This vocabulary list consisting of approximately 330 of the most frequently used words in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib was developed for the Gurbani classes at the Chardi Kalaa Sikh Community Center.

Most of these words occur hundreds of times (including variants with different endings). Familiarity with this core vocabulary enables one to start understanding portions of most shabads and baanis.

The list below is in alphabetic order by the word in Romans. You can also view the same vocabulary in order of frequency of usage in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

We have also developed some quizes based on this core vocabulary (click below)

 

 

To view the words in Gurmukhi, download the Truetype Gurmukhi fonts and install on your PC.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

(Abreviations: GL - Gurbani Language; MP - Modern Punjabi; var-variant; PP- postposition; v-verb; n-noun; syn-synonym; ant-antonym or opposite.)

GLWord

Romans

Meanings in English

AaigAa

aagiaa

command, direction

AaigAakarI

aagiaa-kaari

obedient

AaieAa

aaiaa

aanaa - to come

Aasa

aasaa

hope, desire

AaO

aath

eight

AaO phr

aath pehar

24 hours, day and night

Aav{

aavai

comes (aanaa, aavnaa - to come)

AWar

adhaar

support

Agm

agam

incomprehensible (attribute of God); unapproachable

Agin

agan

fire

Ah;kar

ahankaar

pride, ego

A;imRt

amrit

nectar, immortality

A;wir

andar

in, within

Aniwnu

andin

daily

Aink

anik

(var. anek) many

A;it

ant

end, limit

A;tir

antar

within, in (MP - vich)

A;trjamI

antarjaami

Knower of deepest thoughts (God), Inner Guide

ApraWI

apraadhee

sinner, guilty

Aru

ar

and

Arwais

ardaas

prayer

Ait

at

very

Aol

aTal

eternal

Avru

avar

other

AvgN

avgan

sin, weakness

bahir

baahar

outside, besides

baNI

baanee

speech, Word

bairk

baarik

child

bat

baat

story, issue, conversation (syn. Gal)

bhutu

bahut

much, lots, very

bil

bal

strenght, power; sacrifice (balihaaree)

b;Wn

bandhan

bonds, fetters

b[A;t

be-ant

infinite; without an end

b[w

bed

Vedas (hindu scripture)

b[ntI

bentee

prayer, request

BaeI

bhaaee

brother, friend (used as address)

Bag

bhaag

bhaagna - to run away; bhaag - fortune, destiny

Baie

bhaai

pleases; will; love (doojaa bhaai - duality)

BaNa

bhaana

Will

Baxu

bhaau

love

Bav{

bhaavai

to ge pleasing, appeal to

Be[

bhae

become

Bgit

bhagat

devotee of God, saintly person

B{

bhai

fear ; syn - bhau

Bla

bhalaa

good

B;dar

bhanDaar

warehouse, treasure

B;jn

bhanjan

destroyer

Bir

bhar

full, overflowing

Brmu

bharam

doubt, confusion

BrpUir

bharpoor

completely full

Brvasa

bharvaasaa

trust, confidence. Var - bharosaa

Bxu

bhau

fear (bhaao - love)

BI

bhee

also (MP: vee)

ibiW

bidh

Method, way

ibWata

bidhaataa

architect of destiny, God

ibgs{

bigsai

blooms forth, joyous, radiant

ibKu

bikh

poison, sin

ibnu

bin

without

bUJih

boojhai

(v) understands

bRhm

brahm

Absolute Lord

bRhm igAanI

brahm giaanee

God-conscious person, in tune with God

bRhm;d

brahmand

universe

buiW

budh

intellect, wisdom

canNu

chaanan

light

crn

charan

feet - symbolizes devotion, humility

ctur

chatur

clever, intelligent

C]id

chhoD

abandon, leave

ic;ta

chintaa

worry (MP - fikar) (achintaa - free from worry)

ictu

chit

mind, heart

wanu

daan

charity, gift

was

daas

(devoted) servant, slave

wata

daataa

giver

wieAa

daiaa

mercy

wieAal

daiaal

kind, generous

wir

dar

door, portal

wrw

darad

Pain, suffering

wrgh

dargeh

court

wrsnu

darsan

vision, experience of being in Presence

wIAa

deeaa

gave

wIn

deen

poor, humble; religion, spiritual world

w[s

des

abode, country, land

Wavt

dhaavat

running (dhaavnaa - to run)

Wn

dhan

wealth; blessed

Wrm

dharam

righteous actions, duty, religion

Wrm raie

dharam raai

righteous judge (hindu mythology) who judges all beings

iWAaieAa

dhiaaiaa

meditate on, remember, repeat name

WUir

dhoor

dust

Wuir

dhur

destined, primal

iwnu

din

day

wUja

doojaa

second, other, duality

wuK

dukh

suffering, unhappiness

wurmit

durmat

evil mindedness

ieh

eh

this

e[k

ek

one (MP - ik)

gl

gal

thing, talk

grB

garabh

womb

grIb

gareeb

poor, humble

git

gat

state, emancipation

Gn[r[

ghanere

lots, great

Gir

ghar

home

Go

ghat

vessel, heart, being

igAanu

giaan

knowledge, realization

igAanI

giaanee

wise, knowledgable

g]ib;w

gobind

God (var - Govind, Govinda)

