# Pahari-Pothwari

Pahari Pothwari is an Indo-Aryan language variety of the Lahnda group, spoken in the northern half of Pothohar Plateau, in Punjab, Pakistan, as well as in the most of Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir and in the western areas of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. It is known by a variety of names, the most common of which are Pahari (English: /pəˈhɑːri/; an ambiguous name also applied to other unrelated languages of India), and Pothwari (or Pothohari).
The language is transitional between Hindko and standard Punjabi and is mutually intelligible with both. There have been efforts at cultivation as a literary language, although a local standard has not been established yet. The Shahmukhi script is used to write the language, such as in the works of Punjabi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh.
Grierson in his early 20th-century Linguistic Survey of India assigned it to a so-called "northern cluster" of Lahnda (Western Punjabi), but this classification, as well as the validity of the Lahnda grouping in this case, have been called into question. In a sense all Lahnda varieties, and standard Punjabi are "dialects" of a "greater Punjabi" macrolanguage.

## Geographic distribution and dialects

There are at least three major dialects: Pothwari, Mirpuri and Pahari.
The dialects are mutually intelligible, but the difference between the northernmost and the southernmost dialects (from Muzaffarabad and Mirpur respectively) is enough to cause difficulties in understanding.

### Pothohar Plateau

Pothwari (پوٹھواری), also spelt Potwari, Potohari and Pothohari (پوٹھوہاری), is spoken in the north-eastern portion of Pothohar Plateau of northern Punjab, an area administratively within Rawalpindi division. Pothwari is its most common name, and some call it Pindiwal Punjabi to differentiate it from the Punjabi spoken elsewhere in Punjab.
Pothwari extends southwards up to the Salt Range, with the city of Jhelum marking the border with Majha dialect. To the north, Pothwari transitions into the Pahari-speaking area, with Bharakao, near Islamabad, generally regarded as the point where Pothwari ends and Pahari begins. In Attock and Talagang districts of Pothohar, it comes in contact with other Lahnda varieties, namely Chacchi, Awankari and Ghebi. In Chakwal, yet another dialect is spoken, Dhani.
Pothwari has been represented as a dialect of Punjabi by the Punjabi language movement, and in census reports the Pothwari areas of Punjab have been shown as Punjabi-majority.

### Mirpur

East of the Pothwari areas, across the Jhelum River into Mirpur District in Azad Kashmir, the language is more similar to Pothwari than to the Pahari spoken in the rest of Azad Kashmir. Locally it is known by a variety of names: Pahari, Mirpur Pahari, Mirpuri, and Pothwari, while some of its speakers call it Punjabi. Mirpuris possess a strong sense of Kashmiri identity that overrides linguistic identification with closely related groups outside Azad Kashmir, such as the Pothwari Punjabis. The Mirpur region has been the source of the greater part of Pakistani immigration to the UK, a process that started when thousands were displaced by the construction of the Mangla Dam in the 1960s and emigrated to fill labour shortages in England. The British Mirpuri diaspora now numbers several hundred thousand, and Pahari has been argued to be the second most common mother tongue in the UK, yet the language is little known in the wider society there and its status has remained surrounded by confusion.

### Kashmir, Murree and the Galyat

Pahari (پہاڑی) is spoken to the north of Pothwari. The central cluster of Pahari dialects is found around Murree. This area is in the Galyat: the hill country of Murree Tehsil in the northeast of Rawalpindi District (just north of the capital Islamabad) and the adjoining areas in southeastern Abbottabad District. One name occasionally found in the literature for this language is Dhundi-Kairali (Ḍhūṇḍī-Kaiṛālī), a term first used by Grierson who based it on the names of the two major tribes of the area – the Kairal and the Dhund. Its speakers call it Pahari in Murree tehsil, while in Abbottabad district it is known as either Hindko or Ḍhūṇḍī. Nevertheless, Hindko – properly the language of the rest of Abbottabad District and the neighbouring areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – is generally regarded as a different language. It forms a dialect continuum with Pahari, and the transition between the two is in northern Azad Kashmir and in the Galyat region. For example, on the road from Murree northwest towards the city of Abbottabad, Pahari gradually changes into Hindko between Ayubia and Nathiagali.
A closely related dialect is spoken across the Jhelum River in Azad Kashmir, north of the Mirpuri areas. Names associated in the literature with this dialect are Pahari (itself the term most commonly used by the speakers themselves), Chibhālī, named after the Chibhal region or the Chibh ethnic group, and Pahari (Poonchi) (پونچھی, also spelt Punchhi). The latter name has been variously applied to either the Chibhali variety specific to the district of Poonch, or to the dialect of the whole northern half of Azad Kashmir. This dialect (or dialects) has been seen either as a separate dialect from the one in Murree, or as belonging to the same central group of Pahari dialects. The dialect of the district of Bagh, for example, has more shared vocabulary with the core dialects from Murree (86–88%) than with the varieties of either Muzaffarabad (84%) or Mirpur (78%).
In Muzaffarabad the dialect shows lexical similarity of 83–88% with the central group of Pahari dialects, which is high enough for the authors of the sociolinguistic survey to classify it is a central dialect itself, but low enough to warrant noting its borderline status. The speakers however tend to call their language Hindko and to identify more with the Hindko spoken to the west, despite the lower lexical similarity (73–79%) with the core Hindko dialects of Abbottabad and Mansehra. Further north into the Neelam Valley the dialect, now known locally as Parmi, becomes closer to Hindko.
Pahari is also spoken further east across the Line of Control into the Pir Panjal mountains in Indian Jammu and Kashmir. The population, estimated at 1 million, is found in the region between the Jhelum and Chenab rivers: most significantly in the districts of Poonch and Rajouri, to a lesser extent in neighbouring Baramulla and Kupwara, and also – as a result of the influx of refugees during the Partition of 1947 – scattered throughout the rest of Jammu and Kashmir. Pahari is among the regional languages listed in the sixth schedule of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir. This Pahari is sometimes conflated with the Western Pahari languages spoken in the mountainous region in the south-east of Indian Jammu and Kashmir. These languages, which include Bhadarwahi and its neighbours, are often called "Pahari", although not same they are closely related to Pahari–Pothwari.

