In the following chart, you will learn how to read, write and pronounce these letters;
| Gurmukhi Letter |
Transliteration
IPA |
Sound example | Practice transliterating the English words in column 3 into Punjabi |
| ੳ | u | cannot be used alone | |
| ਅ | ə | ‘a’ as in ‘above’ | ਅਬਵ |
| ੲ | e | cannot be used alone | |
| ਸ | sə | ‘s’ as in ‘sum’ | ਸਮ |
| ਹ | ɦə | ‘h’ as in ‘hut’ | ਹਟ |
| ਕ | kə/cə | unaspirated ‘k’ as in ‘kite’ or ‘skip’ | ਲਕ |
| ਖ | kʰə | aspirated ‘k’ as in ‘khaki’ or ‘khus-khus’ | ਖਸ-ਖਸ |
| ਗ | ɡə | ‘g’ as in ‘gum’ | ਗਮ |
| *ਘ | kə̀ | ‘kə̀’ with a low-rising tone as in the Punjabi word ‘kə̀ar’ (home) | ਘਰ |
| ਙ | ŋə | antiquated: not commonly used in Modern Punjabi. | |
| ਚ | t͡ʃə | ‘ch’ as in ‘such’ | ਸਚ |
| ਛ | t͡ʃʰə | aspirated ‘ch’ as in ‘chug’ | ਛਗ |
| ਜ | d͡ʒə | ‘j’ as in ‘Jug’ | ਜਗ |
| *ਝ | t͡ʃə̀ | ‘ch’ with a low-rising tone as in Punjabi word ‘Ch`ag’ (waterfall) | ਝਗ |
| ਞ | ɲə | antiquated: not commonly used in modern Punjabi | |
| ਟ | ʈə | ’t’ as in ‘cut’ | ਕਟ |
| ਠ | ʈʰə | aspirated ‘t’ as in ‘tub’ | ਠਬ |
| ਡ | ɖə | ’d’ as in ‘dove’ | ਡਵ |
| *ਢ | ʈə̀ | ’t’ with a low-rising tone as in ‘dhol’ (drum) | |
| ਣ | ɳə | this sound does not exist in English.Punjabi word: ‘kanak’ (wheat) | ਕਣਕ |
| ਤ | tə | soft ‘t’ as in ‘at’ or the Spanish number ‘tres’ | |
| ਥ | tʰ | aspirated ‘th’ as in ‘thug’ | ਥਗ |
| ਦ | də | ‘d’ as in ‘the’ | ਦ |
| *ਧ | tə̀ | ‘t’ with low-rising tone.Punjabi word: ‘dha`ram’ (religion) | ਧਰਮ |
| ਨ | nə | ‘n’ as in ‘name’ or ‘number’ | ਨਮਬਰ |
| ਪ | pə | ‘p’ as in ‘cup’ | ਕਪ |
| ਫ | pʰə | breathy ‘p’ as in ‘top-hat’ | ਫਲ |
| ਬ | bə | ‘b’ as in ‘bun’ | ਬਨ |
| **ਭ | pə̀ | ‘p’ with low-rising tone.Punjabi word: ‘Bharat’ (India) | ਭਾਰਤ |
| ਮ | mə | ‘m’ as in ‘mug’ | ਮਗ |
| ਯ | jə | ‘y’ as in ‘yes’ | ਯਪ |
| ਰ | ɾə | ‘r’ as ‘rug’ | ਰਗ |
| ਲ | lə | ‘l’ as in ‘luck’ | ਲਕ |
| ਵ | ʋə | between English ‘v’ and ‘w’ as in ‘Vicky’ and ‘Wall’ | ਵਗ |
| ੜ | ɽə | This sound does not exist in English. Think of the sound as a ‘r’ followed by a short ‘d’ as in ‘curdled’ | ਕੜਲ੍ਡ |
| ਸ਼ | ʃə | ‘sh’ as in shut | ਸ਼ਟ |
| ਖ਼ | xə | ‘kh’ as in ‘kḥuda’* | ਖ਼ੁਦਾ ( ੁ for /u/ and ਾ ਾ for /a/) |
| ਗ਼ | ɣə | ġum | ਗ਼ਮ (sorrow) |
| ਜ਼ | zə | ‘z’ as in Zip | ਜ਼ਿਪ (ਿ for /i/) |
| ਫ਼ | fə | ‘f’ as in fun | ਫ਼ਨ |
| ਲ਼ | ɭə | ‘l’ as in bullhead* Punjabi (məlh) | ਮਲ਼ (to rub) |
*The starred letters are aspirated. Eg. Khuda means Allah (God), and it is pronounced in a highly aspirated manner.
**Imagine pronouncing Baghdad in a very authentic, Middle-Eastern pronunciation.