Punjabi Correlative Relatives

by izzyamyx@gmail.com | Jul 26, 2025 | Punjabi

Relative-correlatives are used to link a relative clause with a main clause. They describe relationships between a person, place, or thing in relation to one another.

Common uses:

1. Cause and effect
2. Similarity
3. Degree/Comparison
4. Identification/specification

The Basic Structure:

[Relative Word + Clause 1 (Description)] … [Correlative Word + Clause 2 (Main Point)]

ਜਿਹੜਾ and ਜੋ

Both ਜਿਹੜਾ and ਜੋ are relative pronouns, meaning they introduce a clause that describes a noun (a person, place, or thing). Think of them like “who,” “which,” or “that” in English relative clauses (e.g., “the man who…”, “the book which…”).

Simple Rule of Thumb:

• If you are pointing out a specific noun (the boy, the book, the cars) and describing it with a “who” or “which” clause, use the form of ਜਿਹੜਾ that matches the noun’s gender and number.
• If you are talking more generally (“whoever,” “whatever,” “that which,” “those who”) or referring back to an entire idea, use ਜੋ.

ਜਿਹੜਾ – The Inflecting One (“Which” / “Who”)

• It must agree in gender and number with the noun it refers to. It changes its form accordingly.

Attaching relative clauses to the correlatives (linking two related ideas together):

Full sentences and translation:

Now we have the [Relative Clause] + [Main Clause with Correlative] structure, it’s helpful to notice a subtle difference in how these sentences often flow compared to their English translations.

In Punjabi, using pairs like ਜਿਹੜਾ… ਉਹ often feels like you’re presenting two distinct parts:

English, on the other hand, tends to embed the relative clause (“who,” “which,” “that”) more seamlessly right after the noun, making the sentence often feel like one continuous flow. It’s important to note that this does not apply to Punjabi, and the relative clause and main clause remain separated.

Punjabi:
ਜਿਹੜਾ ਮੁੰਡਾ ਖੇਡ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਮੇਰਾ ਭਰਾ ਹੈ।

English:
The boy who is playing is my brother.

Observation: The Punjabi clearly separates [The boy who is playing] and points to him with [ਉਹ – he] before stating the main point [is my brother]. The English integrates “who is playing” directly into the subject phrase.

More examples of how the translations may differ slightly:

ਜਿਹੜਾ ਮੁੰਡਾ ਖੇਡ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ ਉਹ ਮੇਰਾ ਭਰਾ ਹੈ।

The boy who is playing is my brother.

ਜਿਹੜੇ ਲੋਕ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ ਉਹ ਸਫਲ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਨ।

The people who work are successful.

ਜਿਹੜੀ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਮੈਂ ਪੜ੍ਹੀ ਉਹ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਦੀ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਹੈ।

The book that I read is a Punjabi book.

ਜਿਹੜੀਆਂ ਗੱਡੀਆਂ ਬਾਹਰ ਖੜੀਆਂ ਹਨ ਉਹ ਲਾਲ ਹਨ।

The cars which are parked outside are red.

ਜੋ – The Non-Inflecting One (“That which” / “He who”)

It does not change its form. It stays ਜੋ regardless of the gender or number of the noun or concept it refers to.

Examples:

ਜੋ ਮਿਹਨਤ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਉਹ ਸਫ਼ਲ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ।

ਜੋ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਹਾ, ਮੈਂ ਸੁਣ ਲਿਆ।

ਜੋ ਕਰਨਾ ਹੈ ਹੁਣੇ ਕਰੋ।

Beyond Who/What: Linking Place, Time, Manner, and More

We know how to use ਜਿਹੜਾ and ਜੋ to identify who or what we’re talking about and link that to another idea.

For each type of connection, we’ll look at the specific Punjabi words, understand their job, and see how they work in simple examples:

• Place (Where, From Where, Towards Where)
• Time (When, Since When)
• Manner/Way (How, As)
• Quantity/Degree (How Much/Many)
• Kind/Type (What Kind Of)

A Note on Translation and Sentence Flow

Before looking at the examples for these pairs, it’s helpful to keep something in mind. Just like we discussed earlier, the natural flow of sentences using other relative-correlative pairs an also differ from their smoothest English translations.

The Punjabi Structure: Often feels like two distinct parts.

A very literal, word-for-word translation of the Punjabi two-part structure can sometimes sound awkward or unnatural in English. English simply combines these types of ideas differently.