### Diaspora

Pahari Pothwari is also very widely spoken in the United Kingdom. Labour shortages after World War II, and the displacement of peoples caused by the construction of the Mangla Dam, facilitated extensive migration of Pahari-Pothwari speakers to the UK during the 1950s and 1960s, especially from the Mirpur District. Academics estimate that between two thirds and 80% of people officially classified as British Pakistanis originate as part of this diaspora, with some suggesting that it is the second most spoken language of the United Kingdom, ahead of even Welsh, with hundreds of thousands of speakers. However, since there is little awareness of the identity of the language among speakers, census results do not reflect this. The highest proportions of Pahari-Pothwari speakers are found in urban centres, especially the West Midlands conurbation and the West Yorkshire Built-up Area.

## Phonology
### Vowels

Vowels of Pahari :
| | Front | Front | Central | Central | Back | Back |
| | oral | nasal | oral | nasal | oral | nasal |
| Close | iː | ĩː | | | uː | ũː |
| Near-close | ɪ | ɪ | | | ʊ | ʊ |
| Mid | e eː | ẽː | ə | ə | o oː | o oː |
| Open | æ æː | æ æː | aː | ãː | | |
Vowels of Pothwari :
| | Front | Front | Central | Central | Back | Back |
| | oral | nasal | oral | nasal | oral | nasal |
| Close | i iː | ĩ ĩː | | | u uː | ũ ũː |
| Mid | e | ẽ | ɐ | ɐ̃ | o | õ |
| Open | | | | | ɑ | ɑ̃ |
A long diphthong /ɑi/ can be realized as [äː].

### Consonants

Consonants of Pahari :
| | | Labial | Dental | Alveolar | Post-alv./ Palatal | Velar | Glottal |
| Stop/ Affricate | voiceless | p | t̪ | t | t͡ʃ | k | |
| Stop/ Affricate | aspirated | pʰ | t̪ʰ | tʰ | t͡ʃʰ | kʰ | |
| Stop/ Affricate | voiced | b | d̪ | d | d͡ʒ | ɡ | |
| Fricative | voiceless | f | | s | ʃ | x | |
| Fricative | voiced | v | | z | | ɣ | ɦ |
| Nasal | Nasal | m | | n | | ŋ | |
| Approximant | Approximant | | | l | j | | |
| Tap/Trill | Tap/Trill | | | r | ɽ | | |
Consonants of Pothwari :
| | | Labial | Alveolar | Retroflex | Post-alv./ Palatal | Velar/ Uvular | Glottal |
| Stop | voiceless | p | t | ʈ | | k | |
| Stop | aspirated | pʰ | tʰ | ʈʰ | | kʰ | |
| Stop | voiced | b | d | ɖ | | ɡ | |
| Stop | breathy | bʱ | dʱ | ɖʱ | | ɡʱ | |
| Affricate | voiceless | | t͡s | | | | |
| Affricate | aspirated | | t͡sʰ | | | | |
| Affricate | voiced | | d͡z | | | | |
| Fricative | voiceless | (f) | s | | ʃ | (χ) | h |
| Fricative | voiced | v | z | | (ʒ) | (ʁ) | h |
| Nasal | Nasal | m | n | ɳ | | | |
| Approximant | Approximant | | l | ɭ | j | | |
| Tap/Trill | Tap/Trill | | r | ɽ | | | |
* Sounds [f, ʒ, χ, ʁ, q] are heard from Persian and Arabic loanwords.
* /h/ is realized as voiced [ɦ] in word-initial position.
* /n/ before a velar consonant can be heard as [ŋ].

## Morphology
### Nouns
#### Case table

Extended masculine forms can be realised as being added the oblique forms ending in -e, which is shortened to -i- (phonetically [e̯]) before back vowels and is lost before front vowels.
Pahari-Pothwari case endings table :
| class | gender | number | direct | oblique | vocative | ablative | locative | instrumental |
| extended form | masculine | singular | kuttā | kutte | kuttiā | kuttiū̃ | kutte | kutte |
| extended form | masculine | plural | kutte | kuttiā̃ | kuttio | | | |
| extended form | feminine | singular | kuttī | kuttī | kuttīe | kuttīū̃ | | |
| extended form | feminine | plural | kuttīā̃ | kuttīā̃ | kuttīo | | | |
| unextended forms | masculine | singular | ghar | ghare | gharā | gharū̃ | ghare | ghare |
| unextended forms | masculine | plural | ghar | gharā̃ | gharo | | gharī̃ | gharī̃ |
| unextended forms | feminine | singular | gall | galle | galle | gallū̃ | galle | galle |
| unextended forms | feminine | plural | gallā̃ | gallā̃ | gallo | | gallī̃ | gallī̃ |
Notes:
* Extended nouns generally end in -ā for masculine and -ī for feminine in the direct singular form

#### Oblique form

The numbers in their oblique form function the same throughout Punjabi dialects.
| English | Pothohari | Jhangochi | Majhi |
| I got it for forty-four | میں ایہہ چُرتالیاں نا آندا آ | میں ایہہ چُرتالیاں دا آندا اے | میں ایہہ چوتالیاں دا آندا آ |
| above twenty-five or thirty | پنجِیاں ترِیہاں توں اپّر | پنجِیاں ترِیہاں توں اُتّے | پنجِیاں ترِیہاں توں اُتّے |
| after two or four days | دوَنہہ چَونہہ دیہاڑیاں بعد | دَونہہ چَونہہ دیہاڑیاں پِچھّوں | دَونہہ چَونہہ دیہاڑیاں پِچھّوں |
| at 8:46 | اٹھّ چھتالیاں اپّر | اٹھّ چھتالیاں تے | اٹھّ چھتالیاں تے |
| for almost five lakh | پنجاں اِک لکھّاں نا | پنجاں اِک لکھّاں دا | پنجاں اِک لکھّاں دا |
| nearing twenty | وِیہاں نے نیڑے | وِیہاں دے نیڑے | وِیہاں دے نیڑے |

