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Learn Kannada

The Kannada language is the official language of the state and is the native language of approximately 65% of Karnataka's population.Kannada played a crucial role in the creation of Karnataka since linguistic demographics was a major criterion chosen to create the state in 1956. Tulu, Kodava Takk and Konkani are other major native languages that share a long history in the state. Urdu is spoken widely by the Muslim population. Less widely spoken languages include Beary bashe and certain dialects such as Sankethi. Kannada features a rich and ancient body of literature covering topics as diverse as Jainism, Vachanas, and Haridasa Sahitya. Evidence from edicts during the time of Ashoka the Great suggest that the Kannada script and its literature were influenced by Buddhist literature. The Halmidi inscription, the earliest attested full-length inscription in the Kannada language and script, is dated to 450 CE while the earliest available literary work, the Kavirajamarga, has been dated to 850 CE. References made in the Kavirajamarga, however, prove that Kannada literature flourished in the Chattana, Beddande and Melvadu metres during earlier centuries

Kuvempu, the renowned Kannada poet and writer who wrote Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate, the state anthem of Karnataka[92] was the first recipient of the "Karnataka Ratna" award, the highest civilian award bestowed by the Government of Karnataka. Contemporary Kannada literature is well recognized in the arena of Indian literature, with seven Kannada writers winning India 's highest literary honour, the Jnanpith award, which is the highest for any language in India . Tulu is spoken mainly in the coastal districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada. Tulu Mahabharato, written by Arunabja in Tulu script, is the oldest surviving Tulu text.The Tulu language now uses the Kannada script due to the gradual decline of the Tulu script, which was in use until a few centuries ago. The Kodavas who mainly reside in the Kodagu district, speak Kodava Takk. Two regional variations of the language exist, the northern Mendale Takka and the southern Kiggaati Takka.Konkani is mostly spoken in the Uttara Kannada district and in some parts of the Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts. Both Kodava Takk and Konkani use the Kannada script for writing. English is the medium of education in many schools and widely used for business communication in technology-related companies and BPOs.

All of the state's languages are patronised and promoted by governmental and quasi-governmental bodies. The Kannada Sahitya Parishat and the Kannada Sahitya Akademi are responsible for the promotion of Kannada while the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Akademi, The Tulu Sahitya Akademi and the Kodava Sahitya Akademi promote their respective languages.

Kannada alphabet

Origin

The Kannada alphabet developed from the Kadamba and Calukya scripts, descendents of Brahmi which were used between the 5th and 7th centuries AD. These scripts developed into the Old Kannada script, which by about 1500 had morphed into the Kannada and Telugu scripts. Under the influence of Christian missionary organizations, Kannada and Telugu scripts were standardized at the beginning of the 19th century.

Notable features

Kannada is a alphasyllabary in which all consonants have an inherent vowel. Other vowels are indicated with diacritics, which can appear above, below, before or after the consonants.
When they appear the the beginning of a syllable, vowels are written as independent letters.
When consonants appear together without intervening vowels, the second consonant is written as a special conjunt symbol, usually below the first.

Used to write:

Kannada or Canarese, the official language of the southern Indian state of Karnataka. Kannada is a Dravidian language spoken by about 44 million people in the Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra .

Vowels

Consonants

A selection of conjunct consonants

A selection of Kannada conjunct consonants

Numerals

Sample text in Kannada

Transliteration

Ella manavaru svatantraragiye janisiddare. Hagu ghanate mattu hakku gaalli samanaragiddare. Viveka mattu antakara aga annu pa edavaraddarinda avaru paraspara sahodara bhavadinda vartisabeku.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

GREETINGS
HELLO	»	NAMASKARA
THANK YOU VERY MUCH	»	THUMBA DHANYAVADAGALU
GOODBYE	»	HOGI BARUTHEENE
HOW ARE YOU ?	»	NEEVU HEGIDHEERA?
FINE THANK YOU	»	CHENNAGIDHENE DHANYAVADAGALU
WELCOME	»	SUSVAGATHA
I LOVE BANGALORE	»	NAANU BENGALOORANNU PREETHISUTHENE
BANGALORE IS BEAUTIFUL	»	BENGALOORU SUNDARAVAGIDHE
HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS	»	HRUDHAYAPURVAKA SHUBHASHAYAGALU
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!	»	NEEVU SUNDARAVAGIDHIRI

