Talk In Kannada

If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.
Nelson Mandela

Kannada Class – Session I Handout

KANNADA WORD ENGLISH WORD SIMPLE SENTENCE
Naanu Me / I am Naanu software engineer. (I am a software engineer)
Neenu You Neenu student. (You are a student)
Namma Ours Namma desha Bharata. (Our country is Bharata).
Nimma Yours Nimma ooru ABC. (Your home town is ABC)
Yaaru Who Teacher yaaru? (Who is the teacher?)
Yaavaga When Class yaavaga? (When is the class?)
Yelli Where Ramu yelli? (Where is Ramu?)
Avaru He / She (with respect). Also they / those people Avaru teacher. (He / She is a teacher)
Ivaru He / She. This person / these people Ivaru students. (These people are students)
Ooru Place / hometown Nanna ooru ABC. (My place is ABC)
Hesaru Name Nanna hesaru XYZ. (My name is XYZ)
Gottu Know Nanage English gottu. (I know English)
Gottilla Don’t know Nanage C++ gottilla. (I don’t know C++)
Ishta Like Nanage tea ishta. (I like tea.)
Baagilu Door Idu baagilu. (This is the door).
Kitaki Window Adu kitaki. (That is the window)
Kurchi Chair Idu kurchi. (This is chair)
Meju Table Adu meju. (This is table)
Mane House Idu namma mane. (This is my house)
Baa Come Neenu illi baa. (you come here)
Banni Come(with respect) Neevu illi banni. (you come here)
Hege How Neenu illige hege bande? (How did you come here?)

Kannada Class – Session 2 Handout

With Respect or Plural (wrp)
KANNADA WORD ENGLISH WORD SIMPLE SENTENCE
Idu This / It Idu pustaka. (this is book)
Idu nanna pennu. (it is my pen)
Adu That Adu nanna mane (that is my house)
Yaake Why Neenu yaake allige hode? (why did you go there?)
Yenu What Idu yenu? (What is this?)
Houdu Yes Houdu, adu nanage beku. (Yes, I need it)
Alla Not Nanna hesaru ABC alla. (My name is not ABC)
Beku Want Nanage pencil beku. (I want pencil)
Beda Do not want Nanage idli beda. (I do not want Idli)
Hogu / Hogi Go / wrp Neenu hogu / Neevu hogi. (You go)
Hoda / Hodaru (he) Went / wrp Avanu hoda / Avaru hodaru. (He went)
HodaLu / Hodaru (she) Went / wrp AvaLu hodaLu/ Avaru hodaru. (She went)
Banda / Bandaru (he) Came / wrp Avanu banda / Avaru bandaru. (He came)
BandaLu / Bandaru (she) Came / wrp Avalu bandalu / Avaru bandaru. (She came)
Alli There Alli pustaka ide. (Book is there)
Illi Here Illi nodu (See here)
Baa / Banni Come / wrp Bega baa. (Come fast)
Thago / Thagolli Take / wrp Pen thago (Take the pen)
KeLu / keLi Listen / wrp Nanna maathu kelu (Listen to me)
HeLu / HeLi Tell / wrp Nanage kathe helu (Tell me a story)
OLage Inside Olage yenu ide? (What is inside?)
Horage Outside Horage maLe ide. (It is raining outside)
Nilli Stop Alli nilli. (Stop there)
Eega Now Eega neenu baa. (Come now)
Aaga Then Aaga maLe banthu. (It rained then)

Kannada Class – Session 3 Handout

KANNADA WORD ENGLISH WORD
Namaskaara Good day.
Shubhadina Good morning.
Shubharaatri Good night.
Hogi barutheeni Goodbye.
Dayavittu Please.
Dhanyavada Thank you.
Hege Iddira? How do you do?
Chennagi Iddini Very well, thank you.
Susvaagatha Welcome.
ShubashayagaLu Congratulations.
Kshamisi, thada ayitu. Sorry, I'm late.

