ਗੋਰਾ
gorā/ɡoː.ɾäː/
The English phrase "white man" is translated into Punjabi as ਗੋਰਾ (gorā).
ਗੋਰਾ is used to refer to a man with light skin, typically of European descent. The colloquial term Angrez can be used to refer to white people in general.
Which one should you use?
The term ਗੋਰਾ is the direct antonym of ਕਾਲਾ, which means black or dark-skinned.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes from ਗੋਰਾ to ਗੋਰੇ when you are referring to multiple white men or when you are using a respectful tone.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as gorā (/ɡoː.ɾäː/). It has two syllables.
Did you know?
- In Punjabi culture, the term ਗੋਰਾ is sometimes used metaphorically in poetry and folk songs to describe something beautiful, pure, or bright, such as the moon.
- The word ਗੋਰਾ originates from the Sanskrit word गौर, which describes a specific shade of golden or light yellow rather than just pure white.
- A person might be called ਗੋਰਾ even if they are of South Asian descent, provided their skin is exceptionally light in tone.
Examples in context
- ਉਹ ਇੱਕ ਗੋਰਾ ਹੈ।oh ik gora hai.He is a white man.
- ਉਹ ਗੋਰਾ ਆਦਮੀ ਬਹੁਤ ਉੱਚਾ ਹੈ।oh gora aadmi bahut uchha hai.That white man is very tall.
Example conversation
Simran and Aman are looking at a person in a crowd.
- ਸਿਮਰਨ Simranਉਹ ਦੇਖੋ, ਇੱਕ ਗੋਰਾ ਆਦਮੀ।oh dekho, ik gora aadmi.Look, a white man.
- ਅਮਨ Amanਹਾਂ, ਉਹ ਬਹੁਤ ਲੰਬਾ ਹੈ।haan, oh bahut lamba hai.Yes, he is very tall.
- ਸਿਮਰਨ Simranਕੀ ਉਹ ਗੋਰਾ ਹੈ?ki oh gora hai?Is he a white man?
- ਅਮਨ Amanਹਾਂ, ਉਹ ਗੋਰਾ ਲੱਗਦਾ ਹੈ।haan, oh gora lagda hai.Yes, he looks white.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ਗੋਰਾ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ਗੋਰਾ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
