Emotions and Feelings in Punjabi: Happy, Sad, Angry, Tired, Scared — and How to Say "I Feel"

The basic feelings in Punjabi are khush (ਖ਼ੁਸ਼, happy), udaas (ਉਦਾਸ, sad), gussa (ਗੁੱਸਾ, anger), thakia / thakki (ਥੱਕਿਆ / ਥੱਕੀ, tired, m / f), darr (ਡਰ, fear) and pareshaan (ਪਰੇਸ਼ਾਨ, worried). But Punjabi has two different grammars for feeling, and learners mix them up: some feelings you are (main khush haan, I am happy) and many feelings happen to you (mainu gussa aa riha hai, "anger is coming to me"; mainu darr lagda hai, "fear strikes me"). This guide gives you both lists, the words for comforting someone, and the lines that matter in a relationship — mainu tere te maan hai, I'm proud of you.

Two Ways to Feel in Punjabi

Pattern	How it works	Examples
I am … (adjective + haan)	The feeling describes you, like "tall" would. The adjective takes -a for a man, -i for a woman (where it changes at all).	Main khush haan (I'm happy) · Main thakia haan / thakki haan (I'm tired, m / f) · Tusi udaas kyon ho? (why are you sad?)
To me … is / comes / strikes (mainu + noun + verb)	The feeling is a thing that arrives. Used for anger, fear, sleep, hunger, cold, shyness, worry, missing someone.	Mainu gussa aa riha hai (I'm getting angry) · Mainu darr lagda hai (I'm scared) · Mainu neend aa rahi hai (I'm sleepy)

The second pattern uses the object forms mainu, tuhanu, sanu, uhnu — see Punjabi pronouns for the full set.

Feelings You Are

English	Punjabi (m / f)	Gurmukhi	Example
Happy	Khush	ਖ਼ੁਸ਼	Main bahut khush haan — I'm very happy
Sad	Udaas	ਉਦਾਸ	Oh udaas hai — she's sad
Upset, displeased (with someone)	Naraaz	ਨਾਰਾਜ਼	Tusi mere naal naraaz ho? — Are you upset with me?
Tired	Thakia / thakki	ਥੱਕਿਆ / ਥੱਕੀ	Main thakki hoyi haan — I'm tired (f)
Worried, troubled	Pareshaan	ਪਰੇਸ਼ਾਨ	Pareshaan na ho — don't be troubled
Surprised, astonished	Hairaan	ਹੈਰਾਨ	Main hairaan haan — I'm amazed
Embarrassed, ashamed	Sharminda	ਸ਼ਰਮਿੰਦਾ	Main sharminda haan — I'm sorry / ashamed
Alone, lonely	Ikalla / ikalli	ਇਕੱਲਾ / ਇਕੱਲੀ	Oh ikalla mehsoos karda hai — he feels lonely
Calm	Shaant	ਸ਼ਾਂਤ	Shaant raho — stay calm
Restless, anxious	Bechain	ਬੇਚੈਨ	Main bechain haan — I'm restless
Busy	Ruzhia / ruzhi	ਰੁੱਝਿਆ / ਰੁੱਝੀ	Main ruzhia hoya haan — I'm busy
Fed up, bored	Akkia / akki	ਅੱਕਿਆ / ਅੱਕੀ	Main akk gaya — I'm fed up
Ready	Tiyaar	ਤਿਆਰ	Main tiyaar haan — I'm ready
Fine, okay	Theek	ਠੀਕ	Main theek haan — I'm fine
Carefree, great	Mast	ਮਸਤ	Sab mast hai — everything's great
Sick	Bimaar	ਬਿਮਾਰ	Oh bimaar hai — he's ill

Feelings That Happen to You

English	Punjabi	Gurmukhi	Literally
I'm getting angry	Mainu gussa aa riha hai	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਗੁੱਸਾ ਆ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ	anger is coming to me
I'm scared	Mainu darr lagda hai	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਡਰ ਲੱਗਦਾ ਹੈ	fear strikes me
I'm sleepy	Mainu neend aa rahi hai	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਨੀਂਦ ਆ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ	sleep is coming to me
I'm hungry	Mainu bhukh lagi hai	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਭੁੱਖ ਲੱਗੀ ਹੈ	hunger has struck me
I'm thirsty	Mainu pyaas lagi hai	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਸ ਲੱਗੀ ਹੈ	thirst has struck me
I'm cold	Mainu thand lag rahi hai	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਠੰਢ ਲੱਗ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ	cold is striking me
I feel shy / embarrassed	Mainu sharam aundi hai	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਸ਼ਰਮ ਆਉਂਦੀ ਹੈ	shyness comes to me
I'm worried	Mainu fikar hai	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਫ਼ਿਕਰ ਹੈ	worry is to me
I was hurt / saddened	Mainu dukh hoya	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਦੁੱਖ ਹੋਇਆ	sorrow happened to me
I was glad (to hear)	Mainu khushi hoyi	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਖ਼ੁਸ਼ੀ ਹੋਈ	happiness happened to me
I miss you	Mainu teri yaad aundi hai	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਤੇਰੀ ਯਾਦ ਆਉਂਦੀ ਹੈ	your memory comes to me
I'm proud of you	Mainu tere te maan hai	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਤੇਰੇ 'ਤੇ ਮਾਣ ਹੈ	to me on you there is pride
That hurt / I felt bad	Mainu bura lagga	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਬੁਰਾ ਲੱਗਾ	bad struck me
I liked it / it felt good	Mainu changa lagga	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਚੰਗਾ ਲੱਗਾ	good struck me
I was surprised	Mainu hairaani hoyi	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਹੈਰਾਨੀ ਹੋਈ	surprise happened to me
I can't settle / I'm homesick	Mera dil nahi lagda	ਮੇਰਾ ਦਿਲ ਨਹੀਂ ਲੱਗਦਾ	my heart doesn't attach
I feel like (doing …)	Mera dil karda hai	ਮੇਰਾ ਦਿਲ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ	my heart does
I'm not in the mood	Mera mood nahi hai	ਮੇਰਾ ਮੂਡ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ	—