Words conveying relations

KANNADA WORD ENGLISH WORD
amma Mother
appa Father
maga Son
magalu Daughter
aNNa Elder brother
tamma Younger brother
akka Elder sister
tangi Younger sister
ajja Grandfather
ajji Grandmother
ganda Husband
hendathi Wife
maava Uncle / Father in law
atte Aunt / Mother in law
aLiya Son in law
sose Daughter in law
chikkappa Father’s younger brother or mother’s younger sister’s husband
chikkamma Mother’s younger sister or father’s younger brother’s wife
doddappa Father’s elder brother or mother’s elder sister’s husband
doddamma Mother’s elder sister or father’s elder brother’s wife

Kannada Class – Session IV Handout

Numbers 1 to 20 and 10 to 100

1 - ondhu 11 - hannondhu 10 - hatthu
2 - eradu 12 - hanneradu 20 - ippatthu
3 - mooru 13 - hadhimooru 30 - muvatthu
4 - naalakku 14 - hadhinaalakku 40 - nalavatthu
5 - aidhu 15 - hadhinaidhu 50 - aivatthu
6 - aaru 16 - hadhinaaru 60 - aravatthu
7 - Elu 17 - hadhineLu 70 - eppatthu
8 - entu 18 - hadhinenTu 80 - embatthu
9 - ombatthu 19 - hatthombatthu 90 - thombatthu
10 - hatthu 20 - ippatthu 100 - nooru

Commonly required vegetables, fruits and colors name
VEGETABLES
Vegetables - tharakaari
Onion - eeruLLi
Garlic - beLLuLLi
Ginger - shunTi
Potato - aaloo gaDDe
Beans - huraLikaayi
Cucumber - southe kaayi
Ladies finger - benDe kaayi
Brinjal - badhane kaayi
Green chilly - hasimeNasina kaayi
Bay leaves - karibEvina soppu
Coriander leaves - kotthambari soppu

FRUITS
Apple - sEbu
Orange - kitthale
Moosambi - moosambi
Grapes - dhraakshi
Mango - maavina haNNu
Chikku - sapota
Custardapple - seethafala
Guava - seebE haNNu

COLOURS
Pink - gulaabi
Red - kempu
Yellow - haLadhi
Green - hasiru
Blue - neeli
White - biLi
Black - kappu
Orange - kEsari
KANNADA
WORD ENGLISH WORD SIMPLE SENTENCE
Ippatthu 20 Ee pusthakadha bele ippatthu rupaayi(This book costs twenty rupees)
Aivatthu 50 ondhu gumpinalli aivatthu hudugariddhaare ( There are fifty people in a group)
Aravatthu 60 ondhu ghanTege aravathu nimisha ( There are sixty seconds in an hour)
Nooru 100 TV yalli nooru channel barutthe ( Hundred channels are shown in TV)
Hanneradu 12 Hanneradu ghanTege ooTakke hogoNa ( will go for lunch at Twelve .o. Clock)
Hadhimooru 13 Hadhimooru ashubha sankhye ( Thirteen is an unlucky number)
HadhinenTu 18 Namma maneyalli hadhinenTu janariddhaare (There are 18 people in our house)
HasimeNasina
Kaayi Green chilly HasimeNasina kaayi thumba khaaravagi irutthe( Green chilly will be too hot)
BenDe kaayi Ladies Finger BenDe kaayi aarogyakke thumba oLLeyadhu ( Ladies Finger is very good for health)
Kempu Red Kempu apaayadha sanketha ( Red signifies danger)
HaLadhi Yellow HaLadhi paTTiyannu dhaTabaradhu ( Do not cross yellow line)
Hasiru Green ElegaLa baNNa hasiru ( The colour of leaves is green)
Neeli Blue Aakashadha baNNa neeli ( The colour of sky is blue)
BiLi White BiLi paarivaLa shanthiya sanketha ( White pigeon signifies peace)
tharakaari Vegetables 1. mooru kg eeruLLi kodi (give me 3 kg.s of onion)

2. ardha kg beLLuLLi kodi (give me ½ kg of Garlic)
3. kaal kg hasimeNasina kaayi kodi (give me ¼ kg of Green Chilies)
4. ninage yaava tharakaari ista? (which vegetable do you like?)
haNNugaLu Fruits 1. sEbina bele estu? (what is the cost of apple?)
2. aidhu kg dhraakshi kodi (give me 5 kg.s of grapes)
3. seebE haNNina bele estu? (what is the cost of Guava?)
4. ninage yaava haNNu ista? (Which fruit do you like?)
baNNa color Ninage yavva baNNa ista? (which color do you like?)

