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Punjabi Alphabet

Gurmukhi Script

Gurmukhi ('from the mouth of the Guru') was standardized by the second Sikh Guru, Guru Angad Dev Ji, in the 16th century. It has 35 consonants and 10 vowel signs. It is the official script for Punjabi in India and is used in Sikh religious texts.

Consonants (35 Painti)

CharacterNameRomanizationPronunciation
Oora(vowel holder)used as a base for vowels
Airaaalike 'u' in 'up'
Eeree(vowel holder)used as a base for i/e vowels
Sassaslike 's' in 'sun'
Hahaahlike 'h' in 'house'
Kakkaklike 'k' in 'key'
Khakhakhlike 'ch' in 'loch'
Gaggaglike 'g' in 'go'
Ghaghaghlike 'g' (breathy)
Nganganglike 'ng' in 'sing'
Chachhachlike 'ch' in 'cheese'
Chhachhachhlike 'ch' (aspirated)
Jajjajlike 'j' in 'jam'
Jhajhajhlike 'j' (breathy)
Nyanyanylike 'ny' in 'canyon'
Taittaa retroflex 't'
Thaithaṭha retroflex 'th' (aspirated)
Daddaa retroflex 'd'
Dhadhaḍha retroflex 'dh'
Nannaa retroflex 'n'
Tattatlike 't' in 'top'
Thathathlike 't' (aspirated)
Dadda (dental)dlike 'd' in 'dog'
Dhadha (dental)dhlike 'd' (breathy)
Nanna (dental)nlike 'n' in 'night'
Pappaplike 'p' in 'pen'
Phaphaph / flike 'f' in 'fan'
Babbablike 'b' in 'book'
Bhabhabhlike 'b' (breathy)
Mammamlike 'm' in 'moon'
Yayyaylike 'y' in 'yes'
Rarrarlike 'r' in 'run'
Lallallike 'l' in 'lamp'
Vavvav / wlike 'v' or 'w'
Rarra (retroflex)a retroflex 'r' flap

Vowel Signs (Laavan)

CharacterNameRomanizationPronunciation
ਕਾAara (aa)ālike 'a' in 'father'
ਕਿSihari (i)ilike 'i' in 'sit'
ਕੀBihari (ii)īlike 'ee' in 'meet'
ਕੁAunkar (u)ulike 'u' in 'put'
ਕੂDulainkar (uu)ūlike 'oo' in 'moon'
ਕੇLaavan (e)elike 'a' in 'cake'
ਕੈDulaavan (ai)ailike 'i' in 'site'
ਕੋHora (o)olike 'o' in 'go'
ਕੌKanaura (au)aulike 'ow' in 'how'