Punjabi/Gurmukhi/Vowels - Wikibooks, Open Books For An Open World

Gurmukhi	Muharni	Vocabulary	Conversation	Grammar
Row 1 • Vowels • Diacritics • Row 2 • Row 3 • Row 4 • Row 5 • Row 6 • Row 7 • Row 8 • Conjuncts • Practice

Punjabi Vowels

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Now that you have already learnt the first five letters of the Gurmukhi script, it is time to turn attention to the vowels. Matras represent vowels in Gurmukhi. The letters ੳ, ਅ and ੲ are not consonants but are merely the matra carriers. When a consonant is not available to attach matra one of these matra carriers is used. Armed with this knowledge you can now proceed to learn the ten Gurmukhi matras.

ਅ ਆ ਇ ਈ ਉ ਊ ਏ ਐ ਓ ਔ

Here we have used letters ੳ, ਅ or ੲ only to demonstrate how matras combine with other letters. In reality they can combine with any other letter as well. However when they combine with matra carriers they individually combine with only the matra carriers as they have above. We now explain each of the above matras.

ਅ Mukta Mukta literally means free and therefore, has no symbol. It is equivalent to a in above or e in (British) dancer. Hence forth in this module mukta vowel will be denoted by /a/. ਅ + ਸ = ਅਸ /as/ = us ਆ Kanna Kanna is equivalent to a in alter or father. Hence forth in this module we will denote kanna vowel with /aa/. ਸਾ /saa/ = saw ਹਾ + ਉ = ਹਾਉ /haau/ = how ਹਾ + ਉ + ਸ = ਹਾਉਸ /haaus/ = house ਆ + ਇ = ਆਇ = eye Vowels in Punjabi come in pairs, a short vowel and a long one. Here mukta and kanna form one such pair where mukta is the short vowel and kanna the long one. ਇ and ਈ; ਉ and ਊ; ਏ and ਐ; ਓ and ਔ are other pairs. ਇ Sihari Sihari is equivalent to i in pin or thin. Hence forth in this module we will denote sihari vowel with /i/. ਹਿ + ਸ = ਹਿਸ = hiss ਆ + ਇ + ਸ = ਆਇਸ /aais/ = ice ਆ + ਇ = ਆਇ = eye ਉ + ਏ + ਸਿ + ਸ = ਉਏਸਿਸ = oasis A distinct characteristic of sihari is that unlike other matras it precedes the letter it is spoken after. ਈ Bihari Bihari is equivalent to ea in teacher or ee in seek. We will denote bihari vowel with /ii/ in this module. See the following examples of use of bihari. ਸੀ = see ਹੀ = he ਉ Aunkarh Aunkarh is equivalent to u put or oo in book. We will denote aunkarh vowel with /u/ in this module. See the following examples of use of aunkarh. ਹਾ + ਉ + ਸ = ਹਾਉਸ /haaus/ = house ਸਿ + ਉ = ਸਿਉ = sew ਊ Dulenkarh Dulenkarh is equivalent to oo in boot. We will denote dulenkarh vowel with /oo/ in this module. See the following example of use of dulenkarh. ਹੂ /hoo/ = who ਏ Lanv Lanv is equivalent to a as in hate or rate. We will denote lanv vowel with /e/ in this module.See the following examples of use of lanv. ਏ + ਸ = ਏਸ = ace ਹੇ = hey ਐ Dulawan Dulawan is equivalent to a in matter or hat. We will denote dulawan vowel with /ae/ in this module. See the following examples of use of dulanvan. ਐ + ਸੇ = ਐਸੇ = assay ਓ Horha Horha is equivalent to o sound as in English home. Horha vowel will be denoted with /o/ in this module. See the following examples of use of horha. ਸੋ = sow ਹੋ = hoe NOTE : When horha is used with ੳ there is no space left above ੳ for placing horha and therefore whenever horha has to be used with ੳ the upper semi-circle is left open to denote horha matra. In all other cases horha is written as in ਹੋ. ਔ Kanaorha Kanaorha is equivalent to o as in odd or hot. Kanaorha will be denoted with /ao/ in this wikibook. See the following examples of use of kanaorha in Punjabi words. ਸੌ + ਸ = ਸੌਸ = sauce

Exercises

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1. Read these English words written in Gurmukhi.

1. ਸੋ
2. ਏਸ
3. ਆਇ
4. ਸੌਸ
5. ਉਏਸਿਸ

Solutions

1. So/Sow
2. Ace
3. Eye
4. Sauce
5. Oasis

2. Write the above listed words in Gurmukhi and English alongside each.

3. Write these English words in Gurmukhi.

1. He
2. Sew
3. Harass
4. Cess
5. assay

Solutions

1. ਹੀ
2. ਸਿ + ਉ = ਸਿਉ
3. ਹ + ਰੈ + ਸ = ਹਰੈਸ
4. ਸੈ + ਸ = ਸੈਸ
5. ਐ + ਸੇ = ਐਸੇ

Summary

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We have devoted this lesson to learning of the ten matras which represent the vowels. However we have still not touched the diacritics which form integral part of Gurmukhi script. We will learn the diacritics in the next lesson.

v t e Punjabi
Gurmukhi	Row 1 • Vowels • Diacritics • Row 2 • Row 3 • Row 4 • Row 5 • Row 6 • Row 7 • Row 8 • Conjuncts • Practice
Muharni	First row • Second row • Third row • Fourth row • Fifth row • Sixth row • Seventh row • Full muharni
Vocabulary	Colors • Birds • Animals • Flowers • Fruits • Trees • Vegetables • Food • Body parts • Jewellery • Transport • Sports • Metals • Furniture • Relations • Weekdays • Months • Seasons • Festivals • Numbers • Miscellaneous
Conversation	Meeting People • Introducing Yourself • Parting • Drawing Attention • Making Phone Call • Making Telephonic Inquiries • Placing Telephonic Order • Go Shopping • Seeking Advice • Talking About People • Expressing Emotions • Asking For Directions • Sending Messages • Talking About Success
Grammar	Parts of speech • Noun • Pronoun • Adjective • Verb • Participle • Adverb • Postposition • Conjunction • Interjection
More about Punjabi	Punjabi Language • Punjabi Literature • Punjabi Culture • Punjabi Wikibook • Using Punjabi Wikibook • Contributors
Appendices	Appendix 1 : Phonetics • Appendix 2 : Numbers Appendix 3 : Dictionary - ੳ ਅ ੲ ਸ ਹ ਕ ਖ ਗ ਘ ਙ ਚ ਛ ਜ ਝ ਞ ਟ ਠ ਡ ਢ ਣ ਤ ਥ ਦ ਧ ਨ ਪ ਫ ਬ ਭ ਮ ਯ ਰ ਲ ਵ ੜ
References	Punjabi grammar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia • Online Punjabi Teaching -- ACTDPL, Punjabi University, Patiala • Omniglot: Useful Punjabi phrases
Further readings	ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਕਵਿਤਾ Punjabi Kavita • ਤਿੰਨ ਰੰਗ ਨਹੀਉਂ ਲਭਣੇ - Wikisource • ਅਜੀਤ Ajit Jalandhar • ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਟ੍ਰਿਬਿਊਨ Punjabi Tribune • ਜਗਬਾਣੀ Jagbani • ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਪੋਸਟ Punjabi Post (Canada)