Kannada Class 5

Vibhakti PrthyayagaLu

VIBHAKTI NAME VIBHAKTI FORM Appx.MEANING WORDS SENSTENCES
Prathama Vu First Person Reference Avanu, raamanu Raamanu raavaNanaanu Konda
Avanu officege hoda.
Dwitheeya Annu Second person reference Avanannu,
raavaNanannu Nannannu kaapaadi
Truteeya Inda Third person or through / from Avaninda baaNadinda Raamanu raavaNanannu baaNadinda kondanu
Chaturti Ge To Avanige,
Bengaloorige Naanu nenne bengaloorige hoagidee.
panchami
shashTi A Mine / it’s Nanna,
Avana Nanna hesaru guru
Sapthami Alli Within, There Maneyalli ,avanalli Maneyalli yaaroo ilva?
sambhodane

By adding ‘a’ to the end, one can frame a question. Ex :- hauda? , Alva?, ilva?, neevu software engineera?

Entha is a charcter prbing question? Ex: idu entaa haNNU? (Answer could be oLLE haNNu or ketta haNNU).

Aadaroo (Even then) when combined with questioning works, the meaning changes drastically.
Ex:- yaaru + aadaroo = yaaraadaroo (Any one)
yelli + aadaroo = yellaadaroo
hege + aadaroo = hegaadaroo….

Kannada Class 6

Serial
No Kannada Pada English Pada Past Tense Present Tense Future Tense
1 nODu To See nODdhe nODtha-idhini nODthini
2 Odhu To Read Odhidhe Odhtha-idhini Odhthini
3 kuDi To Drink kuDdhe kuDitha-idhini kuDithini
4 ODu To Run ODidhe ODtha-idhini ODthini
5 koDi To Give kotte koDtha-idhini koDthini
6 niddhe To Sleep niddhe maaDdhe niddhe
maaDtha-idhini niddhe
maadthini
7 naDi To Walk naDdhe naDitha-idhini naDithini
8 haaDu To Sing/
Song haaDdhe haaDtha-idhini haaDthini
9 kiNi To Dance kuNidhe kuNitha-idhini kuNithini
10 iLi To get down iLidhe iLitha-idhini iLithini
11 bari To Write bardhe Baritha-idhini barithini
12 kollu To Kill Kondhe kolltha-idhini kollthini
13 koLLu To Buy konDe koLLutha-idhini koLLthini
14 hathu To Climb hathide hath-tha-idhini hath-thini
15 nagu To Laugh nakkde nakktha-idhini nagthini
16 Ogi To Wash Ogidhe Ogitha-idhini Ogithini
17 heLu To Say heLde heltha-idhini helthini
18 keLu To Ask keLde keltha-idhini Kelthini
19 muTTu To Touch muTTdhe muTTta-idhini MuTTtini
20 oDi To break oDidhe oDitha-idhini oDithini
21 ODisu To Drive ODisde ODisitha-idhini ODisthini
22 Shuru To Strart Shuru maaDde Shuru
maaDthidhini Shuru
maaDthini
23 aLu To Cry atthe aLtha-idhini aLuthini
24 Maaru To Sell Maaride Maartha-idhini Maarthini
25 Solu To loose Sothe Solutha-idhini Soluthini
26 Gellu To Win Gedde Geltha-idhini gelthini

Kannada Class 7

COMMUTING

Important Verbs

To go - Hogu naanu officige hoguthene
To come - Ba naanu trekking baruthene
To run - Oodu naanu marathon ooduthene
To walk - nade naanu dina yeradu km nadeyuthene
To catch - hidi naanu infosys bus hidiyuthene
To stand - ninthu niinu bus stand alli ninthu kondiru

Phrases

I. “I want to “Phrase

Most scenarios while commuting involve communicating our intention to the opposite person.

Nanage < something> beku
naanu <place>ge <action> beku

Note: When referring to a living thing use “theera”. When referring to a non living thing use “tha”

II. Replying

Remember when replying use

houdu – to say yes. Houdu, infosys bus illi baruthe. (Yes, infosys bus comes here)
Illa – to say no. illa naanu 10 rupayee extra kododilla (No, I shall not pay 10 Rs extra)
Ayithu – to say over. Naanu ticket padedu ayithu (I have taken the ticket)
Agilla – to say not over.

