1.4 Tonal Letters in Punjabi
Tonal Letters Overview
Punjabi is a tonal language, and its tonal feature makes it unique. As I mentioned in Chapter 1.1, every second-last letter of each row from velar to bilabials is a tonal letter, so ਘ, ਝ, ਢ, ਧ, ਭ, and ਹ (in some contexts) represent tonal sounds. There are three types of tones: low, high, and level.
- The low tone: Lowering the pitch below the usual level and then recovering or rising in the subsequent syllable. Producing the low tone requires initial tightness of the throat.
- The level tone: The remaining words maintain a neutral tone.
- The high tone: The voice ascends beyond its usual pitch, returning as it encounters the subsequent syllable.
When ਘ, ਝ, ਢ, ਧ, and ਭ appear in the final position within a word, they carry the high tone.
See the following tonal pattern of letters ਘ, ਝ, ਢ, ਧ, and ਭ for more clarity.
Low Tone
ਘ, ਝ, ਢ, ਧ and ਭ (initial position).
- ਘ- ਕ + low tone, pronounced unvoiced and unaspirated. ਘੜੀ “k’ari”
- ਝ- ਚ + low tone, pronounced unvoiced and unaspirated. ਝੱਗ “ch’g”
- ਢ- ਟ + low tone, pronounced unvoiced and unaspirated. ਢੋਲ “t’ol”
- ਧ- ਤ + low tone, pronounced unvoiced and unaspirated. ਧੋਖਾ “t’okha”
- ਭ- ਪ + low tone, pronounced unvoiced and unaspirated. ਭਾਬੀ “p’abi”
Level Tone
- ਘ- ਗ + level tone, pronounced unvoiced and unaspirated. ਸੰਘਣਾ “san’gna”
- ਝ- ਜ + level tone, pronounced unvoiced and unaspirated. ਮਝਲਾ “majj’la”
- ਢ- ਡ + level tone, pronounced unvoiced and unaspirated. ਕੱਢਣਾ “ka’dna”
- ਧ- ਦ + level tone, pronounced unvoiced and unaspirated. ਆਧੁਨਿਕ “a’dunik”
- ਭ- ਬ + level tone, pronounced unvoiced and unaspirated. ਚੰਭਲਣਾ “cham’blna”
High Tone
- ਘ- ਗ + high tone, pronounced voiced and unaspirated. ਸਿੰਘ “sin’g”
- ਝ- ਜ + high tone, pronounced voiced and unaspirated. ਸੰਝ “sna’j”
- ਢ- ਡ + high tone, pronounced voiced and unaspirated. ਵੱਢ “va’dd”
- ਧ- ਦ + high tone, pronounced voiced and unaspirated. ਵਧ “va’d”
- ਭ- ਬ + high tone, pronounced voiced and unaspirated. ਲੋਭ “lo’b”
Tones
Instructor’s Video
Tones Video Transcript
Sat Sri Akal Dosto.
As I mentioned before, Punjabi is a tonal language and in this video, you will learn about tones. So:
- “ghagaa” ਘ
- “jhajaa” ਝ
- “dhadda” ਢ
- “dhada” ਧ
- “bhabaa” ਭ
These are the tonal sounds. When these five letters come at the initial position, they are pronounced in a low tone.
[“ghagga” ਘ]
So the first one is “ghagga” ਘ. When ghagga comes at the initial position—this is the combination of “kakka” and “ghagga” ਕ + ਗ—the pronunciation would be “ghagga rarra” ਘਰ, ਘੜੀ. When “ghagga” comes at the final position, the pronunciation would be “gagga adhak” ਗੱ. So it would be ਸਿੰਘ or ਸੰਘ.
