ਕੱਲ੍ਹ
kallh/kəlː˥(ə̆˧)/
The Punjabi word for 'yesterday' is ਕੱਲ੍ਹ (kallh).
ਕੱਲ੍ਹ is used to refer to the day before today.
Meaning: day before today (noun)
Which one should you use?
The word ਕੱਲ੍ਹ is used for both 'yesterday' and 'tomorrow'. Because the word itself does not distinguish between the two, the specific meaning is determined by the surrounding context or the tense of the verb used in the sentence.
How does it change in a sentence?
To specifically indicate that you are referring to 'yesterday', you must use a past tense verb in your sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is kallh and the IPA is /kəlː˥(ə̆˧)/.
Did you know?
- The term ਕੱਲ੍ਹ is inherited from Paisaci Prakrit, an ancient linguistic stage that existed before the modernization of Punjabi.
- Punjabi's use of ਕੱਲ੍ਹ for both directions of time is a trait shared with some other Indo-Aryan languages, highlighting a regional approach to conceptualizing time as a relative distance from the present.
- While ਕੱਲ੍ਹ is used for the immediate day, the language uses different logic for 'the day before yesterday' or 'the day after tomorrow', often adding modifiers to specify the distance.
Examples in context
- ਅਸੀਂ ਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਓਥੇ ਗਏ ਸੀ।We went there yesterday.This sentence is useful for showing how to use ਕੱਲ੍ਹ in a past tense context.
- ਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਬਹੁਤ ਤੇਜ਼ ਮੀਂਹ ਪੈ ਰਿਹਾ ਸੀ।kall bahut tez meenh pai riha si.It was raining very hard yesterday.
- ਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਮੇਰਾ ਜਨਮਦਿਨ ਸੀ।kall mera janmadin si.Yesterday was my birthday.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a movie they saw.
- ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ Manpreetਕੀ ਤੂੰ ਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਉਹ ਫਿਲਮ ਦੇਖੀ?ki tu kall oh film dekhi?Did you see that movie yesterday?
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਹਾਂ, ਮੈਂ ਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਹੀ ਦੇਖੀ ਸੀ।han, main kall hi dekhi si.Yes, I saw it just yesterday.
- ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ Manpreetਤੈਨੂੰ ਉਹ ਕਿਹੋ ਜਿਹੀ ਲੱਗੀ?tainu oh kiho jihi laggi?How did you like it?
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਮੈਨੂੰ ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧੀਆ ਲੱਗੀ।mainu bahut vadhiya laggi.I liked it very much.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ਕੱਲ੍ਹ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ਕੱਲ੍ਹ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
