Top Kannada words you must learn

Kannada was designated as a classical language in 2008, and it is thought to be at least 2500 years old, making it India’s third oldest language after Sanskrit and Tamil. Kannada is one of India’s 22 official languages as well as 14 regional languages. Kannada is spoken in around 20 dialects (Ethnologue). They’re usually divided into three categories: northern, southern, and central. The nearby languages, such as Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, and others, have influenced many of the dialects.

General:

Thank you – Pronounced as “Nimma Upakara”

Come – Pronounced as “Baa”

Go – Pronounced as “Hogu”

Goodbye – Pronounced as “Valledu Namaskar”

Drink – Pronounced as “Kudee”

Eat – Pronounced as “Thinnu”

You – Pronounced as “Neenu”

I – Pronounced as “Nanu”

He – Pronounced as “Avanu”

She – Pronounced as “Avalu”

It – Pronounced as “Adu”

A – Pronounced as “Vandu”

That – Pronounced as “Adu”

This – Pronounced as “Idu”

Food:

Vegetable – Pronounced as “Tarakari”

Milk – Pronounced as “Halu”

Salt – Pronounced as “Uppu”

Bread – Pronounced as “Rwati”

Directions:

Inside – Pronounced as “Olage”

Outside – Pronounced as “Horage”

Right – Pronounced as “Balagade”

Left – Pronounced as “Yedagade”

Front – Pronounced as “Munde”

Back – Pronounced as “Hinde”

East – Pronounced as “Poorva”

West – Pronounced as “Pashchima”

North – Pronounced as “Uttara”

South – Pronounced as “Dakshina”

Numbers:

One – Ondu

Two – Yeradu

Three – Mooru

Four – Naliku

Five – Aidu

Six – Aaru

Seven – Yelu

Eight – Yentu

Nine – Ombathu

Ten – Hathu

There are several regional dialects of Kannada spoken, but the written version is relatively standardised. There are also a variety of social groups based on caste or social status. Brahmin, non-Brahmin, and Untouchable are the three dialects of colloquial Kannada, dependent on social origin. The normal, or prestigious, variety is built on the Mysore-Bangalore area’s middle-class, educated Brahmin dialect. In terms of phonology, syntax, and lexicon, there is a significant contrast between the spoken and written versions of the language.

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