Language/Panjabi/Grammar/Adjectives-and-Adverbs

Panjabi → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Basic Sentence Structure → Adjectives and Adverbs

As a Panjabi language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I am excited to introduce you to the basics of Panjabi grammar. In this lesson, we will be discussing adjectives and adverbs, their usage, and their placement in a sentence.

Adjectives and adverbs are essential components of the Panjabi language. They add depth and color to your sentences and allow you to express your thoughts and ideas more precisely. By the end of this lesson, you will have a clear understanding of these grammatical elements and be able to use them correctly in your Panjabi sentences. Let's get started!

Adjectives

An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. In Panjabi, adjectives can either precede or follow the noun they are modifying.

Adjective Placement

When an adjective precedes a noun or pronoun, it is in the attributive position. When using more than one adjective in a sentence, they follow a specific order in Panjabi grammar:

1. Quality or opinion 2. Size 3. Age 4. Shape 5. Color 6. Origin 7. Material 8. Purpose

For example, let's describe a car in Panjabi:

Panjabi	Pronunciation	English
ਇਕ ਨਈ ਕਾਲੀ ਕਾਰ	ik naī kālī kār	One new black car

In this example, we used multiple adjectives to describe the car. First, we used the adjective "new," which expresses quality or opinion. Then, we used the adjective "black," which expresses color. Finally, we used the noun "car," which is the object being modified.

When an adjective follows a noun or pronoun, it is in the predicative position. In this case, the adjective agrees in gender and number with the noun it is modifying.

For example:

Panjabi	Pronunciation	English
ਮੇਰੀ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਭਾਰੀ ਹੈ।	Merī kitāb bhārī hai.	My book is heavy.

In this example, we used the adjective "heavy" to describe the book. The adjective agrees with the gender (feminine) and number (singular) of the noun "kitāb" (book).

Comparison of Adjectives

In Panjabi, adjectives can be compared using comparative and superlative forms.

For comparative adjectives, add the suffix "-ਤਰ" (-tar) after the adjective. For example:

Panjabi	Pronunciation	English
ਪੁਲ ਦੀਆਂ ਪਾਹਣਿਆਂ ਚੋਟੀਆਂ ਤੋਂ ਛੋਟੀਆਂ ਹਨ।	Pul dīāṃ pāhaṇiāṃ chōṭīāṃ tō̃ chōṭīāṃ han.	The bridge pillars are smaller than the hills.

In this example, the adjective "small" (ਛੋਟਾ; chōṭā) is used in its comparative form, "smaller" (ਛੋਟੀਆਂ; chōṭīāṃ).

For superlative adjectives, add the suffix "-ਤਮ" (-tam) after the adjective. For example:

Panjabi	Pronunciation	English
ਤਾਜ਼ਾ ਮੁਰਗਾ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਸਵਾਦਿਸ਼ਟ ਹੈ।	Tāzā muragā sabh tō̃ savādiśaṭ hai.	Fresh chicken is the most delicious.

In this example, the adjective "delicious" (ਸਵਾਦਿਸ਼ਟ; savādiśaṭ) is used in its superlative form, "most delicious" (ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਸਵਾਦਿਸ਼ਟ; sabh tō̃ savādiśaṭ).

Adverbs

An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb. In Panjabi, adverbs can be formed by adding the suffix "-ਵੇ" (-ve) to the root form of an adjective.

Adverb Placement

Adverbs can be placed in several different positions in a sentence. When modifying a verb, adverbs are typically placed before the verb. For example:

Panjabi	Pronunciation	English
ਮੈਂ ਸਫ਼ਾਈ ਚੰਗੀ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ।	Main safāī changī kardā hā̃.	I clean well.

In this example, the adverb "well" (ਚੰਗੀ; changī) modifies the verb "clean" (ਕਰਦਾ; kardā) and is placed before it.

