Polite Punjabi: How to Say Please, Welcome, You're Welcome, Excuse Me, Yes & No
Please is kirpa karke, welcome is ji aayan nu, you're welcome is koi gall nahi, excuse me is maaf karna — and the real secret of polite Punjabi is one syllable: ji. Every polite word with Gurmukhi, pronunciation and when to use it.
The polite words in Punjabi are kirpa karke (ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ, please), ji aayan nu (ਜੀ ਆਇਆਂ ਨੂੰ, welcome), koi gall nahi (ਕੋਈ ਗੱਲ ਨਹੀਂ, you're welcome / no problem), maaf karna (ਮਾਫ਼ ਕਰਨਾ, excuse me), haan ji (ਹਾਂ ਜੀ, yes) and nahi ji (ਨਹੀਂ ਜੀ, no). But the real engine of Punjabi politeness isn't a word for "please" at all — it's the syllable ji and the respectful verb forms. Here's how it all fits together.
The Polite Words at a Glance
| English | Punjabi | Gurmukhi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Please | Kirpa karke / Meharbani karke | ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ / ਮਿਹਰਬਾਨੀ ਕਰਕੇ | KIR-paa KUR-kay / meh-er-BAA-nee KUR-kay |
| Welcome (to a guest) | Ji aayan nu | ਜੀ ਆਇਆਂ ਨੂੰ | jee AA-yaan noo |
| You're welcome | Koi gall nahi | ਕੋਈ ਗੱਲ ਨਹੀਂ | KO-ee gull na-HEEN |
| Excuse me / sorry | Maaf karna | ਮਾਫ਼ ਕਰਨਾ | maaf KUR-naa |
| Excuse me (to get attention) | Suno ji | ਸੁਣੋ ਜੀ | SU-no jee |
| Yes | Haan ji | ਹਾਂ ਜੀ | haan jee |
| No | Nahi ji | ਨਹੀਂ ਜੀ | na-HEEN jee |
| Thank you | Shukriya / Dhanvaad | ਸ਼ੁਕਰੀਆ / ਧੰਨਵਾਦ | shuk-REE-aa / dhun-VAAD |
| Nice to meet you | Tuhanu mil ke khushi hoyi | ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਮਿਲ ਕੇ ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਹੋਈ | tu-HAA-noo mil kay KHU-shee HO-ee |
The Secret: "Ji" Does the Work of "Please"
English speakers reach for "please" constantly; Punjabi mostly doesn't. Instead, politeness lives in three places:
- Ji. Attach it to answers and names: haan ji, nahi ji, Mummy ji, Uncle ji. One syllable turns a blunt reply into a respectful one.
- The respectful verb form. Kar (do) is for friends and children; karo is polite; kariyo / kar deo is softer still. "Darwaza band kar" is an order; "Darwaza band kar deo ji" is a polite request — no "please" needed.
- Zara. A softener meaning "just / a little": "Zara paani deo" (ਜ਼ਰਾ ਪਾਣੀ ਦਿਓ) — "could you pass the water". Add zara and the request sounds gentle.
So "kirpa karke" is correct and understood, but you'll hear it mostly in announcements, formal speech and writing. In a kitchen it's zara and ji.
Welcoming Someone Home
Ji aayan nu literally means "to those who have come" — it's painted over doorways and said at every threshold in Punjab. Pair it with: "Andar aao ji" (ਅੰਦਰ ਆਓ ਜੀ, come in), "Baitho ji" (ਬੈਠੋ ਜੀ, please sit), "Chah peeoge?" (will you have tea?). For a formal welcome — a speech, a sign — use tuhada swagat hai (ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਸੁਆਗਤ ਹੈ, "you are welcomed").
Replying to Thank You
English "you're welcome" has several Punjabi equivalents, all casual and warm: koi gall nahi (no problem), koi nahi ji (not at all), or simply a smile and "ji". Among family, thanks are often waved away entirely — "shukriya kis gall da?" ("thanks for what?") — because helping is assumed. See the many ways to say thank you in Punjabi and how to apologize.
Yes and No, Politely
| Situation | Say | Gurmukhi |
|---|---|---|
| Yes (respectful) | Haan ji | ਹਾਂ ਜੀ |
| Yes, of course | Haan ji, zaroor | ਹਾਂ ਜੀ, ਜ਼ਰੂਰ |
| No (respectful) | Nahi ji | ਨਹੀਂ ਜੀ |
| No thank you (e.g. more food) | Nahi ji, bas, pet bhar gaya | ਨਹੀਂ ਜੀ, ਬੱਸ, ਪੇਟ ਭਰ ਗਿਆ |
| Okay / fine | Theek hai ji / Achha ji | ਠੀਕ ਹੈ ਜੀ / ਅੱਛਾ ਜੀ |
A refusal without ji can sound curt to an elder; a refusal with it is perfectly polite. If you're meeting a Punjabi family for the first time, our guide to Punjabi for partners covers the whole evening.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say please in Punjabi?
Kirpa karke (ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ) or meharbani karke (ਮਿਹਰਬਾਨੀ ਕਰਕੇ). In everyday speech Punjabis usually show politeness with ji, the polite verb form and the softener zara instead of a separate word for please.
How do you say welcome in Punjabi?
Ji aayan nu (ਜੀ ਆਇਆਂ ਨੂੰ) welcomes a guest; tuhada swagat hai (ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਸੁਆਗਤ ਹੈ) is the formal "you are welcome(d)".
How do you say you're welcome in Punjabi?
Koi gall nahi (ਕੋਈ ਗੱਲ ਨਹੀਂ) — "it's nothing / no problem" — or koi nahi ji.
How do you say excuse me in Punjabi?
Maaf karna (ਮਾਫ਼ ਕਰਨਾ) to apologize or squeeze past, and suno ji (ਸੁਣੋ ਜੀ, "listen") to get someone's attention.
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