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Punjabi Lavan Words — Reading with the "Ay" Vowel Sign
Lavan words add just one vowel sign — ੇ, the long “ay”, above and after a consonant. Start with two-consonant words, then three, then four. Free printable tracing PDF, no sign-ups.
Two-consonant + lavan words
Two sounds joined with the long "ay" vowel sign above — lavan (ੇ).
ਤੇਲ tel oil 
ਸੇਬ seb apple 
ਭੇਡ bheḍ sheep 
ਗੇਟ geṭ gate 
ਰੇਤ ret sand 
ਵੇਲ vel vine 
ਟੇਪ ṭep tape 
ਪੇੜ peṛ tree Three-consonant + lavan words
Three sounds, with lavan landing on one of them.
ਤਰੇਲ trel dew 
ਕੇਸਰ kesar saffron 
ਟਰੇਨ ṭren train 
ਟੇਬਲ ṭebal table 
ਫਰੇਮ frem frame 
ਨਰੇਲ narel coconut 
ਧਰੇਕ dharek shade tree Four-consonant + lavan words
Longer words to read — a short, special set.
What is a lavan word?
A lavan word is a Gurmukhi word that uses only one vowel sign — ੇ, the long “ay” sound that sits above and just after a consonant. Every other letter still carries its own built-in “a” sound, just like a mukta word. ਖੇਤ is kh + e + t → khet (“field”) — one diagonal stroke, one new sound.
Watch out for words that also carry a kanna (ਾ) alongside the lavan, like ਮੇਲਾ — those combine two vowel signs and belong in a later lesson. A true lavan word, like ਖੇਤ or ਸੇਬ, uses lavan and nothing else.
How to use these sheets
Say each sound
Point to each letter and say its sound out loud, left to right — watch for the lavan 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 lavan word in Punjabi?
- A lavan word is a Gurmukhi word that uses only the lavan vowel sign (ੇ), which makes a long “ay” sound above and after a consonant. Every other letter keeps its own built-in “a” sound, so words like ਖੇਤ (khet) and ਸੇਬ (seb) can be read once a child knows the 35 letters plus this one sign.
- Why does lavan come after the consonant it belongs to?
- Lavan is written as a short diagonal stroke above the line, positioned right after the consonant it modifies, just like most Gurmukhi vowel signs. Reading left to right, a child says the consonant sound then stretches it into “ay” when they see lavan.
- What are some examples of two-consonant lavan words?
- Common two-consonant lavan words include ਖੇਤ (khet, field), ਖੇਡ (khed, game), ਤੇਲ (tel, oil), ਸੇਬ (seb, apple), ਭੇਡ (bheḍ, sheep) and ਕੇਸ (kes, hair).
- How do I teach a child to read lavan words?
- Say each letter’s sound aloud, pause on the lavan sign to stretch it into “ay”, then blend the whole word and read it back. Start with two-consonant words and move to three and four once those feel easy.