ਸਮੇਂ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਬਦ

Time words are small, but a beginner needs them from the very first conversation: when something happened, when it will happen, and what part of the day it is. Punjabi keeps its time words few and hardworking, and one of them, ਕੱਲ੍ਹ (kallh), does double duty for tomorrow and yesterday. This page lists the time words of the Kosh; for days of the week, months and counting the hours, go on to the Punjabi numbers guide.

Days and their edges

<a href="/kosh/words/ajj/">ਅੱਜ (ajj)</a> - today

<a href="/kosh/words/kallh/">ਕੱਲ੍ਹ (kallh)</a> - tomorrow, and also yesterday; the verb in the sentence tells you which

<a href="/kosh/words/din/">ਦਿਨ (din)</a> - day

<a href="/kosh/words/raat/">ਰਾਤ (raat)</a> - night

Parts of the day

<a href="/kosh/words/savere/">ਸਵੇਰੇ (savere)</a> - in the morning, early in the day

<a href="/kosh/words/shaam/">ਸ਼ਾਮ (shaam)</a> - evening

<a href="/kosh/words/hun/">ਹੁਣ (hun)</a> - now, at this moment

<a href="/kosh/words/kadon/">ਕਦੋਂ (kadon)</a> - when, at what time: the question word that asks about time

<a href="/kosh/words/amritvela/">ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਵੇਲਾ (Amrit vela)</a> - the pre-dawn ambrosial hours, kept for prayer and meditation

How to use these words

The kallh puzzle solves itself in real sentences. With a future verb it is tomorrow: ਮੈਂ ਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਆਵਾਂਗਾ (main kallh aavaanga), I will come tomorrow. With a past verb it is yesterday: ਮੈਂ ਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਆਇਆ ਸੀ (main kallh aaya si), I came yesterday. Punjabi speakers never confuse the two, because the verb carries the time.

To place anything in the day, these words sit at the front of the sentence: ਅੱਜ (ajj) for today, ਸਵੇਰੇ (savere) for this morning, ਸ਼ਾਮ ਨੂੰ (shaam nu) for in the evening. Pair them with the days of the week from the numbers guide and you can make real arrangements in Punjabi.

To ask the time itself, Punjabis say ਕਿੰਨਾ ਵੱਜਿਆ ਹੈ? (kinna vajia hai?), literally how much has struck, and answer with the hour and ਵਜੇ (vaje), o'clock: ਦਸ ਵਜੇ (das vaje), ten o'clock. The hours are the ordinary numbers, so the numbers guide is the next stop after this page.

How do you say today in Punjabi?

Today in Punjabi is ਅੱਜ (ajj). Tomorrow and yesterday are both ਕੱਲ੍ਹ (kallh): the verb shows which one is meant.

How do you say tomorrow in Punjabi?

Tomorrow in Punjabi is ਕੱਲ੍ਹ (kallh), the same word as yesterday. ਮੈਂ ਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਆਵਾਂਗਾ (main kallh aavaanga) means I will come tomorrow, because the verb is in the future.

How do you say now in Punjabi?

Now in Punjabi is ਹੁਣ (hun). ਹੁਣ ਚੱਲੀਏ? (hun challiye?) means shall we go now?