Things to know about Punjabi

The Punjabi language is spoken in parts of Pakistan and India.

If your Punjabi lessons require you to type Punjabi characters, follow the instructions immediately below to do so. If your lessons use transliterated Punjabi, see the Using Transliterated Punjabi Lessons section further down.

Using Punjabi Lessons

This application presents Punjabi in a variation of the Arabic alphabet which is used by Punjabi speakers in Pakistan. In this alphabet, Punjabi is written in a flowing script that runs from right to left, the opposite of English. Most Punjabi letters connect to the letters preceding and following them, just as in English cursive writing. Therefore, letters often change shape depending on their placement within a word.

To type Punjabi characters:

1. Position your cursor somewhere where you can type, and verify that the virtual keyboard layout is set to Punjabi.
2. Locate the character you want on the virtual keyboard, then click on it or press the corresponding key on your physical keyboard. The virtual keyboard shows the stand-alone form of each letter, but the characters will automatically change form to connect to one another as you type. Note that some punctuation marks, such as the question mark and the exclamation point, are available on the Punjabi keyboard by pressing the Shift key. See Typing special scripts for details.

Using Transliterated Punjabi Lessons

Some Punjabi lessons in this application may be transliterated - written with the letters of the Latin alphabet, from left to right. Transliterated lessons can help you master vocabulary and pronunciation before tackling a new writing system.

You do not have to type actual Punjabi characters in transliterated Punjabi lessons. You can type the transliterations in any activity or assessment that requires typed answers.

See also:

• Typing special scripts
• Language-specific information

---

Go to top of page