Focusing on specific letters is a fantastic way to help young learners build vocabulary. This guide provides an array of “words that start with P,” ideal for teachers and parents.

Table of Contents
- Nouns that Start with P
- Verbs that Start with P
- Adjectives that Start with P
- Encouraging and Positive Words that Start with P
- Short Words that Start with P
- Foods that Start with P
- Instruments that Start with P
- Occupations and Hobbies that Start with P
- Countries and Places that Start with P
- Languages that Start with P
- Science Words that Start with P
- Animals that Start with P
- Plants that Start with P
- Also See
Nouns that Start with P
- Pencil: A writing tool used for drawing and writing.
- Paper: A material used for writing or printing.
- Puppy: A young dog.
- Park: A public outdoor space for recreation.
- Pillow: A soft cushion for resting your head.
- Planet: A celestial body orbiting a star, like Earth.
- Picture: An image or visual representation.
- Pizza: A popular dish with cheese and toppings.
- Penguin: A black-and-white bird that cannot fly.
- Puzzle: A game that challenges the mind.
- Parrot: A colorful bird known for its ability to mimic sounds.
- Painting: A work of art created with paint.
Verbs that Start with P
- Play: To engage in fun activities.
- Push: To apply force to move something away.
- Paint: To apply color to a surface or picture.
- Pick: To select or choose.
- Pull: To move something closer by applying force.
- Pack: To fill a container with items.
- Plant: To put seeds or plants in the ground.
- Protect: To keep something or someone safe.
- Pretend: To make believe or act.
- Print: To produce text or images on paper.
- Play: To take part in a game or musical instrument.
- Pour: To make liquid flow out of a container.
Adjectives that Start with P
- Playful: Full of fun and energy.
- Patient: Able to wait without frustration.
- Positive: Having a good attitude.
- Polite: Showing good manners and respect.
- Powerful: Very strong or influential.
- Proud: Feeling pleased with accomplishments.
- Precious: Valuable or special.
- Peaceful: Calm and quiet.
- Pleasant: Nice and enjoyable.
- Popular: Liked by many people.
- Productive: Getting a lot done efficiently.
- Perfect: Flawless or without mistakes.
Encouraging and Positive Words that Start with P
- Patient: Showing calm endurance.
- Powerful: Having strength or influence.
- Peaceful: Promoting calm and harmony.
- Passionate: Showing strong enthusiasm.
- Positive: Filled with optimism.
- Promising: Showing potential for future success.
- Precious: Highly valued and cherished.
- Proactive: Taking action in advance.
- Playful: Full of fun and joy.
- Purposeful: Having a clear goal or direction.
- Persistent: Not giving up easily.
- Proud: Feeling happy and satisfied with achievements.
Short Words that Start with P
- Pan: A shallow container for cooking.
- Pet: An animal kept for companionship.
- Pit: A small hole or cavity.
- Pot: A container used for cooking or planting.
- Pin: A small metal stick used to fasten things.
- Pen: A tool used for writing with ink.
- Pit: A hole or depression in the ground.
- Pat: To touch lightly.
- Put: To place in a specific position.
- Pod: A casing for seeds, like in peas.
- Pop: To burst or make a short, loud sound.
- Paw: An animal’s foot with claws.
Foods that Start with P
- Pizza: A dish with cheese and toppings on a dough base.
- Pasta: A type of Italian noodle dish.
- Pineapple: A tropical fruit with spiky skin.
- Peach: A juicy fruit with a fuzzy skin.
- Peanut: A nut often eaten as a snack or spread.
- Pancake: A flat, round breakfast food.
- Popcorn: A popular snack made by heating corn kernels.
- Potato: A starchy vegetable used in many dishes.
- Pomegranate: A fruit with edible seeds.
- Pear: A sweet, bell-shaped fruit.
- Popsicle: A frozen treat on a stick.
- Pie: A dessert with a crust and filling.
Instruments that Start with P
- Piano: A large keyboard instrument.
- Piccolo: A small flute with a high pitch.
- Pandeiro: A Brazilian hand drum.
- Pan Flute: A wind instrument made of multiple pipes.
- Pipe: A wind instrument, often used in traditional music.
- Pungi: A wind instrument from India used by snake charmers.
- Percussion: Instruments that are struck, like drums.
- Pennywhistle: A small, simple flute.
- Pandura: An ancient Greek string instrument.
- Pipe Organ: A large keyboard instrument with pipes.
- Pipa: A Chinese stringed instrument.
- Psaltery: An ancient string instrument played by plucking.
