Punjabi is the native language of those who come from the Indian State of Punjab. Many Punjabi people are also from Pakistan but it is not their official language there; they follow Urdu as the official language in their country and Punjabi is the native language often used informally. Most certainly, compliments in Punjabi are made in both nations – and today we’ll be looking at just that!
Punjabi people are often known as strong, warm, and lively and if need be, they take pride in being aggressive for their rights. The word compliment in Punjabi is called “Tarifa” (ਤਾਰੀਫ਼). The perfect compliment you could give Punjabis when describing them would be “full of ਮਸਤੀ or masti”. It means full of fun and joy.
Punjabi words can definitely seem strong due to the often powerful personality of their native speakers, but it is also a beautiful language. There are numerous compliments that can be given in Punjabi. A compliment carries feelings, be it romantically to Punjabi girls or to comment on someone or achievements in life. Let’s look at the context in which compliments are given in Punjab.
When To Give Compliments In Punjabi Culture
We learn and understand this from basic etiquette that compliments are expected for:
- hospitality and visiting homes of Punjabis
- food as almost all meals are home cooked
- appearance as Punjabis love colors and looking good is very important – all the time!
- achievements (can be financial, educational, career-based, family-based, and so on)
- occasions, festivals, and celebrations such as Diwali, birthdays, Punjabi weddings, and so on.
Another reason to give compliments is when in love. Punjabis are considered to be very romantic people. This could be where Bollywood is influenced! Music, dancing, and poetry are often ways to express these feelings – which are all full of compliments and often towards Punjabi girls.
Let us look at some basic Punjabi words and phrases used to compliment someone.
Adjectives Used As Compliments In Punjabi
| English | Punjabi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Exceptional | ਬੇਮਿਸਾਲ | Bēmisāla |
| Charming | ਮਨਮੋਹਕ | Manamōhaka |
| Pleasant | ਸੁਹਾਵਣਾ | Suhāvaṇā |
| Terrific/ Phenomenal/ Splendid/ Glorious/ Stunning/ Fantastic | ਸ਼ਾਨਦਾਰ | Śānadāra |
| Captivating | ਮਨਮੋਹਕ | Manamōhaka |
| Fascinating | ਦਿਲਚਸਪ | Dilacasapa |
| Brilliant | ਹੁਸ਼ਿਆਰ | Huśi’āra |
| Breathtaking | ਸਾਹ ਲੈਣ ਵਾਲਾ | Sāha laiṇa vālā |
| Impressive | ਪ੍ਰਭਾਵਸ਼ਾਲੀ | Prabhāvaśālī |
| Delicious | ਸੁਆਦੀ | Su’ādī |
| Extraordinary | ਅਸਧਾਰਨ | Asadhārana |
| Luxurious | ਆਲੀਸ਼ਾਨ | Ālīśāna |
| Kind-hearted | ਦਿਆਲੂ | Di’ālū |
Punjabi Phrases To Compliment Someone
Here are some Punjabi words and phrases often used in complimenting women with their meanings:
| English | Punjabi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| You are very beautiful. | ਤੁਸੀਂ ਬਹੁਤ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਹੋ | Tusīṁ bahuta sudara hō |
| Your house is very nice. | ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਘਰ ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧੀਆ ਹੈ | Tuhāḍā ghara bahuta vadhī’ā hai |
| Your work is very good. | ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਕੰਮ ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧੀਆ ਹੈ। | Tuhāḍā kama bahuta vadhī’ā hai |
| Well done! | ਸ਼ੱਬਸ਼! | Śabaśa! |
| You are really hardworking. | ਤੁਸੀਂ ਸੱਚਮੁੱਚ ਮਿਹਨਤੀ ਹੋ | Tusīṁ sacamuca mihanatī hō |
| You are so kind-hearted | ਤੁਸੀਂ ਬਹੁਤ ਦਿਆਲੂ ਹੋ | Tusīṁ bahuta di’ālū hō |
| You have a pleasant personality. | ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਸ਼ਖਸੀਅਤ ਸੁਹਾਵਣੀ ਹੈ | Tuhāḍī śakhasī’ata suhāvaṇī hai |
Informal Compliments In Punjabi
| English | Punjabi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| An expression of happiness to greet someone or even answer joyously. | ਬੱਲੇ ਬੱਲੇ | Balle Balle! |
| Keep it up! Come on, go for it! | ਛਕਦੇ ਫੱਟੀ | Chakde phattey! |
| A good-looking Punjabi girl. Often used by roadside Romeos. | ਪਟੋਲਾ | Patola! |
| A well-built Punjabi young man. Sometimes also used sarcastically to say “behave as well as you are built”. | ਗਬਰੂ | Gabroo! |
| “Brother from another mother” | ਬ੍ਰਾਹ | Braah! |
| Awesome! | ਘੈਂਟ | Ghaiṇṭa |
When NOT To Give Compliments In the Punjabi Language
Ever heard of the phrase “everything is fair in love and war”? Well, sometimes this can take another level during courtship and things go sour. Expressions become too free, impolite, intrusive, and downright angry. If their love is not met with the response they expect, often compliments become the way to tease the women, even to the point of reaching harassment.
Eve-teasing is an actual crime in Punjab. Men have continued to give compliments to women on the road that become rude. Women are embarrassed and retaliate. Retaliation is responded to with anger and violence. It all starts with compliments!
There are strict laws about this though. Even in Delhi, if a man is found making advances, obscene remarks, or making gestures to a woman of his interest on the road, they are guilty of an offense with a sentence of at least 3 months in jail.
This can be why compliments paid positively are not always welcomed by women and can also be why women often have to remain conservative so as to not cause “trouble”.
Learn the Punjabi Language With Ling
Punjabi is spoken in many countries in the world. In India, it is the 11th most common language. Punjabis are warm people, their feasts and weddings, festivals, music and dance draw us in. There is so much to learn about these joyous and strong people. And for this, knowing their language could be very useful.
To understand the meaning of words and create a phrase or sentences, immersing yourself in the language is necessary. For example, if you visit Punjab in India, you’d have an excellent chance to be exposed to the language, culture, accent, sights, and scenes!
Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to up and go! If your desire is to learn Punjabi, we have another way that may help. Try learning the Punjabi language using the Ling app. This gamified app has excellent lessons, an awesome user interface, voice recognition features, and so much more!
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