Taking a look at totally different, noodle-shaped letters with completely no understanding of what’s being written is complicated for any individual. It’d make them really feel agitated and exhausted after they can clearly perceive a language when it’s being spoken however not when it’s in writing.

That’s why it’s so vital to learn to learn the alphabet of any new language! Should you’re making an attempt to be taught Punjabi, then this text is ideal for you! You’ll be taught straightforward letter sounds and pronunciation of the Punjabi alphabet. So, let’s get began. 

Punjabi Alphabet

A language is a device for communication that enables us to transmit our ideas, emotions, and information to others. As a result of its construction is employed in on a regular basis communication, studying the Punjabi alphabet is essential. Even when you know the way to write down some phrases, with out it you received’t have the ability to pronounce them accurately. You may be extra understood when talking Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ) in the event you can pronounce every letter of a phrase accurately.

Punjabi letters/Punjabi alphabets are known as Punjabi Varnamala (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਰਣਮਾਲਾ). Punjabi alphabets based mostly on the Indic script are generally known as Gurmukhi Alphabets (Gurmukhi Varaṇamālā or ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ ਵਰਣਮਾਲਾ), and people based mostly on the Arabic script are generally known as Shahmukhi Alphabets (شاہ مکھی).

The 40-letter Punjabi alphabet represents 41 letters, 30 consonants, and 10 vowel indicators. Punjabi consonants are known as Punjabi Vyanjan (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿਅੰਜਨ) and Punjabi vowels as Punjabi Swar (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਵ).

Gurmukhi Alphabets

An abugida script, usually generally known as a writing system, was created particularly for the Punjabi language. Different languages like Braj Bhasha, Hindi, Sanskrit, and Sindhi have been written utilizing it. 

The second guru of Sikh, “Guru Angad”, formalized the Gurmukhi script (ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ) across the sixteenth century after it advanced from the Landa alphabet. The official writing system for the Punjabi language, popularly generally known as a Sikh script, is known as Gurmukhi and is utilized in Punjab, India. 

The Previous Punjabi phrase Guramukh, which suggests “from the Guru’s mouth,” is the place the identify Gurmukhi originates.

The Punjabi alphabet within the Gurmukhi script includes 35 akhar or letters, together with extra characters for vowel sounds. Here’s a checklist of the first 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
Ok	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

Options Of Gurmukhi Alphabets (ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ)

Gurmukhi script has three options to every of its letters. 

• Each letter is colourful and represents a unique sound and has a singular form and identify. The very first language to arrange the alphabets in accord with their sounds could have been Sanskrit. 
• The Gurmukhi script initially solely had thirty-five letters, however 5 extra had been later added to correctly accommodate totally different sounds. As a result of prevalence of lone phrases in Punjabi, this necessity developed. A further character (ਲ਼) was added extra just lately.
• Since Punjabi is primarily a phonetic language, studying Gurmukhi symbols and language sounds simultaneous is totally doable. Since every character within the Punjabi Writing system corresponds to a syllable, the time period “syllabary” is extra applicable to name Punjabi writing. 

It is very important word the discrepancy between retroflex and dental consonants and aspirated/unaspirated consonants are two phonetic traits widespread to all North Indian languages. The English language lacks them. Opposite to non-aspirated consonants, that are produced with little or no breath, aspirated consonants go together with an audible discharge of air. It’s pretty and stunning – Punjabi language.

Gurmukhi Alphabets With A “Dot”

Moreover, it’s essential to acknowledge the excellence between alphabets which are marked with a dot and people which are plain, as demonstrated beneath:

Many Punjabi audio system don’t differentiate between the next letters, ਖ”, ਖ਼, ਗ, ਗ਼ and ਫ, ਫ਼. The 2 important explanations for this are that they’re used to differentiate borrowed phrases from different languages, whose studying is dwindling within the state of India, East Punjab, and that their pronunciations are pretty related.

Punjabi Swar (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਵ)

Punjabi Swar (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਵ) are used for the vowel phenomes. Punjabi has 10 vowel phonemes, in comparison with about 20 in English. The one signal, one sound guideline is usually adopted whereas writing symbols in Punjabi. They’re vowels that produce a single sound.

