Learning nouns is vital in any language because they are essential to communication. Simply put, understanding them is crucial for understanding the meaning of sentences. Punjabi nouns, on the other hand, can be pretty complicated as they have genders, cases, and plural forms. So, it’s no surprise that they might initially seem a bit daunting. But once you get the hang of them, it’ll be easy to understand how to use them in sentences. Let’s get to know more about it in today’s post!
While it is true that Punjabi grammar is no easy thing to master, a basic understanding of concepts like noun usage can dramatically improve your chances of expressing yourself better. More specifically, understanding how nouns work can help improve your communication, vocabulary, reading and comprehension skills, and many more!
In this article, we’ll cover some of Punjabi’s most frequently used nouns. We’ll also explain how these words are used and give examples to help you understand them better. Let’s get started!
Genders In Punjabi Nouns
Genders are important in Punjabi nouns because they determine the verb form and the pronoun used with them. In Punjabi, there are two genders: masculine and feminine. The gender of a noun affects the form of the verb and pronoun used with it. Additionally, the gender of a noun can sometimes indicate the natural gender of the person or thing named by the noun.
Let’s look at some examples.
Masculine Nouns – /-ਆ/
Most masculine nouns finish with the -a sound, and some are exceptions.
- Rope – ਰੱਸਾ (rassa)
- Cooking pot – ਪਤੀਲਾ (patila)
- Mountain – ਪਹਾੜ (pahad)
- Tumbler – ਗਲਾਸ (galas)
Feminine Nouns – /-ਈ/
Almost all feminine nouns finish with the -i sound.
- String – ਰੱਸੀ (rassi)
- Small cooking pot – ਪਤੀਲੀ (patili)
- Hill – ਪਹਾੜੀ (pahadi)
- Small tumbler – ਗਲਾਸੀ (galasi)
Numbers In Punjabi Nouns
These are the singular and plural nouns. For one, it is the singular form, and for more than one, it is the plural form. A prefix of /-ਆ/ is mainly found when we write Punjabi for the singular nouns and changed to /-ਏ/ for the plural.
Here are some examples:
- Boy – ਮੁੰਡਾ (munda)
- Room – ਕੋਠਾ (kotha)
- Horse – ਘੋੜਾ (ghora)
Changed to plural:
- Boys – ਮੁੰਡੇ (munde)
- Rooms – ਕੋਠੇ (kothe)
- Horses – ਘੋੜੇ (ghore)
In the case that the nouns are already feminine, what do we do? We change the prefix to /-ਆਂ/ for their plural.
- Girl – ਕੁੜੀ (kuri)
- Road – ਸੜਕ (sarak)
- Night – ਰਾਤ (raat)
Changed to plural:
- Girls – ਕੁੜੀਆਂ (kuriam)
- Roads – ਸੜਕਾਂ (sarkam)
- Nights – ਰਾਤਾਂ (ratam)
As exceptions are in every language, you will find them in Punjabi, too! Some words remain unchanged and are the same in both their singular and plural forms. Some examples are given below:
- Man – men ਆਦਮੀ (admi)
- House – houses ਘਰ (ghar)
- Hand – hands ਹੱਥ (hatt)
Cases In Punjabi Nouns
It is divided into two types: the direct and the oblique form. The number and case Punjabi nouns go together; this is why they are under the “transformation” grammatical categories. Nouns can be singular direct and singular oblique, and they can also be plural direct and plural oblique.
In regards to masculine and feminine words, all previous rules apply. Once we cite examples, it will get clearer. For nouns discussed before, let’s see how they change forms from direct to the oblique case.
- ਮੁੰਡਾ (munda)
- ਮੁੰਡੇ (munde)
- ਆਦਮੀ (admi)
- ਆਦਮੀ (admi)
- ਕੁੜੀ (kuri)
- ਕੁੜੀਆਂ (kuriam)
To oblique case:
- ਮੁੰਡੇ (munde)
- ਮੁੰਡਿਆਂ (mundiam)
- ਆਦਮੀ (admi)
- ਆਦਮੀਆਂ (admiam)
- ਕੁੜੀ (kuri)
- ਕੁੜੀਆਂ (kuriam)
The grammatical relations and word order of Punjabi nouns will need practice. The recommendation is to practice naming objects and nouns to increase your vocabulary. While doing so, give attention to the pronunciation, which will help you identify the gender, number, and case.
The most important in Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu (as they are similar languages) is to get the gender right. If not, the sentence will become pretty hysterical! As a learner, though, tones and pronunciation will come gradually and naturally with practice! Keep trying!
Learn Punjabi With Ling
Do not let the fear of grammar stop you from learning a language. Languages and cultures are beautiful, and the more you spend time understanding them and the people who use them, the more you appreciate our world.
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