Words Indicating direction

Right
Left
Forward/ Ahead - munde
Backward/ Behind – hinde

SHOPPING

Important Verbs

Sl No Verb To <verb> Past verb Will buy Am buying
1 Buy Kondu kollu Kondu konde Kindu kolluthene Kondu kollu tha idene
2 Take Tagedu kollu Tagedu konde Tagedu kolluthene Tagedu Kollu tha idene

Words for shopping

Beda - nanage ii pen beda. Bere kodi (I don’t want this pen. Give me another)
Beku - nanage aa dress beku. Pack maadi (I want that dress. Please pack it)
Bere - ii tomato chennagilla. Bere kodi (This tomato is not nice. Give me another)

MONEY

Important Words

Chillare - change
Duddu - money
Numbers - numbers that were discussed in previous class.
Jyasthi - ishtu beda. idu thumba jyasthi ayithu. ( I don’t need so much. This is more than I need)
Kammi - innu solpa kodi. Idu thumba kammi ayithu (Give me some more this is too little)

Phrases

Yeshtu usage

Typicall usage will be
Idu ( pointing at something) yeshtu – how much is this.

Note the differences between the following.

Yeshtu – how much
Ishtu – this much
Ashtu – that much

COMMUTING IN A LOCAL BUS

Scenario 1: Go to the bus stand.

Sl no Kannada version English Translation
1 Illi hattirada bus stand yelli ide? Where is the nearest bus stand?
2 Munde ide It’s straight ahead.
3 Dhanya vaada Thank you

4 Naanu majestic ge hoga beku. Majestic ge hoguva bussu illi barutha? I have to go to majestic. Will buses going to majestic come here?
5 Houdu. Illi baruthe Yes. They come here
6 Yaava bussu hoguthe? Which buses will go?
7 171, 172 hogthe
8 Mundina bussu yaavaga baruthe? When will the next bus come?
9 Innu ardha ghante aguthe It will take half an hour more
10 171 bus Wilson garden mele/inda? Hogutha? Will 171 go through Wilson garden?
11 Illa, bari 172 matra hoguthe No 171 will

Scenario 2: Inside the bus

Sl no Kannada version English Translation
1 Majestic ge ondu ticket kodi One ticket to majestic please
2 Aidu rupayi aguthe It will be 5 rupees
3 Majestic bandare dayavittu thilisi Please let me know when majestic comes
4 Majestic innu yeshtu doora ide? How much further is majestic
5 Innu nalakku stop 4 more stops
6 Ide majestic stopa? Is this majestic stop?
7 Houdu. Ide majestic Yes. This is majestic

Scenario 3: Asking an auto driver

Sl no Kannada version English Translation
1 Majestic ge hoga beku. Barutheera? I want to go to majectic will you come
2 100 rupayee aguthe It will be 100 rupees
3 Illa meter ashte koduthene I will pay as per the meter
4 Ayithu kulithu kolli Ok. Please sit down
5 Wilson garden alli right thagoli Take a right at Wilson garden
6 Munde left thagoli Take a left ahead.
7 Yenu meter ishtu agide alla! Naanu dina baruthene – 40 rupees asthe
aguvudu. Naanu ashte koduthene What the meter is showing so much! I come daily and I pay only 40 – I shall pay the same
8 Ayithu 45 kodi Ok give me 45
9 ThagoLi Take

SHOPPING

Scenario 4: Shopping for groceries

Sl no Kannada version English Translation
1 Tomato yeshtu How much are the tomatoes?
2 Hadinaidu rupayi kilo 15 rupees a kilo
3 10 rupayi madi kolli Make it 10 rupees
4 Illa saar – tomato season illa…. No sir – this is not tomato season
5 Illa illa bere kade ella 10 rupaye.. adare nimma tomato chenaagide No no it is 10 rupees elsewhere.. but your tomatoes are good
6 Ayithu 13 rupayi kodi Ok give 13 rupees
7 Ayithu yeradu kg kodi Ok give me 2 kgs

