ਬੁੱਢੀ ਔਰਤ
budhi aurat
The phrase for "old woman" in Punjabi is ਬੁੱਢੀ ਔਰਤ (budhi aurat).
ਬੁੱਢੀ ਔਰਤ is a direct way to refer to an elderly woman. In casual, colloquial speech, speakers often drop the noun ਔਰਤ and simply use the adjective ਬੁੱਢੀ on its own to mean "old woman".
Meaning: elderly woman (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
ਬੁੱਢੀ (budhi) is the feminine form of the adjective meaning "old" or "aged".
How do you pronounce it?
budhi aurat
Did you know?
- The word ਔਰਤ used in the phrase actually traces back to an Arabic word meaning 'nakedness' or 'genitals'. Through Persian and Urdu, it evolved into the standard word for 'woman' used in Punjabi today.
- While ਬੁੱਢੀ ਔਰਤ is descriptive, Punjabi speakers often use the term ਮਾਤਾ ਜੀ (mata ji) meaning 'respected mother' to address an elderly woman they are not related to.
- While ਬੁੱਢੀ means 'old', using it to describe a person can be perceived as a direct insult rather than a simple description of age. To show respect, one should instead use the term ਬਜ਼ੁਰਗ (buzurg), which translates to 'elderly' or 'venerable'.
Examples in context
- ਉਹ ਇੱਕ ਬੁੱਢੀ ਔਰਤ ਹੈ।ohh ikk buḍḍhī aurat hai.She is an old woman.
- ਬੁੱਢੀ ਔਰਤ ਬਹੁਤ ਦਿਆਲੂ ਸੀ।buḍḍhī aurat bahut diyālū sī.The old woman was very kind.
- ਮੈਂ ਇੱਕ ਬੁੱਢੀ ਔਰਤ ਦੀ ਮਦਦ ਕੀਤੀ।maiṅ ikk buḍḍhī aurat dī madad kītī.I helped an old woman.
Example conversation
Preet and Gurpreet are walking in a park.
- ਪ੍ਰੀਤ Preetਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ, ਦੇਖੋ ਉਹ ਬੁੱਢੀ ਔਰਤ ਕਿੱਥੇ ਜਾ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ?Gurpreet, dekho oh budhī aurat kithe jā rahī hai?Gurpreet, look where that old woman is going?
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਉਹ ਸ਼ਾਇਦ ਪਾਰਕ ਦੇ ਦੂਜੇ ਪਾਸੇ ਜਾ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ।oh shāyad pārk de dūje pāse jā rahī hai.She is probably going to the other side of the park.
- ਪ੍ਰੀਤ Preetਕੀ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਉਸਦੀ ਮਦਦ ਕਰਨੀ ਚਾਹੀਦੀ ਹੈ?kī sānū us dī madad karnī chāhīdī hai?Should we help her?
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਹਾਂ, ਚਲੋ ਉਸਦੇ ਕੋਲ ਚੱਲੀਏ।hāñ, chalo us de kōl challīye.Yes, let's go to her.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ਔਰਤ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