Example:

• Punjabi: ਜਿੱਥੇ ਸੁਆਦ ਖਾਣਾ ਹੈ, ਉੱਥੇ ਮੈਂ ਖਾਵਾਂਗਾ।
• Awkward Literal English: Where tasty food is, there I will eat.
• Natural English: I will eat where there is tasty food. / I’ll eat at the place with tasty food.

Focus on understanding the relationship the Punjabi pair creates (Location? Time? Manner? Quantity? Kind?). When translating to English, aim for the most natural-sounding English sentence that conveys that same relationship, even if it doesn’t mirror the Punjabi structure exactly. Recognizing the common two-part structure in Punjabi will help with comprehension and allow us to build correct Punjabi sentences, even if you translate them differently into flowing English.

Note: As we go, some words change form (inflect) to agree with nouns (like ਜਿਹੜਾ), whereas others (like ਜੋ) stay the same.

Linking Quantity/Degree: ਜਿੰਨਾ… ਉੰਨਾ

• The Pair:
  • Relative: ਜਿੰਨਾ – “As much as / As many as”
  • Correlative: ਉੰਨਾ – “That much / That many”
• Function: This pair relates the amount, quantity, degree, or extent of something in the first clause to that in the second clause.
• ⚠️ Inflection: Both ਜਿੰਨਾ and ਉੰਨਾ MUST agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to or quantify!
  • Masc Sg: ਜਿੰਨਾ… ਉੰਨਾ
  • Masc Pl: ਜਿੰਨੇ… ਉੰਨੇ
  • Fem Sg: ਜਿੰਨੀ… ਉੰਨੀ
  • Fem Pl: ਜਿੰਨੀਆਂ… ਉੰਨੀਆਂ

Examples:

Translation Flow Example:

• Punjabi: ਜਿੰਨਾ ਕੰਮ ਕਰੋਗੇ, ਉੰਨੇ ਪੈਸੇ ਮਿਲਣਗੇ।
• Awkward Literal English: As much work you will do, that much money will be received.
• Natural English Translation: The more work you do, the more money you will get. / You will get money proportional to how much work you do.

Linking Location: ਜਿੱਥੇ … ਉੱਥੇ

• The Pair:
  • Relative: ਜਿੱਥੇ “Where”
  • Correlative: ਉੱਥੇ “There” (at that specific place)
• Function: This pair connects a clause describing a location (starting with ਜਿੱਥੇ) with a clause stating what happens or exists at that location (using ਉੱਥੇ to point back).
• Inflection: These words do not typically change form based on gender/number in this structure

Examples

ਜਿੱਥੇ ਸੁਆਦ ਖਾਣਾ ਹੈ ਉੱਥੇ ਮੈਂ ਖਾਵਾਂਗਾ।

ਜਿੱਥੇ ਚੰਗੀਆਂ ਕਿਤਾਬਾਂ ਹਨ ਉੱਥੇ ਮੈਂ ਜਾਵਾਂਗਾ।

ਜਿੱਥੇ ਮੈਂ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹਾਂ ਉੱਥੇ ਬਾਗ਼ ਹੈ।

Linking Origin: ਜਿੱਥੋਂ … ਉੱਥੋਂ

• The Pair:
  • Relative: ਜਿੱਥੋਂ – “From where / Whence”
  • Correlative: ਉੱਥੋਂ – “From there / Thence”
• Function: This pair links the place of origin in the first clause to an action or state related to that origin in the second clause.
• Inflection: These words do not typically change form based on gender/number in this structure

ਜਿੱਥੋਂ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਆਏ ਹੋ ਉੱਥੋਂ ਮੈਂ ਵੀ ਆਇਆ ਹਾਂ।

ਜਿੱਥੋਂ ਬੱਸ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਹੈ ਮੈਂ ਉੱਥੋਂ ਚੜ੍ਹ ਜਾਵਾਂਗਾ।

ਜਿੱਥੋਂ ਸੂਰਜ ਨਿਕਲਦਾ ਹੈ ਉੱਥੋਂ ਰੋਸ਼ਨੀ ਆਉਂਦੀ ਹੈ।

Linking Direction/Movement Towards: ਜਿੱਧਰ… ਉੱਧਰ

• The Pair:
  • Relative: ਜਿੱਧਰ – “In which direction / To where / Whither”
  • Correlative: ਉੱਧਰ “In that direction / To there / Thither”
  • Function: This pair links the direction of movement, orientation, or focus mentioned in the first clause to an action or state related to that same direction in the second clause. It specifies ‘towards where / towards there’.
  • Inflection: These words do not typically change form based on gender/number in this structure

