Why is bilingualism common in Afghanistan?

Bilingualism is common in Afghanistan due to the country's complex ethnic and linguistic diversity, where the correlation between language and ethnic group is not always exact.1

Because Pashto and Dari (a dialect of Persian) serve as the two official languages of the country, many citizens acquire proficiency in both to navigate social and professional environments. Specifically, while some non-Pashtuns have learned Pashto, a larger number of Pashtuns—particularly those living in urban areas—have adopted the use of Dari.123

Furthermore, Dari functions as a primary lingua franca, serving as the essential means of communication between speakers of the nation's various different languages. This linguistic intermixture is a result of Afghanistan's long history of migration and cultural exchange, which has created a society where multiple languages often coexist within the same communities.31