##### Oblique case of nouns

Pahari-Pothwari has unique forms for nouns in oblique cases. This is not observed in standard Punjabi, but is seen in Hindko.
| English | Pahari-Pothwari | Standard Punjabi |
| English | Shahmukhi | Shahmukhi |
| housework | گھرے نا کمّ | گھر دا کمّ |
| dinner | راتی نی روٹی | رات دی روٹی |
| in a young age | نِکّی عُمرے وِچ | نِکّی عُمر وِچّ |
| on my heart | مھاڑے دِلّے اپّر | میرے دِل تے |
| with care | دھیاݨے نال | دھیان نال |
| patiently | ارامے نال | ارام نال |
| to my sister | بھیݨُوں کی | بھین نُوں |
| for my brother | بھراُو واسطے | بھرا واسطے |
| important detail | کمّے نی گلّ | کمّ دی گلّ |
| there's no accounting for taste | شَونقے نا کوئی مُل نہیں ہوݨا | شَونق دا کوئی مُل نہیں ہوندا |
| understand the point | گلّے کی سمجھ | گلّ نُوں سمجھ |

#### Vocative case

These cases remain the same between Pothohari and other dialects.
As example of the vocative case:
| English | Pothohari | Majhi |
| oh my son! | او مھاڑیا پُتّرا | او میریا پُتّرا |
| born to a blind a woman! (derogatory) | اَنّھی نیا | اَنّھی دیا |
| oh you people of God! | او ﷲ نیو بندیو | او ﷲ دیو بندیو |
| listen to me, girl | کُڑِیے گلّ سُݨ | کُڑِی گلّ سُݨ |
| brother! | بھراوا | بھراوا |
| oh elderly! (can be singular) | بُزرگو | بزرگو |
Pronominal suffixes
Pothohari makes use of the general Punjabi suffixes.
| | romanisation | romanisation |
| | singular | plural |
| 2nd person | -ī | -ne |
| 3rd person | -s | -ne |
Examples:
| English | Pothohari | Jhangochi / Shahpuri | Majhi |
| alright, what did he say next? (3.p.s.) | ہالا فیر کے آخیا ہیس/ہس؟ | ہالا مُڑکی آکھیُس؟ ہالا مُڑ کی آکھیا سُو؟ | اچھا فیر کی اکھیا سُو؟ |
| are your hands and feet broken? (2.p.p.) | ہتھّ پَیر بھجّے / ترُٹّے نی؟ | ہتھّ پَیر بھجّے نی؟ | ہتھّ پَیر بھجّے نی؟ (یا ٹُٹّے) |
| I'm bringing it for you (2.p.s.) | ایہہ میں تہاڑے واسطے آݨنا ای | ایہہ میں تیرے واسطے لیاندا ای | ایہہ میں تیرے واسطے آݨدا ای |
| did you eat? (2.p. respectful) | روٹی کھادی نے؟ | روٹی کھادی ہِنے؟ | روٹی کھادی جے؟ |
| he didn't even bother this much (3.p.s.) | اتنا وی نہیں٘س آخیا | ایتݨاں وی نِسُو آکھیا | اِنّا وی نہیں آکھیا سُو |

### Pronouns
#### Full pronoun tables:

Pahari-Pothwari personal pronouns :
| person | person | number | direct | oblique | dative | genitive |
| 1st person | 1st person | singular | mẽ | mẽ | mikī | mhārā |
| 1st person | 1st person | plural | as | asā̃ | asā̃-kī | sāhṛā |
| 2nd person | 2nd person | singular | tū̃ | tū̃ | tukī | tahrā/tuhāṛā |
| 2nd person | 2nd person | plural | tus | tusā̃ | tusā̃-kī | tusā̃-nā |
| 3rd person | near | singular | é | is | is-kī | is-nā |
| 3rd person | near | plural | é | ehnā̃ | ehnā̃-kī | ehnā̃-nā |
| 3rd person | remote | singular | ó | us | us-kī | us-nā |
| 3rd person | remote | plural | ó | ohnā̃ | ohnā̃-kī | ohnā̃-nā |

### Verbs
#### Adding "i" to root form of verb

A peculiar feature of Pahari-Pothwari is to end the basic root form of verbs with an "i" sound.
| English | Pahari-Pothwari | Standard Punjabi |
| English | Shahmukhi | Shahmukhi |
| it happened | ہوئی گیا | ہو گیا |
| it may be possible | ہوئی سکنا اے | ہو سکدا اے |
| together | رلی مِلی تے | رل مِل کے |
| finish it | مُکائی چھوڑ | مُکا چھڈّ/چھوڑ |
| look | تکّی گھِنو | ویکھ لو |
| come back after having lunch | روٹی کھائی تے مُڑی اچھِیں | روٹی کھا کے مُڑ آوِیں |
| eat it | کھائی گھِن | کھا لَے |
| sit quietly for once | کدے ٹِکی تے بہی وی جُلیا کر | کدے ٹِک کے بہہ وی جایا کر |

#### Future tense

The future tense in Pothwari is formed by adding -s as opposed to the Eastern Punjabi gā.
This tense is also used in other western Punjabi dialects such as the Jatki dialects, Shahpuri, Jhangochi and Dhanni, as well as in and Hindko and Saraiki.
| English | Pahari-Pothwari | Pahari-Pothwari | Eastern Punjabi | Eastern Punjabi |
| English | transliteration | Shahmukhi | transliteration | Shahmukhi |
| I will do | mãi karsā̃ | مَیں کرساں | mãi karāngā | مَیں کرانگا |
| we will do | asā̃ karsā̃ | اَساں کرساں | asī̃ karānge | اَسِیں کرانگے |
| you will do (s) | tū̃ karsãi | تُوں کرسَیں | tū̃ karãigā | تُوں کریں گا |
| you will do (p) | tusā̃ karso | تُساں کرسو | tusī̃ karoge | تُسِیں کروگے |
| he/she will do | ó karsi | اوه کَرسی | ó karega | اوه کرے گا |
| they will do | ó karsan | اوہ کرسن | ó karaṇge | اوه کرݨ گے |
This type of future tense was also used by classical Punjabi poets. Punjabi poet Bulleh Shah sometimes uses a similar form of future tense in his poetry:
Shahmukhi: جو کُجھ کرسَیں, سو کُجھ پاسَیں
Transliteration: jo kujh karsãĩ, so kujh pāsãĩ
Translation: whatsoever you do, is what you shall gain

#### Continuous tense

Similar to other Punjabi varieties, Pothwari uses peyā (past tense form of pēṇā) to signify the continuous tense.

