Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1. Harami‐ illegitimate, child born out of wedlock.
2. Kolba‐ a small shack.
3. Jinn‐ supernatural creatures in Arab mythology. They can be good, evil, or neutrally
benevolent.
4. Sufi‐ a Muslim mystic.
5. Dil‐ heart, love, passion
6. Didi‐ sister
7. Kinchini‐ derogatory word meaning prostitute.
8. Tandoor‐ a clay oven.
9. Arbab‐ boss, master, landlord; a Middle eastern title used by tribal leaders.
10. Kichiri‐ rice and lentils dish
11. Dishlemeh‐ a sweet candy made mostly of sugar
12. Mullah‐ Muslim man or woman educated in Islamic theology and sacred law.
13. Akhund‐ religious leader
14. Namaz‐ 5 daily prayers that are part of the 5 Pillars of Faith
15. Alef, beh, seh‐ letters in the Arabic alphabet
16. Bulbul bird‐ medium sized songbird
17. Tasbeh‐ type of Muslim rosary beads for saying prayers
18. Allah‐ name of God in Arabic
19. Akbar‐ great
20. Sahib‐ master, holder, owner.
21. Tahamul‐ to endure, experience.
22. Arbab‐ tribal leader title
23. Hijab‐ Islamic headscarf
24. Mashallah‐ Islamic for “whatever God wills”
25. Minaret‐ a tall slender tower, typically part of a mosque, with a balcony from which a
muezzin calls Muslims to prayer.
26. Plane tree‐ a genus of trees that contains maples and sycamores
27. Quinces‐ a yellow fruit, similar in appearance to a pear.
28. Gari‐ horse drawn cart, wagon, or carriage
29. Chapan‐ type of coat worn over clothes during wintertime
30. Hookah‐ water pipe for smoking tobacco
31. Dokhtar jo‐ dear daughter or girl.
32. Bas‐ enough
33. Bia‐ come here.
34. Matryoshka dolls‐ a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside the other.
35. Sabzi‐ herbs, or greens
36. Aush soup‐ beef noodle soup
37. Surah‐ chapter
38. Ayat‐ verse
39. No na fahmidi‐ you do not understand.
40. Khastegar‐ a man who is willing to marry a girl.
41. Farsi‐ a modern version of old Persian language that is spoken in Iran, Afghanistan and
Tajikistan
42. Pashto‐ language spoken in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
43. Moochi‐ shoe repairman
44. Nikka‐ marriage
45. Agha‐ an honorific title used in some Muslim countries
46. Tabreek‐ congratulations
47. Deh‐Mazang‐ a neighborhood in the city of Kabul
48. Tashakor‐ thanks
49. Azan‐ Muslim call to prayer
50. Fahmidi‐ understand
51. La illah u ilillah‐ there is no God but Allah
52. Burqa‐ an enveloping outer garment worn by some women in Islamic societies that
cover their bodies when in public
53. Wallah o billah‐ never a moments rest
54. Rupiah‐ form of currency where approximately 12,000 rupiah = 1 US dollar
55. Salaam khala jan‐ peace dear aunt
56. Hamshira‐ sister, just not in the biological sense
57. Sofrah‐ type of tablecloth
58. Daal‐ dish of lentils with spices
59. Aftawa‐ water pitcher
60. Nang and namoos‐ pride and honor or dignity
61. Logari‐ type of music in Afghanistan
62. Poostin‐ fur lined sheepskin coat
63. Ramadan‐ the 9th month of the Islamic calendar; Muslims worldwide observe this as a
month of fasting
64. Iftar‐ the evening meal when Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset.
65. Qurma‐ type of stew
66. Eid‐ul‐Fitr‐ Feast of breaking the fast; it is an important Muslim holiday at the end of
Ramadan.
67. Eid Mubarak‐ traditional Muslim greeting usually reserved for Eid‐ul‐Fitr or Eid‐ul‐Adha.
68. Chaman‐ the capital of Qilla Abdullah district, Balochistan, Pakistan
69. Sujda‐ kneeling
70. Borani‐ Persian appetizer with yogurt
71. Aushak‐ pasta dumplings filled with scallions, with a meat sauce on top
72. Harmonium‐ A type of musical instrument with a bellows and reed organ
73. Tabla‐ a type of small drums
74. Namaz‐ ritualistic prayer in Islam
75. Hamam‐ Turkish version of the Roman bath
76. Inshallah‐ God willing, or if Allah wills.
77. Kofr‐ sacrilege
78. Bebakhsh‐sorry.
79. Chup ko‐ shut up
80. Watan‐ homeland, country, or nation
81. Hamwatans‐ compatriot
82. Nepotism‐ the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or
friends, especially by giving them jobs.
83. Aristocracy‐ the highest class in certain societies, especially among those holding
hereditary titles or offices.