The Form Of Gurmukhi Vowels

Vowels can, nevertheless, be in both of two shapes. The 2 kinds of vowels are impartial kind, which doesn’t want a consonant/ Punjabi vyanjan, and dependent kind, which connects to a consonant.

Gurmukhi Vowels In Their Impartial Kinds

There are three ways in which vowels would possibly take the impartial kind. 

• First, when the vowel begins a phrase or syllable.
• Second, when two vowel/matras sounds are mandatory as a result of a consonant doesn’t assist two vowels/matras.
• Third, when two matras/vowels are articulated in a single syllable in a diphthong. 

Nonetheless, impartial and dependent vowels are pronounced precisely in the identical means. 

Gurmukhi Matras

Now that you’re conscious of this, you can begin studying the ten Gurmukhi matras. The ten vowels that make up the Punjabi alphabet are known as Punjabi Swar. Right here, we are going to research Punjabi vowels and their English pronunciation. Every of the ten vowel indicators or matras is defined beneath.

Mukta: ਮੁਕਤਾ

Mukta is the impartial type of the vowel. Since mukta actually means “free,” it lacks a logo. It’s analogous to the letter  “a” within the apple or “e” in Face. The mukta vowel shall hereafter be represented by the letter /a/ on this article.

ਅਸ /as/ = us

English	Punjabi	Romanized Punjabi
Momentary	ਅਸਥਾਈ	Asathā’ī
Extraordinary	ਅਸਧਾਰਨ	asadhārana
Failure	ਅਸਫਲਤਾ	asaphalatā
The sky	ਅਸਮਾਨ	asamāna
Impact	ਅਸਰ	asara
Truly	ਅਸਲ	asala
Authentic	ਅਸਲੀ	asalī
Actuality	ਅਸਲੀਅਤ	asalī’ata
Straightforward	ਅਸਾਨ	asāna
Assam	ਅਸਾਮ	asāma
Blessings	ਅਸੀਸ	asīsa
Rules	ਅਸੂਲ	asūla
Inconceivable	ਅਸੰਭਵ	asabhava
Busy	ਵਿਅਸਤ	vi’asata

Kanna: ਕੰਨਨਾ

The second letter kanna is identical because the letter “a” in father or alter. The kanna vowel signal will now be indicated on this module by the letter /ā/.

English	Punjabi	Romanized Punjabi
Chapter	ਅਧਿਆਇ	Adhi’ā’i
Follow	ਅਭਿਆਸ	abhi’āsa
The sky	ਆਕਾਸ਼	ākāśa
Free	ਆਜ਼ਾਦ	āzāda
Splendid	ਆਦਰਸ਼	ādaraśa
Inhabitants	ਆਬਾਦੀ	ābādī
Financial	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
Decreased	ਘਟਾਇਆ	ghaṭā’i’ā
Surrounded	ਘਿਰਿਆ	ghiri’ā
Run	ਚਲਾਇਆ	calā’i’ā

In Punjabi, a brief matra/vowel and a protracted matra/vowel are at all times discovered collectively. An excellent instance of this mix is mukta and kanna, the place mukta is the shortest signal of vowel and kanna is the longest one. 

Sihari: ਸਿਹਾਰੀ

Sihari is an impartial type of vowel, and is identical because the letter “I” in pin or skinny. Sihari vowels will now be indicated with a /i/ on this module.

English	Punjabi	Romanized Punjabi
Chapter	ਅਧਿਆਇ	Adhi’ā’i
Confession	ਇਕਰਾਰ	ikarāra
Collectively	ਇਕੱਠਾ	ikaṭhā
Alone	ਇਕੱਲੇ	ikalē
Refusal	ਇਨਕਾਰ	inakāra
Human being	ਇਨਸਾਨ	inasāna
Justice	ਇਨਸਾਫ	inasāpha
Intention	ਇਰਾਦਾ	irādā
Neighborhood	ਇਲਾਕੇ	ilākē
In addition to	ਇਲਾਵਾ	ilāvā
Escape	ਇਸਕੇਪ	isakēpa
Earned	ਕਮਾਇਆ	kamā’i’ā
Consumer	ਕਲਾਇਟ	kalā’iṭa
Decreased	ਘਟਾਇਆ	ghaṭā’i’ā
Run	ਚਲਾਇਆ	calā’i’ā
Woke up	ਜਗਾਇਆ	jagā’i’ā

The truth that sihari, in contrast to different matras, comes earlier than the letter it follows is one in every of its distinctive options.