#### Present Continuous

| English | Pahari-Pothwari | Pahari-Pothwari |
| English | transliteration | Shahmukhi |
| I am doing (m.) | mē̃ karnā peyā ā̃̀ | میں کرنا پیا ہاں |
| we are doing (m./mixed) | asā̃ karne pa'e ā̃̀ | اساں کرنے پئے ہاں |
| you are doing (sing., m.) | tū̃ karna peya aĩ̀ | تُوں کرنا پیا ہیں |
| you are doing (sing., f.) | tū̃ karnī paī aĩ̀ | تُوں کرنی پئی ہیں |
| you are doing (plural, m./mixed) | tusā̃ karne pa'e ò | تُساں کرنے پئے ہو |
| he is doing | ó karna peya aì | اوہ کرنا پیا ہے |
| she is doing | ó karnī paī aì | اوہ کرنی پئی ہے |
| they are doing (m.) | ó karne pa'e ìn | اوہ کرنے پئے ہِن |
| they are doing (f.) | ó karniyā̃ paiyā̃ ìn | اوہ کرنیاں پئیاں ہِن |

##### Past continuous

The past tense in Pothwari resembles that of Eastern Punjabi, however depending on the dialect, there may be slight variations.
| English | Pahari-Pothwari | Standard Punjabi |
| I was doing (m.) | میں کرنا پیا ساں maĩ karna pya sã | میں کردا پیا ساں maĩ karda pya sã |
| we were doing (m./mixed) | اساں کرنے پئے سیاں/ساں | اسِیں کردے پئے ساں |
| you were doing (sing., m.) | تُوں کرنا پیا سیں | تُوں کردا پیا سیں |
| you were doing (pl., m./mixed or sing. formal) | تُساں کرنے پئے سیو/سو | تُسِیں کردے پئے سو |
| he was doing | اوہ کرنا پیا سا/سی | اوہ کردا پیا سی |
| she was doing | اوہ کرنی پئی سی | اوہ کردی پئی سی |
| they were doing (m./mixed) | اوہ کرنے پئے سے/سن | اوہ کردے پئے سن |
| they were doing (f.) | اوہ کرنِیاں پئیاں سِیاں/سن | اوہ کردِیاں پئیاں سن |
The place of "pyā" may sometimes be switched with respect to the verb. This is common in Majhi (e.g: Noor Jehan's "chann māhi teri rāh pyi takkni ãã) and as well as in Jhangochi, Shahpuri, etc
"tusā̃ báhū̃ changā kamm karne ò pa'e", meaning "you (plural/sing. formal) are doing a very good thing"
"mē̃ vī tā̃ éhe gall ākhnā sā̃ peyā", meaning "I was also saying the same thing"
"mē̃ vī tā̃ ehe gall peyā ākhnā ā̃̀", meaning "I am also saying the same thing"

### Post-positions

These are typically the same in Pothohari and standard Punjabi, but some differences can be noted.

#### Adverbs and post-positions

Adverbs and post-positions :
| English | Pothohari | Standard Punjabi |
| which (relative) | جہڑا | جہڑا |
| which (interogative) | کہڑا | کہڑا |
| if | جے | جے |
| and | تے | تے |
| near | نیڑے | نیڑے |
| distant | پرھاں | پرھاں |
| before / previously | اگّے | اگّے |
| hence / thus | تاں مارے | تاں کرکے |
| exactly why | تاں ای | تاں ای |
| first | پہلوں | پہلوں / پہلاں |
| once | اِکّ واری | اِکّ واری |
| now | ہُن | ہُن |
| just now | ہُنے / میسں | ہُنے |
| right at that time | اوسے ویلے | اوسے ویلے |
| sometimes | کدے | کدے / کدی |
| somewhere | کِرے / کُرے | کِتّے / کِدھرے |
| when | کدوں | کدوں |
| like this (adv.) | ایوں / اِنج / اِسراں | ایوں / اِنج / اِس طرحاں |
| like this (adj.) | ایہے جیہا | ایہو جیہا |
| exactly this / only this | ایہے | ایہو |
| above | اَپّر | اُتّے / اُپّر |
| below | تھلّے / بُن | تھلّے |
| from below | تھلّوں | تھلّوں |
| right | سجّے | سجّے |
| left | کھبّے | کھبّے |
| within | وِچّ | وِچّ |
| from within | وِچّّوں | وِچّوں |
| between | وِشکار | وِچکار |
| from | توں / سوں / کولں | توں / کولوں |
| from the front | اگّوں | اگّوں |
| from behind | پِچھوں، مگروں | پِچھوں، مگروں |
| in comparison | کولوں / نالوں | کولوں / نالوں |
| with (utility) | نال | نال |
| furthermore | نالے | نالے |
| yet / still | حالے / اجے | حالے / اجے |
| with (possession) | کول | کول |
| along / including | سݨے | سݨے |
| ٰeverywhere | چوہاں پاسے | چوہاں پاسے |
| properly | چنگی طرحاں | چنگی طرحاں |
| harshly | ڈاہڈا | ڈاہڈا |
| with ease | سوکھا | سوکھا |
| with difficulty | اوکھا | اوکھا |
| lest | متے | متاں / کِتے ایہہ نہ ہووے |
| who knows | خورے | خورے |
| very | بہُوں | (بہوں is used in most Western Punjabi dialects) |
| enough | بتیرا | بتھیرا / بتیرا |
| less | گھٹّ | گھٹّ |
| alone | کلھیوں | کلھیاں |
| together | کٹھّیوں | کٹھّیاں |
| again | مُڑی تے | مُڑکے |
| repeatedly | مُڑی مُڑی | مُڑ مُڑ |
| eventually | ہَولے ہَولے | ہَولی ہَولی |
| quickly | بہلی | چھیتی |
| this much (quality.) | ایڈا | ایڈا |
| this much (quantity.) | ہیتݨاں | اِنّا |
| alright / okay / oh | ہلا | اچّھا |
Note:
* Some Majhi subdialects do use کٹھّیوں for کٹھّیاں
* Standard Punjabi makes use of اُپّر
* In Pahari-Pothohari مسیں means now, while in other dialects مسیں / مساں means "barely/hardly"
* The pronunciation وِشکار is not unique to Pahari-Pothohari alone
* The word and expression ہلا / Hala is common throughout Western Punjab, also used in Majhi