INTRODUCTION
MY NAME IS....	»	NANNA HESARU...
I AM A...(PROFESSION)	»	NANNA UDYOGA...
I AM FROM....(PLACE OF ORIGIN)	»	NAANU...OORINAVANU
HAPPY TO MEET YOU	»	NIMMANNU BETI MADI SANTOSHAVAYITHU
YES	»	HOWDHU
NO	»	ILLA
SORRY, I'M LATE	»	KSHAMISI THADA AAYITHU

ENQUIRY
WHAT IS YOUR NAME ?	»	NIMMA HESARU YENU?
HOW DO I GO THERE?	»	ALLIGE NAANU HEGE HOGUVUDHU?
HOW MUCH IS THIS?	»	IDHU YESHTU?
WHERE IS YOUR HOUSE?	»	NIMMA MANE ELLI IDHE?
WHERE IS THE NEAREST POLICE STATION ?	»	HATHIRADHA POLICE STATION YELLI IDHE?
WHERE CAN I GO SHOPPING ?	»	NAANU SHOPPING MADALU YELLI HOGA BEKU
CAN YOU HELP ME ?	»	NANAGE SAHAYA MADUTHEERA?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ?	»	NEEVU YENU MADUTHIDHEERA?
WOULD YOU JOIN ME FOR LUNCH TODAY ?	»	EEVATHU NANNA JOTHE OOTA MADUVIRA?
HOW DO I GO TO THE AIRPORT ?	»	NAANU VIMANANILDHANA KE HEGE HOGUVUDHU?
WHAT ARE THE TOURISTS SPOTS AROUND ?	»	SUTHHA MUTHHALINA TOURIST SPOTUGALU YAVUDHU?
WHERE SHALL WE MEET ?	»	NAAVU YELLI BETI AAGONA?
WAS THERE A CALL FOR ME?	»	NANAGE YARAADHARU DURAVANI KARE MADIDHARA?
WHERE CAN I MAKE A PHONE CALL?	»	DURAVANI KARE YELLI MADA BAHDHU?

DIRECTIONS
I WANT TO GO TO...	»	NAANU....HOGABEKU
I HAVE LOST MY WAY	»	NAANU DHARI THAPPIDHINI
STRAIGHT AHEAD	»	NERAVAGI MUNDHE
GO TO THE LEFT	»	EDAGADE HOGI
GO TO THE RIGHT	»	BALAGADE HOGI
OPPOSITE	»	YEDHURUGADE

GENERAL
PLEASE	»	DAYAVITTU
SORRY	»	KSHAMISI
I WILL COME BACK	»	NAANU VAPAS BARUTHENE
I WANT IT	»	IDHU NANEGE BEKU
I DON'T WANT IT	»	IDHU NANEGE BEDA
THIS IS GOOD	»	IDHU CHENNAGIDHE
LET US GO	»	HOGONA
COME TOMORROW	»	NAALE BANNI
GET ME A GLASS OF WATER	»	NANAGE ONDHU LOTA NEERU KODI
I WANT TO TRY AGAIN	»	NAANU MATTHE PRAYATHNISUVE
I'II MEET YOU AT IN THE EVENING	»	NAANU SANJE BETI MADUVE
PLEASE WAIT UNTILL I AM BACK	»	NAANU BARUVAVAREGE KAADHIRI
THE WEATHER IS PLEASANT HERE	»	ILLINA HAVAMAANA CHENNAGHIDHE
DRIVE SLOWLY	»	NIDHAANAVAGI VAHANA CHALAYISI
PACK THESE THINGS	»	EE SAAMAANUGALANNU PACK MAADI

