Punjabi Phrases for the Bank and Sending Money Home ਬੈਂਕ

Accounts, transfers and sending money home — a conversation a large share of the diaspora has regularly, and rarely has the words for.

What to know before you use these

A conversation much of the diaspora has monthly — Remittance is a routine part of family life across the diaspora, and one that most learners have never had the words for in Punjabi.
"Hath tang hai" admits money trouble gently — Literally the hand is tight. It is how being short is said without saying it directly, and it invites no follow-up questions.
Some words stay English — Rate, fee, balance, PIN, form. Punjabi speech absorbs them unchanged — don't go hunting for translations nobody uses.

All 20 phrases

Cover:

I want to open an account

ਮੈਂ ਖਾਤਾ ਖੋਲ੍ਹਣਾ ਚਾਹੁੰਦਾ ਹਾਂ

Main khaata kholhna chahunda haan

💡 a woman says ਚਾਹੁੰਦੀ ਹਾਂ (chahundi haan)

They say

ਇਹ ਫ਼ਾਰਮ ਭਰ ਦਿਓ

Eh form bhar deo — Fill in this form

I need to send money to India

ਮੈਂ ਇੰਡੀਆ ਪੈਸੇ ਭੇਜਣੇ ਨੇ

Main India paise bhejne ne

💡 in speech the diaspora says 'India' far more than ਭਾਰਤ

What's the rate today?

ਅੱਜ ਰੇਟ ਕੀ ਹੈ?

Ajj rate ki hai?

💡 at remittance shops everyone just says 'rate' for the exchange rate

How much is the fee?

ਫ਼ੀਸ ਕਿੰਨੀ ਲੱਗਦੀ ਹੈ?

Fees kinni laggdi hai?

When will the money arrive?

ਪੈਸੇ ਕਦੋਂ ਪਹੁੰਚਣਗੇ?

Paise kadon pahunchange?

They say

ਪੈਸੇ ਪਹੁੰਚ ਗਏ

Paise pahunch gaye — The money has arrived

The money has arrived

ਪੈਸੇ ਪਹੁੰਚ ਗਏ

Paise pahunch gaye

I've forgotten my PIN

ਮੈਂ ਆਪਣਾ ਪਿੰਨ ਭੁੱਲ ਗਿਆ

Main apna PIN bhull gia

💡 a woman says ਭੁੱਲ ਗਈ (bhull gayi)

I want to withdraw money

ਮੈਂ ਪੈਸੇ ਕਢਵਾਉਣੇ ਨੇ

Main paise kadhvaune ne

💡 ਕਢਵਾਉਣਾ = to get money taken out

They say

ਕੀ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਕੋਲ ਕੋਈ ਪਛਾਣ ਪੱਤਰ ਹੈ?

Ki tuhade kol koi pachhaan pattar hai? — Do you have some ID with you?

I want to deposit money

ਮੈਂ ਪੈਸੇ ਜਮ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਰਵਾਉਣੇ ਨੇ

Main paise jamhaan karvaune ne

They say

ਪੈਸੇ ਗਿਣ ਲਓ

Paise gin lao — Count the money and check

My card isn't working

ਮੇਰਾ ਕਾਰਡ ਕੰਮ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ

Mera card kamm nahin kar riha

Please check my balance

ਮੇਰਾ ਬੈਲੰਸ ਚੈੱਕ ਕਰ ਦਿਓ

Mera balance check kar deo

Fill in this form

ਇਹ ਫ਼ਾਰਮ ਭਰ ਦਿਓ

Eh form bhar deo

Sign here

ਇੱਥੇ ਦਸਤਖ਼ਤ ਕਰੋ

Ithe dastkhat karo

💡 colloquially people also say 'sign karo'

Do you have some ID with you?

ਕੀ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਕੋਲ ਕੋਈ ਪਛਾਣ ਪੱਤਰ ਹੈ?

Ki tuhade kol koi pachhaan pattar hai?

💡 in speech everyone just says 'ID'

How much did you send home?

ਤੁਸੀਂ ਘਰ ਕਿੰਨੇ ਪੈਸੇ ਭੇਜੇ?

Tusi ghar kinne paise bheje?

They say

ਅੱਜਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਹੱਥ ਥੋੜ੍ਹਾ ਤੰਗ ਹੈ

Ajjkallh hath thorha tang hai — Money is a bit tight these days

Money is a bit tight these days

ਅੱਜਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਹੱਥ ਥੋੜ੍ਹਾ ਤੰਗ ਹੈ

Ajjkallh hath thorha tang hai

💡 idiom — lit. 'the hand is tight'

I get paid on Friday

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਸ਼ੁੱਕਰਵਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਤਨਖ਼ਾਹ ਮਿਲਦੀ ਹੈ

Mainu shukkarvaar nu tankhah mildi hai

Save a little money too

ਕੁਝ ਪੈਸੇ ਬਚਾ ਕੇ ਵੀ ਰੱਖ

Kujh paise bacha ke vi rakkh

💡 ਤੂੰ form — classic elder advice

The bank is closed today

ਅੱਜ ਬੈਂਕ ਬੰਦ ਹੈ

Ajj bank band hai

Count the money and check

ਪੈਸੇ ਗਿਣ ਲਓ

Paise gin lao

Other situations

Smaller topics — meeting someone new, the weather, shopping, work, family — live in the full phrasebook, alongside every phrase on this page. See the phrasebook index for the whole set, or the dialogues for these phrases inside whole conversations.