ਰੋਟੀ
roṭī
To say "roti" in Punjabi, use ਰੋਟੀ (roṭī), the word for the round, unleavened flatbread eaten with most meals.
ਰੋਟੀ names the everyday flatbread made from wheat flour and cooked on a flat griddle. In a colloquial sense it can also mean food or a meal in general, not just the bread itself.
Meaning: unleavened flatbread (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
It is romanized as roṭī. The t is made with the tongue curled back against the roof of the mouth, and the final vowel is long.
When do people say it?
Roti is a staple of Punjabi meals and is usually eaten with lentils, vegetables or curry, torn by hand and used to scoop up the food. In winter, a flatbread made from maize flour served with cooked mustard greens is a well known Punjabi dish.
Did you know?
- While ਰੋਟੀ is a noun, it is used in the common Punjabi greeting ਰੋਟੀ ਖਾ ਲਈ? which literally asks 'Have you eaten bread?' This is often used as a general way to ask if someone is doing well or is settled.
- In Punjabi culture, the word ਰੋਟੀ is often used as a metaphor for a person's livelihood or means of survival. To 'earn one's ਰੋਟੀ' is the equivalent of the English phrase 'to earn a living'.
- In Punjab, the tradition of making ਰੋਟੀ is often a communal activity where women gather to roll and cook the bread together while sharing news.
Examples in context
- ਕੀ ਰੋਟੀ ਤਾਜ਼ੀ ਹੈ?ki roti tazi hai?Is the roti fresh?
- ਮੈਨੂੰ ਇੱਕ ਰੋਟੀ ਚਾਹੀਦੀ ਹੈ।mainu ik roti chahidi hai.I want one roti.
Example conversation
Two people are talking in the kitchen during dinner.
- ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ Manpreetਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ, ਕੀ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਰੋਟੀ ਖਾ ਲਈ?Gurpreet, ki tusi roti kha layi?Gurpreet, did you eat the roti?
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਨਹੀਂ, ਮੈਂ ਹਾਲੇ ਨਹੀਂ ਖਾਧੀ।Nahi, main hale nahi khadhi.No, I haven't eaten it yet.
- ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ Manpreetਫਿਰ ਜਲਦੀ ਤੋਂ ਰੋਟੀ ਖਾ ਲਓ।Phir jaldi ton roti kha lao.Then eat the roti quickly.
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਠੀਕ ਹੈ, ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ, ਮੈਂ ਹੁਣੇ ਖਾਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ।Thik hai, Manpreet, main hune khanda han.Okay, Manpreet, I will eat it now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ਰੋਟੀ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
