Ways to say it
| Punjabi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਹੈ? | tuhāḍā nām kī hai? | polite |
| ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਹੈ? | terā nām kī hai? | informal |
The core components include the word for 'name' (ਨਾਂ or ਨਾਮ) and the word for 'your', which changes based on the relationship between the speakers.
What does it mean word for word?
In the polite form ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਹੈ?, ਤੁਹਾਡਾ means 'your' in a formal sense, ਨਾਮ means 'name'. In the informal form ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਹੈ?, ਤੇਰਾ means 'your' in a casual sense.
Which one should you use?
The polite form ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਹੈ? uses the word ਤੁਹਾਡਾ for 'your', while the informal form ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਹੈ? uses ਤੇਰਾ for 'your'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Use ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਹੈ? when speaking to elders, strangers or in formal settings. Use ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਹੈ? when speaking to children, close friends or people younger than you.
How do you pronounce it?
tuhāḍā nām kī hai?
When do people say it?
In Punjabi culture, it is common to add the respectful suffix ਜੀ after a name to show respect.
Did you know?
- In traditional Punjabi kinship culture, someone might answer the question 'what is your name' by stating their relationship to others instead of their individual name.
- Punjabi is written in the ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ script, which was standardized in the 16th century specifically to help people read the Guru Granth Sahib, the central scripture of Sikhism.
- The word ਨਾਮ for 'name' is a cognate of the English word 'name' and the Latin 'nomen' because they both derive from a very ancient Proto-Indo-European root.
Examples in context
- ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਨਾਂ ਕੀ ਹੈ?What is your name?
- ਮਾਫ਼ ਕਰਨਾ, ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਹੈ?māf karanā, tuhāḍā nām kī hai?Excuse me, what is your name?
- ਕੀ ਮੈਂ ਪੁੱਛ ਸਕਦਾ ਹਾਂ ਕਿ ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਹੈ?kī maiṃ puch sakadā hāṃ ki tuhāḍā nām kī hai?May I ask what your name is?
Example conversation
Two people are meeting at a social gathering.
- ਪ੍ਰੀਤ Preetਨਮਸਤੇ, ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਹੈ?namastē, tuhāḍā nām kī hai?Hello, what is your name?
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਮੇਰਾ ਨਾਮ ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਹੈ।mērā nām gurprīt hai.My name is Gurpreet.
- ਪ੍ਰੀਤ Preetਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਨਾਲ ਮਿਲ ਕੇ ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਹੋਈ, ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ।tuhāḍē nāl mil kē khuśī hōī, gurprīt.Nice to meet you, Gurpreet.
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਮੈਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਹੋਈ, ਪ੍ਰੀਤ।mēnū vī khuśī hōī, prīt.Nice to meet you too, Preet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “what is your name” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
