© 2016 Shashank Rao !

ಆರಂ$␣ಗ'␣( ಕನ+ಡ -.ಠಗಳu

Arambhigakke Kanṇada Pāṭhagaḷu
Learning Kannada from Scratch

by Shashank Rao

© 2016 Shashank Rao !2

Preface

Hello! My name is Shashank Rao, and thank you for choosing to learn Kannada, a
fascinating and rich language! As a child, I did not know Kannada very well, because of a speech
disorder, and because my parents were advised to refrain from teaching me anything but English.
My journey in learning Kannada has been an exercise in my ability to re-learn a language that I
grew up speaking poorly, and immerse myself in my heritage. The lack of a Kannada-speaking
community might have compelled me to abandon the language entirely, but I decided that I was
going to learn, because this language was a part of me and who I was. I hope this text will help
other Kannadigas who are isolated from our mother tongue as I was, and allow us to keep the
tradition of passing down our mother tongue from generation to generation.
A brief introduction to the overall background of Kannada is in order. Kannada is a
Dravidian language spoken primarily in the state of Karnataka in South India, as well as in
border areas of states surrounding it. Kannada grammar is fairly systematic, but can be complex
in its expression of deeper nuance (though that’s true of any language). Kannada’s vocabulary is
drawn primarily from its Dravidian roots, which includes words that it may share with other
South Indian Dravidian languages, and from Sanskrit, a classical and liturgical language of India.
Many common, everyday words are of primarily Dravidian origin, and most complex, technical,
and area-specific words are mostly of Sanskrit origin, though occasionally they turn up in
everyday language. The relative proportion of Sanskrit and Dravidian origin words tends to vary
by one’s location in Karnataka, though Sanskrit derived words often feature prominently in
technical discourse or in literature. In practice, many Kannada speakers that live in urban areas
speak Kannada with some English words thrown in, especially in casual conversation. If you go
to villages and less industrialized areas, the Kannada spoken there may have noticeably fewer
English loans, and will likely include dialect-specific vocabulary.
Kannada, like many other Indian languages, has an extensive literature and history dating
back to the 8th century, including a manual for writing poetry in Kannada known as the
ಕ2␣3.ಜ5.ಗ6 (Kavirājamārga). There is a variety of literature in Kannada that ranges from
religious epics to philosophical treatises, and even a unique literary form known as ವಚನ 9.:␣ತ<
(vacana sāhitya), a type of prose poetry that grew out of the Śaiva devotional movements of the
9th century. Kannada literature spans devotional poetry, modernist novels, literary criticism, and
much more, making it a culturally rich and unique linguistic heritage.
This text is intended as a guide for beginners in Kannada as well as those who are
familiar with only the basics. While by no means exhaustive of all the cultural and idiomatic
nuances of the language, this aims to provide a decent understanding of the language. Please be
advised that this guide is not able to cover the various dialects, differences in the spoken
language, or any other variations in Kannada in their entirety. This guide aims to provide, at
minimum, a foundation in written Kannada that will help in developing a command of the
spoken language through practice. Kannada speaking communities can be difficult to find
outside of Karnataka, but the best way to find them is through the Kannada Kootas in the United
States, as well as the Kannada Balaga in the UK. I hope that you enjoy learning this language,
and can begin to appreciate one of the most ancient living languages in the world!

© 2016 Shashank Rao !3

Section 1: Introduction to the Written Language and Grammar

Like almost every Indian language, Kannada has its own writing system (=␣>␣ - lipi), which is
classified as an abugida, a specific type of writing system where each letter has an innate vowel.
Unlike the Roman alphabet used to write some languages in the West, Kannada’s writing system
works differently in that letters are not isolated consonants.

Consonant letters in Kannada each have an innate vowel attached to them, and for other vowels,
they change shape. Notice in the chart that each consonant has the innate vowel a [a]. There are
also subscript consonant diacritics, which are altered forms of consonant letters placed below or
to the bottom right of the letter. Below is a chart of the consonants.

Source: Omniglot

In the vowel diacritics, the letter ಕ [ka] is used as the example letter, and one can see how it
changes depending on what vowel is being used in conjunction with it. Each vowel also has a
complete form that cannot take diacritics of any kind.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !4

Source: Omniglot

As for consonant diacritics, the chart above shows the most common diacritics that you will need
to know, as well as some of the irregularly shaped ones. Most of the consonant diacritics are
formed by removing the topmost line and placing it to the bottom right of the letter being
modified. However, some are less obvious, including those for t, r, y, n, m, l, ṣ as well as a unique
form for the posterior r.

Source: Omniglot
© 2016 Shashank Rao !5

Pronunciation and vocabulary are tricky subjects in Kannada, because the written language and
spoken language sound completely different. This text will teach you speak Kannada as it is
written, since it is one medium that all Kannada speakers will understand, even if it sounds odd.
The only people who may genuinely speak this way on a daily basis are people from Mysore and
Mangalore, to an extent, as well as newscasters and public figures. Those dialects of Kannada
sometimes sound like the way most people talk, but use a very pure vocabulary that consists of
mostly Kannada words, with very little English and other loanwords. It’s important to understand
that Sanskrit-derived words are not really considered loanwords, except by Dravidian purists,
who are a minority. As for actual pronunciation of letters, use the audio files on this page: http://
www.omniglot.com/writing/kannada.htm. You can also use the IPA (International Phonetic
Alphabet), if you are familiar with it, given on this page:
http://web.uvic.ca/ling/resources/ipa/ charts/IPAlab/IPAlab.htm.

To learn the way most Kannada speakers actually talk, it is best to learn from them in person and
also to talk in Kannada often. Colloquial Kannada often takes loanwords from surrounding
languages, including English and other Indian languages, even if there are already words in
Kannada for certain concepts. This is especially true of English, since most people in India speak
English at a minimum conversational degree. Kannada speakers, especially abroad, frequently
import English words for things that might have a rather long, complicated, and Sanskrit-derived
equivalent. That said, Kannada speakers in Karnataka use a significantly lower number of
English and other loanwords, due to their greater exposure to the language on a daily basis,
though not to the extent that newscasters and public figures do. In the vocabulary lists, when
there is more than one acceptable word for any given definition, the source will be given: (D -
Dravidian, S - Sanskrit, F - Perso-Arabic).

Nouns (?␣ಸರುಪದ/D.ಮಪದ - hesarupada/nāmapada) are declined into one of seven cases:

nominative - ಕತೃ62␣ಭH␣I/ಪJಥಮ2␣ಭH␣I - kartṛvibhakti/prathamavibhakti - 1st


accusative - ಕಮ6L␣ಭH␣I/M␣NO␣ಯ2␣ಭH␣I - karmavibhakti/dvitiyavibhakti - 2nd 

instrumental-ablative - ಕರಣ2␣ಭH␣I/ತೃO␣ಯ2␣ಭH␣I - karaṇavibhakti/tṛtīyavibhakti - 3rd 

dative case - ಸಂಪJR.ನ2␣ಭH␣I/ಚತುS␣62␣ಭH␣I - saṃpradānavibhakti/caturthivibhakti - 4th 

genitive case - ಸಂಭಂದ2␣ಭH␣I/ಪಂಚT␣2␣ಭH␣I - saṃbhandavibhakti/pancamivibhakti - 5th 

locative case - ಅV␣W.ರಣ2␣ಭH␣I/ಸX␣Y2␣ಭH␣I - adhikaraṇavibhakti/ṣaṣṭhivibhakti - 6th

vocative case - ಸಂZ␣ೂಧD.2␣ಭH␣I/ಸಪIT␣2␣ಭH␣I - saṃbodhanāvibhakti/saptamivibhakti - 7th

Each case will be explained individually in each chapter. A side note: Here, one can observe the
tendency of Kannada to use simpler words not only in pronunciation but also in meaning; for
most people, it is more pragmatic to label the cases by number and remember their function,
rather than use the traditional name from Sanskrit, which has requires some amount of
extrapolation to interpret the meaning.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !6

Nouns also belong to one of three genders: masculine, feminine, or neuter. Only people can have
gender, which means that even if an animal is female, it is still treated as having the neuter
gender, having no changed form. However, there are a few words, derived from the names of
certain Hindu deities (which are people and therefore have gender) that have gender, such as
ಸೂಯ6 (sūrya - Sun), which is masculine only because the Hindu god of the sun of the same
name is male. To pluralize nouns that are not people, append ಗಳu to the end, and for nouns that
are people, add ಗರು.