When modifying an adjective or another adverb, the adverb is typically placed before the word it is modifying. For example:

Panjabi	Pronunciation	English
ਇਹ ਬਹੁਤ ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਨਾਲੇ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ।	Ih bahut khuśī nālē kītā giyā hai.	This has been done very happily.

In this example, the adverb "very" (ਬਹੁਤ; bahut) modifies the adverb "happily" (ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਨਾਲੇ; khuśī nālē) and is placed before it.

Additionally, some adverbs can be placed at the beginning or end of a sentence for emphasis. For example:

Panjabi	Pronunciation	English
ਕਦੋਂ ਵੀ, ਮੈਂ ਤੇਰੀ ਮਦਦ ਕਰਾਂਗਾ।	Kadō̃ vī, main tērī madad karā̃gā.	I'll help you anytime.

In this example, the adverb "anytime" (ਕਦੋਂ ਵੀ; kadō̃ vī) is placed at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis.

Comparison of Adverbs

In Panjabi, adverbs can also be compared using the same comparative and superlative forms as adjectives. For comparative adverbs, add the suffix "-ਤਰੀ" (-tarī) after the root form. For example:

Panjabi	Pronunciation	English
ਉਸਦੇ ਤੱਜਾ ਸਮਾਨ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਵਧੀਆ ਥੇ।	Usdē tajjā samān sabh tō̃ vadhīā thē.	His food was fresher than everyone else.

In this example, the adverb "fresher" (ਵਧੀਆ; vadhīā) is used in its comparative form, "than everyone else" (ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਵਧੀਆ; sabh tō̃ vadhīā).

For superlative adverbs, add the suffix "-ਤਮਾਮ" (-tamām) to the root form. For example:

Panjabi	Pronunciation	English
ਉਸ ਵਿਦਿਆਰਥੀ ਨੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਪ੍ਰਸ਼ਨ ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧੀਆ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਸਨ।	Us vidyārthī nē sārē prashn bahut vadhīā dittē san.	That student gave the best answers to all the questions.

In this example, the adverb "best" (ਵਧੀਆ; vadhīā) is used in its superlative form, "the best" (ਵਧੀਆ ਤਮਾਮ; vadhīā tamām).

Practice

Now that you have a good understanding of how adjectives and adverbs work in Panjabi, it's time to put your knowledge into practice! Use the guidelines we've provided to create your own sentences with descriptive language. Try to use different adjectives and adverbs in various positions to see what sounds best. As always, practice makes perfect!

Conclusion

In this lesson, we've discussed adjectives and adverbs

Table of Contents - Panjabi Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Panjabi Script

• Gurmukhi Alphabet
• Gurmukhi Matra

  ---

Basic Words and Phrases

• Greetings and Introductions
• Numbers and Time
• Days and Months

  ---

Basic Sentence Structure

• Subject-Object-Verb Order
• Nouns and Pronouns
• Adjectives and Adverbs

  ---

Everyday Vocabulary

• Colors and Shapes
• Food and Drinks
• Clothing and Accessories
• Family and Relationships

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Directions and Places
• Accommodation and Reservations

  ---

Questions and Negation

• Asking Questions
• Negation

  ---

Panjabi Customs and Traditions

• Festivals and Celebrations
• Food and Cuisine
• Traditional Clothing

  ---

Hobbies and Leisure Activities

• Sports and Exercise
• Arts and Entertainment
• Outdoor Activities

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions

  ---

Panjabi Literature and Media

• Folklore and Legends
• Panjabi Literature
• Panjabi Media

  ---

Health and Emergencies

• Health and Illness
• Emergencies

  ---

Expressing Opinions and Emotions

• Likes and Dislikes
• Emotions and Feelings

Related Lessons

• Plural
• Gender
• Adjectives
• Gurmukhi Alphabet
• Likes and Dislikes
• Nouns
• Give your Opinion
• Future Tense
• Pronouns

Sources

• Panjabi Grammar: A Brief Grammar of Panjabi As Spoken in the ...