Scenario 4: Shopping for clothes

Sl no Kannada version English Translation
1 Ii shirtu chenaagide. Idara bele yenu? This shirt is nice. What is its price?
2 Inoora aivathu rupaayi 250 rupees.
3 Illa thumba jyasthi ayithu. Kammi madi kolli. No it is too much. Reduce it.
4 Illa sir fixed price No sir fixed price
5 Yenu riyayati illava? No discount is it?
6 Illa sir onde price No sire only one price.
7 Beda bidi – naanu bere angadi yalli nooduthene. Then I don’t need it. I shall shop for it in another shop.
8 Ayithu yeshtu kodutheera Allright how much will you give
9 Naanu inooru rupaayi koduthene I will pay 200
10 Ayithu thagoli All right take it
11 Yenatharu defect iddare replace mada beku If there are any defects then will you replace it?
12 Yenu defect iddaru naave bere shirt kodutheve Yes if there are any defects then we will replace it.
13 Dhanya vaada Thank you

Kannada Class 8

Interaction with House owner / Neighbors

Words

Mane – house / home
Baadige – rent
Kutumba – family
Hesaru – name
Pakkada maneyavaru - Neighbours
Maduve – marriage
MakkaLu - children
Kelasa - work
Tingalu - months
Neeru – water
Mane kelasa – domestic help
Aduge - cook

Interacting with Domestic Help / Cook

Important Verbs

To wash clothes - ogi
To sweep - gudisu
To clean utensils - toLi
To mop – oresu
Come – baa
Go – hogu
Cut – hetchu
to break - odi
to grind – rubbu
Fry - huri
To cook – aduge maadu / beyisu

Words

Paathre – utensil
Batte – clothes
Nela – floor
Porake - Broom
Neeru - water
bisi – hot
tarakaari – vegetable
enne – oil
akki – rice
beLe – dal

Interaction with House owner / Neighbor

Sl no Kannada version English Translation
1 Nimma hesarenu. what is your name?
2 Maduve aagideya? Are you married?
3 MakkaLu iddaara? Do you have kids?
4 Nimma kutumbadalli estu janariddaare? How many people are there in your family?
5 Neevu elli kelasa maaduteeri? where do you work?
6 Manege estu baadige? what is the rent for the house?
7 Manege estu tingala advance kodabeku? How many months advance should I deposit?
8 Maneyalli estu roomgalu ive? how many rooms does the house have?
9 Maneyalli bike / car parking ideya? do you have bike / car parking facility in the house?
10 Neeru supply hege idhe? How is the water supply?
11 Mane kelasa maaduvavaru sulabhavaagi siguttaara? Do we get domestic help easily?
12 Aduge maaduvavaru hattiradalli siguttaara? Do we get services of a cook in the vicinity?
13 Hattiradalli hannu-tarakaari elli sigutthade? Where do we get fruits and vegetables in the vicinity ?
14 Pakkada maneyavara hesarenu? What is the neighbour’s name?

Interaction with Domestic help / Cook

Sl no Kannada version English Translation
1 naaLe entugantege baa come tomorrow at 8.
2 naaLe estu hottige kelasakke baruteeya? at what time are you coming tomorrow?
3 Ivattu nela oresabeku you have to mop the floor today
4 Nela gudisi ayta? Have you swept the floor?
5 Yaavaga paathre tholiteeya? when will you clean the utensils?
6 Chennaagi batte ogiya beku wash the clothes properly.

Kannada Class 9

Interaction in a restaurant

Words

Word Meaning Usage
oota Lunch/dinner Oota ayitha?
thindi Breakfast/snacks Thindige jothe coffee kudide
kahi Bitter Coffee thumba kahiyagide
khara Hot/spicy Curry thumba khara
uppu Salt Rasam nalli uppu jyasti
sakkare Sugar yeardu spoon sakkare haaki
thannige Cold Dese thannige agide
bisi Hot Nannage bisi bisi coffee ishta
bega Fast Bega badisi ( serve fast )
neeru Water Neeru yellide?
bele Lentils (Daal)
soppu Greens
baath Cooked Rice
Chennagide It is nice Coffee chennagide
chennagilla It is not nice Coffee chenagilla
Badisu Serve
tholidu kollu to wash Kai tholidu kollu (to wash the hands)

Important Verbs and interrogatives

yenu ide? - What is there?

