Letter 34 of 35
Ya-Row · Semi-vowelਵ — Vavva
Sounds between 'v' and 'w' — softer than English 'v'.
Why it matters: ਵ sits between English 'v' and 'w' — lips don't quite close. Either pronunciation is usually fine.
Example Word
ਵੱਛਾ
Vachha
Calf
ਵ with each vowel mark
ਵ
mukta
"va"
ਵਾ
kanna
"vaa"
ਵਿ
sihari
"vi"
ਵੀ
bihari
"vee"
ਵੁ
aunkar
"vu"
ਵੂ
dulainkar
"voo"
ਵੇ
lanv
"vay"
ਵੈ
dulanvan
"vai"
ਵੋ
horha
"vo"
ਵੌ
kanaurha
"vau"
Each vowel mark changes how ਵ sounds. The mark stays the same across every consonant.
Other letters in the Ya-Row
Trace ਵ
Free Printable Tracing Worksheet
Practise writing ਵ (Vavva) with this free printable. Large reference letter at the top, dotted rows below — print at home on US Letter or A4.
ਵ (Vavva) is the thirty-fourth letter of the Gurmukhi alphabet. Its sound sits between the English v and w — softer, with the lips a little looser.
How to teach a 4-year-old
Show a picture of a calf (ਵੱਛਾ) — a baby cow — and say “ਵ … ਵੱਛਾ”. A great pairing with ਗ (gurdwara): cows and calves are part of Punjab’s rural life that many diaspora kids only know through stories. Other ਵ words: ਵਾਜਾ (vaja — harmonium), ਵੀਰ (veer — brother).
Practice ਵ (Vavva)
📖 Read about Vavva in context
See ਵ alongside the rest of the Ya-Row in the free alphabet teaching guide. Open the guide →
Practise Vavva on the go
Six interactive Gurmukhi games — tracing, recognition, memory match — free, offline, no ads.