[“jhajaa” ਝ]
Next one is “jhajaa” ਝ. When “jhajaa” comes at the initial position, it is with the combination of “chacha” and “jajaa” ਚ + ਜ = “jhajaa” ਝੱਜਾ. “chachaa” and “jajaa” is “jhajaa” and the pronunciation would be “jharu” ਝਾੜੂ, “jholi” ਝੋਲੀ, or “jhopri” ਝੌਂਪੜੀ. When “jhajaa” comes at the final or middle position, it is pronounced with the “jajja” and adhak ਜੱ and the pronunciation would be ਮੱਝ or ਸੁੱਝ.
[“dhadda” ਢ]
Next one is “dhadda” ਢ. When “dhadda” comes at the initial position, it is the combination of “tainka” and “dadda” ਟ + ਡ = “dhadda” ਢੱਡਾ and it is “dhol” ਢੋਲ, “dhong” ਢੋਂਗ or “dheeth” ਢੀਠ. When ਢ comes at the final position or middle position, it is pronounced as ਡੱ, ਗੰਢਾ, or ਸਾਂਢ.
[“dhadaa” ਧ]
Next one is “dhadaa” ਧ. When “dhadaa” comes at the initial position, it is the combination of “tataa” and “dada” ਤ + ਦ “dhada” ਧ. “Dhup” ਧੁੱਪ, “dhobi” ਧੋਬੀ, or “dharna” ਧਰਨਾ. When “dhadaa” comes at the middle or final position, the pronunciation would be ਦੱ, ਕੰਧ, or ਸੰਧੀ.
[“bhabaa” ਭ]
The next one is “bhabaa” ਭ. When “bhabaa” comes at the initial position, it is the combination of “pappa” and “babba” ਪ + ਬ = ਭ. “bhabi” ਭਾਬੀ, “bhathi” ਭੱਠੀ, “bhola” ਭੋਲਾ and when “bhabaa” comes at the final or middle position, it is pronounced “babba” with adhak ਬੱ, like ਸਭ vs ਸ਼ੋਭਾ.
[Conclusion]
Friends, if you don’t hear the difference, it’ s okay. As you get more exposed and attuned to Punjabi sounds, you will be able to figure that out. So in this chapter, there is also a sheet for reading and speaking practice of these sounds, and there is also an instructor feedback video on this reading and speaking practice worksheet. So keep practicing that worksheet. Listen to that video again and again, and find out your errors.
Dhanwad.
Reading Practice: Worksheet 1
Try to read the following words and then watch the instructor’s feedback video to check your answers.
| ਧੋ | ਢੋ | ਡੰਗ | ਢੰਗ |
| ਘਾਣ | ਭਾਨ | ਝੰਗ | ਭੰਗ |
| ਕੁੱਜਾ | ਗੁੱਝਾ | ਘੱਟ | ਝੱਟ |
| ਭਾਪਣਾ | ਮਾਪਣਾ | ਬੱਝ | ਭੱਜ |
| ਚੱਜ | ਮੱਝ | ਧੁੱਖਣਾ | ਝੁਕਣਾ |
| ਝੋਲਾ | ਭੋਲਾ | ਸੰਗਣਾ | ਸੰਘਣਾ |
| ਕਰ | ਘਰ | ਝੋਰਾ | ਭੋਰਾ |
| ਖਾਦ | ਖਾਧਾ | ਲੋਭੀ | ਗੋਭੀ |
| ਕਾਲਾ | ਘਾਲਾ | ||
| ਬੋਧੀ | ਧੋਬੀ | ਕੌੜਾ | ਘੋੜਾ |
| ਬੁੱਧੀ | ਸ਼ੁੱਧੀ | ਸਿੰਗ | ਸਿੰਘ |
| ਕਹਿਰ | ਜਹਿਰ | ਘੱਲ | ਝੱਲ |
| ਕਹਿਣਾ | ਗਹਿਣਾ | ਸਹਿਣਾ | |
| ਘੁੱਗੀ | ਝੁੱਗੀ | ਘੜੀ | ਝੜੀ |
| ਭਰਨਾ | ਝਰਨਾ | ਧਰਨਾ | |
| ਭਾੜਾ | ਝਾੜਾ | ਘੜੇ | ਧੜੇ |
Instructor’s Feedback Video
Tone Pattern of ਹ
When ਹ comes at the initial position in a word, it is pronounced fully and does not serve any tonal sound.
