Emotional Vocabulary — Punjabi, Hindi & Urdu
ਭਾਵਨਾਵਾਂ — Naming What You Feel
One of the most underrated mental health skills is the ability to name what you’re experiencing. The research calls it “affect labeling” — and it actually reduces the intensity of the emotion you’re naming.
The problem: if you grew up speaking Punjabi, Hindi, or Urdu at home and English at school, you might have learned to describe your emotions in English — a language that doesn’t always have the right words for what you’re actually feeling.
This guide gives you both.
Core Emotions
| English | ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi) | हिंदी (Hindi) | اردو (Urdu) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sad | ਉਦਾਸ (udaas) | उदास (udaas) | اداس (udaas) |
| Anxious | ਚਿੰਤਤ (chintit) | चिंतित (chintit) | فکرمند (fikarmand) |
| Angry | ਗੁੱਸੇ ਵਿੱਚ (gusse vich) | गुस्से में (gusse mein) | غصے میں (gusse mein) |
| Exhausted | ਥੱਕਿਆ (thakkiya) | थका हुआ (thaka hua) | تھکا ہوا (thaka hua) |
| Proud | ਮਾਣ (maan) | गर्व (garv) | فخر (fakhr) |
| Ashamed | ਸ਼ਰਮਿੰਦਾ (sharminda) | शर्मिंदा (sharminda) | شرمندہ (sharminda) |
| Lonely | ਇਕੱਲਾ (ikalla) | अकेला (akela) | تنہا (tanha) |
| Overwhelmed | ਭਾਰੀ (bhaari) | अभिभूत (abhibhoot) | مغلوب (maghlub) |
| Grateful | ਸ਼ੁਕਰਗੁਜ਼ਾਰ (shukarguzhaar) | आभारी (aabhaari) | شکرگزار (shukarguzaar) |
| Hopeful | ਉਮੀਦਵਾਰ (umeedvaar) | उम्मीदवार (umeedvaar) | پرامید (pur umeed) |
Punjabi-Specific Emotional Concepts
Some of what we feel doesn’t translate cleanly into English. These words carry cultural weight that matters:
ਚੜ੍ਹਦੀ ਕਲਾ (Charhdi Kala) Eternal optimism. The Sikh concept of rising in spirit even through hardship. Not toxic positivity — resilient, grounded positivity. Saying someone has charhdi kala means they rise.
ਇੱਜ਼ਤ (Izzat) Honor. Not just personal reputation — family honor, community standing. Much of the stress South Asian men carry is tied to izzat. Understanding this word helps name the actual source of pressure.
ਸਬਰ (Sabr) Patience. But deeper — the willingness to endure without losing yourself. When elders say “sabr rakh,” they mean something more than “wait.” They mean: hold yourself together, this too will pass.
ਗ਼ੈਰਤ (Ghairat) Self-respect through action. The drive to do right by your family, your community, yourself — not for appearance but from inner integrity. Different from izzat (external) — ghairat is internal.
ਵਿਛੋੜਾ (Vichora) The pain of separation. From loved ones, homeland, belonging. Many first-gen South Asians carry a vichora they can’t name — a grief for a home that no longer fully exists in either country.
How to use this
When something feels heavy and you can’t find the word:
- Look through both columns
- Say the word out loud — in either language
- Notice if naming it changes how it feels
You’re not translating your experience. You’re finding its real name.
More tools
- 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise — 60-second pattern interrupt
- Burnout Assessment — Know where you are
- Join the Network — Connect with South Asian mental health professionals
Built by TherapaJi. Free, always. More vocabulary coming.