Adjectives (ಪ]␣^␣ಪದ/2␣_␣ೕಷಣ - paricepada/viśeṣaṇa) do not change based on case, gender, or any

of the criteria according to which nouns change. Adjectives and adverbs (modifiers) in Kannada
always go before the noun or verb they modify, respectively.

Verbs (ಎಸಕಪದ/H␣Jc.ಪದ - esakapada/kriyāpada) conjugate according to tense, person, and

plurality, and gender in the third person singular. Verbs in the present tense can also take a
variety of affixes for various auxiliary meanings. In Kannada, tense is primarily contrasted
between past and non-past, making the future tense conveyable only through context. There is a
separate future tense, but it is found mostly in literary works.

The verb for “to be” (known as the copula) is frequently omitted from sentences that involve
“noun is noun” relationships but for “noun is adjective” relationships, the conjugation of the
copula is frequently affixed to the adjective, since predicate adjectives do not truly exist in
Kannada. It is also helpful to know that Kannada’s basic sentence order is SOV, differing from
English. So a sentence like “I kick the ball” in English would be translated roughly as “I the ball
kick” in Kannada.

Vocabulary: Basic Phrases

ನಮ9.(ರ - namaskāra - Hello


?␣ೂೕಗುಬರುe␣Iೕf␣ - hōgubaruttēne - goodbye (“I’ll go and come back”)

D.ನು... - Nānu... - I am...

ನನ+ ?␣ಸರು... - Nanna hesaru... - My name is...

g␣ನ+/g␣ಮh ?␣ಸರು? - Ninna/Nimma hesaru ēnu? - What is your name (informal/polite)?
?␣ೕi␣M␣jಯ g␣ೕನು/?␣ೕi␣M␣jರ g␣ೕವu? - Hēgiddiya nīnu/Hēgiddira nīvu? - How are you? (informal/
polite)

D.ನು ^␣D.+i␣l␣jೕf␣. - Nānu cennāgiddēne. - I’m fine.

ಧನ<m.ದ(ಗಳu). - Dhanyavāda(gaḷu). - Thank you.

ಎn.o ಸ]␣c.i␣M␣jಯ? - Ellā sariyāgiddiyā? - (Is) everything well/alright?

ಎn.o ಸ]␣c.i␣l.␣j - Ellā sariyāgidde. - Everything’s fine.
ಏನು ಸ5.q.ರ? - Ēnu samācāra? - What’s the latest/What’s up?

ಏನು ಇಲo - Ēnu illa. - Not much.

D.ನು (ತುಂಬ) ಸಂe␣ೂಷm.i␣l␣jೕf␣ g␣ನ+/g␣ಮh t␣ೕu␣ 5.ಡM␣ಂದ. - Nānu (tuṃba) santōṣavāgiddēne
ninna/nimma bhēṭi māḍadinda. - I’m (very) pleased to meet you. (informal/polite)
© 2016 Shashank Rao !7

*ಶುt␣ೂೕದಯ - śubhōdaya - Good morning/day (formal and rare)


*ಶುಭ ಮw.<ಹ+ - śubha madhyāhna - Good afternoon (formal and rare)

*ಶುಭ 9.ಯಂW.ಲ - śubha sāyankāla - Good evening (formal and rare)

*ಶುಭ3.ತI]␣ - śubharātri - Good night (formal and rare)

ಅನಂತರ/ಆy␣ೕz␣ f␣ೂೕ{␣ೂೕಣ - anantara/āmēle nōḍōṇa - See you after/later

ಮುಂM␣ನ |.]␣ f␣ೂೕ{␣ೂೕಣ - mundina bāri nōḍōṇa - See you next time

}␣ದು - haudu - Yes

ಇಲo - illa - No

ದಯ2␣ಟು• - dayaviṭṭu - please

ಸು9.Nಗತ - susvāgata - welcome

ಪರm.i␣ಲo/ಏನು ಧನ<m.ದ Z␣ೕW.i␣ಲo. - Paravāgilla/Ēnu dhanyavāda bekāgilla. - No need for thanks.
(inf/form.)

ಇಲo, ಇಲo - illa, illa - Not at all

g␣ನ+/g␣ಮh ಊರು c.ವದು ? - Ninna/Nimma ūru yāvadu? - Where are you from? (informal/polite)
ನನ+ ಊರು... - Nanna ūru... - I’m from...

ನನ•␣ (noun or verb) ಇಷ• ಆಗುತIl␣. - Nanage (noun or verb) iṣṭa āguttade/āguttave. - I like (thing).
(sing/plural)

ಇಲoವ/ಅಲoವ? - Illava/Allava? - Isn’t it?/Right?

ಅ$␣ನಂl␣ಗಳu! - Abhinandanegaḷu - Congratulations!

‚T␣ƒ␣! - Kshamisi! - Excuse me! (Very formal)

R.]␣ L␣ಡು/L␣„␣ - Dāri biḍu/biḍi - Make way/Excuse me (informal/polite)

ಏನು/c.ರು ಅದು? - Ēnu/Yāru adu? - What/Who is it? (used to answer the phone)

ಎಷು• ಗಂ…␣ ಆ†␣ತು? - Eṣṭu ganṭe āyitu? - What time is it?

(Number) ಗಂ…␣ ಆ†␣ತು. - (Number) ganṭe āyitu. - It’s (number) o’clock.

g␣ನ•␣/g␣ಮh•␣ ಎಷು• ವಷ6 ಇM␣jಯ? - Ninage/nimmage eṣṭu varṣa iddiya? - How old are you?
ನನ•␣ (number) ವಷ6 ಇl␣. - Nanage (number) varṣa ide. - I am... years old.

*It should be noted that these words are somewhat “contrived”, in the sense that they are words
made to be equivalents to English or Western expressions. Most Kannada speakers will never use
such expressions, at least outside of formal speech. There are many such words in Kannada,
created to address relatively new concepts, most of which include words involving technology.
Kannada speakers often use English words in everyday conversation, but learning these words in
Kannada are important learn in order to comprehend texts and news in Kannada. Using these
expressions will be seen as somewhat odd, but not misunderstood.

