ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ?
tusī̃ kivẽ ho?
The English phrase "how are you" is translated into Punjabi as ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ? (tusī̃ kivẽ ho?)
ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ? is a greeting used to ask someone how they are doing. If you specifically want to ask "Are you fine?", you can use ਤੁਸੀਂ ਠੀਕ ਹੋ?
Meaning: greeting (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ਤੁਸੀਂ (you), ਕਿਵੇਂ (how) and ਹੋ (are).
Which one should you use?
ਹਾਲ ਕਿੱਦਾ ਹੈ? literally translates to "How is the situation?" and is used in casual conversations, whereas ਕੀ ਹਾਲ ਆ? is a colloquial version used among friends.
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ? uses the plural/honorific pronoun ਤੁਸੀਂ to show respect. In contrast, an informal version uses the singular pronoun ਤੂੰ and the verb form ਹੈਂ, resulting in ਤੂੰ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੈਂ?
How do you pronounce it?
tusī̃ kivẽ ho?
When do people say it?
When someone greets you with this phrase, a common way to respond is ਮੈਂ ਠੀਕ ਹਾਂ (maĩ ṭhīk hā̃), which means "I am fine".
Did you know?
- If you use the informal ਤੂੰ (you) with an elder or a stranger, it is not just grammatically 'singular', it is considered a significant social insult.
- In many Punjabi households, after the initial 'how are you', it is customary to follow up with a question about one's family or 'ghar de' (house people) immediately.
- The word ਕਿਵੇਂ is believed to have evolved from an emphatic form of the word ਕਿਉਂ, which means 'why'.
Examples in context
- ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ?tusī̃ kivē̃ hō?How are you?
- ਸਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ, ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ?sat sī akāl, tusī̃ kivē̃ hō?Hello, how are you?
- ਮਾਫ਼ ਕਰਨਾ, ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ?māf karanā, tusī̃ kivē̃ hō?Excuse me, how are you?
Example conversation
Two friends meet unexpectedly at a park.
- ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ Manpreetਸਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ, ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ?Sat Shri Akaal Gurpreet, tusi kive ho?Hello Gurpreet, how are you?
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਮੈਂ ਠੀਕ ਹਾਂ, ਅਤੇ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ?Main theek han, ate tusi kive ho?I am fine, and how are you?
- ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ Manpreetਮੈਂ ਵੀ ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧੀਆ ਹਾਂ।Main vi bahut vadhia han.I am also doing very well.
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਇਹ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਹੋਈ।Eh sun ke khushi hoi.I am glad to hear that.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ਕਿਵੇਂ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
