Punjabi Prepositions For Beginners: #1 Easy Guide With Examples

Okay, let’s start with a clarification – like its other Indo-Aryan counterparts (read Hindi and Urdu), Punjabi prepositions give way to postpositions. Which means what? It means that, unlike English, the Punjabi language uses prepositions “after” nouns or pronouns which essentially make them “postpositions.”

For example, if in English, we say, “The book is on the table,” in Punjabi, we will say, kitaab mez ‘te hai (the book table on is). So, let’s learn more about Punjabi prepositions or postpositions in the article below. This will help you take a step forward in the right direction of learning Punjabi.

Are They Punjabi Prepositions Or Postpositions?

The postpositions in Punjabi are called sabandhak shabad, which English speakers would call prepositions. These tiny words hold a great deal of power, allowing Punjabi speakers to convey a range of relationships between terms, from spatial and temporal to causal and conditional.

In Punjabi, prepositions are placed after the Punjabi noun or pronoun they modify, creating a rhythmic flow that rolls off the tongue with ease. They are the glue that binds the elements of a sentence together, giving it structure and meaning.

Types Of Punjabi Prepositions

Whether you’re talking about the direction of a journey or the cause of an event, Punjabi prepositions are your trusty companions, guiding you through the twists and turns of the language with ease. Let’s look at some common examples and see how they are used in everyday conversation.

Here is a list of Punjabi prepositions commonly used:

• ਦੇ (de) – of, from, with
• ਨਾਲ (naal) – with
• ਦੀ (di) – of, from, with
• ਵਿੱਚ (vich) – in, inside
• ਤੇ (te) – on, upon
• ਨੂੰ (nu) – to, towards
• ਤੋਂ (ton) – from
• ਦੁਆਰਾ (duaara) – through, by
• ਨੇੜੇ (nere) – near
• ਬਾਹਰ (baahar) – outside

Examples Of Punjabi Prepositions

To Denote Location

English: “The book is on the table.”

Punjabi: Kitaab mez utte hai (ਕਿਤਾਬ ਮੇਜ਼ ਉੱਤੇ ਹੈ।)

Here, utte (ਉੱਤੇ) means “on” and follows mez (ਮੇਜ਼), meaning “table”.

To Denote Direction

English: “She is going to the market.”

Punjabi: Oh baazaar nu jaa rahi hai (ਉਹ ਬਾਜ਼ਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਜਾ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ।)

Nu (ਨੂੰ) corresponds to “to” and comes after baazaar (ਬਾਜ਼ਾਰ), meaning “market.”

To Denote Instrumentality

English: “He writes with a pen.”

Punjabi: Oh kalam naal likhada hai (ਉਹ ਕਲਮ ਨਾਲ ਲਿਖਦਾ ਹੈ।)

Naal (ਨਾਲ) means “with” and follows kalam (ਕਲਮ), meaning “pen.”

To Denote Origin

English: “They are from Delhi.”

Punjabi: Oh dilli ton han (ਉਹ ਦਿੱਲੀ ਤੋਂ ਹਨ।)

Ton (ਤੋਂ) translates to “from” and follows Dilli (ਦਿੱਲੀ), meaning “Delhi.”

To Denote Possession

English: “This is Ram’s book.”

Punjabi: Ih Raam di kitaab hai (ਇਹ ਰਾਮ ਦੀ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਹੈ।)

Di (ਦੀ) denotes possession and follows Raam (ਰਾਮ), which is a man’s name.

Note: Since kitaab or book is a feminine noun in Punjabi, the preposition is di. If it had been a masculine noun such as “home” or ghar, the preposition would have been da. So the Punjabi sentence would read as, Ih Raam da ghar hai (This is Raam’s home).

Usage Of Punjabi Prepositions

To better understand the usage of Punjabi prepositions, let us look at some examples:

• I am sitting in the car – Main car vich baitha haan (ਮੈਂ ਕਾਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਬੈਠਾ ਹਾਂ)
• He talked with me: Usne mere naal gal kiti (ਉਸਨੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਨਾਲ ਗੱਲ ਕੀਤੀ)
• I am from Chandigarh – Main Chandigarh ton haan (ਮੈਂ ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ ਤੋਂ ਹਾਂ)

Punjabi Prepositions In Sentences

You can learn from the following sentences how to use prepositions in a Punjabi sentence structure.

