Time is universal, but how you talk about it changes from language to language.
In Punjabi, telling the time uses a mix of numbers, the word for “o’clock,” and a few extra phrases for morning, afternoon, evening, and night.
By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to confidently ask and tell the time in Punjabi.
1. Key Words for Time
| English | Punjabi (Gurmukhi) | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Time | ਸਮਾਂ | Samā̃ |
| Hour | ਘੰਟਾ | Ghaṇṭā |
| Minute | ਮਿੰਟ | Miṇṭ |
| O’clock | ਵੱਜੇ | Vajjē |
| Half (past) | ਸਾਢੇ | Sāḍē |
| Quarter (past) | ਪੌਣੇ | Paune |
| Morning | ਸਵੇਰੇ | Savērē |
| Afternoon | ਦੁਪਹਿਰ | Dupahira |
| Evening | ਸ਼ਾਮ | Shām |
| Night | ਰਾਤ | Rāt |
2. Asking the Time
- ਸਮਾਂ ਕਿੰਨਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਹੈ?
(Samā̃ kinnā hoiā hai?) → What time is it?
3. Saying the Time
- 3 o’clock → ਤਿੰਨ ਵੱਜੇ (Tinn vajjē)
- 5:30 → ਸਾਢੇ ਪੰਜ ਵੱਜੇ (Sāḍē panj vajjē)
- 6:15 → ਸਵਾ ਛੇ ਵੱਜੇ (Savā chhē vajjē)
- 7:45 → ਪੌਣੇ ਅੱਠ ਵੱਜੇ (Paune aṭh vajjē)
4. Useful Time-Related Phrases
- ਮੈਂ 9 ਵੱਜੇ ਆਵਾਂਗਾ/ਆਵਾਂਗੀ।
(Main 9 vajjē āvāṅgā/āvāṅgī.) → I will come at 9 o’clock. - ਕਲ੍ਹ ਸਵੇਰੇ ਮਿਲਦੇ ਹਾਂ।
(Kalḥ savērē mildē hā̃.) → Let’s meet tomorrow morning. - ਦੁਪਹਿਰ 2 ਵੱਜੇ ਖਾਣਾ ਹੈ।
(Dupahira 2 vajjē khāṇā hai.) → Lunch is at 2 PM.
5. Practice
Translate into Punjabi:
- What time is the meeting?
- I wake up at 6:30 in the morning.
- The movie starts at 8:15 in the evening.
Quick Recap:
✅ Words for hours, minutes, morning, afternoon, evening, night
✅ Asking & telling the time
✅ Using half-past, quarter-past, and quarter-to in Punjabi