Punjabi/Gurmukhi/Semi-vowels

The last six lessons were devoted to learn the Velars, Palatals, Retroflexes, Dentals and Labials. In this lesson we will learn the letters of the seventh row of Gurmukhi consisting of the Semi vowels.

Seventh row of Gurmukhi

The letters of the seventh row of Gurmukhi are ਯ ਰ ਲ ਵ ੜ They are called ਯ - yaiyya, ਰ - rara, ਲ - lulla, ਵ - vavaa and ੜ - rhaarha. Their pronunciation is ਯ - /y/, ਰ - /r/, ਲ - /l/, ਵ - /w/ and ੜ - /rh/. Each of them is explained below.

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Yaiyya : This is how words yak and yes are written in Gurmukhi

ਯਾ + ਕ = ਯਾਕ = yak

ਯੈੱ + ਸ = ਯੈੱਸ = yes

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Rara : ਰ is equivalent to /r/. For illustration of the use of ਰ see these examples

ਰੈ + ਟ = ਰੈਟ = rat

ਰੇ + ਡੀ + ਓ = ਰੇਡੀਓ = radio

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Lulla : ਲ is equivalent to /l/. The words lava and jail are written in Gurmukhi as

ਲਾ + ਵਾ = ਲਾਵਾ = lava

ਜੇ + ਲ = ਜੇਲ = jail

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Vuwwa : ਵ is equivalent to /w/. Notice the words west and welding in Gurmukhi below.

ਵੈ + ਸ + ਟ = ਵੈਸਟ = west

ਵੈ + ਲ + ਡਿੰ + ਗ = ਵੈਲਡਿੰਗ = welding

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Rharha : Let's now go to the last letter of this row which is ੜ and is equivalent to /rh/.

Exercises

1. Read these English words written in Gurmukhi

1. ਯੈੱਸ
2. ਰੇਡੀਓ
3. ਲੈਟਰ
4. ਵੈਸਟ
5. ਯੀਸਟ

Solutions

1. Yes
2. Radio
3. Letter
4. West
5. Yeast

2. Write the following words in Gurmukhi and English.

1. ਲੇਮ
2. ਵਿੰਡ
3. ਰੀਡ
4. ਯੀਲਡ
5. ਵਾਇਟ

Solutions

1. ਲੇਮ - Lame
2. ਵਿੰਡ - Wind
3. ਰੀਡ - Read
4. ਯੀਲਡ - Yield
5. ਵਾਇਟ - White

3. Write these English words in Gurmukhi

1. Leap
2. Rate
3. Yellow
4. Wax
5. Lake
6. Welding
7. Loom
8. Yak
9. Lady
10. Wet

Solutions

1. ਲੀ + ਪ = ਲੀਪ
2. ਰੇ + ਟ = ਰੇਟ
3. ਯੈ + ਲੋ = ਯੈਲੋ
4. ਵੈ + ਕ + ਸ = ਵੈਕਸ
5. ਲੇ + ਕ = ਲੇਕ
6. ਵੈ + ਲ + ਡਿੰ + ਗ = ਵੈਲਡਿੰਗ
7. ਲੂ + ਮ = ਲੂਮ
8. ਯੈ + ਕ = ਯੈਕ
9. ਲੇ + ਡੀ = ਲੇਡੀ
10. ਵੈੱ + ਟ = ਵੈੱਟ

Summary

In this lesson we have learnt the five letters of the second row of Gurmukhi script. These letter are ਯ yaiyya, ਰ rara, ਲ lulla, ਵ wuwwa and ੜ rhaarha. In the next lesson we will introduce the last six letters of Gurmukhi.