ਕਾਫ਼ੀ
kāfī/käːfiː/feminine
The word for coffee in Punjabi is ਕਾਫ਼ੀ (kāfī). Wiktionary also lists قَہْوَہ (qahvah) and قہوہ (qhoh).
Meaning: beverage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Punjabi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ਕਾਫ਼ੀ | kāfī | /käːfiː/ | feminine |
| قَہْوَہ | qahvah | masculine | |
| قہوہ | qhoh | /käː˩˥.ʋäː/ /qäː˩˥.ʋäː/ |
Western Punjabi, masculine |
| کافی | pnb | Western Punjabi, feminine |
The word refers to the beverage coffee.
Which one should you use?
In Western Punjabi using the Shahmukhi script, the standard form is قَہْوَہ.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The forms قہوہ and کافی are used in Western Punjabi. The form قہوہ is masculine, while کافی is feminine.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ਕਾਫ਼ੀ is a feminine noun. The form قَہْوَہ is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is kāfī.
Did you know?
- The Punjabi word ਕਾਫ਼ੀ can also mean 'enough' because it shares a root with the Classical Persian word for sufficiency.
- In some regions, قہوہ refers less to a brewed bean beverage and more to a herbal decoction used for medicinal purposes.
Examples in context
- ਖੈਰ, ਮੈਂ ਤਾ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਟੋਸਟ ਅਤੇ ਕਾਫ਼ੀ ਲਵਾਂਗਾ।Well, I'll only take toast and coffee.This sentence is useful for ordering toast and ਕਾਫ਼ੀ.Tatoeba #3788105 by RadiumCat, translation #361522 by dofry
Example conversation
Two friends are meeting at a cafe.
- ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ Manpreetਹਰਮਨ, ਕੀ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਾਫ਼ੀ ਪੀਓਗੇ?Harman, kī tusīṃ kāfī pīōgē?Harman, will you drink coffee?
- ਹਰਮਨ Hermanਹਾਂ, ਮੈਨੂੰ ਕਾਫ਼ੀ ਬਹੁਤ ਪਸੰਦ ਹੈ।hāṃ, mainū kāfī bahut pasand hai.Yes, I like coffee very much.
- ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ Manpreetਠੀਕ ਹੈ, ਮੈਂ ਦੋ ਕਾਫ਼ੀ ਮੰਗਵਾਉਂਦੀ ਹਾਂ।ṭhīk hai, maiṃ dō kāfī maṅgāundī hāṃ.Okay, I will order two coffees.
- ਹਰਮਨ Hermanਧੰਨਵਾਦ, ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ!dhannvād, Manprīt!Thank you, Manpreet!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coffee” translations and entries ਕਾਫ਼ੀ, قہوہ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries قہوہ, ਕਾਫ਼ੀ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
