In addition to the simple Punjabi question words, there are more precise question words which do not correspond to a single question word in English.
| Punjabi | English |
|---|---|
| kiddhar | which direction |
| kinnā | how much |
| kiho jihā | what kind / what sort |
| kidaṇ | what day |
| kiḍḍā | how big |
| kinavā(n) | what number (ordinal) |
kiddhar (which direction): kiddhar is used to ask about the direction or side of something. While it is different from kitthē (where), they can sometimes be used interchangeably
tū(n) kiddhar jā rihā hae(n)?
Where (which direction) are you going?
tērā ghar kiddhar hae?
Where (which direction) is your house?
kiho jihā (what kind / what sort): kiho jihā is used to ask about the nature, manner, or rough description of something. In informal speech, these variations can also be used kiho jā, kihā jā, kiddā(n) dā
ih kiho jihē ghar han?
What kinds of houses are these?
itthē kiho jihīā(n) macchhīā(n) han?
what kind of fishes are here?
kinnā (how much): kinnā is used to ask about the amount or count of something
maenū(n) patā nahī(n) kinnā vakat laggēgā
I don’t know how much time it will take
ihadē ‘tē kinnē paesē laggē?
How much money was spent on this?
kiḍḍā (how big): kiḍḍā is short for kinnā vaḍḍā (how big) and is used to ask about the size or magnitude of something
ih janggal kiḍḍā vaḍḍā hae?
How big is this jungle?
kinavā(n) (what ordinal number): kinavā(n) is similar to kinnā (how much), but is used to ask about the number of something in a sequence. For example, an answer to this kind of question could be first, second, tenth, or twentieth rather than one, two, ten, twenty
tērā sakūl vicch ajj kinavā(n) din hae?
What (ordinal number) day of your school is it today?
uh dauṛ vicch kinavē(n) sathān ‘tē āī?
What place did she finish in the race
kiddaṇ (what day): kiddaṇ is short for kis din (what day) or kihaṛā din (which day) and used to ask about a the day something has happened or will happen
tusī(n) dafatar kiddaṇ jāṇā hae?
What day are you (respectful / plural) going to the office
tērē sakūl dīā(n) khēḍā(n) kiddaṇ hoṇagīā(n)?
What day are your school games?