#### Genitive marker

The genitive marker in Pahari-Pothwari is represented through the use of nā (ਨਾ / نا) as opposed to dā (ਦਾ / دا) in common Punjabi.
* The phrase: lokkā̃ dā (ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦਾ / لوکاں دا), meaning "people's" or "of the people" in Pahari-Pothwari, would become lokkā̃ nā (ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨਾ / لوکاں نا)
It should also be noted that in Pahari-Pothwari, the present form of verb does not end with the standard dā sound either, and is replaced with nā. This means that ākhdā would be ākhnā in Pahari-Pothwari meaning "to say" and similarly the word takkdā would be takknā in Pahari-Pothwari meaning "to look/to watch".
| English | Pothohari | Majhi | Jhangochi |
| we come | اساں اچھنے آں | اسِیں آؤنے آں | اسِیں آنے آں |
| what do you say? | تُوں کے آخنا ایں؟ | تُوں کی آکھدا ایں؟ | تُوں کی آہیندا ایں؟ |
| the things I do | جہڑے کمّ میں کرنا آں | جہڑے کمّ میں کرنا آں | جہڑے کمّ میں کرنا/کریٔنا آں |
For example:
* miki eh nih si cāhinā (میکی ایہہ نِیہ سی چاہینا), meaning "this is not what I wanted"
* oh kai pyā ākhnā ae? (اوہ کے پیا آخنا ہے؟), meaning "what is he saying?"
* This also affects the common Punjabi passive tense: is tarhā̃ nih ākhī nā (اِس طرحاں نہیں آخی نا), instead of "ākhee dā", meaning "that's not how it should be said"

#### Dative and definite object marker

The dative and definite object marker in Pothwari is kī (ਕੀ /کی) as opposed to nū̃ (ਨੂੰ / نوں) in standard Punjabi.
The phrase: lokkā̃ nū̃ (ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ / لوکاں نوں), meaning "to the people" in standard Punjabi, would become lokkā̃ kī (ਲੋਕਾਂ ਕੀ / لوکاں کی) in Pothwari.

### Adjectives

Adjectives :
| English | Pothohari | Majhi |
| difficult | اوکھا | اوکھا |
| easy | سَوکھا | سَوکھا |
| small | نِکّا | نِکّا |
| large | بڑا / بڈّا | وڈّا |
| unfamiliar | اوپرا | اوپرا |
| new | نوَاں | نوَاں |
| old | پراݨاں | پراݨاں |
| straight | سِدھّا | سِدھّا |
| inverted | پُٹھّا | پُٹھّا |
| crooked | ڈِنگّا | ڈِنگّا |
| high | اُچّا | اُچّا |
| low | نِیواں | نِیواں |
| good | چنگا | چنگا |
| bad | ماڑا / مندا | ماڑا / مندا |
| very bad | بھَیڑا | بھَیڑا |
| heavy | بھارا | بھارا |
| light (weight) | ہَولا | ہَولا |
| narrow | سَوڑا | سَوڑا |
| open | کھُلھّا | کھُلھّا |
| firm | پِیڈا | پِیڈا |
| loose | ڈھِلّا | ڈھِلّا |
| late | چِرکا | چِرکا |
| on time | ویلے نال | ویلے نال |
| red | رتّا لال | رتّا لال |
| crimson | سُوہا کھٹّ | سُوہا کھٹّ |
| white | چِٹّا دُدھّ | چِٹّا دُدھّ |
| black | کالا شاہ | کالا شاہ |
| yellow | پِلّا زرد | پِلّا زرد |
| sweet | مِٹھّا | مِٹھّا |
| bitter | کَوڑا | کَوڑا |
| slow | مٹھّا | مٹھّا |
| well | بلّ | ولّ |
| empty | سکھّݨاں | سکھّݨاں |
| filled | بھریا | بھریا |
| dry | سُکّا / آٹھریا | سُکّا / آٹھریا |
| wet | گِلّا / بھِجّا | گِلّا / بھِجّا |
| hot | تتّا | تتّا |
| cold | ٹھڈّا | ٹھنڈا |
| hungry | بھُکھّا | بھُکھّا |
| fed | رجّیا پُجّیا | رجّیا پُجّیا |
| smart | سیاݨا | سیاݨا |
| fool | جھلّا | جھلّا |
| deep | ڈُونگھا | ڈُونگھا |
| beautiful | سوہݨاں | سوہݨاں |
| ugly | کوجھا | کوجھا |
| evil | لُچّا | لُچّا |
| faux naïf | مِیسݨا | مِیسݨا |

### Tribal groupings

Pahari-Pothwari speakers belong to the same tribes found in Punjab. While the names of the tribes remain the same, the Punjabi word for tribe birādrī/barādarī (برادری) becomes bilādrī/balādarī (بلادری) in Pahari-Pothwari and several other Punjabi dialects such as Jatki and Shahpuri.

### Numbering system

Pahari-Pothwari follows the numbering traditions of standard Punjabi. A point of departure from eastern Punjabi dialects occurs in the use of trai (ترَے) instead of tinn (تِنّ) for "three". Other western Punjabi dialects also tend to use trai over tinn.
Similarly, Pothwari, Majhi and other western Punjabi dialects use "yārā̃" (یاراں) for "gyarā̃" (گیاراں), "trei" (ترئی) for "tei" (تئی) "panji" (پنجِی) for "pachchi" (پچّی) and "trih" (ترِیہہ) for "tih" (تِیہہ), for the numbers 11, 23, 25, and 30.
Unlike Jhangochi, Shahpuri and Dhanni, Pothohari does not use "dāh" for 10, and instead uses "das" as in Eastern Punjabi and Urdu/Hindi.
| English | English | Pahari-Pothwari | Pahari-Pothwari | Pahari-Pothwari |
| numbers | numerals | transliteration | Shahmukhi | numerals |
| one | 1 | ikk | اِکّ | ۱ |
| two | 2 | do | دو | ۲ |
| three | 3 | trai | ترَے | ۳ |
| four | 4 | chār | چار | ۴ |
| five | 5 | panj | پَنج | ۵ |
| six | 6 | che | چھے | ۶ |
| seven | 7 | satt | سَتّ | ۷ |
| eight | 8 | aṭṭh | اَٹّھ | ۸ |
| nine | 9 | nau | نَو | ۹ |
| ten | 10 | das | دَس | ۱۰ |

