ਖੋਤਾ
khotā/kʰoː.t̪ːäː/Gurmukhi, masculine
The English word "donkey" is translated into Punjabi as ਖੋਤਾ (khotā). Wiktionary also lists کھوتا (khotā).
Meaning: a domestic animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Punjabi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ਖੋਤਾ | khotā | /kʰoː.t̪ːäː/ | Gurmukhi, masculine |
| کھوتا | khotā | /kʰoː.t̪ːäː/ | Shahmukhi, masculine |
While the word refers to the domestic animal, calling someone a ਖੋਤਾ is a common way to call them a fool or an idiot.
Which one should you use?
The masculine form ਖੋਤਾ is the default, but if you are referring to a female donkey, use the feminine form ਖੋਤੀ.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is ਖੋਤਾ. To refer to a female donkey, use the feminine form ਖੋਤੀ. For the plural form, use ਖੋਤੇ.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /kʰoː.t̪ːäː/.
Did you know?
- The word ਖੋਤਾ is written in two entirely different scripts: Gurmukhi ਖੋਤਾ used in India and Shahmukhi کھوتا used in Pakistan.
- The word ਖੋਤਾ might share a distant linguistic ancestor with the Sanskrit word for 'horse', which is ਘੋੜਾ.
- Punjabi creates a sharp social contrast through idioms by pairing the ਖੋਤਾ as a symbol of ridicule against the ਘੋੜਾ (horse) as a symbol of power and pride.
Examples in context
- ਉਹ ਇੱਕ ਖੋਤਾ ਹੈ।oh ik khotā hai.That is a donkey.
- ਖੋਤਾ ਬਹੁਤ ਮਿਹਨਤੀ ਹੈ।khotā bahut mehanatī hai.The donkey is very hardworking.
- ਮੇਰੇ ਕੋਲ ਇੱਕ ਖੋਤਾ ਹੈ।merē kol ik khotā hai.I have a donkey.
Example conversation
Simran and Gurpreet are looking at animals on a farm.
- ਸਿਮਰਨ Simranਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ, ਉਹ ਦੇਖੋ ਖੋਤਾ!Gurpreet, oh dekho khota!Gurpreet, look at that donkey!
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਹਾਂ, ਉਹ ਬਹੁਤ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਹੈ।Han, oh bahut pyara hai.Yes, it is very cute.
- ਸਿਮਰਨ Simranਕੀ ਖੋਤਾ ਭਾਰ ਚੁੱਕ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ?Ki khota bhar chuk sakda hai?Can a donkey carry loads?
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਹਾਂ, ਉਹ ਬਹੁਤ ਤਾਕਤਵਰ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਨ।Han, oh bahut takatvar hunde han.Yes, they are very strong.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “donkey” translations and entries ਖੋਤਾ, کھوتا, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries کھوتا, ਖੋਤਾ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
