Shopping in Punjabi: How Much Is This, Bargaining Phrases, Market Words and Numbers for Prices
How much is this in Punjabi is Eh kinne da hai? Too expensive is bahut mehnga hai, make it a little less is thoda ghatt karo, final price is aakhri keemat. Sixty market and shopping words with Gurmukhi, the bargaining script that works in Ludhiana and at the Punjabi grocery in Brampton, and how to say half a kilo, a dozen and 250 grams.
"How much is this?" in Punjabi is Eh kinne da hai? (ਇਹ ਕਿੰਨੇ ਦਾ ਹੈ?). The rest of the shopping toolkit: Bahut mehnga hai (ਬਹੁਤ ਮਹਿੰਗਾ ਹੈ, that's very expensive), Thoda ghatt karo (ਥੋੜ੍ਹਾ ਘੱਟ ਕਰੋ, bring it down a little), Aakhri keemat dasso (ਆਖ਼ਰੀ ਕੀਮਤ ਦੱਸੋ, tell me your final price) and Ik kilo deo (ਇੱਕ ਕਿਲੋ ਦਿਓ, give me a kilo). Whether you're at a sabzi stall in Jalandhar, a fabric shop in Southall or the Punjabi grocery on Airport Road in Brampton, these are the words — plus the bargaining script, the weights and the numbers prices are quoted in.
Shopping and Market Words
| English | Punjabi | Gurmukhi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market, bazaar | Bazaar | ਬਜ਼ਾਰ | ba-ZAAR |
| Shop | Dukaan | ਦੁਕਾਨ | du-KAAN |
| Shopkeeper | Dukaandaar | ਦੁਕਾਨਦਾਰ | du-kaan-DAAR |
| Stall, cart | Rehdi | ਰੇਹੜੀ | RAYH-dee |
| Grocery shop | Karyane di dukaan | ਕਰਿਆਨੇ ਦੀ ਦੁਕਾਨ | kar-YAA-nay dee du-KAAN |
| Vegetable seller / fruit seller | Sabzi wala / phal wala | ਸਬਜ਼ੀ ਵਾਲਾ / ਫਲ ਵਾਲਾ | SUB-zee VAA-laa |
| Sweet shop | Halwai | ਹਲਵਾਈ | hul-VAA-ee |
| Cloth shop / tailor | Kapde di dukaan / darzi | ਕੱਪੜੇ ਦੀ ਦੁਕਾਨ / ਦਰਜ਼ੀ | DUR-zee |
| Price; rate | Keemat; bhaa | ਕੀਮਤ; ਭਾਅ | KEE-mut; bhaa |
| Money | Paise | ਪੈਸੇ | PAI-say |
| Rupees / dollars / pounds | Rupaye / dollar / pound | ਰੁਪਏ / ਡਾਲਰ / ਪੌਂਡ | ru-pa-AY |
| Expensive | Mehnga | ਮਹਿੰਗਾ | MEHN-gaa |
| Cheap | Sasta | ਸਸਤਾ | SUS-taa |
| Discount | Chhoot | ਛੋਟ | chhoot |
| Change (loose money) | Khulle paise | ਖੁੱਲ੍ਹੇ ਪੈਸੇ | KHUL-lay PAI-say |
| Change (the remainder) | Baki | ਬਾਕੀ | BAA-kee |
| Receipt, bill | Raseed, bill | ਰਸੀਦ, ਬਿੱਲ | ra-SEED |
| Bag (plastic) / cloth bag | Lifafa / thaila | ਲਿਫ਼ਾਫ਼ਾ / ਥੈਲਾ | li-FAA-faa / THAI-laa |
| Fresh / stale | Taaza / baasi | ਤਾਜ਼ਾ / ਬਾਸੀ | TAA-zaa / BAA-see |
| Ripe / unripe (also raw) | Pakka / kachcha | ਪੱਕਾ / ਕੱਚਾ | PUK-kaa / KUCH-chaa |
| Weight; scales | Tol; takdi | ਤੋਲ; ਤੱਕੜੀ | tol; TUK-dee |
| Kilo / half a kilo | Kilo / adha kilo | ਕਿਲੋ / ਅੱਧਾ ਕਿਲੋ | UD-dhaa KI-lo |
| A quarter kilo (250 g) | Paav | ਪਾਅ | paa |
| A dozen | Darjan | ਦਰਜਨ | DUR-jun |
| Cash / credit | Nakad / udhaar | ਨਕਦ / ਉਧਾਰ | NUK-ud / u-DHAAR |
| Size (big / small) | Size (vadda / chhota) | ਸਾਈਜ਼ (ਵੱਡਾ / ਛੋਟਾ) | — |
| Colour | Rang | ਰੰਗ | rung |
| New / old | Nava / purana | ਨਵਾਂ / ਪੁਰਾਣਾ | na-VAAN / pu-RAA-naa |
The sign in every old Punjabi shop — Ajj nakad, kall udhaar (ਅੱਜ ਨਕਦ, ਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਉਧਾਰ): "cash today, credit tomorrow" — is the owner's polite way of saying never.