ਜਿੱਧਰ ਉਹ ਗਿਆ ਮੈਂ ਵੀ ਉੱਧਰ ਗਿਆ।

ਜਿੱਧਰ ਹਵਾ ਚੱਲ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ ਉੱਧਰ ਹੀ ਪਤੰਗ ਉਡਾਓ।

ਜਿੱਧਰ ਹਵਾ ਚੱਲ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ ਉੱਧਰ ਹੀ ਪਤੰਗ ਉਡਾਓ।

Linking Time: ਜਦੋਂ… ਤਦ

• The Pair:
  • Relative: ਜਦੋਂ – “When”
  • Correlative: ਤਦ – “Then” (at that specific time)
• Function: This pair connects a clause specifying a time or condition (starting with ਜਦੋਂ) with a clause describing what happens at that time (using ਤਦ to refer back).
• Inflection: These words do not typically change form based on gender/number in this structure.

ਜਦੋਂ ਬਾਰਿਸ਼ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ ਤਦ ਮਿੱਟੀ ਦੀ ਖੁਸ਼ਬੂ ਆਉਂਦੀ ਹੈ।

ਜਦੋਂ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਆਓਗੇ ਤਦ ਅਸੀਂ ਗੱਲ ਕਰਾਂਗੇ।

ਜਦੋਂ ਮੈਂ ਬੱਚਾ ਸੀ ਤਦ ਮੈਂ ਖੇਡਦਾ ਸੀ।

ਜਦੋਂ ਬਾਰਿਸ਼ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ ਤਦ ਮੋਰ ਨੱਚਦੇ ਹਨ।

Linking Manner/Way: ਜਿਵੇਂ… ਉਵੇਂ

• The Pairs:
  • Relative: ਜਿਵੇਂ – “How”
  • Correlative: ਉਵੇਂ – “That way”
• Function: These pairs compare how something is done or the nature of something.
• Inflection: These words do not typically change form based on gender/number in this structure.

ਜਿਵੇਂ ਮੈਂ ਕਹਿੰਦਾ ਹਾਂ ਉਵੇਂ ਕਰੋ।

ਜਿਵੇਂ ਮੈਂ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ ਉਵੇਂ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਰੋ।

ਜਿਵੇਂ ਉਹ ਨੱਚਦਾ ਹੈ ਉਵੇਂ

Note: Another equivalent way to link manner/way is ਜਿਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ… ਉਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ.

• ਜਿਵੇਂ/ਉਵੇਂ is often more general (like the proverb “As you sow, so shall you reap”), while ਜਿਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ/ਉਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ can be more specific about a particular method.

Linking Kind/Type/Quality: ਜਿਹੋ ਜਿਹਾ… ਉਹੋ ਜਿਹਾ

• The Pair:
  • Relative: ਜਿਹੋ ਜਿਹਾ – “What kind of”
  • Correlative: ਉਹੋ ਜਿਹਾ – “That kind of”
• Function: This pair links the kind, type, sort, or quality of a noun described to a statement or comparison involving that same kind/type in the second clause.
• ⚠️ Inflection: “ਜਿਹਾ” MUST agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to or quantify!

ਜਿਹੋ ਜਿਹਾ ਰੰਗ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ ਉਹੋ ਜਿਹਾ ਦਿਖਾਓ।

ਜਿਹੋ ਜਿਹੀ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਇਹ ਹੈ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਉਹੋ ਜਿਹੀ ਪਸੰਦ ਹੈ।

ਜਿਹੋ ਜਿਹੇ ਗਾਣੇ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਪਸੰਦ ਹਨ ਉਹੋ ਜਿਹੇ ਮੈਂ ਸੁਣਾਂਗਾ।

Linking Time (Specific Moment): ਜਿਸ ਵੇਲੇ… ਉਸ ਵੇਲੇ

• The Pair:
  • Relative: ਜਿਸ ਵੇਲੇ – “At the time which / At the moment when”
  • Correlative: ਉਸ ਵੇਲੇ – “At that time / At that moment”
• Function: This pair links a clause specifying a precise moment or point in time to what happened exactly at that same moment.
• Inflection: These words do not typically change form based on gender/number in this structure.

