Learn Punjabi: complete beginner's guide

Punjabi is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with approximately 125 million speakers across Pakistan, India, and a vast diaspora. The language of the Punjab, that fertile region known as "the land of five rivers," Punjabi is a living, musical language deeply rooted in a rich and dynamic culture.

In this complete guide, we will walk you through discovering Punjabi, from the Gurmukhi script to everyday expressions, covering grammar, vocabulary, and Punjabi culture along the way.

Why learn Punjabi?

A global language

Punjabi is the 10th most spoken language in the world. With its 125 million speakers, it surpasses French, German, and Japanese in number of native speakers.

Reasons to learn Punjabi:

• Massive diaspora: Punjabi is widely spoken in Canada (4th language in the country), the UK, the USA, and Australia. Speaking Punjabi opens professional doors in these countries.
• Language of music: Bhangra, born in Punjab, has become a worldwide musical phenomenon. Punjabi music dominates Bollywood and the South Asian music scene.
• Sikh culture: Punjabi is the language of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhism. Understanding Punjabi gives you access to this spirituality.
• Growing economy: Indian Punjab is one of the most prosperous states in India, with a high GDP per capita.
• Rich literature: from Bulleh Shah to Waris Shah, Punjabi poetry is considered among the finest in South Asia.
• Unique tonal language: Punjabi is one of the few Indo-Aryan languages that is tonal, making it linguistically fascinating.

Punjabi in the world

Punjabi is omnipresent in global popular culture:

• Music: Diljit Dosanjh, AP Dhillon, Sidhu Moose Wala are international stars
• Cinema: the Punjabi film industry (Pollywood) produces hundreds of films per year
• Cuisine: butter chicken, naan, dal makhani, and lassi are Punjabi dishes known worldwide
• Dance: bhangra is practiced around the world

---

Ready to discover Punjabi? Start your learning journey with Targumi and enjoy courses adapted to your level.

---

The Gurmukhi alphabet and writing system

Two scripts for one language

Punjabi is unique in that it uses two different scripts depending on the country:

• Gurmukhi (in India): a script created by the second Sikh Guru, Guru Angad Dev, in the 16th century
• Shahmukhi (in Pakistan): an Arabo-Persian script, similar to Urdu

In this guide, we focus on Gurmukhi, the most commonly used script for learning.

Vowels (Laga Matra)

Gurmukhi has 10 vowels:

Consonants (Vyanjan)

Gurmukhi has 35 consonants organized in groups of 5 based on their place of articulation:

Velar group (throat):

• kakka, khakha, gagga, ghagha, nganga

Palatal group (palate):

• chacha, chhachha, jajja, jhajha, nyanya

Retroflex group (tongue curled back):

• tainka, thattha, dadda, dhadha, naanna

Dental group (teeth):

• tatta, thaththa, dadda, dhadha, nanna

Labial group (lips):

• pappa, phaphpha, babba, bhabha, mamma

Additional consonants:

• yayya, rarra, lalla, vavva, rharrha, shasha, khakhha, sassa, haha

Diacritical marks

• Mukta: absence of mark = inherent "a" vowel
• Kanna: mark for "aa"
• Sihari: mark for "i"
• Bihari: mark for "ii"
• Aunkar: mark for "u"
• Dulainkar: mark for "uu"
• Tippi/Bindi: nasalization

Pronunciation and tones

A uniquely tonal language

Punjabi is one of the very few Indo-Aryan languages that is tonal. It has 3 tones that change the meaning of words:

Retroflex sounds

Punjabi has retroflex sounds (the tongue curls back toward the palate) that do not exist in English:

• Retroflex t: harder than English "t," the tongue touches the palate
• Retroflex d: same for "d"
• Retroflex n: "n" with the tongue curled back
• Retroflex r: a rolled "r" with the tongue curled back

Aspirated sounds

Each consonant can be aspirated (with a puff of air) or unaspirated:

Essential greetings

Basic greetings

Practice dialogues

Friendly meeting:

• A: Sat Sri Akal! Ki haal hai? (Hello! How are you?)
• B: Main theek haan, shukriya. Tusi ki haal ho? (I am fine, thank you. And you?)
• A: Main vi theek haan. (I am fine too.)

At the market:

• A: Sat Sri Akal ji. Eh kinne da hai? (Hello. How much does this cost?)
• B: Panji sau rupaye. (500 rupees.)
• A: Bahut mehenga hai! (It is too expensive!)

