SikhnaGet the appLearn Punjabi,
one word at a time.
A calm, modern way to read, hear, and speak Gurmukhi, built by a learner who wanted exactly this and couldn't find it.
Free to start. Built at Cornell by a Punjabi learner.
Which one means “hello”?
It is the respectful Sikh greeting, used any time of day.
“I tried every Punjabi app I could find and kept bouncing off. So I built the one that finally made the script stick.”
ਮੈਨੂੰ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਲ ਪਿਆਰ ਹੈ।
I love you.
Most apps make you tap. Sikhna makes it stick.
Real words, real sentences, and the sound of the language from the first lesson. You see the Gurmukhi, hear it spoken, and meet it again at just the right moment, the way memory actually works.
How it works
Everything you need to actually learn
Hear it from a native speaker
Every word and phrase is voiced clearly, so you learn the sound of Punjabi, not just the spelling. Tap to replay as many times as you need.
A Gurmukhi keyboard, built in
No system keyboard to install. A lesson-scoped mini keyboard shows only the letters you need, so typing ਸਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ feels natural from day one.
Review that beats forgetting
A spaced-repetition engine quietly resurfaces a word right before it slips away. The course is finite; the practice never runs out.
Designed for real progress
Small, honest sessions that add up. No streak-shaming, no fluff.
Start from the very first letter
No prior Punjabi needed. Sikhna begins at the Gurmukhi alphabet and builds, one sound at a time, to real sentences.
Learn anywhere, signal or not
Lessons ship inside the app. Practice on a flight, on the subway, or in the langar hall, no connection required.
Keep the streak that keeps you going
Daily goals and a streak counter turn five honest minutes a day into months of steady progress.
Speak, don't just tap
Listening and speaking sit at the centre, so the Punjabi you learn is the Punjabi you can actually use with family.
The course
A path from the alphabet to conversation
Sikhna is a guided course, not a pile of flashcards. Each unit builds on the last, from your first Gurmukhi letter to holding a conversation with family.
- 01The Gurmukhi alphabetਪੈਂਤੀ
- 02Greetings & introductionsਜਾਣ-ਪਛਾਣ
- 03Family & homeਪਰਿਵਾਰ
- 04Food & the langarਖਾਣਾ
- 05Numbers & timeਗਿਣਤੀ
- 06Everyday conversationਗੱਲਬਾਤ
Questions, answered
Do I need to know any Punjabi to start?
Not a word. Sikhna opens at the Gurmukhi alphabet and assumes zero background, whether you grew up hearing Punjabi at home or have never seen the script before.
Do I have to install a Punjabi keyboard?
No. Sikhna has its own on-screen Gurmukhi keyboard that appears only during typing exercises, showing just the letters that lesson needs. Nothing to set up in your phone's settings.
Does it work offline?
Yes. The whole course is bundled with the app, so lessons and audio work with no connection. Your progress syncs the next time you're online.
What happens when I finish the course?
Practice keeps going. A spaced-repetition system reschedules words you've learned and mixes in targeted drills on your weak spots, so there's always something worth reviewing.
Is Sikhna free?
The core course is free to learn. A premium tier unlocks speaking practice with pronunciation feedback for learners who want to go further.
Who made this?
Arsh, a student at Cornell and a Punjabi learner, building the app he wished existed while reconnecting with the language and Gurmukhi script.
Your first word is ਸਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ.
Download Sikhna and start reading, hearing, and speaking Gurmukhi today, free.