The Punjabi phrases travellers use most are Sat Sri Akal (ਸਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ, hello or goodbye), Dhanvaad (ਧੰਨਵਾਦ, thank you), ... kithe hai? (where is...?) and Kinne da hai? (how much is it?). The phrases below cover greetings, directions, shopping and food, in Gurmukhi with simple pronunciation.
The first time I haggled at the cloth market in Amritsar, I started in English and the shopkeeper quoted me the tourist price without blinking. I grew up speaking Punjabi at home, but English had become my default, so for a second I felt like a stranger in the place my family is from. Then I tried again in Punjabi: kinne da hai? He looked up, half-smiled, and dropped the number before I even argued. That one phrase changed the whole exchange. Here are the ones that did the most work for me on the ground in Panjab, grouped for greetings, directions, shopping, and food, in Gurmukhi with simple pronunciation.
Greetings and basics
| English | Punjabi | Gurmukhi |
|---|---|---|
| Hello / goodbye | Sat Sri Akal | ਸਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ |
| Thank you | Dhanvaad | ਧੰਨਵਾਦ |
| Yes | Haan ji | ਹਾਂ ਜੀ |
| No | Nahi(n) | ਨਹੀਂ |
| Please | Kirpa karke | ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ |
| Sorry / excuse me | Maaf karna | ਮਾਫ਼ ਕਰਨਾ |
| How are you? | Ki haal hai? | ਕੀ ਹਾਲ ਹੈ? |
How do you ask for directions in Punjabi?
| English | Punjabi | Gurmukhi |
|---|---|---|
| Where is...? | ... kithe hai? | ... ਕਿੱਥੇ ਹੈ? |
| How far is it? | Kinni door hai? | ਕਿੰਨੀ ਦੂਰ ਹੈ? |
| Left | Khabbe | ਖੱਬੇ |
| Right | Sajje | ਸੱਜੇ |
| Straight ahead | Sidha | ਸਿੱਧਾ |
| Stop here | Ithe roko | ਇੱਥੇ ਰੋਕੋ |
How do you ask the price in Punjabi?
| English | Punjabi | Gurmukhi |
|---|---|---|
| How much is it? | Kinne da hai? | ਕਿੰਨੇ ਦਾ ਹੈ? |
| That's too expensive | Eh bahut mehnga hai | ਇਹ ਬਹੁਤ ਮਹਿੰਗਾ ਹੈ |
| I'll take it | Main eh lavaanga | ਮੈਂ ਇਹ ਲਵਾਂਗਾ |
Bargaining is normal in markets, so kinne da hai? and a smile go a long way. You'll want your numbers here.
Food and water
| English | Punjabi | Gurmukhi |
|---|---|---|
| I'm hungry | Bhukh laggi hai | ਭੁੱਖ ਲੱਗੀ ਹੈ |
| Water, please | Paani, kirpa karke | ਪਾਣੀ, ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ |
| It's delicious! | Bahut swaad hai! | ਬਹੁਤ ਸੁਆਦ ਹੈ! |
| The bill, please | Bill liao ji | ਬਿੱਲ ਲਿਆਓ ਜੀ |
More at Punjabi food words.
What I learned in the pind, asking directions to a relative's house from an old man on a charpai, is that nobody expects you to be perfect. I lead with Sat Sri Akal and a smile, I use tusi (the polite "you") with everyone (more on that in Punjabi Pronouns), and I let the rest be rough. The effort is the whole point. These overlap with the 5 Everyday Panjabi Phrases and the politeness essentials, and if you want a fuller foundation, start with the complete beginner's guide. For ringing relatives once you land, keep a few phone call phrases handy.
So the next time you land in Amritsar or pull into the pind to see family, you want these already in your mouth, not stuck on a card you're squinting at. The thing I wish I'd had before my first trip was a way to get the sounds right in advance. That's what we built Panjabi Go for: native-quality audio with pronunciation feedback so you actually sound natural, Gurmukhi taught from scratch so the script stops being a wall, and short daily lessons with spaced repetition that make the phrases stick before you go. Start free.
