ਕੰਮ

Kamm (ਕੰਮ) is the Punjabi word for work. It is one of the busiest words in the language: it names your employment ('mera kamm'), the chore in front of you ('eh kamm kar'), and even usefulness itself ('eh mere kamm aaya', it came to my use). For getting things done in Punjab, this is the word to learn.

What does kamm mean?

Kamm means work, a job, or a task, and it is a masculine noun. It covers the widest sense of doing: paid employment, a household chore, an errand, a project. The basic verb pair is 'kamm karna', to work or to do the task.

Where does the word kamm come from?

It comes from the Sanskrit karma, meaning action or deed, through the Prakrit kamma. The same Sanskrit root also gives English the word 'karma', but in Punjabi the everyday sense is the older one: the work you do with your hands, in your fields, or at your trade. Hindi carries the same word as kaam.

How is kamm used in everyday speech?

'Kamm karna' is the workhorse phrase: to work, to be employed, to do something. 'Mera kamm' is my job; 'kamm te lag ja' tells someone to get to work. From it comes 'kamm auna', to be of use: 'eh cheez mere kamm aayi' means this thing served me well. The compound 'kamm-chor' names a person who dodges work. On farms, kamm is the day's labour in the fields, and tradespeople speak of their kamm with quiet pride.

Is kamm only about jobs?

No. Kamm is any task that needs doing, from homework to harvest. 'Koi kamm?' (is there any work?) is the standard way to offer help. And in 'kamm auna', the word stretches beyond labour into usefulness itself: a tool, a favour or a piece of advice can all come to your kamm.