How to say I love you, thank you, and congratulations in Punjabi
"I love you" in Punjabi is ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ (main tainu piar karda haan) from a male speaker, and ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦੀ ਹਾਂ (main tainu piar kardi haan) from a female speaker; the verb agrees with whoever is doing the loving. Below are the words of affection and gratitude, each with native audio.
The words
The word inside 'I love you': main tainu piar kardā hāṃ (male speaker) or kardī hāṃ (female speaker).
Warmer and more everyday than dhannvad.
As in shukar hai, thank goodness.
What you shout at weddings, births, and new jobs: lakh lakh vadhaiaan, a hundred thousand congratulations.
Saying thank you without saying thank you
Here is the cultural catch: constant thank-yous can feel oddly distant in Punjabi. Inside the family, gratitude is often shown rather than said, and thanking your mother for dinner every night would earn you a strange look. Dhannvad and shukriya are real and used, with strangers, for favors, in formal settings. With people close to you, warmth does the work: praise the food, ask for seconds, say tusi bahut sohne ho.
How to say sorry
The direct apology is ਮਾਫ਼ ਕਰਨਾ (maaf karna), "forgive me", softened to maaf karna ji with elders. For small bumps and interruptions, English "sorry" itself is completely standard in modern spoken Punjabi.
More word lists and guides: greetings · family words · food words · the heritage speaker guide
Hear every word, then say it back. The audio on this page is the same audio in the Ladoo app, where every lesson is free.