This can prefixed to enquire menus. Examples are menu alli yenu ide (whats in the menu), kudiyokke yenu ide? (Whats there to drink?). In general a question of yenu ide is like asking for the entire menu.

Ideya – is there?

This can be used when we want to ask for a specific item. Examples are coffee ideya [generic form < item > ideya?]

Kodi – give

Examples: yearadu coffee kodi. - give me 2 cups of coffee.

Yeshtu – how much

Examples: Yeradu cup coffee yeshtu? - How much for two cups of coffee?
Interaction with waiter/manager

Sl no Kannada version English Translation
1 Thindi yenu ide? Whats there for snacks?
2 Idly, dose, vade Idly, dose, and vadas
3 Yeradu idly, ondu dose matte mooru cup coffee Ok 2 idly, 1 dose and 3 cups of coffee
4 Yeshtu ? How much?
5 40 rupaayi 40 rupees
6 Thagoli Take it.
Inter acting with the person serving
7 Swalpa bega kodi Please give these fast.
8 Ii dose thannigagide bere kodi This dose is cold. Give me another one.
9 Illa saar iga madidu No sir. This has just been prepared.
10 Illa nanage bere kodi No please give me another one.

Enquiring for lodging

Sl no Kannada version English Translation
1 Nimma hotel nalli double bedroom room ideya? Dou you have double bedroom rooms in your hotel?
2 Ondu dinakke yeshtu chargu? What is the charge for a day?
3 Single bedroom ge yeshu? What’s the charge for a single bedroom?
4 Room service ideya? Do you have room service?

Kannada Class 10

Workshop 4 – Emergencies

Word Meaning
Gaaya Wound
Jvara Fever
Kemmu Cough
Negadi Cold
Novu Pain
Oushadhi Medicine
Maathre Tablet
Kadi Bite
Roga Disease
Muri Break
mooLe Bone
Apaghaatha Accident
Vaidhya Doctor
Visha Poison
Raktha Blood
Anila Gas
Benki Fire
Hoge smoke
kaLLa Thief
kaLLathana Burglary
Beega lock

Kannada sentences English sentences
keLage biddare gaaya aaguthaadhe. You will be hurt (wounded) if you fall down.
Ninage jvara bandhidhe. You are running fever.
Avanige kemmidhe. He has got cough.
Negadi yaadhaga thannirannu kudiyabeda. Do not drink cold water if you have cold.
Nanage tumba tale novidhe. I have got severe headache.
Neenu hushaaragideeya? Are you keeping well?
Oota aadha nantara oushadhi tegodhuko. Please take the medicine after your dinner.
Dinakke mooru maathre tegodhukollabeku. You will have to take 3 tablets a day.
Oota ballavanige rogavilla. One who eats well is immune to diseases.
Nanna kai murididhe. I have a broken hand.
Accidentnalli avana kaalina mooLe murididhe. He has broken his leg in the accident.
Rasteyallondhu apaghaathavagidhe. There is an accident on the road.

Haavina visha apaayakaari. Snake’s poison is dangerous.
Dehadalli raktha hariyuttadhe. Blood flows in the body.
Ee areadalli kaLLaru hechaagi idaare. There are thieves in this area.
Avara maneyalli kaLLathana aagidhe. There has been a burglary in their house.
kaLLa beega odedhu maneyalli kaLLathana maadidhaane. The thief has broken the lock and burgled the house.
Alli Benki idhe, hushaaru. Be careful of the fire there.

Naanu neerina billu kattabeku. I have to pay the water bill.
Nanage cable connection beku. I need a cable connection.
Telephone repairee aagabeku. I need to have the telephone repaired.
Namma maneyalli power cut aagidhe. There has been a powercut in my house.

Still Interested

  • If any of you are still interested in learning spoken Kannada, you may contact Mr N Nagabhushan, Kannada Sahitya Parishad, phone 2529 3664 / 98440 51067. He has been conducting classes focused on spoken Kannada for years and he starts a new session every month for FREE! The sessions happen at Indira Nagar 100 ft road

See also

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