Phrases for Buying Things
| English | Punjabi | Gurmukhi |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | Eh kinne da hai? | ਇਹ ਕਿੰਨੇ ਦਾ ਹੈ? |
| How much is this? (feminine noun, e.g. a shirt — kameez) | Eh kinne di hai? | ਇਹ ਕਿੰਨੇ ਦੀ ਹੈ? |
| How much per kilo? | Kilo kinne da? | ਕਿਲੋ ਕਿੰਨੇ ਦਾ? |
| Show me this | Eh dikhao | ਇਹ ਦਿਖਾਓ |
| I want this | Mainu eh chaahida hai | ਮੈਨੂੰ ਇਹ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ |
| Do you have another colour? | Hor rang hai? | ਹੋਰ ਰੰਗ ਹੈ? |
| Do you have a bigger size? | Vadda size hai? | ਵੱਡਾ ਸਾਈਜ਼ ਹੈ? |
| Give me one kilo | Ik kilo deo | ਇੱਕ ਕਿਲੋ ਦਿਓ |
| Half a kilo of tomatoes | Adha kilo tamatar | ਅੱਧਾ ਕਿਲੋ ਟਮਾਟਰ |
| Is it fresh? | Taaza hai? | ਤਾਜ਼ਾ ਹੈ? |
| May I taste it? | Chakh ke dekh laan? | ਚੱਖ ਕੇ ਦੇਖ ਲਾਂ? |
| Give me a bag | Lifafa de deo | ਲਿਫ਼ਾਫ਼ਾ ਦੇ ਦਿਓ |
| Do you take card? | Card chalda hai? | ਕਾਰਡ ਚੱਲਦਾ ਹੈ? |
| I don't have change | Mere kol khulle paise nahi han | ਮੇਰੇ ਕੋਲ ਖੁੱਲ੍ਹੇ ਪੈਸੇ ਨਹੀਂ ਹਨ |
| Give me the bill | Bill de deo | ਬਿੱਲ ਦੇ ਦਿਓ |
| That's all | Bas, enna hi | ਬੱਸ, ਇੰਨਾ ਹੀ |
| I want to return this | Eh vaapas karna hai | ਇਹ ਵਾਪਸ ਕਰਨਾ ਹੈ |
| It's very nice | Bahut sohna hai | ਬਹੁਤ ਸੋਹਣਾ ਹੈ |
| Thank you | Shukriya ji | ਸ਼ੁਕਰੀਆ ਜੀ |
Bargaining Phrases
| English | Punjabi | Gurmukhi |
|---|---|---|
| That's very expensive | Bahut mehnga hai | ਬਹੁਤ ਮਹਿੰਗਾ ਹੈ |
| Bring it down a little | Thoda ghatt karo | ਥੋੜ੍ਹਾ ਘੱਟ ਕਰੋ |
| Give me a fair price | Theek theek lao | ਠੀਕ ਠੀਕ ਲਾਓ |
| Tell me your final price | Aakhri keemat dasso | ਆਖ਼ਰੀ ਕੀਮਤ ਦੱਸੋ |
| Give it for a hundred | Sau de deo | ਸੌ ਦੇ ਦਿਓ |
| I'll take two, what's the price? | Do lavaanga, ki bhaa lagega? | ਦੋ ਲਵਾਂਗਾ, ਕੀ ਭਾਅ ਲੱਗੇਗਾ? |
| It was cheaper over there | Othe sasta si | ਉੱਥੇ ਸਸਤਾ ਸੀ |
| Okay, fine | Chalo, theek hai | ਚਲੋ, ਠੀਕ ਹੈ |
| Let it be, I'll leave it | Rehn deo | ਰਹਿਣ ਦਿਓ |
| I'm a regular customer | Main pakka gaahak haan | ਮੈਂ ਪੱਕਾ ਗਾਹਕ ਹਾਂ |
A bargaining conversation
You: Bhaji, eh suit kinne da? (ਭਾ ਜੀ, ਇਹ ਸੂਟ ਕਿੰਨੇ ਦਾ? — Brother, how much is this suit?)
