When you meet a Punjabi, expect a suffocating hug and a peck on the cheek (sometimes on hair and ears). So, if you like Punjabi cuisine and Punjabi culture, are you planning to visit the culturally rich Punjab state of Pakistan and India and want to communicate in the local language? If the answer is yes, today you can start learning all the greetings in Punjabi you need to know.
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!
If you are learning Punjabi, the Ling app will help you for sure. In this blog, we will discuss greetings in Punjabi with their pronunciation and English translation.
Basic Vocabulary About Greetings In Punjabi
English Words | Punjabi Pronunciation | Punjab |
Hello | Sat Sri Akaal | ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ |
Good morning | śubha savēra | ਸ਼ੁਭ ਸਵੇਰ |
good afternoon | sata srī akāla | ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ |
Good night | śubha rāta | ਸ਼ੁਭ ਰਾਤ |
Good evening | sata srī akāla | ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ |
Goodbye! | alavidā! | ਅਲਵਿਦਾ! |
Bye! | Bā’ī! | ਬਾਈ! |

How Do You Greet Someone In Punjabi?
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, “śubha savēra” (good morning) is usually used from 5:00 in the morning to 12:00 noon. The “sata srī akāla” (good afternoon) time starts at 12:00 noon until 6:00 pm. Whereas “śubha rāta” (good night) is often used after 6 pm. Or when the sun goes down.
Remember, “śubha rāta” (good night) is not a greeting. Instead, it is used to say goodbye.
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:
- śubha savēra (Good morning), Mr. Malik
- sata srī akāla (Good afternoon), Ms. Chadha
- śubha savēra (Good morning), Ali
- sata srī akāla (Good evening), Sarah
If you like to improve your Punjabi conversation, check out our hands-on article about essential words and phrases in Punjabi.
Other Important Vocabulary And Phrases Related To Greetings In Punjabi
English | Punjabi Pronunciation | Punjabi |
Hello | Sat Sri Akaal | ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ |
Excuse me | mainū māfa karō | ਮੈਨੂੰ ਮਾਫ਼ ਕਰੋ |
Please | kripā karakē | ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ |
Thank you | tuhāḍā dhanavāda | ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਧੰਨਵਾਦ |
How are you? | tusī kivēṁ hō? | ਤੁਸੀ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ? |
Fine | Vadhī’ā | ਵਧੀਆ |
That’s fine | iha ṭhīka hai | ਇਹ ਠੀਕ ਹੈ |
How do you do? | kivēṁ cala rihā hai? | ਕਿਵੇਂ ਚੱਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ? |
Nice to meet you / Pleased to meet you | Tuhānū mila kē cagā lagā/ tuhānū mila kē khuśī hō’ī | ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਮਿਲ ਕੇ ਚੰਗਾ ਲੱਗਾ / ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਮਿਲ ਕੇ ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਹੋਈ |
How have you been? | tuhāḍā kī hāla rihā? | ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਕੀ ਹਾਲ ਰਿਹਾ? |
Morning / Afternoon / Evening | Savēra/ dupahira/ śāma | ਸਵੇਰ / ਦੁਪਹਿਰ / ਸ਼ਾਮ |
How’s it going? / How are you doing? | Kivēṁ cala rihā hai l? / tusīṁ kivēṁ hō? | ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ? / ਕਿੱਵੇਂ ਚੱਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ l? |
Good to see you / It’s great to see you / Nice to see you | tuhānū dēkha kē cagā lagā / tuhānū dēkha kē bahuta khuśī hō’ī/ Tuhānū dēkha kē cagā lagi’ā | ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਦੇਖ ਕੇ ਚੰਗਾ ਲੱਗਿਆ / ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਦੇਖ ਕੇ ਬਹੁਤ ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਹੋਈ / ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਦੇਖ ਕੇ ਚੰਗਾ ਲੱਗਾ |
Long-time no see / It’s been a while | lamē samēṁ tōṁ kō’ī nahīṁ vēkhi’ā/ kujha samāṁ hō gi’ā | ਲੰਮੇ ਸਮੇਂ ਤੋਂ ਕੋਈ ਨਹੀਂ ਵੇਖਿਆ / ਕੁਝ ਸਮਾਂ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ |
What’s up? | kī hō rihā hai? | ਕੀ ਹੋ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ? |
Sat Sri Akaal – Greetings In Punjabi
Sat Sri Akaal, pronounced as sət sɾiː əkɑːl, Gurumukhi ਸਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ is a Jaikara (lit. Call of Victory) often used, as greetings by Punjabi Sikhs.
“Sat” is the word that is 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.”

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 which are in Punjabi. 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, of the Indian state, and one of the languages recognized by the Indian Constitution. Approximately 70 million people speak Punjabi in Pakistan, most of whom are in Punjabi, but Urdu’s national and provincial official status is reserved. 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.
The Perfect Language Learning Companion: Ling For Learning Punjabi
The Ling app is meant to make learning languages as accessible, fun, and easy as possible. It uses interactive techniques for learning and a variety of mini-games. As a result, you will be able to engage yourself in the language of Punjab (Punjabi) using your smartphone. It’s just one quick download from the Play Store or App Store.
So, whether you are a beginner and want to learn the basics or learn advanced vocabulary and are already fluent or polish your knowledge, The Ling app is here to help you learn. With 60+ languages and 200+ lessons to choose from, you’ll go from zero knowledge to a language learning enthusiast! Don’t miss out on this great opportunity and learn with Ling now!
One Response
My in-laws are East Indian and I want to learn some fundamental Punjabi courteous greetings.