Bihari: ਬਿਹਾਰੀ

Bihari is identical as “ee” in search or “ea” in trainer. On this module, the bihari vowel signal might be indicated by the letter /ī/. See the bihari utilized in examples beneath.

English	Punjabi	Romanized Punjabi
Management	ਅਗਵਾਈ	Agavā’ī
Momentary	ਅਸਥਾਈ	asathā’ī
Excavation	ਖੁਦਾਈ	khudā’ī
Magical	ਜਾਦੂਈ	jādū’ī
July	ਜੁਲਾਈ	julā’ī
Performed	ਨਿਭਾਈ	nibhā’ī
Evil	ਬੁਰਾਈ	burā’ī
Goodness	ਭਲਿਆਈ	bhali’ā’ī
Mumbai	ਮੁੰਬਈ	muba’ī
Angle	ਰਵੱਈਆ	rava’ī’ā
Rifle	ਰਾਈਫਲ	rā’īphala
Hanging	ਲਟਕਾਈ	laṭakā’ī
Humanity	ਲੋਕਾਈ	lōkā’ī
Size	ਲੰਬਾਈ	labā’ī
Seem	ਵਿਖਾਈ	vikhā’ī
Bicycle	ਸਾਈਕਲ	sā’īkala

Aunkar: ਔਂਕਾਰ

Aunkar, an impartial type of vowel, is identical as writing “u” or “oo” in a e-book. On this module, the /u/ signal will stand in for the aunkar vowel. Try the examples for aunkar beneath.

English	Punjabi	Romanized Punjabi
Boredom	ਉਕਤਾ	Ukatā
Eagle	ਉਕਾਬ	ukāba
Top	ਉਚਾਈ	ucā’ī
Acceptable	ਉਚਿਤ	ucita
Attractive	ਉਡਾਉਣ	uḍā’uṇa
Flight	ਉਡਾਣ	uḍāṇa
Ready	ਉਡੀਕ	uḍīka
Merchandise	ਉਤਪਾਦ	utapāda
Curious	ਉਤਸੁਕ	utasuka
Function	ਉਦੇਸ਼	udēśa
Accessible	ਉਪਬਲਧ	upabaladha
Building	ਉਸਾਰੀ	usārī
Fly	ਉੱਡਦੀ	uḍadī
Flew	ਉੱਡਿਆ	uḍi’ā
North	ਉੱਤਰੀ	utarī
Run	ਚਲਾਉਣ	calā’uṇa
Carrying	ਪਾਉਣਾ	pā’uṇā
Make	ਬਣਾਉਣ	baṇā’uṇa
Convey	ਲਿਆਉਣ	li’ā’uṇa
Improve	ਵਧਾਉਣ	vadhā’uṇa

Dulenkarh: ਦੁਲੇਨਕਰਹ

The “oo” in boot corresponds to dulenkarh. On this lesson, the dulenkarh vowel might be indicated by the letter /oo/. See the utilization of dulenkarh within the instance beneath.

English	Punjabi	Romanized Punjabi
Camel	ਊਠ	Ūṭha
Power	ਊਰਜਾ	ūrajā
Cow	ਗਊ	ga’ū
Tube	ਟਿਊਬ	ṭi’ūba
Obligation	ਡਿਊਟੀ	ḍi’ūṭī
Powder	ਪਾਊਡਰ	pā’ūḍara
Bureau	ਬਿਊਰੋ	bi’ūrō
Simon	ਸ਼ਮਊਨ	śama’ūna

Lanv: ਲੈਨਵ

Lanv is identical because the letter “a” in hate or fee. On this module, a lanv vowel is indicated by the letter /e/. See the lanv utilization examples beneath.