Occupations and Hobbies that Start with P
- Painter: An artist who paints pictures.
- Photographer: A person who takes photographs.
- Pilot: A person who flies aircraft.
- Poet: A person who writes poetry.
- Police Officer: A person who enforces laws and ensures safety.
- Professor: A teacher at a college or university.
- Plumber: A person who installs and repairs pipes.
- Pastry Chef: A cook specializing in desserts.
- Programmer: Someone who writes computer code.
- Pharmacist: A healthcare professional who prepares medicines.
- Paramedic: A person trained to give emergency medical care.
- Potter: A person who makes pottery.
Countries and Places that Start with P
- Portugal: A country in southwestern Europe.
- Peru: A country in South America known for Machu Picchu.
- Poland: A country in Europe.
- Pakistan: A country in South Asia.
- Philippines: An archipelago in Southeast Asia.
- Palau: An island country in the Pacific Ocean.
- Paraguay: A landlocked country in South America.
- Panama: A country in Central America, famous for its canal.
- Paris: The capital city of France.
- Prague: The capital city of the Czech Republic.
- Pittsburgh: A city in Pennsylvania, USA.
- Providence: The capital city of Rhode Island, USA.
Languages that Start with P
- Portuguese: The official language of Portugal and Brazil.
- Polish: The official language of Poland.
- Punjabi: A language spoken in parts of India and Pakistan.
- Pashto: A language spoken in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
- Persian: A language spoken in Iran, also known as Farsi.
- Papiamento: A language spoken in the Caribbean.
- Palauan: The official language of Palau.
- Pangasinan: A language spoken in the Philippines.
- Pohnpeian: A language spoken in Micronesia.
- Pawnee: A Native American language.
- Provençal: A language spoken in southern France.
- Pampanga: A language spoken in the Philippines.
Science Words that Start with P
- Photosynthesis: The process plants use to make food from sunlight.
- Planet: A celestial body orbiting a star.
- Plasma: A state of matter similar to gas but with charged particles.
- Protein: A nutrient essential for body repair and growth.
- Proton: A positively charged particle in the nucleus of an atom.
- Pollination: The transfer of pollen to help plants reproduce.
- Photosphere: The visible surface of the sun.
- Polymer: A large molecule made up of many repeating units.
- Precipitation: Water released from clouds as rain, snow, or sleet.
- Petal: The colored part of a flower that attracts pollinators.
- Paleontology: The study of fossils and ancient life.
- Pollen: The powdery substance from flowers used in plant reproduction.
Animals that Start with P
- Panda: A black-and-white bear known for eating bamboo.
- Penguin: A flightless bird that swims and lives in cold climates.
- Puma: A large cat also known as a mountain lion or cougar.
- Parrot: A colorful bird known for its ability to mimic sounds.
- Porcupine: A rodent with sharp quills for protection.
- Panther: A large wild cat, often black, also known as a leopard or jaguar.
Plants that Start with P
- Pine: A type of evergreen tree with needle-like leaves.
- Peony: A flowering plant known for its large, beautiful blooms.
- Petunia: A popular garden flower with colorful blossoms.
- Palm: A type of tropical tree with fan-like leaves.
- Poppy: A bright flowering plant, often red or orange.
- Primrose: A plant with colorful, delicate flowers.
- Pumpkin: A large orange squash often used in cooking and for decoration.
- Parsley: A leafy herb used in cooking.
- Peach Tree: A tree that produces sweet, juicy fruits.
- Pepper Plant: A plant that produces spicy or sweet peppers.
- Papaya Tree: A tropical tree that produces the sweet papaya fruit.
- Pear Tree: A tree that produces pears, a sweet, juicy fruit.
Flowers that Start with P

Adjectives that Start with P

Winter Words that Start with P

Things That Start with P

Christmas Words that Start with P

Gabrielle Kotkov is an AMI-trained 3-6 Montessorian and educational consultant. She has a Master's Degree in Child Studies and is certified in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). She is particularly interested in the intersection between Montessori education and multilingualism, which led her to create the Multilingual Montessori website and podcast. Gabrielle has taught in schools in NYC, Sicily, London, and Austin, and is currently on the teaching faculty of the West Side Montessori School Teacher Education Program, an AMS training center in NYC.