I have a question, or rather I’m curious about people’s opinion on something. While out with a (Pakistani) friend of mine a couple of days ago, she heard me speaking in pashto (answering a call from my mum, apparently my friend had never heard me speak before), and commented that she finds the language rather rough (or “harsh”) sounding. I don’t find it harsh sounding at all (but then again, I’m obviously a bit biased) and I’m curious what other people think. Do you guys think it’s rough or harsh sounding?
Re: Language/Accent
whenever i visit this AfGhani store in Toronto, i hear the store owner and his family speaking Pashto and i do NOT find the language one bit harsh or rough sounding. i find it quite a sweet language. :)
Re: Language/Accent
You can repeat same sentence in Urdu/English… Our team (Muqa and I) will decide the tone of your speech… 
Dagha dagha wai wai
Re: Language/Accent
i heard that Pashto as spoken in Afghanistan is hard than Pashto spoken in Pakistan. but there is obviously difference in hard and harsh.
Re: Language/Accent
^That's what my friend meant to convey I think. She said she heard it spoken before in Pakistan and thinks it sounds "different" when she hears me speak.
Re: Language/Accent
yes each language contain accents that ranges from mild to hard and people who don't know the language consider it harsh. Like I found Italian sounds raw and their normal conversation seems like a battle, but obviously the person who knows Italian can enjoy it without building these perceptions.
Re: Language/Accent
I have a question, or rather I'm curious about people's opinion on something. While out with a (Pakistani) friend of mine a couple of days ago, she heard me speaking in pashto (answering a call from my mum, apparently my friend had never heard me speak before), and commented that she finds the language rather rough (or "harsh") sounding. I don't find it harsh sounding at all (but then again, I'm obviously a bit biased) and I'm curious what other people think. Do you guys think it's rough or harsh sounding?
Mezhgan, don't afraid it was no harsh language. Pashto style is very different that's why your friend feel that it was harsh language!
Re: Language/Accent
AS far as I have heard the accent of pashto changes from South to North (soft to hard), same is the case with Punjabi (accent becomes harder as you go northwards). I am sure there would be differences between pakistani and afghan pashto as well.
Re: Language/Accent
We knew someone who didn't speak much Urdu, so she used many pashto words which I don't understand at all. It did sound a little but rough to my ears, but not really harsh and I liked the intonations, I'm not sure how to explain, perhaps melody of her language is a better way of explaning it.