When you meet a Punjabi, expect a bone-crushing hug and a peck on the cheek (sometimes on hair and ears). That’s how most of the Punjabis roll! So, if you like Punjabi cuisine and Punjabi culture, and are already planning to visit the culturally rich Punjab region, it would do you good to learn some basic greetings in Punjabi.
When choosing a widely spoken and prominent language worldwide, Punjabi is an obvious choice. It is slightly different from the more common language learning options, but learning is beneficial. Try to learn Punjabi by yourself, you will definitely enjoy and like it in the end!
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Greetings In Punjabi – Sat Sri Akaal
Sat Sri Akaal, pronounced as sət sɾiː əkɑːl, and written as ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ in Gurmukhi script is a Jaikara (lit. “Call of Victory”) often used as a greeting by Punjabi Sikhs.
Sat is a word derived from the word in Sanskrit, Satya, which means “real or true.” Sri (or Shri or Shree) is an honorific word derived from Sanskrit and used to respect or worship the Almighty. Whereas Akal or Akaal [A + Kaal = the one who transcends time] is one of the many names used for “eternal existence, God.” Therefore, the meaning of this sentence is, “The Almighty is the ultimate truth.”
Basic Greetings In Punjabi
| English | Punjabi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ | Sat sri akaal |
| Good morning | ਸ਼ੁਭ ਸਵੇਰ | Shubh savera |
| Good afternoon | ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ | Sat sri akaal |
| Good night | ਸ਼ੁਭ ਰਾਤ | Shubh raat |
| Good evening | ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ | Sata sri akaal |
| Goodbye! | ਅਲਵਿਦਾ! | Alavida! |
How Do You Greet Someone In Punjabi? Things To Remember
You can use these greetings at different times of the day. These phrases can effectively start a conversation, whether you are talking to a colleague, an old customer, or a new neighbor.
Like in any other country, greetings in Punjabi also change according to the time of day. For example, shubh savera (good morning) is usually used from 5:00 in the morning to 12:00 noon. The sat sri akaal (good afternoon) time starts at 12:00 noon until 6:00 pm. Whereas shubh raat (good night) is often used after 6 pm. Or when the sun goes down.
Remember, shubh raat (good night) is not a greeting. Instead, it is used to say goodbye in the Punjabi culture.
You can add the last name of a person to show respect in greetings in Punjabi. Usually, local Punjabi people are more informal (even in business with related people), and they use the first name of a person after the salutation:
- Good morning, Mr Malik – Shubha savera, Malik saahab.
- Good afternoon, Ms Chaddha – Sat sri akaal, Chaddha madam.
- Good morning, Harman – Shubh savera, Harman.
- Good evening, Preeti – Sat sri akaal, Preeti.
If you like to improve your Punjabi conversation, check out our hands-on article about essential words and phrases in Punjabi.
Other Important Greeting Vocabulary And Phrases In Punjabi
| English | Punjabi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ | Sat sri akaal |
| Excuse me | ਮੈਨੂੰ ਮਾਫ਼ ਕਰੋ | Mainu maaf karo |
| Please | ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ | Kirapa karake |
| Thank you | ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਧੰਨਵਾਦ | Tuhaada dhanvaad |
| How are you? | ਤੁਸੀ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ? | Tusi kivem ho? |
| Fine | ਵਧੀਆ | Vadhia |
| That’s fine | ਠੀਕ ਹੈ | Theeka hai |
| How do you do? | ਕਿਵੇਂ ਚੱਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ? | Kivem chal riha hai? |
| Nice to meet you Pleased to meet you | ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਮਿਲ ਕੇ ਚੰਗਾ ਲੱਗਾ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਮਿਲ ਕੇ ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਹੋਈ | Tuhaanu mil ke changa lagaa Tuhaanu mil ke khushi hoi |
| How have you been? | ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਕੀ ਹਾਲ ਰਿਹਾ? | Tuhaada ki haal riha? |
| Morning / Afternoon / Evening | ਸਵੇਰ / ਦੁਪਹਿਰ / ਸ਼ਾਮ | Savera/ dupahira/ shaam |
| How’s it going? How are you doing? | ਕਿੱਵੇਂ ਚੱਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ? ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ? | Kivem chal riha hai? Tusi kivem ho? |
| Good to see you It’s great to see you Nice to see you | ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਦੇਖ ਕੇ ਚੰਗਾ ਲੱਗਿਆ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਦੇਖ ਕੇ ਬਹੁਤ ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਹੋਈ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਦੇਖ ਕੇ ਚੰਗਾ ਲੱਗਾ | Tuhaanu dekh ke changa lagaa Tuhaanu dekh ke bahut khushi hoi Tuhaanu dekh ke changa lagia |
| Long-time, no see It’s been a while | ਲੰਮੇ ਸਮੇਂ ਤੋਂ ਨਹੀਂ ਵੇਖਿਆ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਲੰਬੇ ਸਮੇਂ ਤੋਂ ਨਹੀਂ ਦੇਖਿਆ ਹੈ | Lame samem ton nahin vekhia Tuhaanu lame samem ton nahin dekhia hai |
| What’s up? | ਕੀ ਹੋ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ? | Ki ho riha hai? |
How Do You Say Greetings In Punjabi?