Vocabulary: Sports

W.z␣‡ಂˆ.ಟ - kālcenḍāṭa - football/soccer

H␣J'␣ಟು - krikeṭu - cricket

ಕಬ„␣‰ - kabaḍḍi - kabaddi (an Indian sport)
© 2016 Shashank Rao !8

Vocabulary: Food and Drink

5.ಂಸ - māṃsa - meat


y␣ೂ…␣• - moṭṭe - egg

ಸೂಪu - sūpu - soup

ಹಣುŠ/W.†␣ - haṇṇu/kāyi - fruit (ripe/unripe) (W.†␣ can only be attached to the name of a fruit)
R.J‹␣ - drākśi - grape
|.Œ␣(ಹಣುŠ/W.†␣) - bāḷe(haṇṇu/kāyi) - banana/plantain
•␣ೕಬು- sēbu - apple
ಎz␣'␣ೂೕಸು/'␣ೂೕಸು•␣ೕ{␣‰ - elekōsu/kōsugeḍḍe - cabbage
ಜೂಸು - jūsu - juice
g␣ೕರು - nīru - water

-.ನಕ - pānaka - lemonade
R.J‚ರಸ/ಮದ< - drākśārasa/madya - wine
?␣ಂಡ - heṇḍa - alcohol

Vocabulary: Verbs

5.ತD.ಡು - mātanāḍu - to talk/speak

?␣ೕಳu - hēḷu - to say

ಓದು - ōḍu - to run

ನ{␣ - naḍe - to walk
O␣ರುಗು - tirugu - to turn

ಈಜು/ಈಸು - īju/īsu - to swim

ಬ•␣ - bare - to write

ಆಟ5.ಡು/ಆ„␣ಸ ು - āṭamāḍu/āḍisu - to play

ನು„␣ಸ ು/|.]␣ಸ ು - nuḍisu/bārisu - to play (music)
ಅ$␣ನಯ 5.ಡು - abhinaya māḍu - to play/enact (drama/play)

‘.ಡು - hāḍu - to sing
ನO␣6ಸು/D.ಟ<5.ಡು - nartisu/nāṭyamāḍu/kuṇi - to dance

O␣ನು+ - tinnu - to eat

ಕು„␣ - kuḍi - to drink

m.ಸf␣ :␣„␣/ಮೂƒ␣ f␣ೂೕಡು/ಆ’.Jg␣ಸ ು - vāsane hiḍi/mūsi nōḍu/āghrāṇisu - to smell
•␣ೕ“␣ೕ5.ಡು/'␣ಲಸ5.ಡು - sēvēmāḍu/keḷasamāḍu - to serve (as in to help or work for)
ಬ„␣ಸ ು - baḍisu - to serve (food)
T␣ೕನು:␣„␣ - mīnuhiḍi - to fish

Vocabulary: Question Words

c.ರು - yāru - who

ಏನು - ēnu - what
© 2016 Shashank Rao !9

c.ವದು - yāvadu - which

c.m.ಗ - yāvāga - when
ಎಷು• - eṣṭu - how much
?␣ೕ•␣ - hēge - how
ಎ=␣o - elli - where

c.'␣ - yāke - why
c.'␣ ಅಂದ•␣ - yāke andare - because
ಎದ'␣( - edakke - for what

Vocabulary: Days of the Week and Seasons

g␣T␣ಷ - nimiṣa - second


ಗಂ…␣ - ganṭe - hour

M␣ನ - dina - day

m.ರ - vāra - week

O␣ಂಗಳu - tingaḷu - month

ವಷ6 - varṣa - year

ಶತ5.ನ - śatamāna - century
•␣ೂೕಮm.ರ - sōmavāra - Monday
ಮಂಗಳವರ - mangaḷavāra - Tuesday
ಬುಧm.ರ - budhavāra - Wednesday
ಗುರುm.ರ - guruvāra - Thursday
ಶುಕJm.ರ - śukravāra - Friday
ಶg␣m.ರ - śanivāra - Saturday
”.ನುm.ರ - bhānuvāra - Sunday
ವಸಂತ - vasanta - spring

Z␣ೕƒ␣•␣ - bēsige - summer
ಶರ•.(ಲ - śaratkāla - autumn/fall
ಚ=␣–.ಲ - caligāla - winter

Note: All months are all in English, unless indicated on the Indian traditional calendar, which has
separate names for the months.

ಕನ#ಡ ಅ&'(ಸ - Kannaḍa Abhyāsa - Kannada Practice

A. To practice writing Kannada letters, take each individual letter, and write 2-3 lines of each
character, in groups of 5. After you finish each group of 5, write all the sets you’ve done so
far. You should be able to reproduce the entire alphabet (vowels and consonants) from
memory after you’ve reached the final set.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !10

For vowel and consonant diacritics, practice by using them on different characters repeatedly.
Note: use computer software to type Kannada letters to see what they look like with their
diacritics; some letters do not undergo obvious changes to their shapes when diacritics are
attached.

B. Practice writing the following words after completing the first exercise.

1. sēbu
2. ācaraṇe
3. gōḍe
4. manuṣya
5. mattu
6. rakta
7. raita
8. mūle
9. ṛsī
10. mṛtyū
11. mara
12. īga
13. mēle
14. amṛtā
15. lēkhani
16. arasa
17. nīliya
18. svaccha
19. kālu
20. nālkane

© 2016 Shashank Rao !11

Section 2: School and People

Vocabulary: School

z␣ೕಖg␣ - lēkhani - pen


˜␣ೕಲ - cīla - bag

ಕO␣J - kattari - scissor

ಪuಸIಕ - pustaka - book

W.ಗದ - kāgada - paper

u␣ಪ™š␣ - ṭippaṇi - note/comment
ಗಣಕಯಂತJ - gaṇakayantra - calculator
›.z␣ - śāle - school
-.ಠ - pāṭha - lesson
-.JಥT␣ಕ ›.z␣ - prāthamika śāle - primary/elementary school (often K-8 in India)
œ␣Jಢ9.z␣ - prauḍhaśāle - high school
›.ž␣ - śākhe - department/branch

(2␣ಶN)2␣R.<ಲಯ - (viśva)vidyālaya - university/college

•.=␣ಮು Ÿ.f␣ - tālimu khāne - gym

ಪuಸIಕ ಭಂˆ.ರ/ಗJಂ .ಲಯ - pustaka bhaṇḍāra/granthālaya - library

ಪJ¡␣ೂೕ–.ಲಯ - prayōgālaya - laboratory

ಮf␣/ಗೃಹ - mane/gṛha - house (D/S)

g␣m.ಸ - nivāsa - residence

ವಗ6 - varga - class/category

ದ¢␣6 - darje - rank/grade

2␣ಷಯ/ವಸುI - viṣaya/vastu - subject/material (2␣ಷಯ is broad in usage)
ಉಪw.<ಯ/ಅw.<ಪಕ/¤␣‚ಕ - upādhyāya/adhyāpaka/śikṣaka - teacher

ಗುರು - guru - mentor/teacher (not necessarily academic)

2␣R.<S␣6 - vidyārthi/śiṣya - student

ವ<H␣I - vyakti - person (somewhat bookish)

5.ನವ - mānava - human

ಮನುಷ< - manuṣya - man

?␣ಂಗಸು - hengasu - woman

¤␣ಶು/ಹಸುŒ␣/ಕೂಸು - śiśu/hasuḷe/kūsu - baby (human only) (¤␣ಶು most common)
ಮಗು - magu - child

¥␣¦ೕರ - pōra - brat

(ಹುಡುಗ/|.ಲಕ)/(ಹುಡುi␣/|.ಲH␣) - (huḍuga/bālaka)/(huḍugi/bālaki) - boy/girl (D/S)
¤␣§5.¨/¤␣§ಮO␣ - śrīmān/śrimati - mister/miss (somewhat formal)

ಅಪ™/ಅಮh- appa/amma - dad/mom

ತಂl␣/•.†␣ - tande/tāyi - father/mother (indirect address only)

ಮf␣•␣ಲಸ - manegelasa - housework

›.z␣-.ಠ - śālepāṭha - schoolwork
© 2016 Shashank Rao !12

ರಸಪJ_␣+ - rasapraśne - quiz


ಪ]␣ೕ‚ - parīkśa - test

¡␣ೂೕಜf␣ - yōjane - project/plan
ಪJಬಂಧ - prabandha - essay/thesis
ಪತJ - patra - card
R.ಖz␣ ಪತJ - dākhale patra - admission document
ಪJ5.ಣ ಪತJ - pramāṇa patra - certificate