#### Ordinals

The ordinal numbers are largely the same. The only difference occurs in the words for "second" and "third". The former is dūwā (دووا) in Pothwari, whilst it is dūjjā (دوجا) in Punjabi; the latter is trēyā (تریا) in Pothwari whilst it is tējjā (تیجا) in Punjabi. Western Punjabi in general tends to follow this trend.
| English | Pahari-Pothwari | Pahari-Pothwari | Standard Punjabi | Standard Punjabi | Jatki | Jatki |
| ordinals | Shahmukhi | transliteration | Shahmukhi | transliteration | Shahmukhi | transliteration |
| first | پہلا | pehlā | پہلا | pehlā | پہلا | pehlā |
| second | دووا | dūwā | دوجا | dūjjā | دووا / دُوجا | dūwā / dūjjā |
| third | تریا | trīyā | تیجا | tījjā | ترِجیا | trījjā |
| fourth | چوتھا | chautthā | چَوتھا | chautthā | چَوتھا | chautthā |

## Vocabulary
### General verbs

A majority of the general verbs between Pothohari and most other dialects of Punjabi appear to be the same.
Pahari-Pothwari general verbs :
| English | Pothohari | Majhi |
| taking out | کڈھّݨا | کڈھّݨا |
| taking off | لاہݨا | لاہُݨا |
| applying | لاݨا | لاؤݨا |
| decreasing | گھٹّݨا | گھٹّݨا |
| jumping | چھال مارنی | چھال مارنی |
| agreeing | منّݨا | منّݨا |
| hesitating | جھکّݨا | جھکّݨا |
| forgetting | بھُلّݨا | بھُلّݨا |
| wearing / pouring | باݨا | پاؤݨا |
| lying / to be poured | پَیݨا | پَیݨا |
| sitting | بہݨا | بہݨا |
| breaking | بھنّݨا یا تروڑنا | بھنّݨا |
| returning | موڑنا | موڑنا |
| flipping | پرتاݨا | پرتاؤݨا |
| seeing | تکھّݨا | تکّݨا یا ویکھݨا |
| to be seen | دِسّݨا | دِسّݨا |
| telling | دسّݨا | دسّݨا |
| saying | آخݨا | آکھݨا |
| running | نسّݨا | نسّݨا |
| falling | ڈھیہݨا | ڈھہݨا یا ڈِگّݨا |
| slipping | تِلکݨا | تِلکݨا |
| chewing | چِتھّݨا | چِتھّݨا |
| coughing | کھنگھݨا | کھنگھݨا |
| raising | چاڑھنا | چاڑھنا |
| coming | اچھݨا | آؤݨا |
| walking | ٹُرنا | ٹُرنا |
| pulling | چھِکّݨا | چھِکّݨا / کھِچّݨا |
| passing | لنگھّݨا | لنگھّݨا |
| capturing | مَلّݨا | مَلّݨا |
| cooling | ٹھارنا | ٹھارنا |
| obtaining | لبھّݨا | لبھّݨا |
| lighting up | بالݨا | بالݨا |
| cooking | رِنھّݨا | رِنھّݨا |
| tying | بنھّݨا | بنھّݨا |
| roasting | بھُنّݨا | بھُنّݨا |
| slaughtering | کوہݨا | کوہݨا |
| identifying | سیاݨنا | سیاݨنا |
| throwing | سٹّݨا | سُٹّݨا / سٹّݨا |
| losing | ہرنا | ہرنا |
| entering | بڑنا | وڑنا |
| crumbling | بھورنا | بھورنا |
| covering | کجّݨا | کجّݨا |
| dividing | ونڈݨا | ونڈݨا |
| stuffing / thrusting | تُنّݨا | تُنّݨا |
| pressing | منڈݨا | منڈݨا |
| vexing | کھپاݨا | کھپاؤݨا |
| spreading | کھِلارنا | کھِلارنا |
| to be stolen | کھُسّݨا | کھُسّݨا |
| blowing | پھُوکݨا | پھُوکݨا |
| dusting off | چھنڈݨا | چھنڈݨا |
| mixing | رلݨا | رلݨا |
| drying | سُکّݨا | سُکّݨا |
| hanging | لمکݨا | لمکݨا |
| boiling | کاڑھنا | کاڑھنا |
| spilling | ڈولھݨا | ڈولھݨا |
| shining | لِشکݨا | لِشکݨا |
| plastering / coating | لِنبݨا | لِنبݨا |
| maintaining | سانبھݨا | سانبھݨا |
| taking along | کھڑنا | کھڑنا یا لَےجاݨا |
Note:
* Eastern Majhi and Malvai use khichchna for pulling, while western Majhi, Jhangochi, Shahpuri, Pothohari use chhikkna.
* Eastern dialects will use bhann-toṛ and tuṭṭ-bhajj, while western dialects like Pothohari use bhann-troṛ and truṭṭ-bhajj.
* saṭṭna for throwing is used in Western dialects, and chāna for picking (as opposed to suṭṭna / chukkna), though Pothohari may use chukkna as well.
* Pothohari verbs do not seem to involve the -āvna or -āuna sound. This is similar to certain Majhi sub-dialects.
* labbhna is used for obtaining and receiving as in most dialects of Punjabi, however it is often not used in the active sense. For this Pothohari prefers loṛna. (The passive form of this word "loṛīnda" is commonly used in standard Punjabi)
* The Pothohari word for grabbing and holding is nappṅa (common in Punjabi) and lapaṛna (unique verb)

#### The passives remain the same throughout Punjabi dialects

* bhanṅa (to break) and bhajjṅa (to be broken)
* bhunṅa (to roast) and bhujjṅa (to be roasted)
* rinnhṅa (to cook) and rijjhṅa (to be cooked)
* dolhṅa (to spill) and dullhṅa (to be spilt)
* lāhṅa (to take off) and lehṅa (to descend/come off)
* laveṛna (to besmear) and livaṛna (to be besmeared)

#### The irregular past tense remains the same throughout Punjabi dialects

Differences in brackets.
* khādhā
* pītā
* dittā
* kītā
* suttā
* moeā
* seāṅtā (Jhangochi/Shahpuri/Dhanni: seātā, Majhi: seāṅeā)
* latthā
* ḍhaṭṭhā
* baddhā
* nahātā
* dhotā
* khaltā (in other dialects: khalotā) e.g.: miki saṛke apar khalteon addhā ghantā hoi gya sā
* baṅtā (in other dialects: baṅeā) e.g.: chāʼ kadū̃ ni banti hoi ae
* guddhā

