Looking at different, noodle-shaped letters with absolutely no understanding of what is being written is confusing for any person. It might make them feel agitated and exhausted when they can clearly understand a language when it’s being spoken but not when it’s in writing.
That’s why it’s so important to learn how to read the alphabet of any new language! If you’re trying to learn Punjabi, then this article is perfect for you! You’ll learn easy letter sounds and pronunciation of the Punjabi alphabet. So, let’s get started.
Table Of Contents
What Is Punjabi Alphabet?
A language is a tool for communication that allows us to transmit our thoughts, feelings, and knowledge to others. Because its structure is employed in everyday communication, learning the Punjabi alphabet is crucial. Even if you know how to write some words, without it you won’t be able to pronounce them correctly. You will be more understood when speaking Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ) if you can pronounce each letter of a word correctly.
Punjabi letters/Punjabi alphabets are referred to as Punjabi Varnamala (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਰਣਮਾਲਾ). Punjabi alphabets based on the Indic script are known as Gurmukhi Alphabets (Gurmukhi Varaṇamālā or ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ ਵਰਣਮਾਲਾ), and those based on the Arabic script are known as Shahmukhi Alphabets (شاہ مکھی).
Punjabi consonants are referred to as Punjabi Vyanjan (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿਅੰਜਨ) and Punjabi vowels as Punjabi Swar (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਵ).
Gurmukhi Alphabets
An abugida script, often known as a writing system, was created specifically for the Punjabi language. Other languages like Braj Bhasha, Hindi, Sanskrit, and Sindhi have been written using it.
The second guru of Sikh, “Guru Angad”, formalized the Gurmukhi script (ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ) around the 16th century after it evolved from the Landa alphabet. The official writing system for the Punjabi language, popularly known as a Sikh script, is called Gurmukhi and is used in Punjab, India.
The Old Punjabi word Guramukh, which means “from the Guru’s mouth,” is where the name Gurmukhi originates.
The Punjabi alphabet in the Gurmukhi script comprises 35 akhar or letters, along with additional characters for vowel sounds. Here is a list of the primary letters:
| English | Punjabi | Romanized Punjabi |
|---|---|---|
| A | ਅ | a |
| Aa | ਆ | ā |
| I | ਇ | i |
| Ee | ਈ | ī |
| U | ਉ | u |
| Oo | ਊ | ū |
| E | ਏ | e |
| Ai | ਐ | ai |
| O | ਓ | o |
| Au | ਔ | au |
| K | ਕ | ka |
| Kh | ਖ | kha |
| G | ਗ | ga |
| Gh | ਘ | gha |
| Ng | ਙ | ṅa |
| C | ਚ | cha |
| Ch | ਛ | chha |
| J | ਜ | ja |
| Jh | ਝ | jha |
| Ny | ਞ | ña |
| T | ਟ | ṭa |
| Th | ਠ | ṭha |
| D | ਡ | ḍa |
| Dh | ਢ | ḍha |
| N | ਣ | ṇa |
| T | ਤ | ta |
| Th | ਥ | tha |
| D | ਦ | da |
| Dh | ਧ | dha |
| N | ਨ | na |
| P | ਪ | pa |
| Ph | ਫ | pha |
| B | ਬ | ba |
| Bh | ਭ | bha |
| M | ਮ | ma |
Features Of Gurmukhi Alphabets (ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ)
Gurmukhi script has three features to each of its letters.
- Every letter is colorful and represents a different sound and has a unique shape and name. The very first language to organize the alphabets in accord with their sounds may have been Sanskrit.
- The Gurmukhi script originally only had thirty-five letters, but five more were later added to properly accommodate different sounds. Due to the prevalence of lone words in Punjabi, this necessity developed. An additional character (ਲ਼) was added more recently.
- Since Punjabi is primarily a phonetic language, learning Gurmukhi symbols and language sounds simultaneous is entirely doable. Since each character in the Punjabi Writing system corresponds to a syllable, the term “syllabary” is more appropriate to call Punjabi writing.
It is important to note the discrepancy between retroflex and dental consonants and aspirated/unaspirated consonants are two phonetic traits common to all North Indian languages. The English language lacks them. Contrary to non-aspirated consonants, which are produced with little or no breath, aspirated consonants go along with an audible discharge of air. It’s lovely and beautiful – Punjabi language.
