Central Pashto
Central Pashto is a standard variety of the Pashto language, spoken in parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan. They are the middle dialects of Mangal, Zadran, Mahsudi and Waziri. These dialects are affected by what Ibrahim Khan terms as "the Great Karlāṇ Vowel Shift".
Here is a comparison of Middle Dialects with South Eastern:
| Central Dialects | ښ | ږ | څ | ځ | ژ |
| Waziri | |||||
| Dzadrāṇi | |||||
| Mahsudi | , | , |
Northern
Zadrani
Daniel Septfonds provides the following example:Vowel Shift
In Źadrāṇi, a vowel shift like Waziri has been noted:| Kandahar | Meaning | Zadrani | N.Wazirwola |
| هوښيار /huʂ.ˈjɑr/ huṣ̌yā́r | Intelligent | ox̌yór /oç.ˈjor/ | ošyór /ɔʃ.ˈjɔr/ |
| پياله /pjɑ.ˈla/ pyālá | Cup | pyolá, pyelá /pjo.ˈla/, /pjo.ˈla/ | pyolá /pjɔ.ˈla/ |
Afridi/Apridi is also categorised as a Northern Phonology.
Vowel Shift
There is presence of the additional vowels close-mid central rounded vowel /Close-mid [central rounded vowel|ɵ]/ and open back rounded vowel /ɒː / in Apridi. The following vowel shift has been noted by Jdosef Elfenbein:- The in Pashto can become and also in Apridi:
| Northeastern General IPA | Apridi IPA | Meaning |
| ten | ||
| sound | ||
| six | ||
| day |
- The in Pashto can become in Apridi:
| Northeastern General IPA | Apridi IPA | Meaning |
| upon |
- The in Pashto can becomes in Apridi:
| Northeastern General IPA | Apridi IPA | Meaning |
| mother |
- The in Pashto can becomes in Apridi:
| Northeastern General IPA | Apridi IPA | Meaning |
| asleep |
Lexical Comparison
Naseem Khan Naseem provides the following list:Sample Text
The following difference can be noticed in pronunciation:| Literary Pashto | Apridi Pashto | Yusapzai Pashto | Meaning |
| پورته شو بېل کښېناستۀ | pɵ́rta šo byel kenɒstó | pórta šo byal kenāstó | he went ahead, sat separately. |
| pórta šo bel kx̌enāstə́ | pɵ́rta šo byel kenɒstó | pórta šo byal kenāstó | he went ahead, sat separately. |
Kurama
The following is an example from Central Kurram agency; where a change in /ɑ/ to /ɔ/ can be seen:| Literary Pashto | Kurram Pashto | Meaning |
| هغه ددې نه ډېر بهتر و. خو چې اوس ړنګ شو خدای نه راغله. بس اوس موږ دې کښې ډېر خوشحاله يو | áğa da de na ḍer bextár u. xo če os ṛang šo xodai na rɔ́ ğla. bas os mug de ke ḍer xošɔ́la yu | That was much better than this. But now that it is destroyed it came from God. Now we are very happy in this; that's all. |
| háğa da de na ḍer behtár wə. xo če os ṛang šo xwdāi na rā́ ğla. bas os mug de kx̌e ḍer xošā́la yu. | áğa da de na ḍer bextár u. xo če os ṛang šo xodai na rɔ́ ğla. bas os mug de ke ḍer xošɔ́la yu | That was much better than this. But now that it is destroyed it came from God. Now we are very happy in this; that's all. |
Southern
Waziri
Vowel Shift
In Waziri Pashto there is also a vowel shiftIn Waziri dialect the in most other dialects of Pashto becomes in Northern Waziri and in Southern Waziri.
| Meaning | Standard Pashto | N.Wazirwola | S. Wazirwola | |
| ماسته | yougurt | /mɑs.t̪əˈ/ | /mɔːs.ˈt̪ə/ | /mɒːs.ˈt̪ə/ |
| پاڼه | leaf | /pɑˈ.ɳa/ | /ˈpɔː.ɳjɛː/ | /ˈpɒː.ɳjɛː/ |
In Waziri dialect the stressed in most other dialects of Pashto becomes and. The in general Pashto may also become or .
| Meaning | Standard Pashto | Wazirwola | |
| لور | sickle | /lor/ | /lœːr/ |
| وړه | flour | /o.ɽəˈ/ | /ɛː.ˈɽə/ |
| اوږه | shoulder | /o.ɡaˈ/ | /jɛ.ˈʒa/ |
| اوس | now | /os/ | /wɛːs/ |
| Meaning | Standard Pashto | Wazirwola | |
| موږ | we | /muɡ/ | /miːʒ/ |
| نوم | name | /num/ | /niːm/ |
When in begins a word in general Pashto can become , or
| Meaning | Standard Pashto | Wazirwola | |
| اوم | raw | /um/ | /jiːm/ |
| اوږه | garlic | /ˈu.ɡa/ | /ˈwiː.ʒa/ |
| اوده | asleep | /u.ˈd̪ə/ | /wɜ.ˈd̪ə/ |
Diphthongs in Waziri
A change is noticed:| Standard Pronunciation | Waziri |
| ˈaɪ | |
| | |
Khattak
Vowel Lengthening
The Khattak dialect, as deduced by Yusuf Khan Jazab in contrast to non-Karāṇi dialects differentiates lexemes in term of vowel lengthening.Example: between and - transcribed as "e" and "ē" respectively to indicated the distinction.
| Khattak | Standard Pashto | Meaning | |
| de dē xabə́re | də de xabə́re | Of this talk | |
| IPA | Of this talk |