transliterationsconsonant as w rather than v (for example, wilāyat not vilāyat), though
Safavid is preferred to Safawid since this was a Persian dynasty. The
consonant jeh = zh (‘azure’).
Vowels and diphthongs of Kabuli Persian (Dari)Long vowels: ā (‘call’); ē (‘eight’); ī (‘ski’); ō (‘boat’); ū (‘do’)
Short vowels: a (‘bat’); e (‘ bell’); i (‘bit’); o (‘hot’); u (‘cut’)
Dipthongs: ai (‘pie’); au (‘now’); ui (‘chewy’)
The glottal stop ain is represented by ‘ (for example, ‘Abd al-Rahman;
Shi‘a), the hamza as ’ (for example, ’Aman Allah).
The Persian relational marker, or ēzāfa, is written as –i after a consonant
and –yi after a terminal vowel (for example, Deh-i Sabz; Khirqa-yi
Sharif ).
DatesUnless otherwise stated all dates are ce (ad). The Hijra, or Islamic lunar
calendar, is indicated with h. (for example, 1015 h.) and the Afghan/
Persian solar or shamsī year, which commences on 1 Hamal (21 March in
a standard year), by s. (for example, 1350 s.). All three calendars operate
in modern Afghanistan, though in the past the Gregorian calendar was
not used by the Afghans.