English	Punjabi	Romanized Punjabi
Agent	ਏਜੰਟ	Ējaṭa
Asia	ਏਸ਼ੀਆ	ēśī’ā
Carried out	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 equal to dulawan. The dulawan matra/vowel might be indicated by the letter /ai/. See how dulawan is used within the examples beneath.

English	Punjabi	Romanized Punjabi
Research	ਅਧਿਐਨ	Adhi’aina
Actors	ਐਕਟਰ	Aikaṭara
Sunday	ਐਤਵਾਰ	Aitavāra
Ambulance	ਐਬੂਲਸ	Aibūlasa
Alpha	ਐਲਫ਼ਾ	Ailafā
Album	ਐਲਬਮ	Ailabama
Property	ਐਸਟੇਟ	Aisaṭēṭa

Horha: ਹੋਰਹਾ

The “ō” sound from “residence” in English corresponds to the horha. On this module, the horha matra/vowel might be denoted by the letter “o.” See the horha use examples beneath.

English	Punjabi	Romanized Punjabi
Clean	ਕੋਰਾ	Kōrā
Gunny bag	ਬੋਰਾ	Bōrā
Peacock	ਮੋਰ	Mōr
Fashion/ Method	ਤੋਰ	Tōr
Thief	ਚੋਰ	Chōr
Noise	ਸੋਰ	Sōr
Tears	ਲੋਰ	Lōr
Extra	ਹੋਰ	Hōr
Energy/ Pressure	ਜੋਰ	Jōr

Kanaorha :ਕਨੌਰਹਾ

Kanaorha is identical because the letter “o” in omelet or Chilly. Kanaorha might be indicated by the letter /au/. See the Punjabi phrases that make use of kanaorha within the examples beneath.

English	Punjabi	Romanized Punjabi
Tough	ਔਖਾ	Aukhā
Common	ਔਸਤ	Ausata
Oath/ Promise	ਸੌਂਹ	Saunh
Nation/ Neighborhood	ਕੌਮ	Kaum
Loopy/ Mad	ਬੌਲਾ	Baula
Who	ਕੌਣ	Kaun
A standard surname or center identify amongst Sikh ladies, symbolizing princess or lioness.	ਕੌਰ	Kaur

Punjabi Consonants (Punjabi Vyanjan)

All Punjabi consonants use the dependent type of the matra/vowel. Within the 30 aspirated and unaspirated consonants that make up the Punjabi alphabet, stops and affricates are 15, two are fricatives, 5 are the nasal consonants, liquids are 4, and glides are two. 

Some Punjabi phrases name for consonants to be written in a conjunct kind, which appears like a subscript to the principle letter. The stops and nasals are characterised as being articulated on the following places, equivalent to  Labial, Dental, Retroflex, Palatal, and Velar, respectively. 

These Punjabi consonants are known as Punjabi Vyanjan as a result of the palatal stops are literally affricates. Right here, we research a couple of Punjabi consonants and the way 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 child.
• ਨ (nan’naa), a Gurmukhi letter “n” as in identify.

Tones In Gurmukhi

Pitch contours are one in every of Punjabi’s distinctive traits among the many vary of up to date South Asian languages. Relying on how they sound, these alter the that means of the time period. 

Technically talking, there are three totally different sorts of tones: low, excessive, and stage. Tonal letters embrace the letters ਘ (gh), ਝ (jh), ਢ (dh), ਧ (dha), and ਭ (bh). This means that these letters have both a excessive or a low-level tone relying on whether or not they’re discovered firstly or the tip of the phrase. 

These letters are aspirated and spoken in a low-level tone after they seem within the first syllable of a phrase. They tackle a high-level tone and are unaspirated when they’re within the closing syllable of a phrase.

The letter p” stands for the aspirated sound, whereas the letter “h” stands for tone. All these vowels, consonants, and tones make totally different phrases of a sure grammatical worth just like the Punjabi verbs and Punjabi Pronouns.

Shahmukhi Alphabets (شاہ مکھی)

Shahmukhi is the idea for Western Punjabi. Punjabi is written utilizing a variant of the Persian script referred to as Shahmukhi (شاہ مکھی) in Pakistan. Because the eleventh century, it has been written usually within the Nastaliq type. “From the King’s mouth” is the that means of the identify Shahmukhi. 

