Punjabi alphabet (Gurmukhi): every letter to copy
Punjabi in India is written in Gurmukhi, a script standardised by Guru Angad Dev Ji in the 16th century. Its name means “from the mouth of the Guru”. Gurmukhi has 35 traditional letters, known as ਪੈਂਤੀ (painti, meaning thirty-five), starting with ੳ ਅ ੲ ਸ ਹ, plus six letters with a dot below for extra sounds.
This page lists every Gurmukhi letter, followed by vowel signs, the tippi, bindi and addak, Gurmukhi digits and the sacred sign ੴ. Tap any one to copy it.
The Gurmukhi letters
- Vowel carriers: ੳ ਅ ੲ, which hold vowel signs at the start of a word.
- First row: ਸ ਹ.
- Consonants: ਕ ਖ ਗ ਘ ਙ, ਚ ਛ ਜ ਝ ਞ, ਟ ਠ ਡ ਢ ਣ, ਤ ਥ ਦ ਧ ਨ, ਪ ਫ ਬ ਭ ਮ, ਯ ਰ ਲ ਵ ੜ.
- Dotted letters: ਸ਼ ਖ਼ ਗ਼ ਜ਼ ਫ਼ ਲ਼ for sounds from Persian, Urdu and English.
Vowel signs and special marks
Gurmukhi vowel signs (ਲਗਾਂ ਮਾਤਰਾਂ) attach to a consonant: ਾ kanna, ਿ sihari, ੀ bihari, ੁ aunkar, ੂ dulainkar, ੇ lavan, ੈ dulavan, ੋ hora and ੌ kanaura. For example, ਕ + ਾ = ਕਾ. Sihari ਿ is drawn before the consonant but typed after it.
Three more marks are very common. The tippi ੰ and the bindi ਂ add a nasal sound. The addak ੱ doubles the next consonant, as in ਪੱਗ. Like other Indian scripts, these marks may show on a dotted circle when copied alone. Paste them after a letter and they join up.
Digits and sacred signs
Gurmukhi has its own digits: ੦ ੧ ੨ ੩ ੪ ੫ ੬ ੭ ੮ ੯. The sign ੴ, Ik Onkar, means “One Creator” and opens the Guru Granth Sahib. It is one of the most important symbols in Sikhism and is often used in greetings, gurdwara posters and Gurpurab wishes, along with the khanda 🪯.
Punjabi in two scripts
Punjabi is spoken by more than 100 million people. In India it is written in Gurmukhi, while in Pakistan it is usually written in Shahmukhi, a script based on Arabic letters, like Urdu. This page covers Gurmukhi. For Shahmukhi letters, see the Urdu and Arabic alphabet pages.
Typing Gurmukhi
Gboard and the iPhone keyboard both support Punjabi in Gurmukhi, and Windows and Mac include Gurmukhi layouts. For a single letter, a missing vowel sign or the ੴ symbol, copying from here is quickest.
Frequently asked questions
- How many letters are in the Gurmukhi alphabet?
- Gurmukhi has 35 traditional letters, called painti, plus six dotted letters for extra sounds.
- How do I copy Ik Onkar ੴ?
- Tap ੴ on this page to copy it. It works in WhatsApp, Instagram, Word and most apps.
- What is the addak ੱ?
- The addak doubles the sound of the next consonant, like in ਪੱਗ (turban).
- What is the difference between Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi?
- Both write Punjabi. Gurmukhi is used in India, and Shahmukhi, based on Arabic letters, is used in Pakistan.
- What are Gurmukhi numbers?
- Gurmukhi digits are ੦ ੧ ੨ ੩ ੪ ੫ ੬ ੭ ੮ ੯.
- How do I type ਕਾ?
- Copy ਕ, then copy the kanna ਾ and paste it right after. They join into ਕਾ.