Gurmukhi Alphabets With A “Dot”
Additionally, it’s crucial to recognize the distinction between alphabets that are marked with a dot and those that are plain, as demonstrated below:
Many Punjabi speakers don’t differentiate between the following letters, ਖ, ਖ਼, ਗ, ਗ਼ and ਫ, ਫ਼. The two main explanations for this are that they are used to distinguish borrowed words from other languages, whose learning is dwindling in the state of India, East Punjab, and that their pronunciations are fairly similar.
Punjabi Swar (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਵ)
Punjabi Swar (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਵ) are used for the vowel phenomes. Punjabi has 10 vowel phonemes, compared to about 20 in English. The one sign, one sound guideline is typically followed while writing symbols in Punjabi. They are vowels that produce a single sound.
The Shape Of Gurmukhi Vowels
Vowels can, however, be in either of two shapes. The two types of vowels are independent form, which does not need a consonant/ Punjabi vyanjan, and dependent form, which connects to a consonant.
Gurmukhi Vowels In Their Independent Forms
There are three ways that vowels might take the independent form.
- First, when the vowel starts a word or syllable.
- Second, when two vowel/matras sounds are necessary because a consonant does not support two vowels/matras.
- Third, when two matras/vowels are articulated in one syllable in a diphthong.
However, independent and dependent vowels are pronounced exactly in the same way.
Gurmukhi Matras
Now that you are aware of this, you can start learning the 10 Gurmukhi matras. The ten vowels that make up the Punjabi alphabet are referred to as Punjabi Swar. Here, we will study Punjabi vowels and their English pronunciation. Each of the ten vowel signs or matras is explained below.
Mukta: ਮੁਕਤਾ
Mukta is the independent form of the vowel. Since mukta literally means “free,” it lacks a symbol. It is analogous to the letter “a” in the apple or “e” in Face. The mukta vowel shall hereafter be represented by the letter /a/ in this article.
ਅਸ /as/ = us
| English | Punjabi | Romanized Punjabi |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary | ਅਸਥਾਈ | Asathā’ī |
| Extraordinary | ਅਸਧਾਰਨ | asadhārana |
| Failure | ਅਸਫਲਤਾ | asaphalatā |
| The sky | ਅਸਮਾਨ | asamāna |
| Effect | ਅਸਰ | asara |
| Actually | ਅਸਲ | asala |
| Original | ਅਸਲੀ | asalī |
| Reality | ਅਸਲੀਅਤ | asalī’ata |
| Easy | ਅਸਾਨ | asāna |
| Assam | ਅਸਾਮ | asāma |
| Blessings | ਅਸੀਸ | asīsa |
| Principles | ਅਸੂਲ | asūla |
| Impossible | ਅਸੰਭਵ | asabhava |
| Busy | ਵਿਅਸਤ | vi’asata |
Kanna: ਕੰਨਨਾ
The second letter kanna is the same as the letter “a” in father or alter. The kanna vowel sign will now be indicated in this module by the letter /ā/.
| English | Punjabi | Romanized Punjabi |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter | ਅਧਿਆਇ | Adhi’ā’i |
| Practice | ਅਭਿਆਸ | abhi’āsa |
| The sky | ਆਕਾਸ਼ | ākāśa |
| Free | ਆਜ਼ਾਦ | āzāda |
| Ideal | ਆਦਰਸ਼ | ādaraśa |
| Population | ਆਬਾਦੀ | ābādī |
| Economic | ਆਰਥਿਕ | ārathika |
| Critics | ਆਲੋਚਕ | ālōcaka |
| Sound | ਆਵਾਜ਼ | āvāza |
| The sky | ਆਸਮਾਨ | āsamāna |
| Flew | ਉੱਡਿਆ | uḍi’ā |
| Asia | ਏਸ਼ੀਆ | ēśī’ā |
| Earned | ਕਮਾਇਆ | kamā’i’ā |
| Kenya | ਕੀਨੀਆ | kīnī’ā |
| Virgin | ਕੁਆਰੀ | ku’ārī |
| Korea | ਕੋਰੀਆ | kōrī’ā |
| Intelligence | ਖੁਫੀਆ | khuphī’ā |
| Tablets | ਗੋਲੀਆ | gōlī’ā |
| Reduced | ਘਟਾਇਆ | ghaṭā’i’ā |
| Surrounded | ਘਿਰਿਆ | ghiri’ā |
| Run | ਚਲਾਇਆ | calā’i’ā |
In Punjabi, a short matra/vowel and a long matra/vowel are always found together. A good example of this combination is mukta and kanna, where mukta is the shortest sign of vowel and kanna is the longest one.