The word “greetings” is called shubhkaamnaavaam (ਸ਼ੁਭਕਾਮਨਾਵਾਂ) in Punjabi. It’s Punjabi pronunciation is shu-bha-kaa-ma-naa-vaam.
Practical Tips To Master Greetings In Punjabi
If you’re planning a trip to Punjab, learning basic greetings will help you connect with locals and enhance your travel experience. Here are some practical tips to master Punjabi greetings:
- Learn the Essential Greetings – Start with these common ones:
- ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ (Sat Sri Akal) – Hello (Formal, Sikh greeting)
- ਨਮਸਤੇ (Namaste) – Hello (Used by Hindus)
- ਅਦਾਬ (Adab) – Hello (Used by Muslims)
- ਕੀ ਹਾਲ ਹੈ? (Ki haal hai?) – How are you?
- ਧੰਨਵਾਦ (Dhanvaad) – Thank you
2. Practice the Right Pronunciation – Listen to native speakers on YouTube or language apps to get the correct tone and pronunciation.
3. Use Hand Gestures – A slight nod or folding hands in a “Namaste” style while saying Sat Sri Akal makes your greeting more authentic.
4. Greet Based on Time of Day – While not always necessary, you can say:
- ਸ਼ੁਭ ਸਵੇਰ (Shubh Saver) – Good morning
- ਸ਼ੁਭ ਰਾਤਰੀ (Shubh Raatri) – Good night
5. Engage with Locals Using Greetings – Use greetings in Punjabi with shopkeepers, taxi drivers, and locals. It creates a friendly impression and might even earn you better hospitality!
6. Learn Casual vs. Formal Greetings – Use ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ for elders and strangers, but with friends, a simple ਹਾਇ (Hi) is common.
7. Practice Small Talk – Follow up greetings with simple phrases like:
- ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਹੈ? (Tuhada naam ki hai?) – What is your name?
- ਮੈਂ (your name) ਹਾਂ – I am (your name).
8. Listen and Observe – Notice how locals greet each other and try to mimic their style.
Frequently Asked Questions About Punjabi Greetings
How Do Sikhs Say Hello?
Sikhs say sat sri akaal in order to greet someone hello. Sat sri akaal means “truth is eternal” where sat means truth and akaal means eternal or timeless.
How Do Punjabis Greet Each Other?
Punjabis usually greet each other with ki haal chaal or kiddaan. The former is an informal way of greeting someone by asking “how are you” while kiddaan is a slang word with the same meaning.
How Do Sikhs Say Bless You?
Sikhs say waaheguru to say “bless you” in Punjabi. It means, “glory to Guru.” That’s because Sikhism places utmost reverence at the feet of a Guru or master and God is considered to be the Ultimate Guru.
Interesting Facts About The Punjabi Language
Punjabi is the widely spoken language in Pakistan. Nearly 39% of Pakistanis use it as their first language, most of whom reside in the Punjab region. It is the 11th of India’s most spoken language and the third most widely spoken language in the Indian subcontinent.
At the start of the 21st century, there were approximately 30 million Punjabi speakers in India. It is the official language of Punjab, a state in North India, and one of the languages recognized by the Indian Constitution. Punjabi speakers also have important overseas communities, especially in Canada and the United Kingdom. At the beginning of the 21st century, they constituted the third and fourth-largest language groups in the nation’s population, respectively—and some parts of the United States.
To Conclude Greetings In Punjabi
The most common and basic Punjabi greeting used by Punjabi Sikhs is Sat sri akaal. Punjabi Muslims say Salaam or Aadaab (formal). Punjabi Hindus say Namaste.
This was all about greeting someone in Punjabi. You can learn so much more about Punjabi culture and Punjabi language through innumerable articles published on Ling’s Punjabi blog.
Explore More Punjabi Cultural Nuances
If this blog helped you, then why not make it a practice to learn a little bit of Punjabi everyday? As a traveler, you’d definitely want to enhance your travel experience by immersing yourself deeply into the local language and culture.
You can take Ling’s help here. Ling is one of the best Punjabi learning apps out there with high-quality learning material. This gamified app not only brings you audio lessons in native speaker voices but also brings a whole lot of cultural information via its Culture Notes feature!
You’ll be surprised to find such a holistic learning experience with this gamified app. So download the Ling app today and get a step closer to making the most of your travel experience by learning Punjabi.
