Word order, pronouns and “to be”

The verb comes last

English says “I eat roti”. Punjabi says “I roti eating am”: the subject, then the object, then the verb, with the helper verb at the very end.

So a Punjabi sentence often only makes sense at its last word, and a question can look exactly like a statement until the voice rises.

• ਮੈਂ ਰੋਟੀ ਖਾਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ

  Main roti khanda haan

  I eat roti (a man speaking)

  Word by word: I, roti, eating, am.

• ਉਹ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਬੋਲਦੀ ਹੈ

  Oh Punjabi boldi hai

  She speaks Punjabi

• ਅਸੀਂ ਘਰ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਾਂ

  Asi ghar jande haan

  We go home

The pronouns

Punjabi has two words for “you”. ਤੂੰ (tu) is for a close friend, a child, and Waheguru in prayer. ਤੁਸੀਂ (tusi) is for anyone you respect, and for more than one person. When in doubt, say tusi; lesson 10 covers respect in full.

ਉਹ (oh) means he, she, they and that, and ਇਹ (ih) means this. The pronoun doesn’t say he or she; the verb does, as lesson 2 shows.

• ਮੈਂ

  main

  I

• ਤੂੰ

  tu

  you, to a close friend or a child

• ਤੁਸੀਂ

  tusi

  you, respectfully or to more than one

• ਉਹ

  oh

  he, she, they; that

• ਇਹ

  ih

  this; he or she, close by

• ਅਸੀਂ

  asi

  we

“To be”: haan, hain, hai, ho, han

The verb “to be” changes with the person. It is also the helper that ends most sentences, so it is worth knowing cold: ਮੈਂ ਹਾਂ, ਅਸੀਂ ਹਾਂ, ਤੂੰ ਹੈਂ, ਤੁਸੀਂ ਹੋ, ਉਹ ਹੈ, and ਉਹ ਹਨ for more than one.

• ਮੈਂ ਠੀਕ ਹਾਂ

  Main theek haan

  I am fine

• ਅਸੀਂ ਘਰ ਹਾਂ

  Asi ghar haan

  We are at home

• ਤੂੰ ਕਿੱਥੇ ਹੈਂ?

  Tu kithe hain?

  Where are you? (to a friend)

• ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿੱਥੇ ਹੋ?

  Tusi kithe ho?

  Where are you? (respectfully)

• ਉਹ ਮੇਰਾ ਭਰਾ ਹੈ

  Oh mera bhra hai

  He is my brother

• ਉਹ ਮੇਰੇ ਦੋਸਤ ਹਨ

  Oh mere dost han

  They are my friends

• ਇਹ ਕੀ ਹੈ?

  Ih ki hai?

  What is this?

Tip: In speech you will often hear ne for han: oh mere dost ne. It is the same word, not the ne of lesson 6.

Was: si

For the past, one word does most of the work: ਸੀ (si), for I, you, he, she and we alike. Careful speakers say ਸਨ (san) for they, but si is always understood.

• ਮੈਂ ਘਰ ਸੀ

  Main ghar si

  I was at home

• ਕੀਰਤਨ ਬਹੁਤ ਸੋਹਣਾ ਸੀ

  Kirtan bahut sohna si

  The kirtan was beautiful