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Punjabi Bihari Words — Reading with the Long "ee" Vowel Sign
Bihari words add just one vowel sign — ੀ, the long “ee”, written after the consonant it belongs to. Start with two-consonant words, then three, then four. Free printable tracing PDF, no sign-ups.
Two-consonant + bihari words
Two sounds joined with the long "ee" vowel sign after the letter — bihari (ੀ).
ਵੀਰ vīr brother 
ਬੀਜ bīj seed 
ਸੀਟ sīṭ seat 
ਕਲੀ kalī bud 
ਲੜੀ laṛī chain 
ਨਦੀ nadī river 
ਦੀਦੀ dīdī elder sister 
ਬੀਬੀ bībī lady 
ਕੀੜੀ kīṛī ant Three-consonant + bihari words
Three sounds, with bihari landing on one or more of them.
ਲੜਕੀ laṛkī girl Four-consonant + bihari words
Longer words to read — a short, special set.
What is a bihari word?
A bihari word is a Gurmukhi word that uses only one vowel sign — ੀ, the long “ee” sound that sits to the right of the consonant it belongs to — normal reading order, left to right. Every other letter still carries its own built-in “a” sound, just like a mukta word. ਕੀ is k + ī → kī (“what”).
Bihari is the natural pair of sihari — sihari is the short “i” sound written before the letter it belongs to, while bihari is the long “ee” sound written after. Once a child can read sihari words, bihari is a small next step: same blending skill, one new sign that finally sits where they'd expect it to.
How to use these sheets
Say each sound
Point to each letter and say its sound out loud, left to right — watch for the bihari sign.
Blend them
Say the sounds faster and faster until they join into one word.
Trace it
Trace the dotted word on the printable, saying the word as you go.
Read it back
Cover the traced word and read it aloud on your own. Celebrate!
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a bihari word in Punjabi?
- A bihari word is a Gurmukhi word that uses only the bihari vowel sign (ੀ), which makes a long “ee” sound. It is written after the consonant it belongs to, in normal reading order. Every other letter keeps its own built-in “a” sound, so words like ਵੀਰ (vīr) and ਗੀਤ (gīt) can be read once a child knows the 35 letters plus this one sign.
- Why does bihari come after the consonant?
- Bihari sits to the right of the letter it belongs to, just like the letters around it — the natural left-to-right reading order. This makes it different from sihari, its short “i” partner, which is written before the consonant it belongs to even though it is pronounced after. Once a child knows sihari, bihari is the easier, more intuitive sign to learn next.
- What are some examples of two-consonant bihari words?
- Common two-consonant bihari words include ਵੀਰ (vīr, brother), ਗੀਤ (gīt, song), ਨਦੀ (nadī, river), ਬੀਜ (bīj, seed), ਕਲੀ (kalī, bud) and ਕੀੜੀ (kīṛī, ant).
- How do I teach a child to read bihari words?
- Say each letter’s sound aloud, then stretch the bihari sign into a long “ee” after the consonant it sits on, then blend the whole word and read it back. Start with two-consonant words and move to three and four once those feel easy.