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Punjabi Phrases for Renting and Household Repairs ਘਰ ਦੇ ਕੰਮ

Landlords, repairs, bills and the things that break. Practical adult vocabulary rarely taught in beginner courses.

What to know before you use these

  • Adult vocabulary beginner courses skip — Landlords, damp, bills, blocked drains and broken machines. Rarely taught, constantly needed by anyone actually running a household.
  • Things break in the passive — "Batti chali gayi", "naali band ho gayi" — the light went, the drain closed. The object does it to itself; nobody is blamed.
  • "Waala" builds the tradesperson — Bijli waala is the electrician, kappre dhon waali machine is the washing machine. One suffix generates a great deal of household vocabulary.

All 19 phrases

Cover:
Is this house for rent?
ਕੀ ਇਹ ਘਰ ਕਿਰਾਏ 'ਤੇ ਹੈ?
Ki eh ghar kiraye te hai?
Are the bills included in the rent?
ਕੀ ਬਿੱਲ ਕਿਰਾਏ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਹਨ?
Ki bill kiraye vich shaamal han?
They say
ਪਹਿਲੀ ਤਰੀਕ ਤੱਕ ਕਿਰਾਇਆ ਦੇਣਾ ਪੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ
Pehli tareek tak kiraya dena painda hai — The rent has to be paid by the first
How many rooms are there?
ਕਿੰਨੇ ਕਮਰੇ ਹਨ?
Kinne kamre han?
The tap is dripping
ਟੂਟੀ ਚੋਂਦੀ ਹੈ
Tooti chondi hai
💡 ਚੋਣਾ = to drip/leak — also used for a leaky roof
The heating isn't working
ਹੀਟਿੰਗ ਕੰਮ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਰਦੀ
Heating kamm nahin kardi
The power has gone
ਬੱਤੀ ਚਲੀ ਗਈ
Batti chali gayi
💡 ਬੱਤੀ (light) stands for the electricity itself — the standard power-cut phrase
They say
ਬਿਜਲੀ ਵਾਲੇ ਨੂੰ ਬੁਲਾਓ
Bijli waale nu bulao — Call the electrician
Call the electrician
ਬਿਜਲੀ ਵਾਲੇ ਨੂੰ ਬੁਲਾਓ
Bijli waale nu bulao
The drain is blocked
ਨਾਲੀ ਬੰਦ ਹੋ ਗਈ ਹੈ
Naali band ho gayi hai
When can you fix it?
ਤੁਸੀਂ ਇਹ ਕਦੋਂ ਠੀਕ ਕਰ ਸਕਦੇ ਹੋ?
Tusi eh kadon theek kar sakde ho?
The roof is leaking
ਛੱਤ ਚੋਂਦੀ ਹੈ
Chhat chondi hai
The landlord isn't picking up the phone
ਮਕਾਨ ਮਾਲਕ ਫ਼ੋਨ ਨਹੀਂ ਚੁੱਕਦਾ
Makaan maalak phone nahin chukda
The rent has to be paid by the first
ਪਹਿਲੀ ਤਰੀਕ ਤੱਕ ਕਿਰਾਇਆ ਦੇਣਾ ਪੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ
Pehli tareek tak kiraya dena painda hai
The house is very cold
ਘਰ ਬਹੁਤ ਠੰਢਾ ਹੈ
Ghar bahut thandha hai
They say
ਹੀਟਿੰਗ ਕੰਮ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਰਦੀ
Heating kamm nahin kardi — The heating isn't working
There's damp on the wall
ਕੰਧ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਿੱਲ੍ਹ ਹੈ
Kandh vich sillh hai
💡 ਸਿੱਲ੍ਹ = damp/moisture
The lock isn't opening
ਜਿੰਦਰਾ ਖੁੱਲ੍ਹ ਨਹੀਂ ਰਿਹਾ
Jindra khullh nahin riha
💡 ਜਿੰਦਰਾ = lock; ਤਾਲਾ also heard
We're moving house next month
ਅਸੀਂ ਅਗਲੇ ਮਹੀਨੇ ਘਰ ਬਦਲ ਰਹੇ ਹਾਂ
Asin agle mahine ghar badal rahe haan
Tidy up the house, guests are coming
ਘਰ ਸਾਫ਼ ਕਰ ਲਓ, ਮਹਿਮਾਨ ਆ ਰਹੇ ਨੇ
Ghar saaf kar lao, mehmaan aa rahe ne
💡 ਨੇ is the spoken form of ਹਨ
The washing machine has broken down
ਕੱਪੜੇ ਧੋਣ ਵਾਲੀ ਮਸ਼ੀਨ ਖ਼ਰਾਬ ਹੋ ਗਈ
Kappre dhon waali machine kharab ho gayi
Is there space to park the car?
ਕੀ ਗੱਡੀ ਖੜ੍ਹੀ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਥਾਂ ਹੈ?
Ki gaddi kharhi karn di thaan hai?
💡 ਗੱਡੀ = car in everyday speech; 'parking' is also used as-is

Other situations

Eating & Hospitality At Home Emotions & Expressions Travel & Directions At the Doctor Emergencies On the Phone At the Gurdwara Weddings & Parties Talking with Elders With Children Encouragement & Compliments Apologies & Making Up Daily Routine Asking for Help Airport & Journeys At School & With Teachers At the Bank & Sending Money Taxis & Buses Cooking Together Festival Greetings Condolences & Comfort Catching Up & Small Talk

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.