ಗುರುತು ಪತJ - gurutu patra - ID card

ಅಂಕ - aṅka - score/grade (as in marks in school)
L␣ಡುವu/2␣3.ಮ - biḍuvu/virāma - break/leisure (D/S)
ರಜ - raja - vacation/holiday
ಗš␣ತ(›.ಸ©) - gaṇita(śāstra) - mathematics
ಕಲನ(›.ಸ©) - kalana(śāstra) - calculus
L␣ೕಜಗš␣ತ - bījagaṇita - algebra
(ಅಂಕ)ಗš␣ತ - (aṅka)gaṇita - arithmetic
2␣_␣oೕಷª␣ - viślēṣaṇe - research/analysis
ಅಂH␣ - aṅki - figure/data
ಸಂಖ<ಸಂಗJಹಣ - sankhyāsaṅgrahaṇa - statistics

ಅಂH␣/ಸಂಖ< - anki/sankhya - number (D/S)

ಇಂi␣oಷು - iṅgliṣu - English

ಬರಹ/z␣ೕಖನ - baraha/lēkhana - writing/composition/article (D/S)
ಕೃO␣ - kṛti - work/opus
i␣ೕತರಚf␣ - gītaracane - lyrics

2␣«.ನ - vijñāna - science

ರ9.ಯನ 2␣«.ನ - rasāyana vijñāna - chemistry
ಭೂತ2␣«.ನ - bhautavijñāna - physics
¬␣ೕವ2␣«.ನ - jīvavijñāna - biology

”.-␣ - bhāṣe - language

ಅ”.<ಸ - abhyāsa - practice

H␣§ˆ. - krīḍā - sports

ಕz␣ - kale - art

ಸಂi␣ತ - saṅgīta - music
ಭೂ•␣ೂಳ ›.ಸ© - bhūgoḷa śāstra - geography
ಚ]␣e␣J/ಇO␣‘.ಸ - caritre/itihāsa - history

Vocabulary: Household and School Objects

®.ಗ/9.¯ನ - jāga/sthāna - place (D/S)

y␣ೕಜು - mēju - table

ಇ=␣y␣ೕಜು - iḷimēju - desk

•␣ೂೕ{␣ - gōḍe - wall
© 2016 Shashank Rao !13

ಅ„␣•␣ಮf␣ - aḍigemane - kitchen


l␣ೕವರಮf␣ - dēvaramane - altar/shrine (in one’s house)
m.<ಸಂಗದ '␣ೂೕª␣ - vyāsangada kōṇe - study room/study lounge
ಹಲ•␣/ಫಲಕ - halage/phalaka - board

H␣ಟH␣ - kiṭaki - window

|.i␣ಲು - bāgilu - door

ಕು˜␣6 - kurci - chair

±␣ೂೕಡ - mōḍa - stool

|.ವuಟ/ಧNಜ - bāvuṭa/dhvaja - flag

ಬುu␣• - buṭṭi - basket

ಗ„␣c.ರ - gaḍiyāra - clock

ಪಂq.ಂಗ - pancānga - calendar (Indian traditional calendar)
M␣ನಸೂ˜␣ - dinasūci - calendar (Gregorian calendar)

9.ª␣ - sāṇe - sharpener

L␣ೕಗದ '␣ೖ/H␣ೕ=␣'␣ೖ - bīgada kai/kīlikai - key

Vocabulary: Adjectives

g␣ೕರಸ - nīrasa - boring/dry (can also be literally “dry”)

ಸುಲಭ - sulabha - easy

ಕಷ•m.ದ - kaṣṭavāda - difficult

f␣˜␣‡ನ - neccina - favorite/preferred
ಮ®./ಸಂe␣ೂಷ - majā/santoṣa - fun

ಕುತೂಹಲW.]␣- kutūhalakāri - interesting

•␣ೂೕಚಕ - rōcaka - exciting

^␣D.+i␣/ಸ]␣c.i␣ - cennāgi/sariyāgi - well/good (adverb)
ಬಹಳ/ತುಂಬ - bahaḷa/tuṃba - rather/very
ಸ™ಷ•m.i␣ - spaṣṭavāgi - clearly/fluently
ಒŒ␣´/ಸ]␣c./^␣D.+ - oḷḷe/sariyā/cennā - good
ಮe␣Iಮe␣/I ಪl␣ೕಪl␣ೕ - mattematte/padēpadē - often
ಈಗ - īga - now
ಈಗ•.f␣ೕ - īgatānē - just now
ಅಪರೂಪm.i␣ - aparūpavāgi - rarely (time)
2␣ರಳm.i␣ - viraḷavāgi - scarcely
ಸರಳm.ದ - saraḷavada - simple/uncomplicated
ಸಂH␣ೕಣ6/ಜO␣ಲ - sankīrṇa/jaṭila - complex/complicated

Vocabulary: Numbers

Like many Indian languages, Kannada has its own symbols for numbers, which you should learn
as well. They work exactly like numbers in English. See examples of how they work below.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !14

೦ - •␣ೂf␣+/ಶೂನ< - sonne/śunya - 0
೧ - ಒಂದು - ondu - 1
೨ - ಎರಡು - eraḍu - 2
೩- ಮೂರು - mūru - 3
೪ - D.ಲು( - nālku - 4
೫ - ಐದು - aidu - 5
೬- ಆರು - āru - 6
೭ - ಏಳu - ēḷu - 7

೮ - ಎಂಟು - eṇṭu - 8

೯ - ಒಂಬತುI - ombattu - 9

೧೦ - ಹತುI - hattu - 10

೧೧ - ಹf␣ೂ+ಂದು - hannondu - 11
೧೨ - ಹf␣+ರಡು- hanneraḍu - 12

೧೩ - ಹM␣ಮೂರು - hadimūru - 13
೧೪ - ಹM␣D.ಲು( - hadinālku - 14
೧೫ - ಹM␣f␣ೖದು - hadinaidu - 15
೧೬ - ಹM␣D.ರು - hadināru - 16

೧೭ - ಹM␣f␣ೕಳu - hadinēḷu - 17

೧೮ - ಹM␣f␣ಂಟು - hadineṇṭu - 18
೧೯ - ಹe␣ೂIಂಬತುI - hattombattu - 19
೨೦ - ಇಪ™ತುI - ippattu - 20

೨೧ - ಇಪ™e␣ೂIಂದು - ippattondu - 21
೨೨ - ಇಪ™e␣Iರಡು - ippatteraḍu - 22
೨೩ - ಇಪ™ತIಮೂರು - ippattamūru - 23
...