Sihari: ਸਿਹਾਰੀ
Sihari is an independent form of vowel, and is the same as the letter “I” in pin or thin. Sihari vowels will now be indicated with a /i/ in this module.
| English | Punjabi | Romanized Punjabi |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter | ਅਧਿਆਇ | Adhi’ā’i |
| Confession | ਇਕਰਾਰ | ikarāra |
| Together | ਇਕੱਠਾ | ikaṭhā |
| Alone | ਇਕੱਲੇ | ikalē |
| Refusal | ਇਨਕਾਰ | inakāra |
| Human being | ਇਨਸਾਨ | inasāna |
| Justice | ਇਨਸਾਫ | inasāpha |
| Intention | ਇਰਾਦਾ | irādā |
| Neighborhood | ਇਲਾਕੇ | ilākē |
| Besides | ਇਲਾਵਾ | ilāvā |
| Escape | ਇਸਕੇਪ | isakēpa |
| Earned | ਕਮਾਇਆ | kamā’i’ā |
| Client | ਕਲਾਇਟ | kalā’iṭa |
| Reduced | ਘਟਾਇਆ | ghaṭā’i’ā |
| Run | ਚਲਾਇਆ | calā’i’ā |
| Awakened | ਜਗਾਇਆ | jagā’i’ā |
The fact that sihari, unlike other matras, comes before the letter it follows is one of its distinctive features.
Bihari: ਬਿਹਾਰੀ
Bihari is the same as “ee” in seek or “ea” in teacher. In this module, the bihari vowel sign will be indicated by the letter /ī/. See the bihari used in examples below.
| English | Punjabi | Romanized Punjabi |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership | ਅਗਵਾਈ | Agavā’ī |
| Temporary | ਅਸਥਾਈ | asathā’ī |
| Excavation | ਖੁਦਾਈ | khudā’ī |
| Magical | ਜਾਦੂਈ | jādū’ī |
| July | ਜੁਲਾਈ | julā’ī |
| Played | ਨਿਭਾਈ | nibhā’ī |
| Evil | ਬੁਰਾਈ | burā’ī |
| Goodness | ਭਲਿਆਈ | bhali’ā’ī |
| Mumbai | ਮੁੰਬਈ | muba’ī |
| Attitude | ਰਵੱਈਆ | rava’ī’ā |
| Rifle | ਰਾਈਫਲ | rā’īphala |
| Hanging | ਲਟਕਾਈ | laṭakā’ī |
| Humanity | ਲੋਕਾਈ | lōkā’ī |
| Length | ਲੰਬਾਈ | labā’ī |
| Appear | ਵਿਖਾਈ | vikhā’ī |
| Bicycle | ਸਾਈਕਲ | sā’īkala |
Aunkar: ਔਂਕਾਰ
Aunkar, an independent form of vowel, is the same as writing “u” or “oo” in a book. In this module, the /u/ sign will stand in for the aunkar vowel. Check out the examples for aunkar below.
| English | Punjabi | Romanized Punjabi |
|---|---|---|
| Boredom | ਉਕਤਾ | Ukatā |
| Eagle | ਉਕਾਬ | ukāba |
| Height | ਉਚਾਈ | ucā’ī |
| Appropriate | ਉਚਿਤ | ucita |
| Gorgeous | ਉਡਾਉਣ | uḍā’uṇa |
| Flight | ਉਡਾਣ | uḍāṇa |
| Waiting | ਉਡੀਕ | uḍīka |
| Products | ਉਤਪਾਦ | utapāda |
| Curious | ਉਤਸੁਕ | utasuka |
| Purpose | ਉਦੇਸ਼ | udēśa |
| Available | ਉਪਬਲਧ | upabaladha |
| Construction | ਉਸਾਰੀ | usārī |
| Fly | ਉੱਡਦੀ | uḍadī |
| Flew | ਉੱਡਿਆ | uḍi’ā |
| North | ਉੱਤਰੀ | utarī |
| Run | ਚਲਾਉਣ | calā’uṇa |
| Wearing | ਪਾਉਣਾ | pā’uṇā |
| Make | ਬਣਾਉਣ | baṇā’uṇa |
| Bring | ਲਿਆਉਣ | li’ā’uṇa |
| Enhance | ਵਧਾਉਣ | vadhā’uṇa |
Dulenkarh: ਦੁਲੇਨਕਰਹ
The “oo” in boot corresponds to dulenkarh. In this lesson, the dulenkarh vowel will be indicated by the letter /oo/. See the usage of dulenkarh in the example below.
