Punjabi holds a position as one of the top 10 most spoken languages globally. With its rich history, diverse dialects, and significant global presence, Punjabi stands as a language that captivates learners from all walks of life.
With the huge number of Punjabi learning resources online, we’ve spent hundreds of hours testing various resources to come up with a list of the best apps to learn Punjabi, taking note of their pros and cons to help you sift through the best ones that could fit your needs and preferences.
Table of Contents
Punjabi Resources + Scripts · We’ve tried and tested lots of Punjabi resources like apps, courses, and others to help you find the perfect app for your learning style and goals.
Resources for Learning Punjabi: Apps and Courses
Only a few of the better-known language courses have tackled Punjabi. Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, Busuu, and Glossika are not offering Punjabi courses at the time of this writing.
Unless otherwise noted, the following courses teach Eastern (Indian) Punjabi, using the Gurmukhī script.
Pimsleur
Pimsleur’s app-based Punjabi course uses a technique called spaced repetition theory to help you build a quick and permanent understanding of the basics of the language. The idea behind this is that consistently circling back to keep information at carefully timed intervals is the best way to place a new concept in your long-term memory.
While the app does feature some videos and visual activities, it mostly uses audio instruction and outloud repetition to develop your listening comprehension and conversation ability.
One thing you may love or hate about Pimsleur’s Punjabi program is that it does not teach you thousands of new words. Instead, it focuses on what it calls a “core vocabulary,” giving you mastery of a set of useful words and phrases instead of inundating you with a flood of words.
The theory behind this choice is that most native language users only use a fraction of their vocabulary in daily communication anyway.
The app also features a special direct speaking software so you can get feedback on your pronunciation of tonal words and sounds. While not perfect, it will help you gain confidence and prepare for real-life conversations.
The main downside to this program is that it has a fairly high subscription rate. It also does not emphasize literacy, though it does a good job of giving you grammar basics.
Hindustani Tongue
Hindustani Tongue is an answer to the Punjabi students’ collective prayers. It is a 1-on-1 tutoring course with native Punjabi-speaking teachers, and compared to other tutoring platforms, its teachers go through robust training sessions and there is a framework of basic language learning progressions. This takes much of the guesswork out of picking teachers that plague other tutoring platforms, and it truly is a great online language course option for Punjabi learners.
Another great thing about Hindustani Tongue is that your previous lessons are all available in Google Classroom for you to review for as long as you are a student! And you can ask questions to your teacher via chat any time. If you need to change your teacher, that’s easy to do by simply requesting it to the admin.
Hindustani Tongue 1-on-1 tutoring sessions are reasonably priced compared to other programs. You can buy a bundle of 50 lessons for $299 (but ALR readers can receive a discount by using our coupon code ALRHOLI2024) and it comes with a 40-day money-back guarantee.
Ling
Ling’s Punjabi app, made by Simya Solutions, offers a series of short, gamified lessons and activities perfect for someone who wants to either learn a little Punjabi in a hurry for a trip, or a beginner who wants an engaging introduction to the language before moving on to a more in-depth program.
If you struggle to focus on a traditional textbook or grammar-heavy course, Ling could provide the excitement you need to commit to learning a new language. It uses cute cartoon characters and bright colors and is generally just extremely visually appealing, much like Duolingo.
The big promise Ling makes is that you can learn four language skills in just ten minutes a day. This bite-sized approach works best if you keep up a consistent study schedule.
Ling uses native speakers for all audio recordings throughout the lessons. This is great because it helps you build listening comprehension and develop your own accurate pronunciation.
Ling costs just $8.99 per month, but it does come with a few downsides. For one, it does not teach a lot of grammar. This is a problem for a language like Punjabi which has such a different sentence structure from English. Though this may improve over time, you will also sometimes come across buggy translations or awkward English wording in the translations.
Mango Languages
The Mango Languages Punjabi app provides tools for a complete beginner to master conversational basics like greetings. The lessons encourage you to start speaking early, and you get to hear a lot of natural dialogues to ease you into this.
You also learn how to construct sentences using modular component elements — a method that might appeal to logical or mathematical learners.
One of Mango Language’s helpful features, aside from the grammatical tips and cultural nuggets, is the green slider at the top of the screen. This slider lets you toggle between the more idiomatic translation, which is the default, and the literal translation.
Mango Languages also does a good job of identifying whether a certain phrase is used in a casual situation or a more formal register.