English	Punjabi	Transliteration
There is a beautiful temple in my nearby village.	ਮੇਰੇ ਪਿੰਡ ਦੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੱਕ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਮੰਦਿਰ ਹੈ।	Mere pind de vich ik sundar mandir hai.
I go to school daily with my friend.	ਮੈਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਦੋਸਤ ਨਾਲ ਰੋਜ਼ਾਨਾ ਸਕੂਲ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ।	Main apne dost naal rozana school jaanda haan.
The story of that book is very beautiful.	ਉਸ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਦੀ ਕਹਾਣੀ ਬਹੁਤ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਹੈ।	Us kitaab di kahani bahut sundar hai.
There is a small garden in my house.	ਮੇਰੇ ਘਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੱਕ ਛੋਟਾ ਬਾਗ ਹੈ।	Mere ghar vich ik chhota baagh hai.
There is a book on the table.	ਮੇਜ਼ ਤੇ ਇੱਕ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਹੈ।	Mez te ik kitaab hai.
I will meet my family in America.	ਮੈਂ ਪਰਿਵਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ਤੋਂ ਮੇਲਣਗਾ।	Main parivaar nu Amreeka ton melanga.
I received a letter from that friend.	ਮੈਂ ਉਸ ਦੋਸਤ ਤੋਂ ਇੱਕ ਖ਼ਤ ਪਾਇਆ।	Main us dost ton ik khat paya.
He is learning art through the guidance of the teacher.	ਉਹ ਵਿਦਿਆਰਥੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਕਲਾ ਸਿੱਖ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ।	Uh vidyarthi guru duaara kala Sikh riha hai.
There is a road near my house.	ਮੇਰੇ ਘਰ ਨੇੜੇ ਇੱਕ ਸੜਕ ਹੈ।	Mere ghar nere ik sadak hai.
There is snow outside.	ਬਾਹਰ ਬਰਫ ਪੜੀ ਹੈ।	Baahar baraf padi hai.

Tips To Avoid Punjabi Preposition Mistakes

1. Learn Common Postpositions – As we already know, unlike English, Punjabi uses postpositions after the noun/ pronoun. You can start with common ones like ‘ਤੇ (on), ‘ਚ (in), ‘ਨੂੰ (to), and ‘ਤੋਂ (from).
2. Be mindful of the Punjabi gender rules – Some postpositions change based on the gender and number of the noun. For example:
   • This is Ram’s home – Ih Ram da ghar hai (ਇਹ ਰਾਮ ਦਾ ਘਰ ਹੈ) where ghar (home) is masculine so the preposition used is da.
   • This is Ram’s book – Ih Ram di kitaab hai (ਇਹ ਰਾਮ ਦੀ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਹੈ) where kitaab (book) is feminine so preposition used is di.
3. Practice Sentence Order – Punjabi sentences often follow a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order. Place the postposition after the noun, not before. So, to say, “On the table,”
   • Wrong: Utte mez (ਉੱਤੇ ਮੇਜ਼)
   • Correct: Mez utte (ਮੇਜ਼ ਉੱਤੇ)
4. Watch Out for Similar Meanings – Punjabi postpositions te (ਤੇ) and ch (ਚ) can confuse beginners because they both describe a location, but they have different uses:
   • Te (ਤੇ) – Used for surface contact or positioning on something:
     • I am sitting on the chair – Main kurasi ‘te baitha haan (ਮੈਂ ਕੁਰਸੀ ‘ਤੇ ਬੈਠਾ ਹਾਂ)
     • The book is on the table – Kitaab mez utte hai (ਕਿਤਾਬ ਮੇਜ਼ ਉੱਤੇ ਹੈ)
   • Ch (ਚ) – Used for something being inside a place or object:
     • He is in the house – Oh ghar ‘ch hai (ਉਹ ਘਰ ‘ਚ ਹੈ)
     • Water is in the glass – Paani galaas ‘ch hai (ਪਾਣੀ ਗਲਾਸ ‘ਚ ਹੈ)
5. Listen and Repeat – Prepositions are tricky, but hearing native speakers use them helps. If you cannot find any native Punjabi speaker in your network who is willing to help you, simply start using the Ling app! Ling is one of the best apps to learn Punjabi as a beginner.

