Mainu: when things happen to you

Things that happen to you

In English you are hungry. In Punjabi, hunger happens to you: ਮੈਨੂੰ ਭੁੱਖ ਲੱਗੀ ਹੈ, “to me hunger has attached”. The person takes ਨੂੰ (mainu, tuhanu, us nu), and the feeling is the subject.

So the verb agrees with the feeling, not with you: ਭੁੱਖ (hunger) is feminine, so ਲੱਗੀ; ਡਰ (fear) is masculine, so ਲੱਗਦਾ. A man and a woman say exactly the same thing.

• ਮੈਨੂੰ ਭੁੱਖ ਲੱਗੀ ਹੈ

  Mainu bhukh lagi hai

  I am hungry

• ਮੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਸ ਲੱਗੀ ਹੈ

  Mainu pyaas lagi hai

  I am thirsty

• ਮੈਨੂੰ ਡਰ ਲੱਗਦਾ ਹੈ

  Mainu dar lagda hai

  I am scared

• ਮੈਨੂੰ ਠੰਢ ਲੱਗ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ

  Mainu thandh lag rahi hai

  I am cold

• ਮੈਨੂੰ ਨੀਂਦ ਆ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ

  Mainu neend aa rahi hai

  I am sleepy

  Literally “sleep is coming to me”.

Liking, knowing, needing

Liking, knowing and needing work the same way. A language, or any skill, “comes to” you.

• ਮੈਨੂੰ ਚਾਹ ਪਸੰਦ ਹੈ

  Mainu chaa pasand hai

  I like tea

• ਮੈਨੂੰ ਪਤਾ ਹੈ

  Mainu pata hai

  I know

• ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਕੀ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ?

  Tuhanu ki chahida hai?

  What do you need?

• ਮੈਨੂੰ ਪਾਣੀ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ

  Mainu pani chahida hai

  I need water

• ਮੈਨੂੰ ਥੋੜ੍ਹੀ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਆਉਂਦੀ ਹੈ

  Mainu thorhi Punjabi aundi hai

  I know a little Punjabi

  Literally “a little Punjabi comes to me”.

• ਮੈਨੂੰ ਸਮਝ ਨਹੀਂ ਆਈ

  Mainu samajh nahi aayi

  I didn’t understand

• ਮੈਨੂੰ ਲੱਗਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਮੀਂਹ ਪਵੇਗਾ

  Mainu lagda hai ki meenh pavega

  I think it will rain

  Mainu lagda hai, “it seems to me”, is the everyday “I think”.

Have to

Having to do something works the same way, with the -na form and ਪੈਣਾ (paina): ਮੈਨੂੰ ਜਾਣਾ ਪਵੇਗਾ, I will have to go; ਮੈਨੂੰ ਜਾਣਾ ਪਿਆ, I had to go.

• ਮੈਨੂੰ ਜਾਣਾ ਪਵੇਗਾ

  Mainu jana pavega

  I will have to go

• ਮੈਨੂੰ ਜਾਣਾ ਪਿਆ

  Mainu jana pia

  I had to go

• ਸਾਨੂੰ ਉਡੀਕ ਕਰਨੀ ਪਈ

  Saanu udeek karni payi

  We had to wait

  ਉਡੀਕ (waiting) is feminine, so karni payi.

Tip: Whenever English says “I” and Punjabi says ਮੈਨੂੰ, the verb matches the thing, not you.