ਆਓ

What does aao mean in Punjabi?

Aao (ਆਓ) means 'come' in Punjabi. It is the polite way of telling someone to come, used with elders, guests and strangers, or with a group, and it comes from the verb auna, 'to come'. You will hear it at the door of every Punjabi home, often said twice, 'aao, aao', as a host welcomes a guest inside.

Where does aao come from?

Aao comes from the verb auna (ਆਉਣਾ), 'to come'. Wiktionary traces it to Sanskrit āpayati, 'causes to reach', through Prakrit āvei, and the stem is ā, with aao made by adding the polite ending o. The same verb lives in Hindi as ānā, 'to come'. Auna is also an auxiliary verb in its own right: with a skill it means to know it, as in 'mainu Punjabi aundi hai', I know Punjabi, and after another verb it can mean doing something and coming back, as in 'kar auna', to do and return.

How is aao used in everyday speech?

Aao is the first word of Punjabi welcome. 'Aao, andar aao' invites someone in, 'aao, baitho' means come, sit down, and 'aao, chaah pio' offers tea. It is heard at weddings, in gurdwaras, at the door of a shop and at the village chaupal, wherever people gather. A host who says 'aao, aao' is not giving an order but showing warmth: in Punjabi homes, making a guest feel welcome is a point of honour. The word also opens invitations: 'kallh aao' means come tomorrow, and 'saanu milan aao' means come and meet us.

Aao, aa and aaio: which form should you use?

Punjabi changes the ending to show respect. With tu, the familiar 'you' for a close friend or a child, the command is the bare stem: aa, come. With tusi, the polite 'you' for elders and strangers, and for any group, it is aao. A still softer form is the jussive aaio, which sounds like a gentle request, 'please come'. To ask someone not to come, put na after the verb: 'na aao', do not come.