Shopkeeper: Pandra sau da ji. (ਪੰਦਰਾਂ ਸੌ ਦਾ ਜੀ। — Fifteen hundred.)
You: Bahut mehnga hai. Theek theek lao. (ਬਹੁਤ ਮਹਿੰਗਾ ਹੈ। ਠੀਕ ਠੀਕ ਲਾਓ। — That's a lot. Give me a fair price.)
Shopkeeper: Tuhade layi chauda sau. (ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਲਈ ਚੌਦਾਂ ਸੌ। — For you, fourteen hundred.)
You: Baaraan sau de deo. (ਬਾਰਾਂ ਸੌ ਦੇ ਦਿਓ। — Make it twelve hundred.)
Shopkeeper: Terah sau, aakhri. (ਤੇਰਾਂ ਸੌ, ਆਖ਼ਰੀ। — Thirteen hundred, final.)
You: Chalo, theek hai. (ਚਲੋ, ਠੀਕ ਹੈ। — Okay, done.)
Where to bargain: street stalls, fabric and clothing shops, jewellers and anything without a printed price — in Punjab. Grocery stores, pharmacies, branded shops and almost every Punjabi business in Canada, the UK and the US have fixed prices; there, thoda ghatt karo gets you a smile, not a discount. Start around 20–30% below the asking price, stay cheerful, and address the seller as bhaji or bhainji.
Numbers for Prices
| Amount | Punjabi | Gurmukhi |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | Panjaah | ਪੰਜਾਹ |
| 100 | Sau | ਸੌ |
| 150 | Dedh sau | ਡੇਢ ਸੌ |
| 200 | Do sau | ਦੋ ਸੌ |
| 250 | Dhaai sau | ਢਾਈ ਸੌ |
| 350 | Saadhe tinn sau | ਸਾਢੇ ਤਿੰਨ ਸੌ |
| 500 | Paanj sau | ਪੰਜ ਸੌ |
| 1,000 | Hazaar | ਹਜ਼ਾਰ |
| 1,500 | Pandra sau / dedh hazaar | ਪੰਦਰਾਂ ਸੌ / ਡੇਢ ਹਜ਼ਾਰ |
| 100,000 | Lakh | ਲੱਖ |
| Ten million | Karod | ਕਰੋੜ |
Prices between 1,000 and 2,000 are usually said in hundreds — pandra sau rather than "one thousand five hundred". The full counting system is in Punjabi numbers 1–100. For what you're buying, see fruits and vegetables, food and kitchen words, colours and clothes in Punjabi.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "how much" in Punjabi?
Kinne da? — "how much (is it)?" In full: Eh kinne da hai? for a masculine noun and Eh kinne di hai? for a feminine one; Kilo kinne da? asks the price per kilo.
How do you bargain in Punjabi?
Say bahut mehnga hai (very expensive), then thoda ghatt karo (bring it down a little) or theek theek lao (give me a fair price), offer a number with … de deo, and close with aakhri keemat dasso (your final price?). Keep it friendly and call the seller bhaji.
How do you say expensive and cheap in Punjabi?
Expensive is mehnga (ਮਹਿੰਗਾ) and cheap is sasta (ਸਸਤਾ). Both change for feminine nouns: mehngi, sasti.
How do you say half a kilo in Punjabi?
Adha kilo (ਅੱਧਾ ਕਿਲੋ). A quarter kilo is paav, a kilo and a half is dedh kilo, and a dozen is darjan.
Shop, Chat and Bargain in Punjabi
The market is the best classroom there is — go in with the words. 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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