duolingo? Well, we are not really surprised.
Duolingo only caters to popular languages. Yet, why worry when you have Ling by your side?
You can still learn Pashto and tick off a language from your bucket list without wasting time.
If you are looking for an affordable and effective online resource to learn Pashto but are disappointed after not finding it on Duolingo, you can try the Ling app.
Its bite-sized lessons, engaging practice exercises, and the same gamified approach as Duolingo will surely keep you motivated as you fuel your passion.
Let’s closely look at what makes the Ling app the best alternative to Duolingo for learning any new language and why you should choose it to master Pashto in 2026.
Why Should You Learn Pashto?
Pashto (also spelled Pakhto or Pushto) is one of Afghanistan’s national languages.
It is also widely spoken in northwestern Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and even Karachi. In fact, there are more than 40 million Pashto speakers globally — yes, 40 million! That’s undoubtedly not a small figure.
So why is Pashto so special? First of all, it has a rich tradition of oral poetry and narrative.
Ever heard of the Pashto tappay? It’s a type of two-line folk poem, usually sung, that has been around for centuries and discusses everything from love and betrayal to courage and honor.
To be honest, it puts haikus to shame.
Pashto also has a rich history. It’s thought to have developed from the Eastern Iranian branch of Indo-European languages, so it’s old and interesting.
And here’s an exciting fact: Pashto speakers have made considerable contributions to South Asian culture — from great poets like Khushal Khan Khattak to iconic leaders and artists.
Despite all that heritage, Pashto doesn’t always get its due credit on international platforms.
Is Pashto Hard To Learn?
Well, learning Pashto may seem initially difficult, but it’s quite doable with the right attitude and tools. Here are the reasons why it might seem difficult to learn:
- Unique sounds: It has some special sounds and letters that do not exist in English. It makes it a bit tricky for first-timers to pronounce it.
- Different grammar: Pashto grammar has gender-specific nouns and differently conjugated verbs. Plus, it follows a subject-object-verb (SOV) sentence structure, which is slightly changed from the Arabic script.
- Variety of dialects: There are many regional dialects, and sometimes they differ quite a bit. But there are also other encouraging reasons as to why you should learn Pashto.
- Everyday usage: Once you master the basics, the rest of the learning will be mere practical words in Pashto.
- Sustained structure: The SOV order is consistent, making it relatively easy to predict the patterns of sentences over time.
- Enthusiastic native speakers: Pashto speakers are quite willing to help learners, making learning more fun.
However, it has some challenges. Yet, a little patience, practice, and some community assistance would make it a much more rewarding language to learn!
Why Pashto Deserves A Spot On Duolingo
So, here’s the question — why is there no Pashto on Duolingo?
Duolingo has been fantastic at bringing languages to the masses.
From Spanish to Swahili, even Klingon (yes, it’s on the app!), Duolingo has taught millions how to learn languages in a fun, accessible way.
But Pashto? Still not on the map.
We believe it’s time to bring about a change. And here’s why Pashto should be on Duolingo.
First, cultural retention is important. Learning Pashto is not merely acquiring a new way to say “hello” (which, by the way, is salaam).
It’s much deeper than that. It is about connecting to centuries of music, poetry, and heritage.
And for Pashtun youngsters raised abroad – in the US, UK, Canada, and beyond – possessing Pashto on Duolingo may have the power to bridge intergenerational distances.
Secondly, from an international point of view, Pashto is a language of strategic significance.
It’s used in areas that are in the global limelight, either for geopolitical, humanitarian, or cultural concerns.
Knowing the language can be a key to unlocking greater communication, understanding, and bonding.
Plus, Pashto has a lyrical beauty that makes it super fun to learn. Who wouldn’t want to impress friends by casually dropping a Pashto phrase or two?
So, Pashto really deserves a spot on Duolingo.
There’s a whole community out here who are passionately learning Pashto.
It is not just for the language itself but for everything it represents: resilience, history, and a vibrant culture that deserves to be shared.
Yet, what if there is no Pashto on Duolingo? You already have an alternative to it – the Ling app!
No Pashto On Duolingo? Try The Ling App As An Alternative
Now that we have discussed the importance of the Pashto language, let’s look closely at some prominent features of the Ling app that make it the best alternative to Duolingo for Pashto learners.
- The Ling app has structured lessons according to different learning levels. So, whether you want beginner-friendly lessons or advanced-level ones, you can choose accordingly.
- You get coins as a reward for each completed lesson, which you can use to hint at answers in practice exercises. So, you don’t have to focus on hoarding hearts instead of learning the language.
- Together with the language lessons, you can also access cultural insights related to the language you are learning. The Ling app offers detailed cultural explanations to familiarize you with the natives, too.
- Each bite-sized lesson focuses on one main topic to provide proper grammar explanations and make them easy to understand.
- You can re-hear any Pashto word with Ling’s recorded audio lessons. It will help you in learning to speak as the natives do.
- You can have one-on-one dialogues with the chatbot to revise what you have learned so far.
