What it does
Pashta is a light disjunctive. It marks the end of a sub-phrase within a larger clause, signaling a small pause rather than a major stop. Pashta is almost always followed by Zakef Katan within a word or two, so when you see Pashta, look ahead: the next stop is on its way.
Where it appears
In most longer verses. The phrase pattern Mahpach-Pashta-Munach-Zakef Katan is one of the staple sequences of Torah reading and it shows up many times per chapter. Pashta and its lead-in Mahpach work as a pair.
How to remember it
Pashta means "simple" or "straight." The mark itself is a single straight diagonal slash above the letter, with no curve or hook. There is one critical rule: Pashta always sits on the last letter of its word, regardless of where the accented syllable is. This is what visually distinguishes Pashta from its lookalike, Kadma.
Example from the Torah
Bereishis 3:1
Pashta sits on the last letter of וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙, the opening word of the verse. Munach serves as the lead-in on הָיָ֣ה, and the line lands on Zakef Katan at עָר֔וּם. This Pashta → Munach → Zakef Katan flow is one of the most common phrase shapes in the Torah.
Hear the melody
Chanted by Jordan Mittler.
Hand signal (simanim)
Often confused with
Pashta and Kadma use almost identical symbols. The difference is position: Pashta always sits on the last letter of its word. Kadma can sit on any letter. If the slash above is on the final letter, it's Pashta; otherwise it's Kadma. This is the most common confusion in trope learning, and the position rule is the only reliable shortcut.