೩೦ - ಮೂವತುI - mūvattu - 30

೪೦ - ನಲವತುI - nalavattu - 40

೫೦ - ಐವತುI - aivattu - 50

೬೦ - ಅರವತುI - aravattu - 60

೭೦ - ಎಪ™ತುI - eppattu - 70

೮೦ - ಎಂಬತುI - embattu - 80

೯೦ - e␣ೂಂಬತುI - tombattu - 90
೧೦೦ - ನೂರು - nūru - 100

೨೦೦ - ಇನೂ+ರು - innūru - 200

೩೦೦ - ಮುನೂ+ರು - munnūru - 300

೪೦೦ - D.ಲು( ನೂರು - nālku nūru - 400

೫೦೦ - ಐನೂರು - ainūru - 500

೬೦೦ - ಆರು ನೂರು - āru nūru - 600

೭೦೦ - ಏಳu ನೂರು - ēḷu nūru - 700

೮೦೦ - ಎಂಟು ನೂರು - eṇṭu nūru - 800

© 2016 Shashank Rao !15

೯೦೦ - ಒಂt␣ೖನೂರು - ombhainūru - 900


೧೦೦೦ - 9.2␣ರ - sāvira - 1,000

೧೦,೦೦೦ - ಹತುI 9.2␣ರ - hattu sāvira - 10,000
೧೦೦,೦೦೦ - ಲ‚ - lakśa - 100,000

೧,೦೦೦,೦೦೦ - ಹತುIಲ‚ - hattulakśa - 1,000,000
೧೦,೦೦೦,೦೦೦ - '␣ೂೕu␣ - kōṭi - 10,000,000

Vocabulary: Ordinal Number Adjectives

y␣ೂದಲ - modala - 1st

ಎರಡf␣ - eraḍane - 2nd
ಮುರf␣ - murane - 3rd
D.ಲ(f␣ - nālkane - 4th

ಐದf␣ - aidane - 5th

ಆರf␣ - ārane - 6th

ಏಳf␣ - eḷane - 7th

ಎಂಟf␣ - enṭane - 8th
ಒಂಬತIf␣ - ombattane - 9th
ಹತIf␣ - hattane - 10th
ಇಪ™ತIf␣ - ippattane - 20th
ಮೂವತIf␣ - mūvattane - 30th
ನಲವತIf␣ - nalavattane - 40th
ಐವತIf␣ - aivattane - 50th
ಅರವತIf␣ - aravattane - 60th
ಎಪ™ತIf␣ - eppattane - 70th
ಎಂಬತIf␣ - embattane - 80th
e␣ೂಂಬತIf␣ - tombattane - 90th
ನೂರf␣ - nūrane - 100th

Vocabulary: Verbs

ಕ=␣ಸ ು/?␣ೕÀ␣'␣ೂಡು - kalisu/hēḷikoḍu - to teach

ಕ=␣ತು'␣ೂಳu´ - kalitukoḷḷu - to learn
ಅಥ65.„␣'␣ೂಳu´ - arthāmaḍikoḷḷu - to understand
ಕುಳuತು'␣ೂಳu´ - kuḷitukoḷḷu - to sit

?␣ೂಗು - hōgu - to go

ಬರು - baru - to come
ಇರು - iru - to be (located)/wait/(auxiliar verb function)
?␣ೂರಡು - horaḍu - to leave (as in depart)

L␣ಡು - biḍu - to leave/let go/release

'␣ೕಳu/2␣q.]␣ಸ ು - kēḷu/vicārisu - to ask (D/S)
© 2016 Shashank Rao !16

5.ಡು - māḍu - to do/make


ಎಂದು - endu - to be (permanent conditions)

ಓದು/ಪÁ␣ಸ ು - ōdu/paṭhisu - to read (D/S)

•␣ೂO␣Iರು/ಅ]␣/O␣À␣ - gottiru/ari/tiḷi - to know (factual information or abilities)
«.ಪಕ2␣ಟು•'␣ೂಳu´/f␣ನ>␣ಡು - jñāpakaviṭṭukoḷḷu/nenapiḍu - to remember/know (people/places)
f␣ೂಡು/W.ಣು- nōḍu/kāṇụ - to see

'␣ಲಸ5.ಡು - kelasamāḍu - to work/function

ಗಮg␣ಸ ು - gamanisu - to watch/notice/heed

-.ಠ ಓದು - pāṭha odu - to study

ಮುi␣ಸ ು/'␣ೂf␣–.š␣ಸ ು - mugisu/konegāṇisu - to finish/terminate/complete

¡␣ೂೕ˜␣ಸ ು - yōcisu - to think/consider

ಭ2␣ಸ ು - bhāvisu - to believe

e␣•␣ದು'␣ೂಳu´ - tegedukoḷḷu- to take

ಆಗು - āgu - to happen/become

ಒ>␣™'␣ೂಳu´ - oppikoḷḷu - to admit

:␣„␣/9.i␣ಸ ು - hiḍi/sāgisu - to carry

9.i␣ಸ ು - sāgisu - to move

ತ•␣/ತರು - taru - to bring (both are acceptable)

ಆ]␣ƒ␣'␣ೂಳu´ - ārisikoḷḷu - to choose

ಒಪu™ - oppu - to agree/consent

ಇಷ•ಪಡು - iṣṭapaḍu - to prefer

'␣ೕಳu - kēḷu - to listen/hear

˜␣O␣Jಸು - citrisu - to draw

ಮ•␣ - mare - to forget

±␣ೂೕಸ5.ಡು - mōsamāḍu - to cheat/fool/trick/deceive

ಎg␣ಸ ು - eṇisu - to count

z␣ಕ(5.ಡು/ಗš␣ಸ ು - lekkamāḍu/gaṇisu - to calculate (D/S)

The Nominative, Accusative, and Declensional Class

The nominative case (“first case”) and accusative case (“second case) are easily the two most
important cases to learn in Kannada, for they are necessary to express many basic sentences.
For the nominative case, the only information one needs to know on how to use it is whether
there is any other information being associated with the noun in question. Is the noun anything
other than the subject of a verb? Is something coming from the noun, being given to the noun, or
is something in the noun? If none of such relationships to the noun apply, then the noun is in the
nominative case, and needs to be that way.

The accusative case is the other part of the basic sentence. It marks a noun as being the object of
a verb, meaning that is being acted upon. In further discussions of the accusative and other cases,
one should know the difference between an intransitive and transitive verb. A transitive verb is
an action that acts upon an object, whereas an intransitive verb does not. For example, in the
© 2016 Shashank Rao !17

sentence “I eat the apple”, the verb “to eat” is transitive, since “eat” acts upon “apple”. However,
in the sentence “I am eating”, the verb “to eat” is now intransitive, since it is not acting upon any
object.

However, there is something else one needs to know about case declension: it is key to identify
what declensional class a noun belongs to, since declensional sandhi, which are sound or spelling
changes that must be accounted for when a noun is declined a particular class. Fortunately, there
are relatively simple ways to figure out whether a noun is of a certain class. (Note: when a
complete vowel character is being given by itself in instructions, it refers to the sound, not the
letter itself. For example, if an instruction says to drop the final ಉ, it means to drop the final u
sound from the stem. So dropping the ಉ from ಬರು would make it ಬÂ.)

1. First class nouns include all masculine and feminine that end in ಅ (a). These nouns drop the
final ಅ before adding markers and declensional endings. 


2. Second class nouns include all neuter nouns that end in ಅ. These nouns drop the final ಅ
(atva) before adding declension endings that begin with vowels.


3. Third class nouns include all nouns that end in ಇ (i), ಈ (ī), ಎ (e), ಏ (ē), or ಐ (ai). These
nouns add a final à (y) before adding markers and declensional endings. Merge the letter
with the ending. 


4. Fourth class nouns include all nouns that end in ಉ (u), ಊ (ū), ಋ (ṛ), ೠ (ṝ), ಒ (o), ಓ
(ō), or ಔ (au). These nouns add a final Ç (v) before adding markers and declensional
endings. Merge the letter with the ending.
a. Most nouns in native Kannada end in ಉ, and many nouns that have had that ಉ
normalized for euphony do not need the final Ç to be added.
b. It’s also worth noting that in spoken Kannada, the Ç is frequently not added.

Both the nominative case and accusative case have endings to be attached to a noun to decline it,
which are all slightly different for each class. Below is a table of the endings (without alterations
listed above) for each class. The two versions given are simply variations that occur, and both are
acceptable. Then are some examples to contrast the classes and case declensions.