#### nā and khā̃ (emphatics)

Used throughout Punjabi dialects (e.g.: Majhi, Jhangochi, etc.)
* gall suṅeṉ na "please listen"
* gall suṅ khā̃ "listen up!"
Word for sleep
Forms of the verb to sleep :
| English | Pothohari | Jhangochi / Shahpuri | Majhi |
| to sleep | سَیݨا | سَوݨا سن٘وݨا | سَوݨا |
| has slept | سئی ریہا | سَیں پیا سَیں ریہا | سَوں گیا |
| he is sleeping | اوہ سَیݨا اے پیا | اوہ سَوندا اے پیا | اوہ سَوندا اے پیا |
| asleep | سُتّا پیا | سُتّا پیا | سُتّا پیا |
| having slept / while asleep | سُتّیوں | سُتّیاں | سُتّیاں |
| after sleeping | سئی تے | سَیں کے (or تے) | سَوں کے |
| go to sleep | سئی گو سئی جا سئی روہ | سَیں پو سَیں جا سَیں روہ | سَوں جا |
| he is to sleep | اوہ سئے | اوہ سَون٘وے | اوہ سَون٘وے |
| putting to sleep | سن٘واولݨا | سن٘واوݨا | سن٘واؤݨا |

### Family relations

The names of family relations are mostly the same throughout the Punjabi dialects.
Relations :
| English | Pothohari |
| English | Shahmukhi |
| mother, father | ماں پیو |
| son, daughter | دھِیاں پُتّر |
| brother, sister | بھَیݨاں بھرا |
| elder brother | بھاپا |
| husband | گھر الا / جݨا / خسم |
| wife | گھر آلی / زنانی |
| grandsons, granddaughters (from son) | پوترے پوترِیاں |
| grandsons, granddaughters (from daughter) | دوترے دوترِیاں |
| son-in-law | جوائی |
| daughter-in-law | نوں٘ہہ |
| mother-in-law | سسّ |
| father-in-law | سوہرا |
| husband's sister | نناݨ |
| sister's husband | بھݨوئیا |
| brother's wife | بھرجائی |
| father's brother, father's sister | چاچا / پُپھّی |
| father's brother's wife | چاچی |
| father's sister's husband | پُھپھّڑ |
| mother's brother, mother's sister | ماما / ماسی |
| mother's brother's wife | مامی |
| mother's sister's husband | ماسڑ |
| cousin from father's brother | چچیر / داد پوترا |
| cousin from father's sister | پھُپھیر |
| cousin from mother's brother | ملویر |
| cousin from mother's sister | مسیر |
Some words unique to Pothohari include:
* dād-potrā to refer to a cousin (son of father's brother, potrā is a common Punjabi word)
* be for mother (eastern Punjabi uses be-be for mother)
* bhāpā for brother (sometimes used in eastern Majhi)

### Body part names

Names of body parts are the same throughout Punjabi dialects with minimal differences.
Body parts :
| English | Pothohari | Jhangochi / Shahpuri | Majhi |
| eyes | اکھِّیاں | اکھِّیاں / اکھِیں | اکھّاں |
| head | سِر | سِر | سِر |
| forehead | متھّا | متھّا | متھّا |
| eyelashes | پِمݨِیاں | پِپّݨیاں | پلکاں |
| eyebrows | بھروٹّے | بھربِٹّے | بھروٹّے |
| eyelids | چھپّر | چھپّر | چھپّر |
| eyeballs | آنّے | آنّے | آنّے |
| ears | کنّ | کنّ | کنّ |
| arms | باہاں | باہِیں | باہواں |
| throat | سنگھ | سگّھ | سنگھ |
| neck | دھَوݨ | دھَوݨ | دھَوݨ |
| shoulders | موڈھے | موڈھے | موڈھے |
| elbow | ارک | ارک | ارک |
| nails | نَونہہ | نَونہہ | نَونہہ |
| hands | ہتھّ | ہتھّ | ہتھّ |
| fingers | انگلاں | انگلاں | اُنگلاں |
| belly | ڈھِڈّ | ڈھِڈّ | ڈھِڈّ |
| waist | لکّ | لکّ | لکّ |
| legs | لتّاں | لتّاں | لتّاں |
| knees | گوڈے | گوڈے | گوڈے |
| ankles | گِٹّے | گِٹّے | گِٹّے |
| feet | پَیر | پَیر | پَیر |
| palm | تلّی | تلّی | تلّی |
| teeth | دند | دند | دند |
| molars | ہݨیوں | ہݨیوں | جاڑھاں |
| tongue | جِیبھ | جِبھّ | جِیبھ |
| nose | نکّ | نکّ | نکّ |
| nostrils | ناساں | ناساں | ناساں |
| face | مونہہ | مونہہ | مونہہ |
| back | کنڈ | کنڈ | کنڈ |
| hips | ڈھاکاں | ڈھاکاں | ڈھاکاں |
| hip bone | چُوکݨا | چُوکݨا | چُوکݨا |

### Words for "coming" and "going"

The Pahari-Pothwari word for "coming" is acchṇā, whereas for "going" gacchṇā, julṇā and jāṇā are used.
| English | Pahari-Pothwari | Jatki | Standard Punjabi |
| English | Shahmukhi | Shahmukhi | Shahmukhi |
| I am coming | میں اچھنا پیا ہاں | میں آوندا پیا ہاں | میں آوندا پیا ہاں |
| I am going | میں گچھنا پیا ہاں میں جُلنا پیا ہاں | میں ویندا پیا ہاں میں جاوندا پیا ہاں | میں جاندا پیا ہاں |
| I don't understand | میکی سمجھ نِیہ اچھنی پئی | مینُوں سمجھ نہیں آوندی پئی | مینُوں سمجھ نہیں آوندی پئی |
| I will leave tomorrow | میں کلّ گیساں میں کلّ جُلساں | میں کلّھ ویساں میں کلّھ جاساں | میں کلّھ جاواں گا |
| we are going for work | اساں کمّے اپّر جُلے ہاں | اسِیں کمّ تے چلے ہاں | اسِیں کمّ تے چلے ہاں |
| it happens | ہوئی گچھنا ہے ہوئی جُلنا ہے ہوئی جانا ہے | ہو ویندا ہے ہو جاوندا ہے | ہو جاندا ہے |
| sit down | بہی جُل بہی گچھ بہی جا | بہہ ونج بہہ جا | بہہ جا |
| I will take him along | اُسکی وی نال گھِنی گیساں اُسکی وی نال گھِنی جُلساں | اوہنُوں وی نال لے ویساں/جاساں اوہنُوں وی نال گھِن ویساں | اوہنُوں وی نال لَے جاواں گا |
The imperative for gacchṇā is both gacch and gau.

