Punjabi Language

Punjabi, sometimes spelled Panjabi, is an Indo-Aryan language that originates from the Punjab region of Pakistan and India. With approximately 150 million native speakers, it ranks as one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. The total number of speakers in India are 31,100,000(2011 Census).

The language in Pakistan

In Pakistan, people speak the language as the most common first language, with around 88.9 million speakers, according to the 2023 census. The people of the Punjab province, the most populous region in Pakistan, primarily speak Punjabi. The language plays a key role in the cultural, social, and political life of the country.

The language in India

In India, Punjabi ranks as the 11th most spoken language, with approximately 31.1 million native speakers, based on the 2011 census. The residents of Punjab predominantly speak it, where it serves as the official language. People in neighboring states and the Indian diaspora also speak it.

Overseas Communities

Punjabi has spread to significant overseas communities, particularly in countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and the Gulf states. These communities have contributed to the global recognition and use of the language, making it an important language worldwide.

Scripts Used for Writing

In Pakistan, people write Punjabi using the Shahmukhi script, which is derived from the Perso-Arabic script. In India, people write it in the Gurmukhi script, which is based on Indic scripts. These two writing systems reflect the cultural and historical differences between the Punjabi-speaking regions of both countries.

Unique Features of the language

Punjabi stands out from other Indo-Aryan languages and the broader Indo-European language family due to its use of lexical tone. This tonal aspect of the language makes Punjabi unique, giving it a distinct phonetic quality compared to many other languages in the region.