Saraiki phrasebook

Sourced from Wikivoyage. Text is available under the CC-by-SA 3.0 license.

Welkom_willkommen_Welcome_Bienvenue_Benvenuto.jpg

Saraiki (سرائیکی) is a dialect of western Punjabi (Lahnda) language spoken widely in central Pakistan, especially the provinces of southern Punjab, southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and border regions of North Sindh and Eastern Balochistan. You hear it mostly in the countryside, but people in Multan and Bahawalpur also mainly speak Saraiki.

Pronunciation guide

kh: Think of how the Scottish say loch or a German ch.
gh: A guzzle type sound from deep in the throat that's hard for westerners. Have someone from North Africa, the Middle East, or Asia help you pronounce it.
au: Think "owww!"
ٻ
ڄ
ݙ
ڳ
ݨ

Vowels00

Consonants

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

General Conversation

How are you: kay haal hen? (Less formal) or tuhada kiya haal hai saien? = تہاݙے کیا حال ہِن۔ (Formal to be used with strangers and the elderly).
I'm fine: Main teek aan or Changey haal hen.= چنگے حال ہِن
Welcome! = bismillaah Sain!= بسم اللہ سائیں
I'm bad: ruliya piyan
Whats your name?: Tuada na kay aay?
My name is...: meda naan .... aay.
Thank you: Dhannwaad/Shukriya = شکریہ
Welcome!: Bismillaah Sain!= بسم اللہ سائیں
Goodbye!: khuda hafeez!
Yes: jee, or, haa.
No: kona
where are you going: kithan wainday piyo?
i am going to ..........: mein vainda piyan ..........

Directions

Forwards: aggoon
Backwards: pichoon
Left: khabbay
Right: sajjay
Up : utoon
Down: talloon

Help!

Where is ...?: kithan hay....?
Bathroom:?: Ghusal khana
police:?: police
I need a doctor!: mekun doctor chahida hai horen!
I've been hurt.: mekun dhak lag py !!
Stop!: rok

Food

Water: parhin
Soda: pepsi
Bread: maani,naan (depends on what type of bread), chapati, roti, learn the differences!
Chicken: kukerh
Lamb/Goat : mehen da ghosht

Notes

In Pakistan, the firefighters are called the "Fire Brigade".
Most people understand the word doctor and will come to your aid.
Pepsi is just a general term for soda; if they actually HAND you a can of pepsi, tell them the brand of soda you want.
Remember, Seraiki DOES have dialects, but no matter where you speak it, even if you're from Multan and you are talking to somebody from Bahawalpur, they will understand you; it's only a slight difference.