- Streaks, reminders, and leaderboards record your progress to keep you motivated.
- With finger-tracing writing exercises, you can practice writing the Pashto words you learned.
What’s more exciting? Besides Pashto, Ling offers lessons for over 60 other languages, including the less popular languages like Gujarati, Lao, Khmer, or Nepali.
Duolingo Vs Ling: Which One Supports Pashto?
If you are still not convinced, let’s do a quick comparison – a Duolingo vs Ling – to help you decide which one is the most suitable choice for you.
| Features | Duolingo | Ling |
|---|---|---|
| Pashto course available | No | Yes |
| Gamified Lessons | Yes | Yes |
| Incorporated Native Speaker Audio lessons | No | Yes |
| App suitable for advanced learners | No | Yes |
| Practice exercises for writing, listening, and speaking skills | Limited | Yes |
| Real-Life Dialogues With a Chatbot | No | Yes |
| Customized Learning Path | No | Yes |
| Stand-alone language learning solution | No | Yes |
| Finger tracing writing exercises | No | Yes |
| Free Version Available | Yes | Yes |
Why Do Serious Learners Choose Ling?
With the Ling app, you can master all four language skills without additional resources.
Isn’t being the stand-alone language-learning solution worth the hype? It can be one of the reasons why language learners choose Ling to master their favorite languages.
Besides this, the Ling app is a user-friendly platform offering bite-sized lessons divided into different sections so learners can revisit any section whenever they want.
In fact, all these lessons, partnered with gamified practice exercises, quizzes, and proper explanations, instantly let you start speaking the basics with confidence instantly.
Additionally, Ling equally focuses on less popular and regional languages like Pashto to make all languages accessible for everyone.
These might be a few reasons for the Ling app’s popularity among serious learners. I am not bragging, though. You can see it yourself. Here are some recent Ling app reviews given by our dedicated learners for your reference:
“Very epic, grammar tips are actually good, and it’s accurate :3 I recommend it very useful.”
★★★★★
Elbinman43
“I love how quickly I was able to get customer support on account help after the recent app update. I was initially bummed that much got changed & funky for me, but support was great and helped within 24 hours. Pretty amazing! Most of what seemed to change for the worse for me was quickly sorted out. I LOVE the style of Ling that others mention – grateful to jump freely to needed lessons – and the wide language variety. Thanks for the great app & support & care.”
★★★★★
Erika Henson
What You’ll Learn In The First Week Of Joining Ling?
If you avail of Ling’s 7-day free trial to learn Pashto online, you can expect to achieve the following feats.
| Days | What You’ll Learn |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Basic Introduction in Pashto. |
| Day 2 | Greetings and everyday words and phrases. |
| Day 3 | Counting and asking about prices. |
| Day 4 | Talking about basic foods and locations. |
| Day 5 | Basic Pashto vocabulary to order food. |
| Day 6 | Master basic sentence structure. |
| Day 7 | Engage in your first dialogue in Pashto. |
Note that you can even achieve more of these in seven days if you increase your learning time per day.
Frequently Asked Questions About No Pashto On Duolingo
Does Duolingo Have Pashto?
No, there is no Pashto on Duolingo yet. However, there are several other great applications that are filling this gap and offering Pashto language courses to passionate learners.
Which Language App Has Pashto?
There are several language applications that offer online Pashto courses. Some of the best apps to learn Pashto are: Ling: It is one of the best apps for comprehensive Pashto learning. Mango languages: It is best for learning Pashto grammar lessons. uTalk: It is best for learning essential vocabulary in Pashto. Memrise: It offers courses related to Pashto vocabulary with mnemonics. Pimsleur: The Pimsleur Pashto course preferably focuses on Pashto pronunciation.
Can I Learn Pashto Myself?
Yes, you can easily learn Pashto yourself with the right resources, consistency, and dedication. You can try online language-learning apps like the Ling app for quick guidance, watch Pashto shows on YouTube channels, listen to podcasts or native speakers to practice speaking skills, etc. Hopefully, with consistent and thorough learning, you can start speaking basic Pashto quickly.
Start Learning Pashto With Ling! Try It Now For Free!
So, you don’t need to worry if there is no Pashto on Duolingo.
There are several other options that you can choose to learn Pashto.
But, I will repeat, the Ling app can become your best language learning partner (without any doubt).
Thanks to its short and engaging lessons, gamified approach to learning, speech recognition feature, and native audio recordings, the Ling app is an all-in-one solution for passionate learners.
It’s like you don’t have to look elsewhere after downloading the Ling app on your devices.
Want to try it yourself? If yes, we have good news for you.
You can enjoy a 7-day free trial and see for yourself if this app suits you.
If not, you can cancel the subscription instantly; no commitments are required.
However, 4.6/5 stars on the App Store signal that it won’t be the case for sure. Convincing, right?
So, download the app now and start learning Pashto with the Ling app.
It is available on the Play Store and the App Store. Happy learning!