Plus, Mango Languages is a rare program that teaches you the Western Punjabi Shahmukhi script!
eLearnPunjabi
eLearn Punjabi is a free online video-based program designed primarily to help children of Punjabi parents learn to speak their language. With video lessons, quizzes, and lots of cultural information, this course builds a solid foundation for learning the language.
You’ll start with learning about the Gurmukhī script, how it is organized, and how it is used to build words. There are numerous vocabulary lessons, presented by category.
As you progress through the lessons, you’ll move on to literature, stories, and rhymes, as well as many lessons covering everyday Punjabi conversation.
For each Punjabi lesson, there’s a vocabulary list, a quiz, and a set of helpful downloads:
- Audio version (MP3 file)
- Lesson transcript (PDF)
- Vocabulary list with color-coded columns for Gurmukhī, romanized phonetic version, and English translation
You’ll also find links to video lectures from Dr. Harjit Singh Gill, based on a textbook called A Start in Punjabi.
Even though there are a few lessons still in production, which aren’t available yet on the eLearnPunjabi site, this is a thorough course. The main downside is that the website appears a little homemade and the English text can sometimes read awkwardly.
Memrise
The quality of Memrise courses can vary since they’re contributed by professional educators and amateurs alike. Still, Memrise’s open-source curriculum usually produces a variety of courses, even for harder-to-find languages. Punjabi is no exception.
Learn Basic Punjabi by Talwaar-e-Fateh is a solid Memrise course with good, clear audio. You’ll learn fundamentals such as greetings, numbers, personal pronouns, telling time, and basic verb conjugations.
With over 3,700 words and phrases, the 50 Languages – Punjabi (No Typing) course can certainly help you expand your vocabulary. The caveat? There’s no audio, so you won’t learn how any of these Eastern Punjabi words are pronounced.
It’s probably best for intermediate learners who already know some Gurmukhī script, or for those who are only planning on reading and writing in Punjabi. In addition to many individual words, you’ll get exposure to plenty of simple sentences. The General Vocabulary and Basic Sentences course lacks audio, but it boasts a very logical and systematic presentation of categorized vocabulary and grammar.
Learn101
The Eastern Punjabi lessons on Learn101’s website look plain and outdated in terms of website design. However, they are well-organized.
Vocabulary and basic phrases come with clear audio clips to match the Gurmukhī and phonetic renderings. Grammar concepts such as prepositions, adverbs, plurals, negation, and the interrogative are covered. Cardinal and ordinal numbers are taught together. You can also take a short quiz to test your knowledge of Punjabi.
You may find the website useful as a reference for basic grammar and vocabulary, though it will not take the place of a full course.
5abi
5abi offers text-based Punjabi lessons for beginning learners. Its author’s aim is to reach Punjabi learners around the world, particularly children of the diaspora.
While these lessons are not interactive, the explanations are straightforward and comprehensive. You’ll start with the alphabet, Punjabi language sounds, and basic greetings in Lesson 1. Lesson 2 continues with a few games and exercises, and a lot of additional vocabulary.
You have the option to switch to the Gurmukhi script on the website. If you want to read the lessons in English, you will need to use the translate feature on your browser.
The website is very plain and the text lessons might take the place of an introductory Punjabi textbook for someone looking for free resources.
Although the lessons have a few shortcomings, they would probably appeal to verbal-linguistic learners who like to read and learn about their target language in great depth, with extensive written explanations. Auditory learners might lament the lack of audio pronunciation examples, or stimulating recorded dialogues.
17 Minute Languages
This program offers lessons in many languages, and Eastern (Indian) Punjabi is one of them. However, 17 Minute Languages is not a program we can heartily recommend.
The program does have some unique features like meditative music to help you focus, and the ability to compare your progress to other users on the leaderboard. Besides the 17-minute daily lessons and activities, you can use flashcards and reviews to help you keep new information fresh.
The big problem with this program is that it does not always use accurate translations and does not provide great grammar explanations.
If you’d like to try it yourself, you can sign up for free, two-day access to a “Punjabi for Travelers” course.
Resources for Learning Punjabi Alphabet (Scripts)
One of the biggest hurdles for Punjabi learners can be mastering Gurmukhī or Shahmukhi script. Here are a few resources to get you started.
Gurmukhī (Eastern Punjabi Script)
Gurmukhī – The Punjabi Alphabet (video)
This video introduces the letters and their names one by one, then puts it all together with a catchy Punjabi alphabet song.
