ਪਹਿਲਾ

Punjabi

Punjabi numbers ^(edit)

		10
	[a], [b] ←  0	੧ 1	2  →	10  →
Cardinal: ਇੱਕ (ikka)     Ordinal: ਪਹਿਲਾ (pahilā)

Etymology

Inherited from Paisaci Prakrit 𑀧𑀳𑀺𑀮 (pahila), from Sanskrit प्रथम (prathama), largely analyzable as a compound of प्र- (pra-) + -तम (-tama), from Proto-Indo-Aryan *pratʰamás, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *pratamás (“first, foremost”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pro-tm̥mós (“foremost”). Cognate to Hindi पहला (pahlā); see the other descendants of Sanskrit प्रथम (prathama) for more cognates. Also cognate to now-obsolete Persian فردم (fardum, “first”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɛ˦(ɦ).läː/
• Rhymes: -äː
• Hyphenation: ਪਹਿ‧ਲਾ

Numeral

ਪਹਿਲਾ • (pahilā) (Shahmukhi spelling پہلا)

1. first

Adjective

ਪਹਿਲਾ • (pahilā) (Shahmukhi spelling پہلا)

1. primary, foremost, initial
2. former, proceeding

Declension

Declension of ਪਹਿਲਾ

	masculine			feminine
	singular	plural		singular	plural
direct	ਪਹਿਲਾ (pahilā)	ਪਹਿਲੇ (pahile)		ਪਹਿਲੀ (pahilī)	ਪਹਿਲੀਆਂ (pahilīā̃)
oblique	ਪਹਿਲੇ (pahile)	ਪਹਿਲਿਆਂ (pahiliā̃)		ਪਹਿਲੀ (pahilī)	ਪਹਿਲੀਆਂ (pahilīā̃)

Derived terms

• ਪਹਿਲਾਂ (pahilā̃, “at first”, adverb)

Related terms

• ਪਹਿਲ f (pahil, “priority”)
• ਪਹਿਲੂ m (pahilū, “side”)

Further reading

• “ਪਹਿਲਾ”, in Punjabi-English Dictionary, Patiala: Punjabi University, 2026