84. Pari‐ beautiful woman, angel, fairy
85. Ghazals‐ poetic form of rhyming couplets and a refrain.
86. Jihad‐ Arabic word meaning struggle or resisting.
87. Inqilabi‐ Azerbaijani term meaning revolutionary
88. Coup‐ a sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government.
89. Mujahideen‐ those who engage in struggle (Jihad)
90. Moalim‐ teacher
91. Badmash‐ Hindi word that means naughty.
92. Aroos‐ Arabic word meaning bride.
93. Shokr e Khoda‐ praying to God for your good fortune.
94. Shorwa‐ soup
95. Mozahem‐ intruder
96. Panjpar‐ card game similar to poker.
97. Giryanok‐ crybaby
98. Pakol‐ an Afghan cap, a soft round top men’s hat, typically made of wool.
99. Fatiha‐ the first chapter of the Qur’an; funeral
100. Khatm‐ funeral
101. Shaheed‐ a Muslim martyr
102. Pajalusta‐ Russian for you are welcome.
103. Koochi‐ Afghan Pashtun nomads of the Ghilzai tribal confederacy.
104. Badar‐ Arabic meaning full moon
105. Hazara‐ Persian speaking people who live in central Afghanistan.
106. Chutney‐ a type of Indian sauce.
107. KHAD‐ secret police of Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation.
108. Mantu‐ beef or lamb dumplings
109. Rafiq‐ friend
110. Loya Jirga‐ “grand assembly”. It is used to choose a new head of state in case of
death, adopt a new Constitution, or to settle regional or national issues such as war.
111. Ustad Sarahang‐ Afghan musician.
112. Dogh‐ Afghan yogurt drink that is served cold.
113. Mastawa‐ a dish of rice, lentils, beef and yogurt.
114. Ho bacha‐ hey kid
115. Ustad Awal Mir‐ Afghan musician who sang patriotic Pashto songs.
116. Kalashnikov‐ AK‐47
117. Tofangdar‐ riflemen
118. Inshallah‐ God willing, or if Allah wills
119. Nau socha‐ good as new
120. Salaam‐ peace
121. Khodaya‐ oh God
122. Tumban‐ a long loose shirt that hangs below the knees
123. Alhamdulellah‐ all praise and thanks to God
124. Zahmat‐ bother
125. Lorry‐ truck for transporting goods
126. Lotfan‐ please
127. Kenarab‐ a dirty nasty place
128. Ambagh‐fool, loser, shamed
129. Gap Bezan‐ talk
130. Wallah‐ I promise by God
131. Dehati‐ a rural person, a villager
132. Diwana‐ crazy or mad
133. Malika‐ queen
134. Dokhtar e Jawan‐ young woman
135. Almari‐ a wardrobe or closet
136. Sharab‐ wine
137. Gul‐ flower, rose
138. Buzkashi‐ a central Asian sport where horse mounted players attempt to drag a
goat’s carcass toward a goal.
139. Pahlawan‐ warrior
140. Degeh‐ other
141. Dozd‐ thief
142. Khosh shodi‐ are you happy now
143. Bacha‐ baby boy
144. Espandi smoke‐ smoke from a dried herb used to keep one safe from evil.
145. Yaklenga‐ one foot, cripple
146. Khayat‐ tailor
147. Chai‐ Indian tea of boiled tea leaves with milk, sugar, and cardamom
148. Halwa‐ a sweet Indian dish of carrots or semolina, boiled with milk, almonds,
sugar, butter, and cardamom
149. Khala‐ aunty
150. Shaitan‐ devil, Satan or evil spirit
151. Khar‐ donkey; can be used to describe someone who is dumb or an idiot
152. Ona‐ girls
153. Visa‐ an endorsement on a passport indicating that the holder is allowed to
enter, leave, or stay for a certain amount of time in a country.
154. Biwa‐ a widow
155. Sawab‐ spiritual merit or reward that accrues from the performance of good
deeds.
156. Bov‐ bus
157. Kaka‐ uncle
158. Qanoon‐ law
159. Aishee‐ milk
160. Taliban‐ an Islamic fundamentalist political movement in Afghanistan
161. Madrasas‐ educational institution, either religious or secular
162. Risha‐ roots
163. Kafir‐ a person who is not a Muslim; an infidel
164. Watan‐ homeland, heimat, country, or nation
165. Mahram‐ unmarriageable kin with whom sexual intercourse would be considered
incestuous, a punishable taboo.
166. Rubab‐ a lute like musical instrument
167. Tambouras‐ a Greek traditional stringed instrument of Byzantine origins.
168. Surah of Ikhlas‐ chapter 112 of the Qur’an
169. Surah of fatiha‐ chapter 1 of the Qur’an
170. Raqats‐ movements and words followed by Muslims while offering prayers to
God
171. Deltoid‐ muscle that forms the round contour of the shoulder.
172. Jelabi‐ deep fried wheat batter in a circular or pretzel shape covered in sugar
syrup.
173. Wahshis‐ savages
174. Naswar‐ moist, powdered tobacco snuff consumed in Afghanistan
175. Deodars‐ Himalayan cedar trees
176. Jerry can‐ metal 5 gallon fuel can
177. Dysentery‐ inflammation of the intestines that causes bloody diarrhea, usually
caused by contaminated food or water.
178. Tuberculosis (TB)‐ a contagious bacterial infection that involves the lungs
179. Noqul candy‐ sugar coated almonds
180. Samovar house‐ tea house
181. Chapli kebab‐ a flat patty of beef or chicken, with onions and spices.
182. Mehman‐ guest
183. Pashtunwali‐ non‐written ethical code and traditional lifestyle of the Pashtun
people.
184. Gaaz‐ nougat made with egg white, pistachio or almond kernels, sugar and corn
syrup