In 2016, Pakistan developed the current Shahmukhi alphabet. As a result of it shares the identical alphabet as Urdu however solely provides two consonants, it may be thought to be a superset of the Urdu language. Consequently, anybody who can learn Urdu can simply learn Shahmukhi (and vice versa) with none sensible issue.

Within the Arabic script, Shahmukhi is written. It has 37 totally different alphabets. It’s spelled like Arabic from proper to left, in contrast to Gurmukhi. At the start, you have to be taught and retain this alphabet. 

We advise you to focus solely on figuring out these alphabets throughout your preliminary studying phases. You’ll be taught rapidly as soon as you possibly can establish these alphabets.

Alphabets In Shahmukhi

Listed below are the Alphabets in Shahmukhi that you would be able to be taught

Punjabi Aphabet: ا ب پ ت ٹ ث ج چ ح خ د ڈ ذ ڑ ز ژ س ش ص ض ط ظ ع ع ف ق ک گ ل لؕ م ن ݨ و ہ ھ ء ی ے

Romanized Information: a ba paa ta tta tha ja cha ha kha aa gha fa qa ka ga la lla ma na ṇa wa ha hha aa- ya

There aren’t any such equivalents to the matras in Gurmukhi present in Shahmukhi. Because it follows the Arabic script, the vowels are invisible and also you learn to pronounce every phrase independently. 

Enjoyable Details 

Are you aware that Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ), an Indo-Aryan (ਇੰਡੋ-ਆਰੀਅਨ) Language? It’s spoken within the state of Punjab in India and Punjab Province in Pakistan? In 2015, West Punjabi is spoken by about 92.7 million individuals, primarily in Punjab in Pakistan, Whereas East Punjabi is spoken by about 32.6 million individuals in 2011), it’s primarily spoken in East Punjab, India. Moreover, Punjabi is spoken in different nations like Kenya, Singapore, the UK, Canada, the US, Saudi Arab, and Australia.

The phrase Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ) is derived from the Persian language for “5” which suggests Punj and water means aab. The Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas are the 5 important japanese headwaters of the Indus that circulation by Punjab.

The Shauraseni language of medieval northern India is the ancestor of Punjabi, which emerged as a separate language within the eleventh century.

Is Punjabi Actually Laborious To Be taught?

Those that are unfamiliar with Punjabi pronunciation incessantly discover it tough to adapt. For probably the most spectacular outcomes, you have to start studying Punjabi as quickly as doable. Your possibilities of studying it’ll rapidly enhance. It’s much less possible that you’ll reach studying a language the longer you wait to start out.

Earlier than somebody asks you if studying Punjabi is tough? guarantee them that it’s not. Under are some strategies and classes that may pace up your studying of Punjabi.

• Punjabi films will help you be taught the language.
• Pakistan’s most extensively used language is Punjabi. You’ll be able to due to this fact be taught this native language by conversing with native Punjabi audio system.
• Listening to the Punjabi music is one other option to be taught the language. It’s among the many simplest strategies for studying a language.
• Watching the Punjabi language research on YouTube channel is one other method to studying this Indo-Aryan language.
• You’ll be able to search the help of certified lecturers for any questions on Ling, a language studying platform that successfully aids somebody in studying a brand new language. You’ll be able to be taught the Punjabi alphabet, grammatical gender, and their that means by having easy discussions with Punjabi audio system.

Hope you understood all of the directions associated to Punjabi Alphabets, their pronunciation, grammar, and meanings. Go to Punjab and converse Punjabi fluently with the native Punjabi audio system.

Wrapping Up

That’s it for this weblog publish. Studying Punjabi turns into an absolute want whereas residing in Punjab and understanding Punjabi turns into a terrific perk. You is perhaps in search of some impeccable methods to be taught Punjabi and nothing may very well be higher than the Ling app to be taught Punjabi. We offer quite a few methods for our learners in order that they’ll enhance their language simply.

Not solely the phrases however you additionally be taught their meanings and transliteration which we doubt some other language studying app/web site is doing proper now. Obtain the app now from the Google Playstore and App Retailer to have a healthful expertise and begin talking the Punjabi language confidently.

Begin studying Punjabi now!

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