ਪੁਲਿਸ
pulis/pʊɭsə̆/Gurmukhi
The English phrase 'police' is translated into Punjabi as ਪੁਲਿਸ (pulis).
ਪੁਲਿਸ refers to a local or general law enforcement agency.
Meaning: local or general law enforcement agency (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
While English treats 'police' as a collective plural, in Punjabi, ਪੁਲਿਸ is treated as a singular noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is pulis.
Did you know?
- In colloquial Punjabi, someone might be called a ਪੁਲਿਸ ਵਾਲਾ to describe a police officer, which literally translates to 'a police person'.
- While ਪੁਲਿਸ is used for the official force, Punjabi speakers often use the word ਥਾਣਾ to refer to both the police station and the police authority within that jurisdiction.
- Because ਪੁਲਿਸ is a loanword from English, its presence in Punjabi is a linguistic marker of the historical British influence on the legal systems of South Asia.
Examples in context
- ਪੁਲਿਸ ਕਿੱਥੇ ਜਾਣ ਡਹੀ ਹੈ?Where's the police going?This sentence is useful for seeing how to ask about the movement of the ਪੁਲਿਸ.
- ਪੁਲਿਸ ਇੱਥੇ ਆ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ।pulis itthē ā rahi hē.The police are coming here.
- ਮੈਂ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਫ਼ੋਨ ਕੀਤਾ।maiṃ pulis nū phōn kītā.I called the police.
Example conversation
Herman and Preet are walking down a busy street.
- ਹਰਮਨ Hermanਕੀ ਤੂੰ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਦੇਖਿਆ?kī tū pulis nū dēkhiā?Did you see the police?
- ਪ੍ਰੀਤ Preetਹਾਂ, ਉਹ ਉੱਥੇ ਖੜ੍ਹੇ ਹਨ।hāṃ, uha utthē khaṛhē han.Yes, they are standing there.
- ਹਰਮਨ Hermanਉਹ ਕਿਸੇ ਨੂੰ ਰੋਕ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ।uha kisē nū rōk rahē han.They are stopping someone.
- ਪ੍ਰੀਤ Preetਚਲੋ, ਅਸੀਂ ਇੱਥੋਂ ਚੱਲਦੇ ਹਾਂ।calō, asīṃ itthō̃ caladē hāṃ.Let's go from here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “police” translations and entries ਪੁਲਿਸ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ਪੁਲਿਸ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