Examples:
- ਹੱਥ “hath”
- ਹਥੌੜਾ “hathora”
- ਹਾਥੀ “haathi”
- ਹਿੰਮਤ “himmat”
When it comes at the middle position with a dependent vowel sign, it impacts the vowel sound around it. See the following chart for more clarity.
When ਹ comes at the middle position with ਸਿਹਾਰੀ, the pronunciation changes, ਸਿਹਾਰੀ changes to dulaan. (.ਿ) “I,” ( ੈ) “ai,” and ਹ are pronounced with a high tone.
| Punjabi (Written) | Transliteration | Punjabi (Pronunciation) | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|---|
| ਲਹਿਰ | lahir | ਲੈ’ ਰ | lai’ar |
| ਜਹਿਰ | jahir | ਜੈ’ ਰ | jai’ar |
| ਕਹਿਰ | kahir | ਕੈ’’ ਹਰ | kai’ar |
| ਸ਼ਹਿਰ | shahir | ਸ਼ੈ’ਹਰ | shai’ar |
When ਹ comes at the middle position with ਔਂਕੜ, ਔਂਕੜ changes to ਕਨੌੜਾ. ( ੁ) “u,” ( ੋ) “au,” and ਹ are pronounced with a high tone.
| Punjabi (Written) | Transliteration | Punjabi (Pronunciation) | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|---|
| ਅਹੁਦਾ | ahuda | ਔਹਦਾ | aau’da |
| ਬਹੁਣੀ | bahonee | ਬੌਹਣੀ | bau’nee |
| ਬਹੁਤ | bahut | ਬੌਹਤ | bau’t |
| ਮਹੁੱਬਤ | mahubat | ਮੌਹੱਬਤ | mau’bbat |
When the letter preceding ਹ comes with ਸਿਹਾਰੀ, pronunciation changes ( ਿ) “I,” (–ੇ) “e,” and ਹ are pronounced with a high tone.
| Punjabi (Written) | Transliteration | Punjabi (Pronunciation) | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|---|
| ਚਿਹਰਾ | chihra | ਚੇਹਰਾ | che’ra |
| ਜਿਹੜਾ | jihra | ਜੇਹੜਾ | je’ra |
| ਸਿਹਤ | sihat | ਸੇਹਤ | se’t |
| ਮਿਹਰ | mihar | ਮੇਹਰ | me’r |
When the letter preceding ਹ comes at final position, it is pronounced with a high tone.
| Punjabi (Written | Transliteration | Punjabi (Pronunciation) | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|---|
| ਦੇਹ | Deh | ਦੇ ‘ | D’e |
| ਕਹੀ | kahee | ਕ ‘ ਈ | Ka”ee |
| ਸਹੀ | Sahee | ਸ ‘ ਈ | Sa’ee |
| ਖਾਮਖਾਹ | khamkhah | ਖ਼ਾਮਖਾ’ | khamk’a |
Reading Practice: Worksheet 2
Try to read the following words and then watch the instructor’s feedback video to check your answers.
| ਸ਼ਹਿਰ | ਚੂਹਾ | ਲਹਿਰ | ਸਿਹਰਾ | ਕਿਹੜਾ |
| ਕੜਾਹ | ਕਛਹਿਰਾ | ਹਰਾ | ਜਿਹਾ | ਤੋਹਫ਼ਾ |
| ਸਹਿ | ਕਹਿ | ਜੂਹ | ਦਹੀ | ਹਮਲਾ |
| ਨਹਿਰ | ਦੁਪਹਿਰ | ਗਹਿਰਾ | ਹਾਰ | ਪਹੁੰਚ |
Instructor’s Feedback Video
Test Yourself
Activity 1: Dictation Words
ਧੰਨਵਾਦ!
