ਵਾਲ
vāl/ʋɑːl/masculine
The English word 'hair' is translated into Punjabi as ਵਾਲ (vāl). If unsure, use ਵਾਲ. Wiktionary also lists ਬਾਲ (bāl) and ਕੇਸ (kes).
Meaning: mass of such filaments on the human head (noun)
Ways to say it
| Punjabi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ਵਾਲ | vāl | /ʋɑːl/ /ʋɑːɭ/ |
masculine |
| ਬਾਲ | bāl | masculine | |
| ਕੇਸ | kes | [keːsᵊ] (narrow) | masculine |
The word refers to the mass of filaments found on the human head.
Which one should you use?
ਵਾਲ is the common, everyday word for hair.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word for hair is grammatically masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ʋɑːl/.
Did you know?
- The Sanskrit ancestor of ਵਾਲ, which is वाल, actually refers to 'young' or 'child' in certain contexts, though it is now used for hair.
- In Punjabi culture, the concept of ਕੇਸ is one of the five articles of faith in Sikhism, representing the belief that hair should remain uncut as a gift from the Creator.
- In some poetic Punjabi traditions, the word for hair can be used metaphorically to describe 'tendrils' of vines or even the 'hairs' on a fruit.
Examples in context
- ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਵਾਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਕੀ ਘੁਸ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ?What has got into your hair?This sentence is useful for asking what has gotten into someone's ਵਾਲ.
- ਮੇਰੇ ਕੇਸ ਖੁਸ਼ਬੂਦਾਰ ਤੇ ਘਨੇ ਹਨ।My hair is fragrant and thick.
- ਉਸ ਦੇ ਵਾਲ ਲੰਬੇ ਹਨ।us de vaal lambe han.His hair is long.
- ਮੈਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਵਾਲ ਕੱਟਣੇ ਹਨ।mainu apne vaal kattne han.I need to cut my hair.
Example conversation
Gurpreet and Simran are talking about a new haircut.
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਸਿਮਰਨ, ਕੀ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਵਾਲ ਕਟਵਾਏ ਹਨ?Simran, ki tusi apne vaal katvaye han?Simran, did you get your hair cut?
- ਸਿਮਰਨ Simranਹਾਂ, ਮੈਨੂੰ ਇਹ ਨਵਾਂ ਸਟਾਈਲ ਪਸੰਦ ਹੈ।Han, mainu eh nava style pasand hai.Yes, I like this new style.
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਵਾਲ ਹੁਣ ਬਹੁਤ ਸੋਹਣੇ ਲੱਗ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ।Tuhade vaal hun bahut sohne lag rahe han.Your hair looks very beautiful now.
- ਸਿਮਰਨ Simranਧੰਨਵਾਦ, ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ!Dhanvaad, Gurpreet!Thank you, Gurpreet!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hair” translations and entries ਵਾਲ, ਕੇਸ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ਵਾਲ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