### Causative verbs

Pahari-Pothwari causative verbs end with -ālnā. This feature also exists in the eastern Majhi dialect. (e.g.: vikhālṇā)
| English | Pahari-Pothwari | Standard Punjabi | Jatki |
| to cause to eat | کھوالݨا | کھواوݨا | کھواوݨا |
| to cause to drink | پیالݨا | پیاوݨا | پِواوݨا |
| to cause to bathe | نہوالݨا | نہواوݨا | نہواوݨا |
| to cause to wash | دھوالݨا | دھواوݨا | دھواوݨا |
| to cause to cry | رووالنا | رواوݨا | رواوݨا |
| to cause to sleep | سوالݨا | سواوݨا | سواوݨا |
| to cause to sit | بہالݨا | بہاوݨا | بہاوݨا |
| to cause to stand | اُٹھالݨا | اُٹھاوݨا | اُٹھاوݨا |
Not all causative verbs are formed like this, e.g. to play -kheṛṇā to khaṛāṇa,

### Words used for "taking" and "bringing"

Commonly observed in the Lahnda dialects is the use of ghinṇā (گھِننا) and ānṇā (آننا) instead of the eastern Punjabi words laiṇā (لَینا) and lyāṇā (لیانا).
Notice how ghin āo becomes ghini achho, and ghin ghidā becomes ghini ghidā in accordance with Pothwari grammar and vocabulary.
| English | Pahari-Pothwari | Jatki | Jatki | Hindko | Saraiki |
| English | Pahari-Pothwari | Shahpuri/Jhangochi | Dhanni | Hindko | Saraiki |
| from tomorrow onwards, I'll also bring it for you, just cope for today | کلّ سوں میں تُساں کی وی آݨی دِتّا کرساں، اجّ گُزارہ کری گھِنو | کلّ توں میں تُہانُوں وی لیا دِتّا کرساں، اجّ گُزارہ کر لوو | کلّ توں میں تُسانُوں وی آݨ دِتّا کریساں، اجّ گُزارہ کر گھِنو | کلّ توں میں تُساں آں وی آݨ دیا کرساں، اجّ گُزارہ کر گھِنو | کلّ توں میں تُہاکُوں وی آݨ ڈِتّا کریساں، اجّ گُزارہ کر گھِنو |
| take him along as well | اُسکی وی نال گھِنی اچھو | اوہنُوں وی نال لَے آوو | اوہنُوں وی نال گھِن آوو | اُساں وی نال گھِن آؤ | اُوکُوں وی نال گھِن آوو |
| they took it from me as well | اُنھاں مھاڑے کولُوں وی گھِنی گھِدا | اُنھاں میرے کولُوں وی لَے لیا | اُنھاں مینڈھے کولُوں وی گھِن گھِدا | اُنھان مڑھے کولُوں وی گھِن گھِدا | اُنھاں میڈے کولُوں وی گھِن گھِدا |
| he is bringing | اوہ آݨنا پیا ہے | اوہ لیاندا پیا ہے | اوہ اݨیندا پیا ہے | اوہ آݨدا پیا ہے | اوہ اݨیندا پیا ہے |
| we will also have to bring them back | اُنھاں کی واپس وی آݨنا ہوسی | اُنھاں نُوں واپس وی لیاوَݨا ہوسی | اُنھاں نُوں واپس وی آݨنا ہوسی | اُنھاں آں واپس وی آݨنا ہوسی | اُنھاں کُوں واپس وی آݨنا ہوسی |
| eat it | کھائی گھِن | کھا لَے | کھا گھِن | کھا گھِن | کھا گھِن |
| bring it brought it | چائی آݨو چائی آݨنا | چا لیاؤ چا لیاندا | چا آݨو چا اݨیندا | چا آݨو چا اݨدا | چا آݨو چا اݨیندا |
| take it took it | چائی گھِنو چائی گھِدا | چا لوو چا لیا | چا گھِنو چا گھِدا | چا گھِنو چا گھِدا | چا گھِنو چا گھِدا |
| he will take him along | اوہ اِسکی نال گھِنی گیسی/ جُلسی/ جاسی | اوہ ایہنُوں نال لَے ویسی اوہ ایہنُوں لے جاسی | اوہ ایہنُوں نال گھِن ویسی | اوہ اِساں نال گھِن جُلسی | اوہ اِیکُوں نال گھِن ویسی |

### Interrogative words

| English | Pahari-Pothwari | Jatki | Standard |
| why | کِیاں | کیوں | کیوں |
| where | کتھے | کِتھّے | کِتھّے |
| whither | کُدھّر | کِدّے | کِدّھر |
| who | کُݨ | کَوݨ | کَوݨ |
| what? | کے؟ | کیہ / کی | کی / کِیہ |

### Pahari-Pothwari vocabulary similarities with other western Punjabi dialects

| English | Pahari-Pothwari | Jatki | Hindko | Saraiki |
| very / much | بُہو | بہُوں | بہُوں | بہُوں |
| go to sleep | سئی گو | سَیں ونج | سَیں جُل | سم ونج |
| alright / okay | ہلا | ہلا | ہلا | ہلا |
| boy | جاکت / جاتک | جاتک / چھوہر | جندک | چھُوہر |
| what is his name? | کے ناں اُسنا؟ | کیہ/کے ناں اُس؟ | کے ناں اُس؟ | کیا ناں اُس؟ |
| take | گھِنو | لَوو (جھنگوچی/شاہپُوری) گھِنو (دھنی) | گھِنو | گھِنو |
| bring | آݨو | لیاوو (جھنگوچی/شاہپُوری) آنو (دھنی) | آنو | آنو |
| he speaks like us | اوہ اساں آر بولنا اے | اوہ ساڈے آر بولیندا اے | اوہ اساں آر بولدا اے | اوہ ساڈے آر الیندا اے |
| let's go | آ جُلِیَے | آ چلِیئے/جُلِیے | آ جُلاں | آ جُلُوں |
| lift / raise | چاؤ | چاوو | چاؤ | چاوو |
| life | حیاتی | حیاتی | حیاتی | حیاتی |