You don't fail the NAATI CCL test for not knowing enough words — you fail for freezing on the few words that carry the meaning of a segment, then losing the thread. This guide collects the highest-value Punjabi vocabulary across every common CCL domain, with accurate Gurmukhi, transliteration, and a natural voice you can tap and repeat. Drill the ones you stumble on; skim the ones you own.
- Vocabulary decides marks at the margin — the term you fumble is the segment you lose.
- Learn words inside their domain (health, banking, legal…), not as a flat list — context is how you recall them fast.
- Say every word out loud: recognition is easy, fluent production under pressure is the real test.
- Pair this list with a practice dialogue so the words come out automatically in full sentences.
How to use this list
Go domain by domain. For each word: tap to hear it, say it back twice, and mark the ones that don't come instantly. Those marked words are your real study list — everything else you already have. Come back daily until the marked set is empty.
Health & medical
The most common CCL domain. These are the clinical terms candidates most often fumble:
For the full clinical set — body parts, dosage language, common conditions — see our medical vocabulary guide.
Banking & finance
Money scenarios are full of loanwords that sit awkwardly between English and Punjabi. Use the natural community term, not a literary invention:
Legal & housing
Legal and tenancy terms must stay precise — a vague rendering of a court order or a tenancy changes the meaning entirely:
More high-value terms to know
Beyond the voiced set above, keep these everyday-but-tricky terms ready. Practise them out loud the same way:
| English | Punjabi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| referral (to a specialist) | ਹਵਾਲਾ | havālā |
| treatment | ਇਲਾਜ | ilāj |
| side effect | ਮਾੜਾ ਅਸਰ | māṛā asar |
| repayment | ਮੋੜਨ ਦੀ ਕਿਸ਼ਤ | moṛan dī kishat |
| statement (bank) | ਖਾਤੇ ਦਾ ਵੇਰਵਾ | khāte dā vervā |
| witness | ਗਵਾਹ | gavāh |
| guardian | ਸਰਪ੍ਰਸਤ | sarprast |
| visa application | ਵੀਜ਼ਾ ਅਰਜ਼ੀ | vīzā arzī |
| report card | ਰਿਪੋਰਟ ਕਾਰਡ | riporṭ kārḍ |
| benefit / payment | ਭੱਤਾ | bhattā |