1st Class 2nd Class 3rd Class 4th Class

Nominative -ನು (singular) -ವu -ಉ -ಉ
-ರು (plural)

Accusative -ನನು+/ನನ+ -ವನು+/ವನ+ -(ಅ)ನು+/(ಅ)ನ+ -(ಅ)ನು+/(ಅ)ನ+

© 2016 Shashank Rao !18

Ex.

D.ನು •␣ೕಬನು# O␣ನು+e␣Iೕf␣.

Nānu sebannu tinnuttēne.
I eat an apple.

(Note: Case endings in bold.) As one can see, the personal pronoun “I” (D. - nā) has been
declined into the nominative case, though the rules about declension are slightly different for
pronouns. The accusative contrasts with the nominative, as “I” is the subject with no other
information attached to it, whereas “apple” is being acted upon by “to eat”. •␣ೕಬು is a fourth
class declension noun, but since the euphonic ಉ is already in the word in its dictionary form,
there is no need to attach the final Ç.

Ex.

D.ನು |.i␣ಲನು+ e␣•␣ಯುe␣Iೕf␣.

Nānu bāgilannu tegeyuttēne.
I open the door.

As in the previous example, the subject “I” (D. - nā) is in the nominative because it is the agent,
the person doing the verb. The object “door” (|.i␣ಲು - bāgilu) is in the accusative because it is
being acted upon by the subject through the verb “to open”. obœ is a fourth class noun, with no
need for the final Ç, due to its default form having a normalized euphonic ಉ.

Present Tense

As mentioned before, verbs conjugate with respect to person, tense, plurality, and gender (in the
third person). But before we learn the present tense, we need to know the personal pronouns. It
was said earlier in the explanation of the nominative and accusative cases that personal pronouns
decline into cases as well. However, they do so in slightly different ways, and only for certain
cases. The nominative case, for example, is the base form; D. (nā) is not a valid word by itself,
for example, and one must instead say D.ನು (nānu) The table below shows the personal
pronouns in the nominative and accusative cases. Memorize these pronouns so that you can learn
the meaning of their declined forms quickly.

D.ನು/ನನ+ನು+ - nānu/nannannu - I ****ಅದು/ಅದನು+ - adu/adannu - it

*g␣ೕನು/g␣ನ+ನು+ - nīnu/ninnannu - you D.ವu/ನಮhನು+ - nāvu/nammannu - we

***ಅವನು/ಅವನನು+ - avanu/avanannu - he (g␣ೕವu/**•.ವu)/(g␣ಮhನು+/ತಮhನು+) - (nīvu/
tāvu)/ (nimmannu/tammannu) - you (polite)
© 2016 Shashank Rao !19

***ಅವಳu/ಅವಳನು+ - avaḷu/avaḷannu - she ***ಅವರು/ಅವರನು+ - avaru/avarannu - they (m/

f; polite 3rd person)
*****•.ನು/•.ನನು+ - tānu/tānannu - oneself ಅವu/ಅವನು+ - avu/avannu - they (neuter)

*Don’t use g␣ೕನು with people whose social status is unknown or ambiguous to oneself, as it can
be rude. However, one can never ask to use g␣ೕನು after g␣ೕವu is the established form of address.
It is also good manners to insist on using g␣ೕವu, even if the person has invited one to use g␣ೕನು.
g␣ೕವu is also the word for the plural, second-person pronoun.
**•.ವu (tāvu) is an archaic, more polite version of g␣ೕವu , used primarily in reference to God, in
sarcastic or humorous expressions, and in older texts. It uses the same conjugations as g␣ೕವu, and
declines in similar ways, replacing g␣ೕ with •..
***These pronouns contain the prefix ಅ- (a-), which means “that”, and have equivalents using
the prefix ಇ- (i-), meaning “this”: ಇವನು, ಇವಳu, ಇವರು, which would mean “this he,”, “this she,”
and “this they”, literally.

****Also means “that”; when used as a pronoun, one can think of it as “that thing”; ಇ (idu)
meaning “this thing” can be used similarly; ಅದು will be used in conjugation tables.
*****This is the reflexive/impersonal pronoun, and can only be used in reference to a previously
mentioned subject. It is used to express that one does something independently. There is some
ambiguity between this and the vocative case, which will be explained later on.

To conjugate verbs in Kannada, one must take the root form given in dictionaries and in the
vocabulary lists. However, just as with nominal declensional sandhi, there is also sandhi for verb
inflection. Before continuing on, we must cover a few verbal terms. First is the root form, which
is the dictionary form of the verb. Then there’s the crude form, which is the base of most verb
conjugation. The way a verb conjugates changes slightly based on the crude form. There are two
classes of verbs, with one subclass, according to how they obtain their crude form.

1. First class verbs end in ಅ or ಉ; drop this final vowel if the suffix added begins with a
vowel.
2. Second class verbs end in ಇ, ಎ, or ಆ; add a euphonic à before adding suffixes that begin
with a vowel.
a. Subclass verbs are non-crude verb forms ending in ಇ or ಎ; drop this final vowel if the
suffix added begins with a vowel.
3. Third class verbs are those that end in ಒ, which attach ಳu´ to the end before conjugation like
a first class verb ending in ಉ.

One may need or not need to remove certain sounds to obtain the crude form in order to
conjugate a verb in a certain way. From there, obtain the present adverbial participle of the verb,
by simply adding ಉತI to the crude form. The example verb is 5.ಡು (māḍu), becoming
5.ಡುತI (māḍutta). This form is the base for all verb forms in the present tense.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !20

D.ನು 5.ಡುe␣Iೕf␣ - nānu māḍuttēne - I do ಅದು 5.ಡುತIl␣ - adu māḍuttade - it does

g␣ೕನು 5.ಡುO␣IೕÈ␣ - nīnu māḍuttīye - you (non- D.ವu 5.ಡುe␣Iೕ“␣ - nāvu māḍuttēve - we do
polite)
g␣ೕವu/•.ವu 5.ಡುO␣I]␣ - nīvu/tāvu māḍuttiri - ಅವರು 5.ಡು•.I•␣ - avaru māḍuttāre - they (m/
you (polite)/you all do f; polite 3rd person) do
ಅವನು 5.ಡು•.If␣ - avanu māḍuttāne - he does ಅವu 5.ಡುತI“␣ - avu māḍuttave - they (n) do

ಅವಳu 5.ಡು•.IŒ␣ - avaḷu māduttāḷe - she does

Unlike in some other languages, Kannada distinguishes only between past and non-past. The
future tense is a latter development that is primarily used in literary works. For all intents and
purposes, the present tense (as shown as above) is also the future tense, depending on the
context. Words indicating the future can be used to imply the future.

Asking Questions

Kannada’s method of asking questions is fairly straightforward. Nearly all the time, it simply
involves changing the ending of the word (this includes nouns) to the vowel ಅ. In some
situations, one can add ನ, ಅಲoವ, or ಇಲoವ to the end of a sentence to make a statement a
question, with the meaning of “isn’t it/right?” Look at the examples below.

Ex.

g␣ೕನು |.ಂಸು]␣ ಊM␣O␣Iಯ?

Nīnu bānsuri ūdittiya?
Do you play the bansuri?

ನನಗ?
Nanaga?
For/to me?

But:

c.ರದು?
Yāradu?
Who is it?

