Punjabi translation

A language with two scripts

Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language that has an unusual feature among its relatives: it is tonal. It is written in two different scripts depending on where and by whom. In India, Punjabi is written in Gurmukhi, a script closely associated with Sikh scripture and used in education and public life in Indian Punjab. In Pakistan, it is written in Shahmukhi, a version of the Perso-Arabic script that runs from right to left and is closely related to the script used for Urdu. A text in one script cannot be read by someone who knows only the other, so the first question on any Punjabi project is which script, and for which audience.

Punjabi has a literary tradition that includes the Sufi poetry of Bulleh Shah and Waris Shah, the Sikh scriptures and a thriving modern literature, and its music, from folk to bhangra to contemporary Punjabi pop, has found a worldwide audience.

Where Punjabi is spoken

Pakistan

Punjabi is the most widely spoken language in Pakistan, with around 90 million speakers. Lahore is the cultural capital of the Punjabi world and Faisalabad is a major textile centre. Despite its numbers, Punjabi has no official status in education and administration, where Urdu and English dominate.

India

Around 30 million people in India speak Punjabi, mostly in the state of Punjab, where it is the official language, with Chandigarh, Haryana, Delhi and other states also having Punjabi-speaking communities.

The United Kingdom

Punjabi is one of the most widely spoken community languages in the UK, with Sikh, Hindu and Muslim communities in London, the West Midlands, Yorkshire and elsewhere. Many British Punjabi speakers come from the Mirpur region of Pakistan, whose variety, Pahari or Mirpuri, differs from standard Punjabi and is largely spoken rather than written, which is worth knowing when planning communication.

Canada

Punjabi is one of the most spoken languages in Canada after English and French, with large communities in British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta.

Elsewhere

The United States, Australia, New Zealand, the Gulf states and East Africa also have substantial Punjabi-speaking communities.

Key industries in Punjabi-speaking markets

Agriculture and food processing

The Punjab region is known as the breadbasket of South Asia, with wheat, rice and dairy at the heart of its economy. Agricultural export, food safety and supply chain documentation require translation.

Textiles and manufacturing

Faisalabad is a major textile hub, and Ludhiana in Indian Punjab is a centre for hosiery, bicycles, machinery and engineering goods. Supplier and compliance documentation is substantial.

Sports goods

Sialkot in Pakistan is one of the world’s largest producers of footballs and sports goods, supplying international brands.

Financial services and remittances

Punjabi diaspora communities send large volumes of money home, and banks, money transfer firms and insurers serve these communities in Punjabi.

Healthcare

NHS trusts, GP practices and healthcare providers serve large Punjabi-speaking populations, and patient information, consent forms and public health messages need accurate translation.

Transport, logistics and hospitality

Punjabi-speaking communities have a strong presence in trucking, logistics, retail and hospitality in the UK, Canada and the US.

Media and entertainment

Punjabi music and film is a global business, producing subtitling, localisation and licensing needs.

Education and community services

Schools, colleges, charities and local authorities communicate regularly with Punjabi-speaking families.

Why translate your business materials into Punjabi?

The community is large

In the UK, Canada and elsewhere, Punjabi speakers are significant customers, patients, tenants and employees. Organisations that communicate in Punjabi reach people who would otherwise be missed.

It reduces risk in public services

Clear information in Punjabi helps patients understand treatment, tenants understand agreements and families understand services, with real consequences for safety and fairness.

Business with South Asia

For trade, manufacturing and sourcing in Pakistan and India, Punjabi helps in building relationships beyond English or Urdu.

Trust and loyalty

Punjabi-speaking customers respond warmly to brands that bother to speak their language, particularly in finance, food, travel and retail.

Two scripts, two audiences

Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi give you the option of reaching both Indian Punjabi and Pakistani Punjabi communities, with the choice depending on your audience.

Getting Punjabi right

Choosing the right script is the first decision. Beyond that, the formal and everyday registers, regional varieties such as Majhi, Doabi, Malwai and Pothwari, and the distinction between spoken and written forms all matter. Machine translation has limited Punjabi data to draw on and tends to make obvious errors, particularly in Shahmukhi.

Why trust Atlas with your Punjabi translation?

Punjabi is a language we are asked about regularly by public sector and community clients, as well as by businesses, and it is a language where the details really matter.

Native Punjabi translators

Our Punjabi translators are native speakers, with Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi specialists matched to your audience. We always ask which script and which community you want to reach.

Sector expertise

Healthcare, local government, legal, financial and community work all have translators with real subject knowledge.

Human translation, always

Every Punjabi project is handled by a real person who is a native speaker of the language.

Script and layout handled properly

Gurmukhi and right-to-left Shahmukhi each need correct fonts, encoding and layout, and we handle these as part of the service.

A named project manager on every job

Every Atlas project is led by a dedicated member of our team who takes personal responsibility for quality and delivery, so you will always have someone to call.

ISO-certified quality

Atlas holds ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management) and ISO 17100:2017 (Translation Services) certifications, and was one of the first UK translation agencies to achieve the latter. We are also members of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting, the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading and the Association of Translation Companies.

35 years of experience

Atlas has been serving the languages of the UK’s communities since 1991, including work with the NHS and local organisations. If you have a Punjabi project to discuss, we would love to hear from you.