Learn Gurmukhī – Punjabi Alphabet Part 01 and Part 02 (videos)
Part 01 of this set of videos from Khalsa Junior will teach you all of the individual letters in the script. Part 02 pairs the letters with words, sayings, and proper names that use them.
Sing the Basic Gurmukhī Punjabi Alphabet! (video)
Pashaura Dhillon shares his original tune for learning Gurmukhī.
Gurmukhī Mastery (IPA) (Memrise course)
If you know the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and appreciate detailed explanations, you’ll enjoy this course. While there’s no audio, it provides a systematic way to practice the Gurmukhī script.
Punjabi Alphabet (Memrise course)
This course goes through the Gurmukhī script, letter by letter, using Romanized transliterations — rather than the IPA — to help you learn the sound of each letter.
Shahmukhi (Western Punjabi Script)
Many of the YouTube resources for learning Shahmukhi presuppose a knowledge of Gurmukhī. However, there are other ways to learn the Shahmukhi script.
Western Punjabi resources from the Academy of the Punjab in North America include lessons in the Shahmukhi script.
Wikibooks has a series of lessons on learning Shahmukhi. These are well-organized and detailed, and will probably appeal to logical-mathematical learners. Unfortunately, some of the lessons seem to be missing at this time. Nonetheless, the in-depth explanations may be helpful, since they break each character down into its initial, medial, and final components.
Apps and Marketplaces for Learning Punjabi Online
In addition to more traditional courses, there are mobile apps that teach Punjabi more casually.
Other programs and apps can help you locate Punjabi learning resources, such as tutors or conversation partners.
Punjabi Learning Apps
Language Curry is a language-learning startup based in Gurugram, in northern India. They specialize in teaching languages such as Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Sanskrit, and Eastern Punjabi. Their app is available for both iOS and Android devices, and emphasizes speaking over reading. There are plenty of cultural notes to give you a deeper understanding of Punjabi speakers. However, you’ll need supplementary materials if your goal is learning to read and write Punjabi, in addition to speaking it.
The Learn Punjabi app from Punjabi Charm, currently available for Android, will teach you Eastern Punjabi. You’ll learn how to draw each letter in Gurmukhī script, step-by-step. The app will track your progress as you master Gurmukhī letters and numbers, as well as Punjabi words…including basics such as colors.
The Learn Punjabi with script and pronunciation app for iOS users presents Eastern Punjabi vocabulary in logical categories, such as Basics, People, Body and Health, Shopping, and Food and Drinks. The app includes flashcards with Gurmukhī and phonetic Punjabi, multiple-choice quizzes, and vocabulary lists. Hear the pronunciation of each word or phrase. Add important words to your own customized Favorites list.
Language Exchange Apps
Tandem, Hello Talk, and Speaky connects Punjabi learners with conversation partners.
You can converse with conversation partners via texting, or arrange for a remote audio/video call.
Punjabi Language Tutor Marketplaces
Hindustani Tongue is an answer to our collective Punjabi studying prayers. It is a 1-on-1 tutoring course with native Punjabi-speaking teachers, and compared to other tutoring platforms, its teachers go through robust training sessions and there is a framework of basic language learning progressions. This takes much of the guesswork out of picking teachers that plague other tutoring platforms. Another great thing about Hindustani Tongue is that your previous lessons are all available in Google Classroom for you to review for as long as you are a student! And you can ask questions to your teacher via chat any time.
Both italki and Verbling can set you up with a Punjabi tutor. Verbling uses only certified teachers; italki has a mix of certified teachers and community tutors. Also, Preply is offering Punjabi tutoring similar to italki and Verbling.
As of this writing, all the Punjabi teachers on Verbling hail from India, so it’s unlikely you’d find a Western Punjabi tutor there.
Punjabi tutors from both India and Pakistan are available on italki.
Language Exercises and Games
Games and language exercises can be helpful learning tools. Unfortunately, two language game sites, Clozemaster and Digital Dialects, don’t currently offer Punjabi.
SikhVille.org has an Eastern Punjabi language games page. It’s intended for children, but it’s also useful and fun for beginning adult learners. These games teach basic Punjabi concepts and vocabulary, including:
Flashcards
If you’d like to make your own Punjabi flashcards for online or mobile device use, Anki can be an excellent choice. It supports numerous alphabets and scripts, as well as embedded audio and video. Currently, there are a limited number of pre-made Punjabi flashcard decks available.
Amazon also carries some Punjabi flashcards, especially for learning Gurmukhī. This set, by SikhLink, appears to be the size of standard playing cards, so they’d probably be easy to carry around.
