ਕੇਲਾ
kelā/keː.lːaː/Gurmukhi, masculine
The Punjabi word for banana is ਕੇਲਾ (kelā).
ਕੇਲਾ is a noun used to refer to the fruit known as a banana.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Doaba region, speakers use the term kela to refer to a banana.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word ਕੇਲਾ is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced kelā. It has two syllables.
Did you know?
- The Sanskrit ancestor of ਕੇਲਾ is believed to have come from a Munda language, a family of languages spoken in parts of India that predates the Indo-Aryan languages.
- In many South Asian cultures, including those speaking Punjabi, the banana tree is often treated as a sacred or auspicious symbol in religious ceremonies.
- Punjabi speakers often distinguish between the dessert banana and the cooking plantain by adding descriptive adjectives, as ਕੇਲਾ can cover both types of fruit.
Examples in context
- ਮੈਨੂੰ ਕੇਲਾ ਬਹੁਤ ਪਸੰਦ ਹੈ।mainū kela bahut pasand hai.I like banana very much.
- ਕੀ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਕੋਲ ਕੇਲਾ ਹੈ?kī tuhāḍē kōl kela hai?Do you have a banana?
Example conversation
Harman and Simran are preparing a fruit salad.
- ਹਰਮਨ Hermanਸਿਮਰਨ, ਕੀ ਇੱਥੇ ਕੋਈ ਕੇਲਾ ਹੈ?Simran, kī ithē kōī kēlā hai?Simran, is there a banana here?
- ਸਿਮਰਨ Simranਹਾਂ, ਟੋਕਰੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੱਕ ਕੇਲਾ ਹੈ।Hā̃, tōkrī vitch ik kēlā hai.Yes, there is a banana in the basket.
- ਹਰਮਨ Hermanਧੰਨਵਾਦ, ਮੈਂ ਇਸਨੂੰ ਕੱਟ ਲਵਾਂਗਾ।Dhannvād, main isnū kaṭ lavā̃gā.Thanks, I will cut it.
- ਸਿਮਰਨ Simranਠੀਕ ਹੈ, ਹਰਮਨ।Ṭhīk hai, Harman.Okay, Harman.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “banana” translations and entries ਕੇਲਾ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ਕੇਲਾ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
