مېښه
meẍa/meˈ.xa/feminine
The English word "buffalo" is translated into Pashto as مېښه (meẍa) or سنډا.
Meaning: bovid of the Bubalina subtribe (noun)
Ways to say it
| Pashto | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| مېښه | meẍa | /meˈ.xa/ (Eastern) /meˈ.ça/ (Wardak) |
feminine |
| سنډا | sanḍâ | /san.ɖɑ/ | masculine |
The term refers to a bovid of the Bubalina subtribe.
Which one should you use?
The form مېښه is used when referring to a female buffalo, while the form سنډا is used when referring to a male buffalo.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /meˈ.xa/. It has two syllables and the stress is on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- The word مېښه has a distant relative in the Sanskrit word mahiṣa. This connection links the Pashto language to the ancient Indo-Aryan linguistic traditions.
- The term سنډا carries a cultural connotation of being 'rugged' or 'wild'. It is used to evoke much stronger masculine qualities than the standard term for the female counterpart.
- The word مېښه is the preferred term when discussing domestic buffaloes. However, if a speaker is talking about the wild water buffalo, they might switch to a completely different set of descriptors.
Examples in context
- مېښه په ماڼۍ کې ده.Meekha pa ma'anay ke da.The buffalo is in the stable.
Example conversation
Zarkola and Zalmai are walking through a farm.
- زركولہ Zarkolaزلمای، مېښه چېرته ده؟Zalmai, mēkha cherta da?Zalmai, where is the buffalo?
- زلمای Zalmayمېښه د غوټۍ خوا ته ده.Mēkha da ghutay khwa ta da.The buffalo is by the bush.
- زركولہ Zarkolaآیا مېښه خپله خوندۍ خوري؟Aya mēkha khpala khunday khwarī?Is the buffalo eating its feed?
- زلمای Zalmayهو، هغه ډېره خوشاله ده.Ho, haghā dera khushala da.Yes, she is very happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “buffalo” translations and entries مېښه, سنډا, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries سنډا, مېښه, CC BY-SA 4.0.
