Animals in Punjabi: 60 Animal, Bird and Insect Names With Gurmukhi (and the Sayings They Come With)
Dog is kutta, cat is billi, cow is gaan, buffalo is majjh, lion is sher, elephant is haathi, bird is panchhi, sparrow is chidi. Sixty animal names with Gurmukhi and pronunciation — farm animals, wild animals, birds, insects and their young — plus the animal sayings Punjabis use every day, from sher puttar to ullu da pattha.
"Animal" in Punjabi is janwar (ਜਾਨਵਰ). Dog is kutta (ਕੁੱਤਾ), cat is billi (ਬਿੱਲੀ), cow is gaan (ਗਾਂ), buffalo — the real queen of the Punjabi farmyard — is majjh (ਮੱਝ), lion is sher (ਸ਼ੇਰ), elephant is haathi (ਹਾਥੀ) and bird is panchhi (ਪੰਛੀ). Animal words are usually the first vocabulary children learn, and in Punjabi they come bundled with a whole folk vocabulary of praise and insult: a brave son is a sher, a fool is an ullu da pattha, and a stubborn one is a gadha. Here are 60 animals, birds and insects, and the sayings they come with.
Farm and Home Animals
| English | Punjabi | Gurmukhi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal | Janwar | ਜਾਨਵਰ | JAAN-vur |
| Dog (m / f) | Kutta / kutti | ਕੁੱਤਾ / ਕੁੱਤੀ | KUT-taa |
| Puppy | Katura | ਕਤੂਰਾ | ka-TOO-raa |
| Cat | Billi | ਬਿੱਲੀ | BIL-lee |
| Cow | Gaan | ਗਾਂ | gaan |
| Calf (m / f) | Vachha / vachhi | ਵੱਛਾ / ਵੱਛੀ | VUCH-chhaa |
| Ox, bullock | Bald | ਬਲਦ | BUL-ud |
| Buffalo | Majjh | ਮੱਝ | mujjh |
| Buffalo calf (m / f) | Katta / katti | ਕੱਟਾ / ਕੱਟੀ | KUT-taa |
| Goat / billy goat | Bakri / bakra | ਬੱਕਰੀ / ਬੱਕਰਾ | BUK-ree / BUK-raa |
| Sheep | Bhed | ਭੇਡ | bhayd |
| Horse / mare | Ghoda / ghodi | ਘੋੜਾ / ਘੋੜੀ | GHO-daa / GHO-dee |
| Donkey | Gadha | ਗਧਾ | ga-DHAA |
| Mule | Khachchar | ਖੱਚਰ | KHUCH-chur |
| Camel | Oonth | ਊਠ | oonth |
| Pig | Soor | ਸੂਰ | soor |
| Mouse, rat | Chooha | ਚੂਹਾ | CHOO-haa |
| Rabbit | Khargosh | ਖ਼ਰਗੋਸ਼ | khur-GOSH |
Wild Animals
| English | Punjabi | Gurmukhi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lion (and, in everyday speech, tiger) | Sher | ਸ਼ੇਰ | shayr |
| Tiger | Baagh | ਬਾਘ | baagh |
| Leopard, cheetah | Cheeta | ਚੀਤਾ | CHEE-taa |
| Elephant | Haathi | ਹਾਥੀ | HAA-thee |
| Monkey | Bandar | ਬਾਂਦਰ | BAAN-dur |
| Bear | Rich | ਰਿੱਛ | richh |
| Fox | Lomdi | ਲੂੰਬੜੀ | LOOM-dee |
| Jackal | Giddad | ਗਿੱਦੜ | GID-dud |
| Wolf | Baghiaad | ਬਘਿਆੜ | ba-ghi-AAD |
| Deer | Hiran | ਹਿਰਨ | HIR-un |
| Nilgai (blue bull) | Neel gaan | ਨੀਲ ਗਾਂ | neel gaan |
| Snake | Saap | ਸੱਪ | supp |
| Lizard | Kirli | ਕਿਰਲੀ | KIR-lee |
| Frog | Daddu | ਡੱਡੂ | DUD-doo |
| Turtle, tortoise | Kachhu | ਕੱਛੂ | KUCH-chhoo |
| Crocodile | Magarmachh | ਮਗਰਮੱਛ | ma-gur-MUCHH |
| Fish | Machhi | ਮੱਛੀ | MUCH-chhee |
Birds
| English | Punjabi | Gurmukhi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bird | Panchhi | ਪੰਛੀ | PUN-chhee |
| Sparrow | Chidi | ਚਿੜੀ | CHI-dee |
| Crow | Kaan | ਕਾਂ | kaan |
| Pigeon | Kabootar | ਕਬੂਤਰ | ka-BOO-tur |
| Parrot | Tota | ਤੋਤਾ | TO-taa |
| Peacock | Mor | ਮੋਰ | mor |
| Rooster / hen / chick | Kukkad / kukkadi / chooza | ਕੁੱਕੜ / ਕੁੱਕੜੀ / ਚੂਜ਼ਾ | KUK-kud / KUK-ku-dee / CHOO-zaa |
| Duck | Batakh | ਬੱਤਖ | BUT-ukh |
| Owl | Ullu | ਉੱਲੂ | UL-loo |
| Falcon, hawk | Baaz | ਬਾਜ਼ | baaz |
| Kite (the bird) | Ill | ਇੱਲ | ill |
| Cuckoo (koel) | Koyal | ਕੋਇਲ | KO-il |