Question words do not change form. Only non-question words take the final ಅ for the
interrogative form. Note that if there is a question word already in a sentence, it is not necessary
to change the ending of other words.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !21

ಕನ#ಡ ಅ&'(ಸ - Kannaḍa Abhyāsa - Kannada Practice

A. Decline the following nouns into the nominative and accusative cases.

1. z␣ೕಖg␣ (lēkhani)
2. ಅw.<ಪಕ (adhyāpaka; teacher)
3. ನ2␣ಲು (navilu)
4. ಆf␣ (āne)
5. ಮರ (mara)
6. y␣ೕಜು (mēju)
7. g␣m.ಸ (nivāsa)
8. H␣ೕ=␣'␣ೖ (kīlikai)
9. ಪದುj (paddu; a type of food)
10. 3.•␣I (rāste)

B. Conjugate the following verbs in the present tense for the given pronouns.

1. I, L␣ಡು
2. He, ಬ•␣
3. They (person), ಈಜು
4. We, ¡␣ೂೕ˜␣ಸ ು
5. She, ಮ•␣
6. You (polite), 5.ಡು
7. You (non-polite), ಕು„␣
8. It (singular), :␣„␣
9. They (non-person), ಇರು
10. You (honorific), ಓದು


C. Translate the following sentences into Kannada.

1. I eat the apple.

2. We write books.
3. They (person) bring fruits.
4. She reads.
5. It works/functions.
6. You (polite) sleep (g␣l␣J5.ಡು/ಮಲಗು; to sleep).
7. You (non-polite) hold a pen.
8. You all think.
9. She remembers you (honorific).
10. They (non-person) see us. 

© 2016 Shashank Rao !22

Section 3: Foods and Health

Vocabulary: Foods, Mealtime, Etc.

D.ಷ• - nāṣṭa - breakfast (uncommon)

O␣ಂ„␣ - tinḍi - meal/breakfast/snack
l␣ೂೕ•␣ - dōse - dosa

ಇ„␣o - iḍli - idli
ಪಲ< - palya - curry (without qualification, does not contain meat)
ಹುÀ␣ - huḷi - a type of stew

9.ರು - sāru - a type of broth/soup

y␣ೂಸರು - mosaru - yogurt
ಭತI - bhatta - unhusked rice

ಅH␣( - akki - uncooked rice

ಅನ+ - anna - cooked rice
ರ“␣ - rave - semolina
:␣ಟು• - hiṭṭu - flour
ಅH␣( :␣ಟು• - akki hiṭṭu - rice flour
y␣ೖದ - maida - wheat flour

ಊಟ - ūṭa - meal (“dinner” without qualification)
ಆಲೂ•␣{␣‰ - ālūgeḍḍe - potato
•␣ೂಪu™ - soppu - spinach

g␣ಂZ␣ಹಣುŠ - nimbehaṇṇu - lemon

H␣ತIŒ␣ಹಣುŠ - kittaḷehaṇṇu - orange
ಮೂಸಂL␣ - mūsambi - sweet lime (an Indian variety of lime)
ಕಮR.J‹␣/ಕಪ3.‹␣ - kamadrākṣi/kaparākṣi - starfruit
(¥␣ೕರಲ/ƒ␣ೕZ␣)ಹಣುŠ - (pērala/sībe)haṇṇu - guava
^␣ೕ¥␣W.†␣ - cēpekāyi - raw guava
ಖಬೂ6ಜ - kharbūja - muskmelon/cantaloupe
R.À␣ಂZ␣ಹಣುŠ - dāḷimbehaṇṇu - pomegranate
ಪರಂi␣ಹಣುŠ - parangihaṇṇu - papaya
ಅD.ನಸ - anānasa - pineapple
ಕಲoಂಗ„␣ಹಣುŠ - kallaṃgaḍihaṇṇu - watermelon
ಹಲƒ␣ನಹಣುŠ - halasinahaṇṇu - jackfruit
ಎz␣'␣ೂೕಸು/'␣ೂೕಸು•␣{␣‰ - elekōsu/kōsugeḍḍe - cabbage
ಹೂ'␣ೂೕಸು - hūkōsu - cauliflower
‘.ಗಲW.†␣ - hāgalakāyi - bitter gourd
ಹುರÀ␣W.†␣ - huraḷikāyi - green beans
ಬೂದುಕುಂಬಳW.†␣ - būdukuṃbaḷakāyi - bitter melon/ash gourd
:␣ೕ•␣W.†␣ - hīrekāyi - ridge gourd
•␣ೂೕ•␣W.†␣ - sōrekāyi - bottle gourd
© 2016 Shashank Rao !23

ಬದf␣W.†␣ - badanekāyi - eggplant

ƒ␣ೕy␣ ಬದf␣W.†␣ - sīme badanekāyi - chayote squash
l␣ೂª␣ y␣ನƒ␣ನW.†␣ - doṇṇe menasinakāyi - bell pepper
ಗಜÉ]␣ - gajjari - carrot
Ê␣e␣W.†␣ - sautekāyi - cucumber
ನು•␣ËW.†␣ - nuggekāyi - drumstick
Z␣ಂ{␣W.†␣ - beṃḍekāyi - okra/lady’s finger
ಬÌ.š␣ - baṭāṇi - peas
…␣ೂy␣ೕ…␣ೂ - ṭomēṭo - tomato
ಉ>␣™ನW.†␣ - uppinakāyi - pickle (many varieties in India)

ƒ␣¥␣™ - sippe - peel (of a fruit or vegetable)

L␣ೕಜ - bīja - seed/pit (of a fruit)

'␣ೂೕÀ␣ 5.ಂಸ - kōḷi māṃsa - poultry (“chicken meat”)
•␣ೂೕ5.ಂಸ - gōmāṃsa - beef

ಹಂM␣ಯ 5.ಂಸ - handiya māṃsa - pork

T␣ೕg␣ನ 5.ಂಸ - mīnina maṃsa - fish (the food)
T␣ೕನು - mīnu - fish (the animal)

'␣ೂೕÀ␣ - kōḷi - chicken

ಸಮುR.J‘.ರ - samudrāhāra - seafood

ಕರಟW.†␣ - karaṭakāyi - nut

ಕಡz␣ೕW.†␣ - kaḍalēkāyi - peanut

|.R.T␣ - bādāmi - almond

•␣ೂೕದಂL␣ - goḍaṃbi - cashew

‘.ಲು - hālu - milk

q.ಹ - chahā - tea

ತ…␣• - taṭṭe - plate

-.e␣J - pātre - pan-vessel

ಬಟ•ಲು - baṭṭalu - bowl-vessel

z␣ೂೕಟ - lōṭa - cup

ಮುಳu´ ಚಮಚ - muḷḷu camaca - fork

q.ಕು/^␣ೂೕ]␣ - cāku/cōri - knife
ಚಮಚ - camaca - spoon

ಎª␣Š - eṇṇe - oil

Z␣ª/␣Š ನವg␣ೕತ - beṇṇe/navanīta - butter (D/S)

ಮ9.z␣ - masāle - spice

y␣ಣಸು - meṇasu - pepper

y␣ಣƒ␣ನW.†␣ - meṇasinakāyi - chili pepper

ಉಪu™ - uppu - salt

Z␣ಳu´À␣´ - beḷḷuḷḷi - garlic

ಒಗËರª␣ - oggaraṇe - a heated mix of spices

© 2016 Shashank Rao !24

ಪuM␣ನ •␣ೂಪu™ - pudina soppu - mint


'␣ೂತIಂಬ]␣ •␣ೂಪu™/L␣ೕಜ - kottambari soppu/bīja - coriander leaves/seed
ತುಳƒ␣ - tuḷasi - basil

