The ten digits
| Gurmukhi | Value | Punjabi name | Unicode |
|---|---|---|---|
| ੦ | 0 | ਸਿਫ਼ਰ (sifar) | U+0A66 |
| ੧ | 1 | ਇੱਕ (ikk) | U+0A67 |
| ੨ | 2 | ਦੋ (do) | U+0A68 |
| ੩ | 3 | ਤਿੰਨ (tinn) | U+0A69 |
| ੪ | 4 | ਚਾਰ (chaar) | U+0A6A |
| ੫ | 5 | ਪੰਜ (panj) | U+0A6B |
| ੬ | 6 | ਛੇ (chhe) | U+0A6C |
| ੭ | 7 | ਸੱਤ (satt) | U+0A6D |
| ੮ | 8 | ਅੱਠ (atth) | U+0A6E |
| ੯ | 9 | ਨੌਂ (naun) | U+0A6F |
Numbers are written left to right with place value, just as in English: ੧੪੩੦ is 1430, the number of angs in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Counting in Punjabi
Eleven to twenty have their own words, then each ten has a name and the units follow a pattern (with some irregular forms that are simply learned):
- ੧੦ ਦਸ · ੧੧ ਗਿਆਰਾਂ · ੧੨ ਬਾਰਾਂ · ੧੩ ਤੇਰਾਂ · ੧੪ ਚੌਦਾਂ · ੧੫ ਪੰਦਰਾਂ · ੧੬ ਸੋਲਾਂ · ੧੭ ਸਤਾਰਾਂ · ੧੮ ਅਠਾਰਾਂ · ੧੯ ਉੱਨੀ · ੨੦ ਵੀਹ
- ੩੦ ਤੀਹ · ੪੦ ਚਾਲੀ · ੫੦ ਪੰਜਾਹ · ੬੦ ਸੱਠ · ੭੦ ਸੱਤਰ · ੮੦ ਅੱਸੀ · ੯੦ ਨੱਬੇ · ੧੦੦ ਸੌ
- ੧੦੦੦ ਹਜ਼ਾਰ · ੧੦੦੦੦੦ ਲੱਖ · ੧੦੦੦੦੦੦੦ ਕਰੋੜ
Large numbers group in lakhs and crores rather than millions: 1,430 is written ੧,੪੩੦ and 2,50,000 (two and a half lakh) rather than 250,000.
Numbers in Gurbani
Gurmukhi digits appear constantly in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, and knowing them makes the structure of the text readable:
- Ang numbers. Each page is an ang, numbered ੧ to ੧੪੩੦. A reference such as "Ang 262" is the start of Sukhmani Sahib.
- Mahalla. ਮਹਲਾ ੧ to ਮਹਲਾ ੯ (or ਮਃ ੧) tells you which Guru composed the shabad: ਮਹਲਾ ੧ is Guru Nanak Dev Ji, ਮਹਲਾ ੫ Guru Arjan Dev Ji, ਮਹਲਾ ੯ Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. It is read "mahalla pehla", "mahalla panjva", not "mahalla ikk".
- Verse markers. ॥੧॥ ॥੨॥ at the end of a line count the verses of a shabad; ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ marks the rahao line that carries the central idea. In pauris of a vaar the count restarts at each pauri.
- Ghar. ਘਰੁ ੧ to ਘਰੁ ੧੭ in a shabad heading indicates the musical setting.
- Dates. Nanakshahi dates and Gurpurab notices use Gurmukhi digits, for example ੧੮ ਕੱਤਕ ੫੫੮.
How to type Gurmukhi digits
In Gurbani Akhar, AnmolLipi and the Tat Khalsa fonts the number keys on the keyboard type Gurmukhi digits directly: press 1 and the font shows ੧. This is why the typing tutor includes a numbers lesson.
In Unicode the digits are U+0A66 to U+0A6F. With a Punjabi keyboard enabled on Windows, macOS or your phone, the number row types them. On the web you can also use the on-screen Gurmukhi keyboard or paste Western digits into the Unicode converter, which maps 0 to 9 to ੦ to ੯ when converting Gurbani Akhar text.
Both forms are valid in Punjabi writing. Newspapers and government text often keep Western digits; Gurbani, gutkas and traditional publishing use Gurmukhi digits.
Questions
No. They share the same values and place-value system but the shapes differ. Gurmukhi ੧ ੨ ੩ are distinct Unicode characters from Devanagari १ २ ३, and a Gurmukhi font will not display Devanagari digits.