| English | Punjabi | Romanized Punjabi |
|---|---|---|
| Camel | ਊਠ | Ūṭha |
| Energy | ਊਰਜਾ | ūrajā |
| Cow | ਗਊ | ga’ū |
| Tube | ਟਿਊਬ | ṭi’ūba |
| Duty | ਡਿਊਟੀ | ḍi’ūṭī |
| Powder | ਪਾਊਡਰ | pā’ūḍara |
| Bureau | ਬਿਊਰੋ | bi’ūrō |
| Simon | ਸ਼ਮਊਨ | śama’ūna |
Lanv: ਲੈਨਵ
Lanv is the same as the letter “a” in hate or rate. In this module, a lanv vowel is indicated by the letter /e/. See the lanv usage examples below.
| English | Punjabi | Romanized Punjabi |
|---|---|---|
| Agent | ਏਜੰਟ | Ējaṭa |
| Asia | ਏਸ਼ੀਆ | ēśī’ā |
| Conducted | ਕਰਵਾਏ | karavā’ē |
| Run | ਚਲਾਏ | calā’ē |
| Dimples | ਟੋਏ | ṭō’ē |
| Theater | ਥੀਏਟਰ | thī’ēṭara |
| Threatened | ਧਮਕਾਏ | dhamakā’ē |
| Wheels | ਪਹੀਏ | pahī’ē |
| Wallets | ਬਟੂਏ | baṭū’ē |
| Boyfriend | ਬੁਆਏ | bu’ā’ē |
| Opinion | ਰਾਏ | rā’ē |
| Taken | ਲਏ | la’ē |
| Flowing | ਵਹਾਏ | vahā’ē |
Dulawan: ਦੁਲਾਵਨ
The letter “a” in substance or hat is equivalent to dulawan. The dulawan matra/vowel will be indicated by the letter /ai/. See how dulawan is used in the examples below.
| English | Punjabi | Romanized Punjabi |
|---|---|---|
| Study | ਅਧਿਐਨ | Adhi’aina |
| Actors | ਐਕਟਰ | Aikaṭara |
| Sunday | ਐਤਵਾਰ | Aitavāra |
| Ambulance | ਐਬੂਲਸ | Aibūlasa |
| Alpha | ਐਲਫ਼ਾ | Ailafā |
| Album | ਐਲਬਮ | Ailabama |
| Estate | ਐਸਟੇਟ | Aisaṭēṭa |
Horha: ਹੋਰਹਾ
The “ō” sound from “home” in English corresponds to the horha. In this module, the horha matra/vowel will be denoted by the letter “o.” See the horha use examples below.
| English | Punjabi | Romanized Punjabi |
|---|---|---|
| Blank | ਕੋਰਾ | Kōrā |
| Gunny bag | ਬੋਰਾ | Bōrā |
| Peacock | ਮੋਰ | Mōr |
| Style/ Manner | ਤੋਰ | Tōr |
| Thief | ਚੋਰ | Chōr |
| Noise | ਸੋਰ | Sōr |
| Tears | ਲੋਰ | Lōr |
| More | ਹੋਰ | Hōr |
| Strength/ Force | ਜੋਰ | Jōr |
Kanaorha :ਕਨੌਰਹਾ
Kanaorha is the same as the letter “o” in omelet or Cold. Kanaorha will be indicated by the letter /au/. See the Punjabi words that employ kanaorha in the examples below.
| English | Punjabi | Romanized Punjabi |
|---|---|---|
| Difficult | ਔਖਾ | Aukhā |
| Average | ਔਸਤ | Ausata |
| Oath/ Promise | ਸੌਂਹ | Saunh |
| Nation/ Community | ਕੌਮ | Kaum |
| Crazy/ Mad | ਬੌਲਾ | Baula |
| Who | ਕੌਣ | Kaun |
| A common surname or middle name among Sikh women, symbolizing princess or lioness. | ਕੌਰ | Kaur |
Punjabi Consonants
All Punjabi consonants or Punjabi Vyanjan use the dependent form of the matra/vowel. In the 30 aspirated and unaspirated consonants that make up the Punjabi alphabet, stops and affricates are 15, two are fricatives, five are the nasal consonants, liquids are four, and glides are two.
Some Punjabi words call for consonants to be written in a conjunct form, which looks like a subscript to the main letter. The stops and nasals are characterized as being articulated at the following locations, such as Labial, Dental, Retroflex, Palatal, and Velar, respectively.
