If you're trying to learn the Punjabi Alphabet which is also called Panjabi, check our courses about pronunciation, and sound of all letters... to help you with your Punjabi grammar. Try to concentrate on the lesson and memorize the sounds. Also don't forget to check the rest of our other lessons listed on Learn Punjabi. Enjoy the rest of the lesson!
Learning the Punjabi alphabet is very important because its structure is used in every day conversation. Without it, you will not be able to say words properly even if you know how to write those words. The better you pronounce a letter in a word, the more understood you will be in speaking the Punjabi language.
Below is a table showing the Punjabi alphabet and how it is pronounced in English, and finally examples of how those letters would sound if you place them in a word.
| ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ) Gurmukhi (Punjabi) | English | Pronunciation Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
ਓ | ਓੂੜਾ | Oo'rhaa | o' as in room |
ਅ | ਐੜਾ | Ai'rhaa | a' as in hat |
ੲ | ਈੜੀ | Ee'rhee | e' as in energy |
ਸ | ਸੱਸਾ | sas'saa | s' as in same |
ਹ | ਹਾਹਾ | haa'haa | h' as in home |
ਕ | ਕੱਕਾ | Kak'kaa | k' as in Kate, kite |
ਖ | ਖੱਖਾ | khakh'khaa | 'kh' as in khan, khaki |
ਗ | ਗੱਗਾ | gag'gaa | g' as in God |
ਘ | ਘੱਘਾ | ghag'ghaa | 'gh' as in aghast, ghost |
ਙ | ਙੰਙਾ | Ngan'ngaa | 'ng' as in England |
ਚ | ਚੱਚਾ | chach'chaa | ch' as in change |
ਛ | ਛੱਛਾ | chhachh'chhaa | ch' as in cheddar more like ch/sh robustly aspirated |
ਜ | ਜੱਜਾ | jaj'jaa | j' as in Japan |
ਝ | ਝੱਝਾ | jhaj'jhaa | pronounced as harder stressed 'j' as in jolt more robustly aspirated |
ਞ | ਞੰਞਾ | Njan'njaa | There is no English equivalent of this sound |
ਟ | ਟੈਂਕਾ | tain'kaa | t' as in Tom |
ਠ | ਠੱਠਾ | thath'thaa | 'th' harder th as in river Thames |
ਡ | ਡੱਡਾ | ddad'daa | d' as in daddy |
ਢ | ਢੱਢਾ | dhad'daa | dd' as in daddy |
ਣ | ਣਾਣਾ | nhaa'nhaa | Pronounced like English 'n' with tip of tongue upwards touching palette of mouth |
ਤ | ਤੱਤਾ | tat'taa | t' softer unaspirated t as inTim |
ਥ | ਥੱਥਾ | thath'thaa | 'th' as in Thailand |
ਦ | ਦੱਦਾ | dad'daa | th' softer th as in 'then' |
ਧ | ਧੱਧਾ | dhad'daa | 'th' stressed th seventh |
ਨ | ਨੱਨਾ | nan'naa | n' as in name |
ਪ | ਪੱਪਾ | pap'paa | p' as in papa |
ਫ | ਫੱਫਾ | phaph'phaa | 'ph' as in philosopher |
ਬ | ਬੱਬਾ | bab'baa | b' as in baby |
ਭ | ਭੱਭਾ | bhab'baa | there is no English equivalent of this sound more like bha combined together |
ਮ | ਮੱਮਾ | mam'maa | m' as in mother |
ਯ | ਯੱਯਾ | yay'yaa | y' as in yellow |
ਰ | ਰਾਰਾ | ra'raa | r' as in run |
ਲ | ਲੱਲਾ | lal'laa | l' as in lake |
ਵ | ਵੱਵਾ | vav'vaa | v' as in Victor |
ੜ | ੜਾੜਾ | rhar'rhaa | 'rr' hard double r |
ਸ਼ | ਸ਼ੱਸ਼ਾ | shash'shaa | sh' as in shade |
ਖ਼ | ਖ਼ੱਖ਼ਾ | kha'khaa | 'kh' as in khan or as 'ch' As in the Scottish Loch |
ਗ਼ | ਗ਼ੱਗ਼ਾ | gag'gaa | g' as in good |
ਜ਼ | ਜ਼ੱਜ਼ਾ | Zaz'zaa | z' as in zebra |
ਫ਼ | ਫ਼ੱਫ਼ਾ | faf'faa | 'ph' as in philosopher |
ਲ਼ | ਲ਼ੱਲ਼ਾ | lal'laa | l' as in land |
| Vowels in Gurmukhi (Punjabi) | There are 10 vowels. | ||
| Vowel Sign (broken circle represents a alphabet) | pronunciation | Name of vowel | example |
| invisible is with every consonant | a | ਮੁਕਤਾ muktā | ਸ sa |
ਾ | ā | ਕੰਨਾ kannā | ਸਾ sā |
ਿ | I | ਸਿਹਾਰੀ sihārī | ਸਿ si |
ੀ | ī | ਬਿਹਾਰੀ bihārī | ਸੀ sī |
ੁ | u | ਔਂਕੜ auṅkaṛ | ਸੁ su |
ੂ | ū | ਦੁਲੈਂਕੜ dulaiṅkaṛ | ਸੂ sū |
ੇ | ē | ਲਾਂਵਾਂ lāṃvāṃ | ਸੇ sē |
ੈ | ai | ਦੁਲਾਂਵਾਂ dulāṃvāṃ | ਸੈ sai |
ੋ | ō | ਹੋੜਾ hōṛā | ਸੋ sō |
ੌ | au | ਕਨੌੜਾ kanauṛā | ਸੌ sau |
| Nasal signs> | |||
ਂ | ਬਿੰਦੀ bindī | It's sound is same as 'n' in land, sand | |
ੰ | ਟਿੱਪੀ ṭippī | Its sound is same as 'n' in punch, lunch | |
ੱ | ਅਧਕ adhak | double sound to the particular consonant that it is assigned to |
You saw how a letter is written and might be pronounced, but there is nothing better than hearing the sound of the letters in a video or audio. Below you will be able to hear how the letters above are pronounced, just press the play button:
| Punjabi Pronunciation |
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The alphabet and its pronunciation have a very important role in Punjabi. Once you're done with the Panjabi alphabet, you might want to check the rest of our Punjabi lessons here: Learn Punjabi. Don't forget to bookmark this page.
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