Namaskaara 🙏
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| namaskaara | greetings |
These are notes created while learning Kannada, hope it helps.
Navigate to common phrases, if you are looking for quick use.
Pronouns#
Nominative Pronouns#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| naanu | I/me |
| naavu | We |
| niivu | You (with respect) |
| ivaru | He/She - This person (with respect) (proximate - “यह”) |
| avaru | He/She - That person (with respect) (remote - “वो”) |
| niinu | You (without respect - singular) |
| ivaLu | She - This person (without respect) (proximate - “यह”) |
| avaLu | She - That person (without respect) (remote - “वो”) |
| ivanu | He - This person (without respect) (proximate - “यह”) |
| avanu | He - That person (without respect) (remote - “वो”) |
Notes:
- Avoid “niinu”, “ivaLu”, “avaLu”, “ivanu”, “avanu”. These are usually used with younger folks (mostly children) and among friends.
- Rather use “niivu”, “ivaru”, “avaru” - more respectful pronouns. These are used with respect and are gender-neutral (preferred)
Possessive Pronouns#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) | Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) | Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| nanna | My | nanna-du | mine | nanna-d-alla | not mine |
| namma | Our | namma-du | ours | namma-d-alla | not ours |
| nimma | Your (With respect) | nimma-du | yours (with respect) | nimma-d-alla | not yours (with respect) |
| ivara | His/Her - This person’s (with respect) (proximate - “इंका”) | ivara-du | this person’s (with respect) | ivara-d-alla | not this person’s (with respect) |
| avara | His/Her - That person’s (with respect) (remote - “उनका”) | avara-du | that person’s (with respect) | avara-d-alla | not that person’s (with respect) |
| ninna | Your (younger folk - without respect - singular) | | | | |
| ivaLa | Her - This person’s (without respect) (proximate - “इस्का”) | ivaLa-du | this person’s (without respect) | ivaLa-d-alla | not this person’s (without respect) |
| avaLa | Her - That person’s (without respect) (remote - “उसका”) | avaLa-du | that person’s (without respect) | avaLa-d-alla | not that person’s (without respect) |
| ivana | His - This person’s (without respect) (proximate - “इस्का”) | ivana-du | this person’s (without respect) | ivana-d-alla | not this person’s (without respect) |
| avana | His - That person’s (without respect) (remote - “उसका”) | avana-du | that person’s (without respect) | avana-d-alla | not that person’s (without respect) |
Examples#
“naanu” examples#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| naanu vidyaarthi | I am a student |
| naanu engineer | I am an Engineer |
| naanu Vaidya/Vaidye | I am a Doctor (he/she) |
| naanu grihiNi | I am a home maker |
| naanu nirudyOgi | I am an un-employee |
| naanu oLLeya huDugi | I am a good girl |
| naanu oLLeya huDuga | I am a good boy |
| naanu samshOdhaka/ki | I am researcher (he/she) |
| naanu oLLeya manushya | I am good man / human being |
| naanu oLLeya kelasagaara/kelasagaarti | I am good worker |
Note:
- olleya is adjective, chennagi is adverb. example: “naanu chennagiddene” means “I am fine”
“naavu” examples#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| naavu snEhitaru | We are friends |
| naavu oLLeya snEhitaru | We are good friends |
| naavu manushyaru | We are human beings |
| naavu kashTa jiivigaLu | We are hard workers |
| naavu oLLeya geLatiyaru | We are good friends (Female) |
| naavu oLLeya geLeyaru | We are good friends (Male) |
| naavu oLLeya vidyaarthi.gaLu | We are good students |
| naavu oLLeya kelasagaara.ru | We are good workers |
“niivu” examples#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| niivu oLLeyavaru | You are a good person |
| niivu oLLeya vaidyaru | You are a good Doctor |
| niivu nanna oLLeya snEhitaru | You are my good friend |
| niivu oLLeya manushyaru | You are a good human being |
| niivu tumbaa oLLeyavaru | You are very good person |
“ivaru” examples#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| ivaru nanna taayi | She is my mother |
| ivaru nanna tande | He is my father |
| ivaru nanna ganDa | He is my husband |
| ivaru nanna henDati | She is my wife |
| ivaru nanna maneyavaru | He/She is my spouse (gender neutral) |
“avaru” examples#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| avaru nanna atte | She is my mother-in-law (remote) |
| avaru nanna maava | He is my father-in-law |
“ivaLu” examples#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| ivaLu nanna magaLu | She is my daughter |
“ivanu” examples#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| ivanu nanna maga | He is my son |
“ivara” examples#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| ivara hesaru … | His/Her name is … |
“avara” examples#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| avara hesaru … | His/Her name is … |
“ivaLa” examples#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| ivaLa hesaru … | Her name is … |
“ivana” examples#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| ivana hesaru … | His name is … |
Common nouns#
Relations#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| anna | older brother |
| akka | older sister |
| tamma | younger brother |
| tangi | younger sister |
| amma | mom / familiar aunty |
| tande (pronounced with द) | father |
| atte | mother-in-law |
This/That#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| aa | That |
| ii | This |
| adu | That is |
| idu | This is |
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| mane | house |
Adjectives#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| hosa | new |
| haLe | old |
| chikka | small |
| doDDa | big |
| oLLeya | good |
Common phrases#
| Kannada (transliterated) | English (translated) |
|---|
| nanna location … | My location is … |
| banni | come |
| maadbedi | don’t do |
| maadi | do |
| trip cancel maadbedi | don’t cancel the trip |
| niivu chennagi drive maDthira | you drive well |
| neevu hegidira? | How are you? |
| naanu chennagidini | I am doing good |
| yelli idira? | where are you? |
| niivu yaaru? | who are you? |
| nimma hesaru Enu? | what is your name? |
| Kannada tumba gottilla | I don’t know a lot of Kannada |
| kannada swalpa barutte | Know bits of Kannada |
| naanu Bengaluru-ige hosadagi bandidini | I am new to Bengaluru (gender neutral) |
| naanu … hattira nintidene | I am standing near … |
| naanu … munde nintidene | I am standing in front of … |
| hesaru | name |
| uuru / sthala | place |
| maatru bhaashe | mother-tongue |
| mane maatu | language spoken at home |