I	Nanu
He	Avanu
She	Avalu
You	Neenu
It	Adu
This	Idu
That	Adu
A	vandhu
Mother	Thaayi/amma
Father	Appa/thandhe.
Come(You come)	Baa
Came	Baandha(male) /Banhalu(female)
Will come	Baaruthare
Open	Bhichu
Opened	Bhichidhe
Will open	Bhichabeku
Sit	Kuthko/ Kulithuko
Walk	Nadee
Eat	Thinnu
Drink	Kudee
Win	Gellu
Go	Hogu/Horadu
Run	Odu
I go	Nanu hoguthene
He goes	Avanu hoguthane
He eats an apple	Avanu sebu(apple) thinuthane
He is eating an apple	Avanu sebu thinnuthidhane
He ate an apple	Avanu sebu thindhanu
I saw the film last week	Nanu hodha wara picture/ chalanachitra nodidhanu
She came by bus yesterday	Avalu ninne businalli bandhalu
They went to the mosque	Avaru masidhi/darga ge hodharu
He slept the whole night	Avanu eedi raatri malaghidhanu
He wrote well in the examination	Avanu pariksheyalli chennaghi madidhanu/
	Avanu pariksheyalli chennaghi baredhanu
He has eaten	Avanu thindhidhane
He will eat	Avanu thinnuthane
He will go	Avanu hoguthane
He will come	Avanu baruthane
What is your name?	Ninna hesarenu?/ Ninna hesaru yenu?
What	Yenu?
Your	Ninna
Name	Hesaru
What did you do?	Neenu yenu maduthiya?
What should I do?	Nanu yenu madabeku?
What can I do?	Nanu yenu madabhahudhu?/ nanu yenu madaballe
What are the questions?	Yenu prashnegalu?
What were the questions?	Yenu prashnegaliddhavu?
What is the last question?	Koneya prashne yenu?
What is written in the letter?	Pattradhalli/Kaagadhadalli yenu baredhidhe?
What you had been told?	Ninege yenu hellalaghithu?
What will be the answer?	Uttara yenirabhahudhu?
Why did you come?	Neenu yaake bandhe?
Why did you sleep?	Neenu yaake malaghidhe?
Why did you tell him to go?	Neenu avanige yakee hoghalikke hellidhe?
Why did he bring the bag?	Avanu yaake cheela thandhanu?
Why did she pay the money?	Avalu yakee dhuddu kottalu?
Why did they sit there?	Avaru alli yakee kootharu?
Why do you drive the car?	Neenu gaadi yakee biduthiya?/
	Neenu yakee gaadi chalayisuthiya?
Why are they late for the meeting?	Avaru meetingige yaake thadavadharu?
How did you come?	Neenu hege bandhe?
How did you sleep?	Neenu hege malaghidhe?
How did you drive?	Neenu hege gaadi chalayisidhe?.
How did you write?	Neenu hege baredhe?
How many apples are there in my hand?	Nanna kaiyalli yestu sebu idde?
How many did you take?	Neenu yestu thagedhukonde?
How much did he pay you?	Avanu ninage yestu hana kottanu?
How much distance to go?	Yestu doora hoghabheku?
How was the journey yesterday?	Ninneya prayana heghithu?
Which way did you come?	Neenu yaava daariyalli bandhe?
Which is your favourite colour?	Ninna istavadha banna yavudhu?/
	ninege yava banna ista?
In which room did you sleep?	Neenu yava koneyalli malaghidhe?
Which story did you tell?	Neenu yava khathe helidhe?
Which is the sweetest fruit?	Yallakintha saviyatha hannu yavudhu?
Which is the best newspaper in Hindi?	Hindiya yava patrike sarvashresta?
Which Indian state has the largest population?	Bharatha deshada yava rajyadalli jasti janasankye?
Where did you come from?	Neenu yellindha bandhe?/ ninna ooru yavadhu?
Where did you sleep?	Neenu yelli malaghidhe?
Where is the manager's cabin?	Managerina kone yavudhu?
Where should I go?	Nanu yellige hogabeku?
Whom should I contact?	Nanu yaranna samparkisabeku?
Is it a book?	Idu pustakava?/ idu pustaka naa?
It is a book	Ide pustaka/ ide pustaka
Is it the answer?	Idu uttarana?
It is the answer	Ide uttara
Will you come with me?	Neenu nanna joteghe baaruthiya?
I shall come with you.	Naanu ninna jotege barythene
Will you give me your pen?	Ninna pennu/ kalam nanage koduthiya?
Yes, of course.	Avashyavaghi koduthene
Do you love me?	Neenu nannannu preethisuthiya?
Yes, I love you.	Hovadhu naanu ninna preethisuthene
Can you give me your pen?	Nanege ninna penana kodabhahudha?/
	Ninna kalam nanaghe koduthiya?
Can you lift the box?	Neenu dabbiyanna yethe balliya?/
	Ninindha dabbi yathellu sadhyava?
Can you write the exam?	Ninindha parikshe bariyalu sadyana?
Did you have your lunch?	Oota madhidheya?/ oota aayitha?
How are you?	Hegiddhiya?/ Neenu heghiddhiya?
I am fine	Nanu chenagiddene.