Yes, no and the essentials in Punjabi
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Punjabi words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Punjabi phrases in this lesson
- ਹਾਂHAAN
- Yes
- ਨਹੀਂna-HEE
- No
- ਠੀਕ ਹੈTHEEK hai
- Okay
- ਮੈਨੂੰ ਸਮਝ ਨਹੀਂ ਆਈMAI-noo sa-MAJ na-HEE AA-ee
- I don't understand
- ਕੀ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਅੰਗਰੇਜ਼ੀ ਬੋਲਦੇ ਹੋ?kee tu-SEEN an-GRAY-zee BOL-day ho
- Do you speak English?
- ਦੁਬਾਰਾ ਦੱਸੋdu-BAA-raa DAS-so
- Can you repeat that?
- ਹੌਲੀ ਬੋਲੋHAU-lee BO-lo
- Slowly, please
- ਇਹ ਕੀ ਹੈ?ih KEE hai
- What is this?
- ਮੈਨੂੰ ... ਦੀ ਲੋੜ ਹੈMAI-noo ... dee LOR hai
- I need...
- ਕੀ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਮੇਰੀ ਮਦਦ ਕਰੋਗੇ?kee tu-SEEN ME-ree MA-dad ka-RO-ge
- Can you help me?
A clear yes, with a slight nasal quality. Haan ji is more polite. Head wobbling side to side in Punjab can also signal yes, agreement, or understanding, which confuses many visitors expecting a head shake to mean no.
Direct no. A sharp "nahi" ends the matter. For softer refusals, Punjabis add ji: "nahi ji" or trail off with "nahin, nahin" with a hand wave. Direct eye contact with a flat no is perfectly normal.
Theek hai is all-purpose: okay, fine, agreed, understood, no problem. You will hear it constantly. It can also mean "well enough" when describing health or a situation.
Polite way to admit confusion. Follow with a hand gesture or a slow repeat to prompt a simpler explanation. Locals will often switch to English or Hindi if they sense you are struggling.
English is widely spoken in educated urban Punjab and almost universally by the diaspora. In rural areas Punjabi and Hindi dominate. Young people in Chandigarh and Amritsar typically speak good English.
Literally "tell me again".
Literally "speak slowly".