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Punjabi Phrases for Talking to Children ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਨਾਲ

How adults actually talk to Punjabi children: encouraging, instructing, comforting. Also the fastest way to hear your own pronunciation corrected.

What to know before you use these

  • "Putt" is for sons and daughters alike — It is used by any elder to any child, related or not, and carries warmth rather than a literal claim of parenthood.
  • Children get "tu" — This is the one register where the informal pronoun is both correct and affectionate. Using "tusi" with a small child sounds oddly stiff.
  • The best people to practise with — Children correct you without embarrassment, repeat everything, and never pretend to have understood you when they haven't.

All 20 phrases

Cover:
Come here, sweetheart
ਇੱਧਰ ਆ, ਮੇਰਾ ਪੁੱਤ
Idhar aa, mera putt
💡 ਪੁੱਤ is used lovingly for boys and girls alike; ਤੂੰ forms are natural with kids
Have you done your homework?
ਤੂੰ ਹੋਮਵਰਕ ਕਰ ਲਿਆ?
Tu homework kar lia?
They say
ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧੀਆ, ਪੁੱਤ!
Bahut vadhia, putt! — Very good, my child!
Eat your food
ਰੋਟੀ ਖਾ ਲੈ
Roti kha lai
It's time to sleep
ਸੌਣ ਦਾ ਵੇਲਾ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ
Saun da vela ho gia
Very good, my child!
ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧੀਆ, ਪੁੱਤ!
Bahut vadhia, putt!
Don't touch that
ਇਹਨੂੰ ਹੱਥ ਨਾ ਲਾ
Ehnu hath na laa
Brush your teeth
ਦੰਦ ਸਾਫ਼ ਕਰ ਲੈ
Dand saaf kar lai
Speak in Punjabi
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਬੋਲ
Punjabi vich bol
💡 the heritage-household refrain — gentle repetition works
Give me a hug
ਜੱਫੀ ਪਾ
Jaffi paa
💡 ਜੱਫੀ = hug; 'jaffi pauna' is the phrase kids grow up hearing
They say
ਇੱਧਰ ਆ, ਮੇਰਾ ਪੁੱਤ
Idhar aa, mera putt — Come here, sweetheart
Are you hungry?
ਭੁੱਖ ਲੱਗੀ ਹੈ?
Bhukh laggi hai?
They say
ਰੋਟੀ ਖਾ ਲੈ
Roti kha lai — Eat your food
Let's go to the park
ਚੱਲ ਪਾਰਕ ਚੱਲੀਏ
Chall park challiye
They say
ਮੇਰਾ ਹੱਥ ਫੜ ਲੈ
Mera hath pharh lai — Hold my hand
Don't fight with your sister
ਭੈਣ ਨਾਲ ਨਾ ਲੜ
Bhain naal na larh
Put your toys away
ਖਿਡੌਣੇ ਸਾਂਭ ਦੇ
Khidaune saambh de
💡 ਸਾਂਭਣਾ = to put away safely, to look after
What did you learn at school today?
ਅੱਜ ਸਕੂਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਕੀ ਸਿੱਖਿਆ?
Ajj school vich ki sikhia?
They say
ਮੇਰਾ ਸਿਆਣਾ ਪੁੱਤ
Mera siaana putt — My clever child
My clever child
ਮੇਰਾ ਸਿਆਣਾ ਪੁੱਤ
Mera siaana putt
💡 ਸਿਆਣਾ = wise/sensible — high praise for a child
Wash your hands
ਹੱਥ ਧੋ ਲੈ
Hath dho lai
Don't cry, I'm right here
ਰੋ ਨਾ, ਮੈਂ ਹਾਂ ਨਾ
Ro na, main haan na
Say Sat Sri Akal to aunty
ਆਂਟੀ ਨੂੰ ਸਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ ਕਹਿ
Aunty nu Sat Sri Akal keh
💡 kids get this prompt at every gathering
They say
ਸਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ
Sat Sri Akal — Hello / God is timeless
How children are taught the greeting: prompted, in front of the guest. "Aunty" covers any woman of your parents' generation, related or not.
Hold my hand
ਮੇਰਾ ਹੱਥ ਫੜ ਲੈ
Mera hath pharh lai
Sit still for a bit
ਥੋੜ੍ਹੀ ਦੇਰ ਟਿਕ ਕੇ ਬੈਠ
Thorhi der tik ke baith
💡 ਟਿਕ ਕੇ = settled, without fidgeting

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 Encouragement & Compliments Apologies & Making Up Daily Routine Asking for Help Airport & Journeys At School & With Teachers Renting & Household Problems 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.