Introducing yourself

• Mera naan ... hai = My name is...
• Main ... ton haan = I am from...
• Main Punjabi sikhda/sikhdi haan = I am learning Punjabi
• Main thora Punjabi bol sakda/sakdi haan = I can speak a little Punjabi

Basic grammar

Word order: SOV

Punjabi follows Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order, like Japanese or Korean:

• Main kitaab parhda haan = I book read (= I read a book)
• Oh roti khaanda hai = He bread eats (= He eats bread)
• Assi Punjabi sikhde haan = We Punjabi learn (= We learn Punjabi)

Gender

Punjabi distinguishes two genders: masculine and feminine. Gender affects adjectives, verbs, and postpositions:

Postpositions

Unlike English which uses prepositions (to, of, in), Punjabi uses postpositions that come after the noun:

Conjugation

Conjugation in Punjabi varies by gender, number, and tense:

Present (masculine singular):

• Main jaanda haan = I go
• Tu jaanda hain = You go
• Oh jaanda hai = He goes

Present (feminine singular):

• Main jaandi haan = I go
• Tu jaandi hain = You go
• Oh jaandi hai = She goes

Past:

• Main giya/gayi = I went (m/f)
• Oh giya/gayi = He/She went

Future:

• Main javanga/javangi = I will go (m/f)
• Oh javega/javegi = He/She will go

Vocabulary: 50 essential words

Family

Nature

Food

Colors

Body

Numbers from 1 to 20

Fun fact: the word "Punjab" comes from Persian panj ab meaning "five waters/rivers." The number 5 (panj) is at the very heart of the language's name!

Useful everyday phrases

At the market

• Eh kinne da hai? = How much does this cost?
• Bahut mehenga hai = It is too expensive
• Main eh lena chahunda/chahundi haan = I would like to buy this
• Shukriya = Thank you
• Koi discount hai? = Is there a discount?

Asking for help

• Mainu madad chahidi hai = I need help
• Main samajh nahi paya/payi = I do not understand
• Hauli hauli bolo = Speak slowly
• Tusi English bolde ho? = Do you speak English?
• Kya tusi meri madad kar sakde ho? = Can you help me?

Getting around

• ...kiththe hai? = Where is...?
• Main ... jaana chahunda/chahundi haan = I want to go to...
• Kya eh door hai? = Is it far?
• Khabbe paase = Left
• Sajje paase = Right
• Sidha = Straight ahead

Everyday expressions

• Haan ji = Yes (polite)
• Nahi = No
• Shukriya = Thank you
• Maaf karna = Sorry
• Theek hai = OK
• Main tenu pyaar karda/kardi haan = I love you
• Rabb rakha = May God protect you (goodbye)
• Changa = Good/great

Punjabi culture and traditions

Bhangra: the dance of joy

Bhangra was born in the wheat fields of Punjab as a harvest celebration dance (Vaisakhi). Today, it is a worldwide phenomenon:

• Dhol: the double-sided drum that is the soul of bhangra
• Energetic movements: jumps, stomping feet, arms in the air
• Modern fusion: bhangra has blended with hip-hop, EDM, and pop
• International competitions: bhangra teams exist at universities around the world

Sikhism and the Guru Granth Sahib

Sikhism, founded in Punjab in the 15th century by Guru Nanak, is the world's 5th largest religion. The Guru Granth Sahib, written in Gurmukhi, is the holy book that guides Sikhs. The Gurdwara (Sikh temple) is a welcoming place open to all, where anyone can come and eat for free at the Langar (communal kitchen).

Punjabi literature

Punjabi literature is among the richest in South Asia:

• Bulleh Shah (1680-1757): Sufi poet whose verses on divine love are still sung today
• Waris Shah (1722-1798): author of Heer Ranjha, the greatest Punjabi love poem, compared to Romeo and Juliet
• Shiv Kumar Batalvi (1936-1973): modern poet nicknamed the "Keats of Punjab"
• Amrita Pritam (1919-2005): first famous female Punjabi poet, whose poem "Ajj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu" is a masterpiece

Punjabi cuisine

Punjabi cuisine has become one of the most popular cuisines in the world:

Vaisakhi: the Punjabi New Year

Vaisakhi (April 13-14) is the most important festival in Punjab. It celebrates both the solar New Year and the creation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. It is a day of processions, music, bhangra, and communal feasting.

---

Fascinated by Punjabi culture? Dive into the heart of this vibrant tradition by learning the language with Targumi. Our native tutors will share much more than just words.

---

Learn Punjabi with Targumi

At Targumi, we offer Punjabi courses for all levels:

• Certified native tutors from Indian Punjab and the diaspora
• Small group classes (3-6 students) for collaborative dynamics
• Private lessons adapted to your level and goals
• Mobile app with Gurmukhi writing exercises
• Cultural approach integrating music, poetry, and Punjabi traditions
• Both scripts available: Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi

Punjabi is a language that opens the doors to a joyful, generous, and deeply human culture. Every word you learn brings you closer to the soul of Punjab.

Sat Sri Akal!

---

Article written by Harpreet Kaur Singh, certified Punjabi tutor and Targumi collaborator. At Targumi, we make learning Punjabi accessible to everyone.

---

Sources and References

• Punjabi — Ethnologue: Punjabi is spoken by over 100 million speakers. Language family: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian branch.
• Wikipedia — Punjabi: encyclopedic information on the language, its geographic area and official status.
• Targumi — Learn Punjabi: courses with certified native teachers.

Further Reading

• Learn Punjabi on Targumi — courses with native teachers
• All languages on Targumi — 106 languages taught