ਜਿਸ ਵੇਲੇ ਮੈਂ ਪਹੁੰਚਿਆ ਸ ਵੇਲੇ ਮੀਂਹ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ।

ਜਿਸ ਵੇਲੇ ਉਸਨੇ ਹੱਸਣਾ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਕੀਤਾ ਉਸ ਵੇਲੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਹੱਸ ਪਏ।

ਜਿਸ ਵੇਲੇ ਅਧਿਆਪਕ ਆਏ ਉਸ ਵੇਲੇ ਬੱਚੇ ਚੁੱਪ ਹੋ ਗਏ।

Example Bank

Punjabi translated into natural English sentences

ਜਿਹੜਾ ਮੁੰਡਾ ਖੇਡ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਮੇਰਾ ਭਰਾ ਹੈ।

The boy who is playing is my brother.

ਜਿਹੜੀ ਕਾਰ ਲਾਲ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਮੇਰੀ ਹੈ।

The car which is red is mine.

ਜੋ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਹੋਗੇ, ਉਹ ਮੈਂ ਕਰਾਂਗਾ।

I will do what you say

ਜੋ ਕਰਨਾ ਹੈ, ਹੁਣੇ ਕਰੋ।

Do whatever needs to be done right now.

ਜਿੱਥੇ ਸੁਆਦ ਖਾਣਾ ਹੈ, ਉੱਥੇ ਮੈਂ ਖਾਵਾਂਗਾ।

I will eat where there is tasty food.

ਜਿੱਥੇ ਮੈਂ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹਾਂ, ਉੱਥੇ ਇੱਕ ਬਾਗ਼ ਹੈ।

There is a park/garden where I live.

ਜਿੱਥੋਂ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਆਏ ਹੋ, ਮੈਂ ਵੀ ਉੱਥੋਂ ਆਇਆ ਹਾਂ।

I have also come from where you have come. / I am from the same place you are.

ਜਿੱਥੋਂ ਸੂਰਜ ਨਿਕਲਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉੱਥੋਂ ਰੋਸ਼ਨੀ ਆਉਂਦੀ ਹੈ।

Light comes from where the sun rises.

ਜਿੱਧਰ ਉਹ ਗਿਆ, ਮੈਂ ਵੀ ਉੱਧਰ ਗਿਆ।

I also went in the direction he went.

ਜਿੱਧਰ ਹਵਾ ਚੱਲ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ, ਉੱਧਰ ਹੀ ਪਤੰਗ ਉਡਾਓ।

Fly the kite in the same direction the wind is blowing.

ਜਦੋਂ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਆਓਗੇ, ਉਦੋਂ ਅਸੀਂ ਗੱਲ ਕਰਾਂਗੇ।

We will talk when you come.

ਜਦੋਂ ਮੈਂ ਬੱਚਾ ਸੀ, ਤਦ ਮੈਂ ਖੇਡਦਾ ਸੀ।

When I was a child, I used to play.

ਜਿਵੇਂ ਮੈਂ ਕਹਿੰਦਾ ਹਾਂ, ਉਵੇਂ ਕਰੋ।

Do as I say.

ਜਿੰਨਾ ਕੰਮ ਕਰੋਗੇ, ਉੰਨੇ ਪੈਸੇ ਮਿਲਣਗੇ।

The more work you do, the more money you will get.

ਜਿਹੋ ਜਿਹੀ ਕਿਤਾਬ ਇਹ ਹੈ, ਮੈਨੂੰ ਉਹੋ ਜਿਹੀ ਪਸੰਦ ਹੈ।

I like the kind of book this is. / This is the kind of book I like.

Using Relative Correlatives to Answer Questions

Relative correlatives are frequently used in Punjabi to provide specific and descriptive answers to questions, especially those using interrogative words like ਕਿਹੜਾ (which?), ਕਿੱਥੇ (where?), ਕਦੋਂ (when?), ਕਿੰਨਾ (how much?), ਕਿਹੋ ਜਿਹਾ (what kind?), and sometimes even ਕੀ (what?) when the answer requires specification. Using Relative Correlatives to Answer Questions

ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਮਨਪਸੰਦ ਰੁੱਤ ਕਿਹੜੀ ਹੈ? –> ਜਿਹੜੀ ਬਸੰਤ ਰੁੱਤ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਪਸੰਦ ਹੈ।

ਤੁਸੀਂ ਅੱਜ ਕੀ ਪੜ੍ਹੋਗੇ? –> ਜੋ ਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਕੀਤਾ ਸੀ, ਉਹੀ ਪੜ੍ਹਾਂਗਾ।

ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਦੋਂ ਆਓਗੇ? –> ਜਦੋਂ ਸ਼ਾਮ ਹੋਵੇਗੀ, ਉਦੋਂ ਆਵਾਂਗਾ।