These Punjabi consonants are referred to as Punjabi Vyanjan because the palatal stops are actually affricates. Here, we study a few Punjabi consonants and how they sound in English.
- ਡ (ddad’daa), a Gurmukhi letter pronounced “dd” as in daddy.
- ਪ (pap’paa), a Gurmukhi letter pronounced as “p” as in papa.
- ਬ (bab’baa), a Gurmukhi letter “b” as in baby.
- ਨ (nan’naa), a Gurmukhi letter “n” as in name.
Tones In Gurmukhi
Pitch contours are one of Punjabi’s distinctive characteristics among the range of contemporary South Asian languages. Depending on how they sound, these alter the meaning of the term.
Technically speaking, there are three different kinds of tones in Punjabi: low, high, and level. Tonal letters include the letters ਘ (gh), ਝ (jh), ਢ (dh), ਧ (dha), and ਭ (bh). This indicates that these letters have either a high or a low-level tone depending on whether they are found at the beginning or the end of the word.
These letters are aspirated and spoken in a low-level tone when they appear in the first syllable of a word. They take on a high-level tone and are unaspirated when they are in the final syllable of a word.
The letter p” stands for the aspirated sound, while the letter “h” stands for tone. All these vowels, consonants, and tones make different words of a certain grammatical value like the Punjabi verbs and Punjabi Pronouns.
Fun Facts
Do you know that Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ), an Indo-Aryan Language? It is spoken in the state of Punjab in India and Punjab Province in Pakistan? In 2015, West Punjabi is spoken by about 92.7 million people, mainly in Punjab in Pakistan, While East Punjabi is spoken by about 32.6 million people in 2011), it is mainly spoken in East Punjab, India. Additionally, Punjabi is spoken in other countries like Kenya, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Saudi Arab, and Australia.
The word Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ) is derived from the Persian language for “five” which means Punj and water means aab. The Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas are the five main eastern headwaters of the Indus that flow through Punjab.
The Shauraseni language of medieval northern India is the ancestor of Punjabi, which emerged as a separate language in the 11th century.
Is Punjabi Really Hard To Learn?
Those who are unfamiliar with Punjabi pronunciation frequently find it difficult to adapt. For the most impressive outcomes, you must begin learning Punjabi as soon as possible. Your chances of learning it will quickly increase. It is less probable that you will succeed in learning a language the longer you wait to start.
Before someone asks you if learning Punjabi is hard? assure them that it is not. Below are some techniques and lessons that will speed up your learning of Punjabi.
- Punjabi movies can help you learn the language.
- Pakistan’s most extensively used language is Punjabi. You can therefore learn this native language by conversing with native Punjabi speakers.
- Listening to the Punjabi music is another way to learn the language. It is among the most effective methods for learning a language.
- Watching the Punjabi language study on YouTube channel is another approach to learning this Indo-Aryan language.
- You can seek the assistance of qualified teachers for any questions on Ling, a language learning platform that effectively aids someone in learning a new language. You can learn the Punjabi alphabet, grammatical gender, and their meaning by having simple discussions with Punjabi speakers.
Hope you understood all the instructions related to Punjabi Alphabets, their pronunciation, grammar, and meanings. Visit Punjab and speak Punjabi fluently with the native Punjabi speakers.
How Do You Say Alphabet In Punjabi?
The term “alphabet” is known as varanmaala (ਵਰਣਮਾਲਾ) in Punjabi. It is pronounced as va-ran-ma-la.
FAQs About Punjabi Alphabet
How Many Alphabets Are In Punjabi?
The 40-letter Punjabi alphabet represents 41 letters, 30 consonants, and 10 vowel signs.
What Is The Original Punjabi Alphabet?
Gurmukhi is the original Punjabi alphabet. It was finalized by the second Guru of Sikhism, Guru Angad Dev. He started this by compiling the holy hymns into the Gur,ukhi script as before that, the Gurmukhi script was not considered apt for writing the scriptures.
What Is Kanna In Punjabi?
Kanna in Punjabi is the long vowel aa sound. It is equivalent to the vowel sound in English words like “massAge,” “mirAge,” “garAge,” “fArce,” and so on.
Use The Ling App To Trace Punjabi Alphabet
That’s it for this blog post. If your really wish to get started on learning the Punjabi alphabet, then try using the Ling app. Why? Because of it’s unique finger tracing feature that helps the learner learn non-latin alphabets using the tracing on screen method.
Download the app now from the Google Playstore and App Store to have a wholesome experience and start speaking the Punjabi language confidently. Start learning Punjabi now!