| Bulbul, nightingale | Bulbul | ਬੁਲਬੁਲ | BUL-bul |
| Bat | Chamgidad | ਚਮਗਿੱਦੜ | chum-GID-dud |
Insects and Small Creatures
| English | Punjabi | Gurmukhi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insect, bug | Keeda | ਕੀੜਾ | KEE-daa |
| Ant | Keedi | ਕੀੜੀ | KEE-dee |
| Fly | Makkhi | ਮੱਖੀ | MUK-khee |
| Mosquito | Machhar | ਮੱਛਰ | MUCH-chhur |
| Butterfly | Titli | ਤਿਤਲੀ | TIT-lee |
| Spider | Makdi | ਮੱਕੜੀ | MUK-dee |
| Bee | Shehad di makkhi | ਸ਼ਹਿਦ ਦੀ ਮੱਖੀ | SHEH-ud dee MUK-khee |
| Wasp, bumblebee | Bhoond | ਭੂੰਡ | bhoond |
| Firefly | Jugnu | ਜੁਗਨੂੰ | JUG-noo |
| Grasshopper, locust | Tidda | ਟਿੱਡਾ | TID-daa |
| Earthworm | Gandoa | ਗੰਡੋਆ | gun-DO-aa |
Animal Sayings Punjabis Use Every Day
| Saying | Gurmukhi | Literal | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sher puttar / mera sher | ਸ਼ੇਰ ਪੁੱਤਰ | lion-son / my lion | A brave, beloved boy — the standard praise from grandparents; sherni for a girl |
| Ullu da pattha | ਉੱਲੂ ਦਾ ਪੱਠਾ | son of an owl | A fool — in Punjabi the owl is dim, not wise (Duolingo built a whole ad campaign on it in 2026) |
| Gadha | ਗਧਾ | donkey | A stubborn idiot |
| Kutte di poochh | ਕੁੱਤੇ ਦੀ ਪੂਛ | a dog's tail | Someone who will never change, however you try to straighten them |
| Lomdi vargi chalaak | ਲੂੰਬੜੀ ਵਰਗੀ ਚਲਾਕ | cunning as a fox | Sly |
| Gaan vargi | ਗਾਂ ਵਰਗੀ | like a cow | Gentle and harmless |
| Kaan bol riha hai | ਕਾਂ ਬੋਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ | the crow is calling | Guests are coming — the folk belief every Punjabi grandmother holds |
| Saap | ਸੱਪ | snake | Treacherous person |
| Tota | ਤੋਤਾ | parrot | Someone who repeats without understanding — tota-rattan is rote learning |
| Machhi | ਮੱਛੀ | fish | Machhi paani bina — like a fish out of water |
| Billi de bhaagin chhikka tuttia | ਬਿੱਲੀ ਦੇ ਭਾਗੀਂ ਛਿੱਕਾ ਟੁੱਟਿਆ | the pot fell down in the cat's luck | A windfall — pure luck |
If your family calls you sher and the neighbour's kid ullu da pattha, you now know where you stand. More of these in Punjabi terms of endearment and Punjabi proverbs; for teaching the animal words to children, see teaching kids Punjabi at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say dog in Punjabi?
Kutta (ਕੁੱਤਾ) for a male dog, kutti (ਕੁੱਤੀ) for a female; a puppy is katura. Be aware both words double as insults, as in English.
How do you say cat in Punjabi?
Billi (ਬਿੱਲੀ); a male cat is billa. A kitten is billi da bachcha, "the cat's child".
How do you say cow and buffalo in Punjabi?
Cow is gaan (ਗਾਂ) and buffalo is majjh (ਮੱਝ). In Punjab the buffalo is the main dairy animal, which is why majjh da dudh (buffalo milk) is the default and gaan da dudh is the one you specify.
What does ullu da pattha mean?
Literally "son of an owl" (ਉੱਲੂ ਦਾ ਪੱਠਾ) — a fool or a rascal, said with anything from affection to real anger. In Punjabi folklore the owl is stupid rather than wise.
Teach Your Kids the Animals in Punjabi
Kutta, billi, sher — animal words are where every child's Punjabi begins. Alfaazo teaches everyday Punjabi with native audio, the Gurmukhi script and bite-sized lessons you can finish in five minutes a day. Free on iOS and Android.
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