The seven days and twelve months in Punjabi, with Gurmukhi script and pronunciation — plus the traditional desi months and the time words you use every day.
The seven days of the week in Punjabi are Somvaar (Monday), Mangalvaar (Tuesday), Budhvaar (Wednesday), Veervaar (Thursday), Shukkarvaar (Friday), Shanivaar (Saturday) and Aitvaar (Sunday). Each one ends in -vaar, which simply means "day". This guide covers the days, both sets of month names, and the everyday time words that go with them.
Days of the Week in Punjabi
| Day | Gurmukhi | Word | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | ਸੋਮਵਾਰ | Somvaar | SOM-vaar |
| Tuesday | ਮੰਗਲਵਾਰ | Mangalvaar | MUNG-gal-vaar |
| Wednesday | ਬੁੱਧਵਾਰ | Budhvaar | BUDH-vaar |
| Thursday | ਵੀਰਵਾਰ | Veervaar | VEER-vaar |
| Friday | ਸ਼ੁੱਕਰਵਾਰ | Shukkarvaar | SHUK-kar-vaar |
| Saturday | ਸ਼ਨੀਵਾਰ | Shanivaar | SHA-nee-vaar |
| Sunday | ਐਤਵਾਰ | Aitvaar | AIT-vaar |
The ending -vaar (ਵਾਰ) means "day", and the names trace back to the classical planets — Somvaar from Som (the Moon), Mangalvaar from Mangal (Mars), Budhvaar from Budh (Mercury), and so on. Thursday is also heard as Biervaar, and Saturday as Shanicharvaar.
Months in Punjabi (Everyday / Gregorian)
In daily life, on phones, and in newspapers, Punjabi speakers mostly use the Gregorian months written in Gurmukhi:
| Month | Gurmukhi | Word | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | ਜਨਵਰੀ | Janvari | JUN-va-ree |
| February | ਫ਼ਰਵਰੀ | Faravari | FUR-va-ree |
| March | ਮਾਰਚ | Maarch | maarch |
| April | ਅਪ੍ਰੈਲ | Aprail | up-RAIL |
| May | ਮਈ | Mai | my |
| June | ਜੂਨ | Joon | joon |
| July | ਜੁਲਾਈ | Julaai | ju-LAA-ee |
| August | ਅਗਸਤ | Agast | UG-ust |
| September | ਸਤੰਬਰ | Satambar | su-TUM-bar |
| October | ਅਕਤੂਬਰ | Aktoobar | uk-TOO-bar |
| November | ਨਵੰਬਰ | Navambar | nu-VUM-bar |
| December | ਦਸੰਬਰ | Disambar | di-SUM-bar |
The Traditional Punjabi (Desi) Months
Alongside the Gregorian calendar, Punjab keeps its own solar months — the desi months, also used in the Sikh Nanakshahi calendar. These are the names you will hear around festivals and farming, and in folk songs and Gurbani. The year begins with Chet in mid-March.
| Month | Gurmukhi | Starts (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Chet | ਚੇਤ | mid-March |
| Vaisakh | ਵੈਸਾਖ | mid-April |
| Jeth | ਜੇਠ | mid-May |
| Harh | ਹਾੜ | mid-June |
| Sawan | ਸਾਵਣ | mid-July |
| Bhadon | ਭਾਦੋਂ | mid-August |
| Assu | ਅੱਸੂ | mid-September |
| Katak | ਕੱਤਕ | mid-October |
| Maghar | ਮੱਘਰ | mid-November |
| Poh | ਪੋਹ | mid-December |
| Magh | ਮਾਘ | mid-January |
| Phagun | ਫੱਗਣ | mid-February |
Many festivals are tied to these months: Vaisakhi falls on the first of Vaisakh, while Lohri and Maghi mark the turn from Poh into Magh in January.
Everyday Time Words
| English | Gurmukhi | Word | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | ਅੱਜ | ajj | ujj |
| Tomorrow / Yesterday | ਕੱਲ੍ਹ | kall | kull |
| Day after / before | ਪਰਸੋਂ | parson | PUR-son |
| Now | ਹੁਣ | hun | hun |
| Morning | ਸਵੇਰ | saver | su-VAIR |
| Afternoon / noon | ਦੁਪਹਿਰ | dupehir | du-PEH-ir |
| Evening | ਸ਼ਾਮ | shaam | shaam |
| Night | ਰਾਤ | raat | raat |
| Week | ਹਫ਼ਤਾ | hafta | HUF-taa |
| Month | ਮਹੀਨਾ | maheena | ma-HEE-naa |
| Year | ਸਾਲ | saal | saal |
One charming quirk: kall means both "tomorrow" and "yesterday" — context (and the verb tense) tells you which. The same goes for parson, which covers both the day after tomorrow and the day before yesterday.
Common Sentences
- Ajj kihda din hai? — What day is it today?
- Ajj Somvaar hai. — Today is Monday.
- Main kall aavaanga. — I will come tomorrow.
- Agle hafte milaange. — We will meet next week.
To count days, weeks and months, you will also want your numbers — see our guide to Punjabi numbers 1 to 100.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days are in a Punjabi week, and what do they end in?
Seven, the same as English. Each name ends in -vaar (ਵਾਰ), meaning "day" — for example Somvaar (Monday) and Aitvaar (Sunday).
What is the first month of the Punjabi (Nanakshahi) calendar?
Chet (ਚੇਤ) is the first month; it begins around 14 March.
Why does Punjabi have two sets of month names?
Everyday and official life uses the Gregorian months written in Gurmukhi (Janvari, Faravari…). The traditional desi months (Chet, Vaisakh…) are used for festivals, farming seasons and the Sikh Nanakshahi calendar.
Practice Days and Months with Alfaazo
Reading a table is a great start, but vocabulary really sticks when you hear it and use it. Alfaazo teaches Punjabi the natural way — native audio, the Gurmukhi script, and bite-sized lessons you can finish in five minutes a day. Telling time and dates is a core early lesson. Free on iOS and Android.
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