Idiomatic Expressions

Idiomatic expressions are a fascinating aspect of language, and Punjabi is no exception. Using prepositions correctly is crucial in Punjabi, and understanding idiomatic expressions is equally important. In this post, we’ll explore some idiomatic expressions that use Punjabi prepositions.

The first example is “ਨੂੰ ਚਾਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ (nu chahunda hai),” which means “to want someone/something.” This expression uses the preposition ਨੂੰ (nu) to indicate that the person or thing being wanted is the object of the verb. It’s essential to use this preposition correctly, or the meaning of the sentence can change entirely.

The second example is “ਦੇ ਨਾਲ (de naal),” which means “with someone/something.” This expression uses the preposition ਦੇ (de) to indicate that the person or thing being referred to is in the company of the speaker. Using the correct preposition in this expression is vital to convey the intended message accurately.

The third example is “ਵਿੱਚ (vich),” which means “in something.” This expression uses the preposition ਵਿੱਚ (vich) to indicate that the person or thing being referred to is inside or within something. Again, using the correct preposition in this expression is essential to avoid confusion.

Understanding idiomatic expressions is critical in Punjabi because they often have a different meaning than the literal meaning of the preposition. For example, the expression “ਪਿੱਛੇ ਹੱਥ ਨਾ ਆਉਣਾ (pichhe hath naa aunaa)” uses the preposition “ਪਿੱਛੇ (pichhe),” which means “behind.” However, the expression means “to not be able to get something,” which has nothing to do with being behind anything. This example highlights the importance of understanding idiomatic expressions and using prepositions correctly to convey the intended message accurately.

Idiomatic expressions using Punjabi prepositions are an essential aspect of the language and culture. By understanding these expressions and the correct use of prepositions, one can communicate accurately and effectively in Punjabi. So, the next time you encounter an idiomatic expression in Punjabi, remember that it’s more than just a collection of words – it’s a reflection of the language and the people who use it.

How Do You Say Preposition In Punjabi?

In the Punjabi language, prepositions are referred to as Sabandhak (ਸਬੰਧਕ). They show the relationship between nouns (naanva – ਨਾਂਵ)/ pronouns (parnaanva – ਪੜਨਾਂਵ) and verbs (kiria – ਕਿਰਿਆ).

Frequently Asked Questions About Punjabi Prepositions

1. What Are The 3 Types Of Prepositions?

The three types of Punjabi prepositions are locative prepositions which express the location or position (e.g., ਵਿੱਚ – vich, ਉੱਤੇ – utte), temporal prepositions which indicate time or duration (e.g., ਪਹਿਲਾਂ – pahilaan, ਬਾਅਦ – baad), and other Postpositions: Showing various relationships like possession, direction, etc. (e.g., ਨਾਲ – naal, ਤੋਂ – ton).

2. What Are The 10 Most Common Prepositions?

Some of the most common prepositions used in Punjabi are:

• ਦੇ (de) – of, from, with
• ਨਾਲ (naal) – with
• ਦੀ (di) – of, from, with
• ਵਿੱਚ (vich) – in, inside
• ਤੇ (te) – on, upon
• ਨੂੰ (nu) – to, towards
• ਤੋਂ (ton) – from
• ਦੁਆਰਾ (duaara) – through, by
• ਨੇੜੇ (nere) – near
• ਬਾਹਰ (baahar) – outside

3. What Are The Rules Of Prepositions?

The rules for using Punjabi prepositions are:

1. Prepositions are placed after the noun or pronoun they relate to.
2. Prepositions can indicate various relationships like location, time, possession, or manner.
3. Choose the appropriate preposition based on the context and intended meaning.
4. Some prepositions have specific forms for different grammatical cases (e.g., ਨੂੰ – nu for accusative case).

Let’s Summarize Punjabi Prepositions

Mastering Punjabi prepositions can be tricky, but with some practice, you’ll avoid common mistakes. Using the wrong preposition—or leaving it out—can completely change a sentence’s meaning. Prepositions in Punjabi are postpositions, meaning they follow the noun, unlike in English.

Prepositions often carry figurative meanings that go beyond the literal sense. For example, te (ਤੇ) means “on” but can also suggest a position of authority or focus. Understanding these nuances helps avoid confusion and makes your speech more natural. With attention to detail and regular practice, you’ll soon use Punjabi prepositions with confidence.

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