چاي
čāy
The Pashto word for tea is چاي (čāy). Wiktionary also lists چی (čay) and چاى (čāy).
Meaning: drink made from leaves of tea plant (noun)
Ways to say it
| Pashto | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| چاي | čāy | |
| چی | čay | masculine |
| چاى | čāy | masculine |
The term refers to the beverage made from the leaves of the tea plant.
Which one should you use?
The forms چاي and چاى are both used for the word, while چی is a masculine variation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms چی and چاى are tagged as masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
čāy
Did you know?
- While you might say you want 'tea', in many Pashto-speaking households, the word چاي is synonymous with the entire ritual of hosting, where offering it is a mandatory sign of hospitality.
- The word چاي shares a common linguistic ancestor with the English 'tea', tracing back through Persian and Chinese-influenced trade routes.
- In some Pashtun communities, the act of repeatedly refilling a guest's چاي glass is a way to signal that the guest is welcome to stay longer.
Examples in context
- تود چاي ډېر خوندور دی.tud chay der khwandawar day.Hot tea is very delicious.
- ایا ته چاي څښې؟aya ta chay tskhay?Do you drink tea?
- زه د چاي لپاره شکر غواړم.ze da chay lapara shakar ghwaram.I want sugar for the tea.
Example conversation
Zarkola and Khan are sitting in a living room.
- زركولہ Zarkolaخان، چاي به څښې؟Khan, chay ba tskhe?Khan, will you drink tea?
- خان Khanهو، مهرباني وکړه یو پیاله راکړه.Ho, mehrabani wakra yo piala rakra.Yes, please give me one cup.
- زركولہ Zarkolaچاي سمه ده، که شکر غواړې؟Chay sama da, ka shakar ghwarai?Is the tea okay, or do you want sugar?
- خان Khanنه، زه ساده چاي خوښوم.Na, za sada chay khwashum.No, I like plain tea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tea” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
