Punjabi/Gurmukhi/Labials

In the previous lessons we have learnt the rows of Gurmukhi which represent the Velars, Palatals, Retroflexes and Dentals besides the vowel carriers and ਸ and ਹ. In this lesson we will learn the letters of the sixth row of Gurmukhi consisting the Labials. The Labials are articulated either with lips.

Sixth row of Gurmukhi

The letters of the sixth row of Gurmukhi are ਪ ਫ ਬ ਭ ਮ They are called ਪ - puppa, ਫ - phupha, ਬ - bubba, ਭ - bhubba and ਮ - mumma. Their pronunciation is ਪ - /p/, ਫ - /ph/, ਬ - /b/, ਭ - /bh/ and ਮ - /m/. Each of them is explained below.

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Puppa : This is how words peach and pass are written in Gurmukhi

ਪੀ + ਚ = ਪੀਚ = peach

ਪਾ + ਸ = ਪਾਸ = pass

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Phupha : ਫ is equivalent to /ph/. For illustration of the use of ਫ see these example

ਫੋ + ਟੋ = ਫੋਟੋ = photo

NB : We have used /ph/ to denote that this sound which is produced by closing both lips (bilabial) is aspirated version of the plosive /p/. The English /f/ or /ph/ are in fact labio-dental fricatives. See Phonetics for more details.

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Bubba : ਬ is equivalent to /b/. The words bus and biscuit are written in Gurmukhi as

ਬੱ + ਸ = ਬੱਸ = bus

ਬਿ + ਸ + ਕੁ + ਟ = ਬਿਸਕੁਟ = biscuit

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Bhubba : There is no equivalent of ਭ in English. ਭ sound is produced by combining ਪ sound with a high tone. A tone is produced when air passes out of mouth with a rush. Here are some Punjabi examples.

ਭਾ + ਰ = ਭਾਰ /bhaar/ = weight

ਭਾ + ਗ = ਭਾਗ /bhaag/ = part

ਭਾ + ਲੂ = ਭਾਲੂ /bhaloo/ = bear

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Mumma : Let's now go to the last letter of this row which is ਮ and is equivalent to /m/. We have already seen Gurmukhi transcription of Pyjama(ਪ + ਜਾ + ਮਾ = ਪਜਾਮਾ) above which illustrates use of ਮ. Here are some examples.

ਮਿੰ + ਟ = ਮਿੰਟ /mint/ = minute

ਮੈ + ਨ = ਮੈਨ = man

Exercises

1. Read these English words written in Gurmukhi

1. ਪਾਸ
2. ਪੀਚ
3. ਬੱਸ
4. ਬੀਸਟ
5. ਬੂਮ

Solutions

1. Pass
2. Peach
3. Bus
4. Beast
5. Boom

2. Write the following words in Gurmukhi and English.

1. ਬਜਟ
2. ਮੱਟਨ
3. ਪਿਕਨਿਕ
4. ਮੈਚ
5. ਬੀਕ

Solutions

1. ਬਜਟ - Budget
2. ਮੱਟਨ - Mutton
3. ਪਿਕਨਿਕ - Picnic
4. ਮੈਚ - Match
5. ਬੀਕ - Beak

3. Write these English words in Gurmukhi

1. Aim
2. Boot
3. Peach
4. Pakistan
5. Bharat
6. Madam
7. Matter
8. Bucket
9. Mikhail
10. Concept

Solutions

1. ਏ + ਇ + ਮ = ਏਇਮ
2. ਬੂ + ਟ = ਬੂਟ
3. ਪੀ + ਚ = ਪੀਚ
4. ਪਾ + ਕਿ + ਸ + ਤਾ + ਨ = ਪਾਕਿਸਤਾਨ
5. ਭਾ + ਰ + ਤ = ਭਾਰਤ
6. ਮੈ + ਡ + ਮ = ਮੈਡਮ
7. ਮੈ + ਟ + ਰ = ਮੈਟਰ
8. ਬੱ + ਕ + ਟ = ਬੱਕਟ
9. ਮਿ + ਖਾ + ਇ + ਲ = ਮਿਖਾਇਲ
10. ਕੌ + ਨ + ਸੈੱ + ਪ + ਟ = ਕੌਨਸੈੱਪਟ

Summary

In this lesson we have learnt the five letters of the second row of Gurmukhi script. These letter are ਪ puppa, ਫ phupha, ਬ bubba, ਭ bhubba and ਮ mumma. In the next lesson we will introduce the next five letters of Gurmukhi.