The Afghan Solar Months
The year starts on the first of حمل, which is Nowruz.
How It Works
| No. | Month | Sounds like | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | حمل | Hamal | 31 |
| 2 | ثور | Sawr | 31 |
| 3 | جوزا | Jawzā | 31 |
| 4 | سرطان | Saratān | 31 |
| 5 | اسد | Asad | 31 |
| 6 | سنبله | Sunbula | 31 |
| 7 | میزان | Mīzān | 30 |
| 8 | عقرب | Aqrab | 30 |
| 9 | قوس | Qaws | 30 |
| 10 | جدی | Jadī | 30 |
| 11 | دلو | Dalwa | 30 |
| 12 | حوت | Hūt | 29 or 30 |
The first month starts around 21 March, on Nowruz, so the new year begins in spring. حوت has 30 days in a leap year. The names are the signs of the zodiac. Iran names the same months differently, so for the Afghan solar year a Dari text uses these twelve names.
Examples (5)
- نوروز اول حمل است.
Nowruz is on the first of Hamal.
The day comes first, then the month حمل.
- در ماه دلو در کابل زیاد برف می‌بارد.
It snows a lot in Kabul in the month of Dalwa.
ماه comes before the month name دلو.
- تولد من در ماه سنبله است.
My birthday is in the month of Sunbula.
ماه سنبله is the month of Sunbula.
- سال نو با ماه حمل شروع می‌شود.
The new year begins with the month of Hamal.
حمل is the first month of the year.
- حوت آخرین ماه سال است.
Hūt is the last month of the year.
حوت is the twelfth and last month.
Common Mistakes
Using an Iranian month name.
سال نو از اول فروردین شروع می‌شود.سال نو از اول حمل شروع می‌شود.Dari uses حمل. فروردین is the Iranian name for the same month.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The months come in a numbered order, so the ordinal numbers come first.
Related Patterns
- Days of the Week
Months and weekdays both name times in the calendar.
Level 2 - Dari Words and Their Iranian Counterparts
The month names are one of many words that differ between Dari and Iranian Persian.
Level 3 - Dari and Iranian Persian
Dari and Iranian Persian share one written standard but name the months differently.
Foundations - امروز، دیروز، فرداToday, Yesterday and Tomorrow
Use a time word to place a month, as in امروز اول حمل است.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice The Afghan Solar Months in Bubblegum
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