Punjabi Podcasts
PlayerFM hosts numerous Punjabi podcasts. Some suggested podcasts are Learn Punjabi Like a Native and SikhNet Stories for Children (both Eastern Punjabi). AWR Punjabi and EDC: Translation of the Meaning of the Quran in Punjabi could work for Western Punjabi learners.
Punjabi YouTube Channels
There are several YouTube channels dedicated to learning Punjabi from English. Some of them will be more helpful for beginning learners; others will appeal more to intermediate and advanced learners.
Eastern (Indian) Punjabi
The Learn Punjabi / Gurmukhi: Read & Write & Speak playlist from the singhdhoor channel on YouTube will teach you some Punjabi basics, such as:
- Sounds of the Gurmukhī alphabet
- Gurmukhī writing
- Special letters in Gurmukī
- Vowel sounds
- Nasal sounds
Almost all of these videos have English-language voiceovers. The sanyukt akhar (half letters) video has no audio; however, its written explanations are fairly extensive.
Encore!!! Language Learning, a company with a new language-learning app, has a YouTube playlist dedicated to learning Eastern Punjabi with Gurmukhī script. There are “semi-immersive” and “total immersion” videos that teach sixty Punjabi phrases apiece…plus other videos that focus on specific topics, such as shopping for food.
Actdpl Punjabi University’s channel presents twenty-one Eastern Punjabi lessons, averaging about forty-five minutes apiece. These lessons are based on the text of A Start in Punjabi, by Gleason and Gill.
This simple classroom format features Professor Gill, a blackboard, and various language charts. Graphics are used to show the Gurmukhī script and English translations more clearly. The professor speaks slowly and the lessons are easily understandable.
You’ll start with a grounding in the history of the Punjabi language, move on to learning the script, and then tackle more complex structures and topics. The approach of these lessons would be particularly appealing to verbal-linguistic learners.
The experience is like having a front-row seat in a university lecture hall, learning Punjabi thoroughly, at a high level.
Punjabi Charm is an active channel with a wealth of videos, nicely organized into playlists. You can learn Eastern Punjabi through English or Hindi; the videos for English speakers are color-coded in red, and the videos for Hindi speakers are color-coded in purple. In addition to more structured lessons, there are live-stream speaking sessions published regularly.
Stephen Gucciardi’s YouTube channel has two playlists that will be helpful for Punjabi learners: One is the Punjabi Grammar Series, which will help you learn Punjabi plurals, the oblique case, the vocative case, echo words, and more. The other is the Learning Punjabi playlist, which offers tips on improving your Punjabi accent, typing in Punjabi, and tools for learning Punjabi.
For advanced learners, the Learn Punjabi with Jagjeet Sir channel presents higher-level video lessons, classified according to India’s Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) standards. Lessons are taught almost entirely in Punjabi. The teacher is well-educated, with several graduate degrees. The lessons appear to be thoughtfully organized. Updates are posted to Jagjeet Sir’s Facebook page, and a corresponding website is in the works.
Advanced learners looking for news and entertainment on YouTube may also enjoy the Apna Punjab TV channel, which is an Eastern Punjabi channel based in Canada.
The Jagat Sewak Web TV channel, from Bagha Purana, India, has a wealth of news videos from Delhi, Punjab, and Chandigarh.
Western (Pakistani) Punjabi
As with other resources, YouTube seems to offer less content for learners of Western Punjabi than it does for the Eastern counterpart of the language. Still, there are a couple of helpful videos and channels for Western Punjabi learners.
Encore!!! Language Learning has one of the few YouTube resources for beginning learners of Western Punjabi who wish to learn through English. The lessons are presented with English, Shahmukhi, and romanized Punjabi phonetics.
You can also learn basic phrases in Western Punjabi with this “Learn before Sleeping” video from Learning Phrases with Chris & Friends. You’ll see the Shahmukhi word or phrase, followed by a phonetic version in the Latin alphabet, followed by the translation of the phrase in English. Each word or phrase will be repeated three times in Punjabi.
If you’re at an upper intermediate or advanced level of Western Punjabi, you’ll find lots of cultural, historical, and current events content on the Punjabi Lehar channel. There’s even a playlist called “Kabaddi,” with videos from matches of this popular Southern Asian sport.
The Lokaai Punjabi TV channel delivers a variety of short videos to intermediate and advanced learners of Western Punjabi. These include news features, poems, and short stories.