With tusi (respectful) the possessive is tuhadi: Mainu tuhadi yaad aundi hai, Mainu tuhade te maan hai. The same construction gives "I love you" in Punjabi its variations.

Emotion Nouns

English	Punjabi	Gurmukhi	Pronunciation
Joy, happiness	Khushi	ਖ਼ੁਸ਼ੀ	KHU-shee
Sorrow, pain	Dukh	ਦੁੱਖ	dukh
Anger	Gussa	ਗੁੱਸਾ	GUS-saa
Fear	Darr	ਡਰ	durr
Love	Pyaar	ਪਿਆਰ	pyaar
Hatred	Nafrat	ਨਫ਼ਰਤ	NUF-rut
Hope	Umeed	ਉਮੀਦ	u-MEED
Pride	Maan	ਮਾਣ	maan
Shyness, shame	Sharam	ਸ਼ਰਮ	SHUR-um
Worry	Fikar / chinta	ਫ਼ਿਕਰ / ਚਿੰਤਾ	FIK-ur / CHIN-taa
Surprise	Hairaani	ਹੈਰਾਨੀ	hai-RAA-nee
Gratitude ("thank God")	Shukar	ਸ਼ੁਕਰ	SHU-kur — Rabb da shukar hai
Patience	Sabar	ਸਬਰ	SUB-ur
Courage	Himmat	ਹਿੰਮਤ	HIM-mut
Jealousy	Eerkha (colloquial: saadh)	ਈਰਖਾ / ਸਾੜ	EER-khaa / saad
Peace of mind	Sukoon	ਸਕੂਨ	su-KOON

Comforting and Encouraging Someone

English	Punjabi	Gurmukhi
Don't worry	Fikar na karo	ਫ਼ਿਕਰ ਨਾ ਕਰੋ
Everything will be fine	Sab theek ho jaavega	ਸਭ ਠੀਕ ਹੋ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ
Stay strong	Himmat rakho	ਹਿੰਮਤ ਰੱਖੋ
Keep your spirits up (Sikh expression)	Chardi kala vich raho	ਚੜ੍ਹਦੀ ਕਲਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਰਹੋ
Don't cry	Ro na	ਰੋ ਨਾ
I'm with you	Main tuhade naal haan	ਮੈਂ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਨਾਲ ਹਾਂ
It's okay, no problem	Koi gall nahi	ਕੋਈ ਗੱਲ ਨਹੀਂ
Don't be angry	Gussa na karo	ਗੁੱਸਾ ਨਾ ਕਰੋ
I understand you (m / f speaker)	Main tuhanu samajhda / samajhdi haan	ਮੈਂ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਸਮਝਦਾ / ਸਮਝਦੀ ਹਾਂ
Forgive me	Mainu maaf kar deo	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਮਾਫ਼ ਕਰ ਦਿਓ
You did really well	Tusi bahut vadhiya kita	ਤੁਸੀਂ ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧੀਆ ਕੀਤਾ
Well done!	Shabash!	ਸ਼ਾਬਾਸ਼!
Calm down	Shaant ho jao	ਸ਼ਾਂਤ ਹੋ ਜਾਓ

For a proper apology, see how to say sorry in Punjabi. If you're learning for a partner, these are the sentences that do the most work — more in Punjabi for partners.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say happy in Punjabi?

Khush (ਖ਼ੁਸ਼). "I am happy" is main khush haan; "happiness" is khushi; "be happy" is khush raho.

How do you say "I miss you" in Punjabi?

Mainu teri yaad aundi hai (ਮੈਨੂੰ ਤੇਰੀ ਯਾਦ ਆਉਂਦੀ ਹੈ) — literally "your memory comes to me". To an elder or respectfully: mainu tuhadi yaad aundi hai; "I miss you a lot": bahut yaad aundi hai.

How do you say "I'm angry" in Punjabi?

Mainu gussa aa riha hai (ਮੈਨੂੰ ਗੁੱਸਾ ਆ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ) — "anger is coming to me". "Don't be angry" is gussa na karo; "upset with someone" is naraaz.

How do you say "I'm proud of you" in Punjabi?

Mainu tere te maan hai (ਮੈਨੂੰ ਤੇਰੇ 'ਤੇ ਮਾਣ ਹੈ), or respectfully mainu tuhade te maan hai. Parents also say Shabash! — well done.

Say How You Feel in Punjabi

Feelings are where a language stops being a list of words and starts being yours. 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.