How to Say Well Done in Punjabi: Shabash, Bahut Vadhiya, Kamaal — and How Punjabi Parents Praise

"Well done" in Punjabi is shabash (ਸ਼ਾਬਾਸ਼) — the word every Punjabi child hears when they get something right — or bahut vadhiya (ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧੀਆ, "very good") and, for something genuinely impressive, kamaal kar ditta (ਕਮਾਲ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ, "you've done something wonderful"). Praise in Punjabi has a direction, though: shabash flows down from elder to younger, and praising an elder needs different words. Here are twenty ways to say good job, great work, I'm proud of you and keep it up, who says which to whom, and the blessing that always follows.

Well Done in Punjabi

English	Punjabi	Gurmukhi	Pronunciation
Well done! Bravo!	Shabash!	ਸ਼ਾਬਾਸ਼!	shaa-BAASH
Well done, my child	Shabash putt / Shabash beta	ਸ਼ਾਬਾਸ਼ ਪੁੱਤ / ਸ਼ਾਬਾਸ਼ ਬੇਟਾ	shaa-BAASH putt
Very good	Bahut vadhiya	ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧੀਆ	ba-HUT va-DHEE-aa
Excellent (a little literary)	Bahut khoob	ਬਹੁਤ ਖ਼ੂਬ	ba-HUT khoob
You did wonders	Kamaal kar ditta	ਕਮਾਲ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ	ka-MAAL kur DIT-taa
Amazing!	Kamaal hai!	ਕਮਾਲ ਹੈ!	ka-MAAL hai
Wow! Bravo!	Vaah!	ਵਾਹ!	vaah
You smashed it	Chak ditte phatte	ਚੱਕ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਫੱਟੇ	chuk DIT-tay FUT-tay
You did very well	Bahut changa kita	ਬਹੁਤ ਚੰਗਾ ਕੀਤਾ	ba-HUT CHUN-gaa KEE-taa
Good job (literally "did good work")	Changa kamm kita	ਚੰਗਾ ਕੰਮ ਕੀਤਾ	CHUN-gaa kumm KEE-taa
You showed you could do it	Tu kar dikhaaya	ਤੂੰ ਕਰ ਦਿਖਾਇਆ	toon kur di-KHAA-yaa
I'm proud of you	Mainu tere te maan hai	ਮੈਨੂੰ ਤੇਰੇ 'ਤੇ ਮਾਣ ਹੈ	MAI-noo TAY-ray tay maan hai
My lion! (to a boy) / my lioness (to a girl)	Mera sher! / Meri sherni!	ਮੇਰਾ ਸ਼ੇਰ! / ਮੇਰੀ ਸ਼ੇਰਨੀ!	MAY-raa shayr
Clever, sensible child	Siyaana munda / siyaani kudi	ਸਿਆਣਾ ਮੁੰਡਾ / ਸਿਆਣੀ ਕੁੜੀ	si-AA-naa
Keep it up	Ainve hi lagge raho	ਐਂਵੇਂ ਹੀ ਲੱਗੇ ਰਹੋ	AIN-vayn hee LUG-gay ra-HO
Your hard work paid off	Mehnat rang liaayi	ਮਿਹਨਤ ਰੰਗ ਲਿਆਈ	MEH-nut rung li-AA-ee
You've made us proud ("raised our heads")	Sada sir uchcha kar ditta	ਸਾਡਾ ਸਿਰ ਉੱਚਾ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ	SAA-daa sir UCH-chaa kur DIT-taa
Great work (respectful, to anyone)	Tusi kamaal kar ditta ji	ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਮਾਲ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਜੀ	—
Congratulations	Vadhaaiyan	ਵਧਾਈਆਂ	vuh-DHAA-ee-aan
Well done, and may you go further	Shabash, Rabb hor tarakki deve	ਸ਼ਾਬਾਸ਼, ਰੱਬ ਹੋਰ ਤਰੱਕੀ ਦੇਵੇ	… rubb hor ta-RUK-kee DAY-vay

Who Says What to Whom

To	Say	Avoid
A child or student	Shabash! Mera sher! Siyaana munda! Bahut vadhiya!	—
A younger sibling or cousin	Kamaal kar ditta, chak ditte phatte, mainu tere te maan hai	—
A friend	Vaah yaar! Kamaal hai! Chak ditte phatte!	Shabash can sound patronising between equals unless it's a joke
A colleague	Bahut vadhiya, changa kamm kita, vadhaaiyan	—
An elder (parent, in-law, boss)	Tusi kamaal kar ditta ji. Bahut vadhiya ji. Vadhaaiyan ji.	Never shabash — it is praise from above, and to an elder it sounds like you're patting them on the head
A team	Shabash munde-o! Kamaal kar ditta!	—

Punjabi praise usually comes with a blessing attached — shabash is rarely said alone by a grandparent; it's shabash putt, jeonde raho or shabash, Rabb hor tarakki deve ("may God give you more success"). The vocabulary of pride and encouragement is in emotions in Punjabi, the sweet names (sher, sherni, rani) in terms of endearment, and the wishes before the event in good luck in Punjabi.

How to Reply to Praise

They say	You reply	Gurmukhi	Meaning
Shabash!	Shukriya ji	ਸ਼ੁਕਰੀਆ ਜੀ	Thank you
Kamaal kar ditta	Tuhadi mehar hai ji	ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਮਿਹਰ ਹੈ ਜੀ	It's your kindness (credit the elder)
Mainu tere te maan hai	Sab tuhadi dua hai	ਸਭ ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਦੁਆ ਹੈ	It's all your blessing
Mehnat rang liaayi	Rabb da shukar hai	ਰੱਬ ਦਾ ਸ਼ੁਕਰ ਹੈ	Thank God

Deflecting praise onto the elder's blessing or onto God is the polite Punjabi reflex — a flat "thanks, I worked hard" sounds boastful.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say well done in Punjabi?

Shabash (ਸ਼ਾਬਾਸ਼) to someone younger, bahut vadhiya (ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧੀਆ, very good) to anyone, and kamaal kar ditta (ਕਮਾਲ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ) for something impressive. To an elder say tusi kamaal kar ditta ji, never shabash.

What does shabash mean?

Shabash means "well done!" or "bravo!" — originally Persian, it is the standard word of praise from parents and teachers to children across Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu.

How do you say good job in Punjabi?

Changa kamm kita (ਚੰਗਾ ਕੰਮ ਕੀਤਾ, "you did good work") or simply bahut vadhiya.

How do you say keep it up in Punjabi?

Ainve hi lagge raho (ਐਂਵੇਂ ਹੀ ਲੱਗੇ ਰਹੋ, "keep at it just like this") — often followed by the blessing Rabb hor tarakki deve, may God give you further success.

Praise Them in Punjabi

Shabash lands differently in the language a child's grandparents use. 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.