g]pal

gopaal

God, cherisher of the world

guN

gun

quality, merit, virtue

gur

Gur, Guru

Divine Master, Enlightner, Teacher

gurmit

gurmat

the Guru's teaching, wisdom

gurmuiK

Gurmukh

In tune with the Guru

hlit plit

halat palat

this world and the next

hmara

hamaaraa

Our, my

hir

Har

God

hxu

hau

I (pronoun)

hxum{

haumai

ego, pride, sense of I (separate from God & creation)

h[

hay

O (form of address)

ihrw{

hirdai

(in the) heart, mind (MP - dil) abbrev: ridai

hukmu

hukam

command, will

hm

hum

We, I

jagna

jaagna

to be awake, spiritually aware

janhu

jaanau

jananaa - to know

jait

jaat

caste, social status, species

jb

jab

when

jgu

jag

world

jgtu

jagat

world

jl

jal

water (mp - paanee)

jm

jam

death, god of death

jn

jan

(devoted) servant, slave

jnm

janam

birth

j;t

jant

being, creature

jp

jap

repeat Name, medidate

jsu

jas

glory

jxu

jau

if

jIA

jeea

living being, tongue

jIxu

jeeo

soul or life; respectful and affectionate appelation (Jee in MP)

j]gI

jogee

yogi, one seeking union with God

j]in

jon

(var- joon)incarnation, life (in birth/life cycle), species

j]ru

jor

power, to join (jorna)

j]it

jot

light

kaieAa

kaaiaa

body, self

kalu

kaal

death, time

kam

kaam

lust, physical pleasures

kar

kaar

task, affair

karj

kaaraj

affair, task

khu

kahu

says (kehna - to say)

kla

kalaa

art, technique

kml

kamal

lotus

krm

karam

grace, action

krih

kareh

karnaa - to do

krta

kartaa

creator

kvn

kavan

which

kIAa

keeaa

action (MP - keeta)

kImit

keemat

price, value

kIrtn

keertan

singing praises, spiritual music

K;dn

khanDan

destroy

Ksm

khasam

master, God

iKnu

khin

moment, instant

ikAa

kiaa

what (MP - kee)

ikrpa

kirpaa

kindness, mercy

k]

ko

to (pp - noo in MP), any or which (koee in MP)

kUzu

kooR

false

k]io

kot

millions (lit. 10 million)

kR]Wu

krodh

anger, wrath

kul

kul

clan, ancestory

kurbaNu

kurbaan

sacrifice

lag

laag

(laagna) -to be attached

iliKAa

likhiaa

written, destined (likhna- to write)

ilv

liv

deep continuous love and absorption

l]B

lobh

greed

manu

maan

pride, honor

ma:g{

maangai

asks

mair

maar

kill

mata

maataa

mother

maieAa

maayaa

worldly entaglements, illusionary & transient

m{lu

mael

impurity

mha

mahaa

great

mhla

Mahalaa

Identifies which Guru is author, neighborhood

mnu

man

mind, self, mortal

mnmuK

manmukh

self-willed, (opp. of Gurmukh)

mn]rT

manorath

hope, desire

m;tR

mantr

Word, secret (also mant)

mir

mar

marnaa - to die; janam maran = birth & death

mr{

marai

dies (marnaa - to die)

mstik

mastak

Forehead (MP mathaa)

mit

mat

wisdom, not

mIt

meet

dear friend

mIOa

meethaa

sweet (MP - mitha)

mih

meh

in (postposition)

imhrvan

meharvaan

generous, compassionate

m[il

mel

union; melnaa - to unite

imlae[

milaa-e

help to meet, unite

imit

mit

measure (n)

m]h

moh

attachment, excessive unhealthy love; mohnaa - to attract or fascinate

m]ihAa

mohiaa

mohanaa- to fascinate, attract

mUrK

moorakh

fool

mukit

mukat

liberated (muktee = liberation)

muiK

mukh

mouth, face, word

nal[

naalay

(pp) with

namu

Naam

Name, Conciousness, Presence

narI

naaree

woman, wife

naxu

naau

Naam, name

nwir

nadar

grace

nmskar

namaskaar

salutation, bow in humility

nr

nar

Man, mortal

nIka

neekaa

good, sublime

iniW

nidh

treasure

inWanu

nidhaan

treasure

inkio

nikat

near, close

inr;jnu

niranjan

God, The One unsullied by Maya or pollution

inr;karu

nirankaar

The Formless One, God

inrBxu

nirbhau

free from fear

inrguN

nirguN

without any merit; absolute and unmanifested (God)

inrml

nirmal

pure (mal=impurity)

int

nit

daily - (MP - roz) (syn andin)

xUca

oochaa

high

xUjl

oojal

bright, pure

xUpir

oopar

on, above

xUOt

oothat

while rising, standing; MP - uthnaa

Xo

ot

support

paeI

paaeeay

obtain

paeIA{

paaeeay

obtain

pap

paap

sin

pair

paar

beyond, other shore

parbRhm

paarbrahm

God, Transcendental Reality

pavih

paaveh

paavna - to obtain

pCaN{

pachaaNai

(pachhananaa) to recognize

pwarT

padaarath

substance, essence, treasure

pg

pag

foot

p;c

panch

five, select