ಇಂಗು - iṇgu - asafoetida

ಸಕ(•␣ - sakkare - sugar

ಏಲH␣( - elakki - cardamom

ಶುಂu␣/ಶುಂÁ␣ - śunṭi/śunṭhi - ginger (both are accepted pronunciations)
y␣ಂತ< - mentya - fenugreek
ಅರƒ␣ನ - arasina - turmeric (often colloquially pronounced ಅಶ6ನ - arśna)
9.ƒ␣“␣ - sāsive - mustard
¬␣ೕ]␣•␣ - jīrige - cumin
ಲವಂಗ - lavanga - clove
ಹೂವu - hūvu - star anise
ಏಳH␣( - ēḷakki - cardamom
ಮ9.ಲ ಎŒ␣ - masāla eḷe - bay leaf
ಚ'␣( - cakke - cinnamon
ಹುš␣•␣ಹಣುŠ - huṇisehaṇṇu - tamarind
ಎಳu´ - eḷḷu - sesame
e␣ಂi␣ನW.†␣ - tenginakāyi - coconut
'␣ೂL␣J - kobri - dried coconut
Z␣ೕŒ␣ - bēḷe - lentil
ಕಡŒ␣ Z␣ೕŒ␣ - kaḍaḷe bēḷe - chana dal/Bengal gram
ಉM␣jನ Z␣ೕŒ␣ - uddina bēḷe - black gram/urad dal
e␣ೂಗ]␣ Z␣ೕŒ␣ - togri bēḷe - yellow lentil/toor dal
?␣ಸರು Z␣ೕŒ␣ - hesaru bēḷe - green gram/mung bean

ಪu„␣ - puḍi - powder

-.ಕ2␣w.ನ/-.ಕಸೂತJ - pākavidhāna/pākasūtra - recipe

Vocabulary: Adjectives

ರು˜␣ಕರm.ದ - rucikaravāda - tasty


ಅಸಹ<ಕರ - asahyakara - disgusting

ಸ¥␣™c.ದ/ರು˜␣†␣ಲoದ - sappeyāda/ruciyillada - bland/dry
Ÿ.ರm.ದ - khāravāda - spicy/pungent
ƒ␣:␣c.ದ - sihiyāda - sweet

ಹುÀ␣c.ದ - huḷiyāda - sour

ಕ:␣c.ದ - kahiyāda - bitter

L␣ƒ␣c.ದ - bisiyāda - hot (temperature)

ತಣŠf␣c.ದ - taṇṇaneyāda - cold

ಒ•␣Ëc.ದ - oggeyāda - wet

ಸುm.ಸf␣ಯ - suvāsaneya - pleasant/fragrant

© 2016 Shashank Rao !25

ದುm.6ಸf␣ಯ - durvāsaneya - bad-smelling/foul


ಆ•␣ೂೕಗ<ಕರ - ārōgyakara - healthy

ಅD.•␣ೂೕಗ<ಕರ - anārōgyakara - unhealthy

›.W.‘.]␣ - śākāhāri - vegetarian

5.ಂಸ - māṃsāhāri - non-vegetarian (lit. “meat-eating”)

Vocabulary: Health

ಆ•␣ೂೕಗ< - ārōgya - health


ತರW.]␣ - tarakāri - vegetable

W.†␣z␣/Ÿ.†␣z␣ - kāyile/khāyile - sickness
f␣ಗ„␣ - negaḍi - cold

ಜNರ - jvara - fever

'␣ಮುh - kemmu - cough

'␣ಮುh ಔಷಧ - kemmu auṣadha - cough medicine
ಸೂ¬␣ಮದುj - sūjimaddu - injection

ಲƒ␣'␣ - lasike - vaccine

ಔಷಧ - auṣadha - medicine

|.ಚg␣•␣ - bācanige - hairbrush/comb

Vocabulary: Colors

ಬಣŠ/ವಣ6 - baṇṇa/varṇa - color (D/S)

ಬಣŠದ - baṇṇada - to be colored

ಕ]␣ - kari - black

g␣ೕಲಯ - nīliya - blue
ಹƒ␣ರು - hasiru - green

ಬೂದು - būdu - grey

H␣ತIz␣ಯ - kittaḷeya - orange

ಗುn.L␣ - gulābi - pink

'␣g␣+=␣/f␣ೕರŒ␣ - kennili/nēraḷe - purple

'␣ಂಪu - keṃpu - red ('␣ಂಚು - keṃcu for the color of hair)

ರಕIವಣ6ದ - raktavarṇada - blood-red
L␣=␣ಯ/L␣ಳuಪu - biḷiya - white
ಹಳM␣ - haḷadi - yellow

†␣À␣ಯ - tiḷiya - clear/light/pale
ಕಪu™ - kappu - dark
© 2016 Shashank Rao !26

Vocabulary: Verbs

ಕತI]␣ಸ ು - kattarisu - to cut


ƒ␣¥␣™ ಸು=␣ - sippe suli - to peel

2␣V␣ಸ ು - vidhisu - to prescribe/impose/levy
'␣ಮುh - kemmu - to cough

ಸNಚÍ5.ಡು - svacchamāḍu - to clean

e␣ೂŒ␣ - toḷe - to wash

-.ಲು 5.ಡು - pālu māḍu - to share
ಅಡು•␣ 5.ಡು - aḍuge māḍu - to make food

Z␣ೕಯು - bēyu - to cook (in any way, including frying, roasting, etc.)

ಇಡು - iḍu - to put/place

O␣ನು+ - tinnu - to eat

O␣g␣+ಸು - tinnisu - to feed

?␣ೂ…␣•i␣ಲol␣ (9.ಯು/9.†␣ಸ ು) - hoṭṭegillade (sāyu/sāyisu) - to starve (intr./tran.)

'␣ೂಡು - koḍu - to give

Z␣ೕW.i␣ರು - bēkāgiru - to need/require (something)

(noun in dative case) ಹƒ␣ವu ಆಗು - (...) hasivu āgu - to be hungry (3rd person singular only) (noun
in dative case)
|.c.]␣'␣ ಆಗು - (...) bāyārike āgu - to be thirsty (3rd person singular only)

(noun in dative case) g␣l␣J ಬರು - (...) nidre baru - to be sleepy (3rd person singular only)
ಇl␣/ಇ“␣ - ide/ive - there is/are (singular, plural)

Additional Vocabulary: The Body

ಶ]␣ೕರ - śarīra - body


?␣ಣ/ಶವ - heṇa/śava - dead body (D/S)
'␣ೖ - kai - arm/hand

ತಲ - tale - head

ಕೂದಲು - kūdalu - hair

ತುu␣ - tuṭi - lips

ಮೂಗು - mūgu - nose

H␣2␣ - kivi - ear

ಮುಖ - mukha - face

|.†␣ - bāyi - mouth

D.À␣•␣ - nālige - tongue

ಕಟು• - kattu - neck

ಗಂಟಲು - ganṭalu - throat
ಹಲುoಗಳu - hallugaḷu - teeth
ಕಣುŠಗಳu - kaṇṇugaḷu - eyes
ಹುಬುÎ - hubbu - eyebrow
© 2016 Shashank Rao !27

T␣ದುಲು - miduḷu - brain

ಭುಜ - bhuja - shoulder

y␣ೂಣ'␣ೖ - moṇakai - elbow

ಎl␣ - ede - chest

Z␣ನು+ - bennu - back

ಪ'␣(ಲುಬು - pakkelubu - ribs
ಹೃದಯ - hṛdaya - heart
›.Nಸ'␣ೂೕಶ - śvāsakōśa - lungs
'␣ೖZ␣ರಳu - kaiberaḷu - finger
W.ಲು - kālu - foot/leg
W.ಲZ␣ರಳu - kālaberaḷu - toe
ಕಣW.ಳu - kaṇakālu - ankle
:␣ಮh„␣ - himmaḍi - heel
ಮg␣ಕಟು• - maṇikaṭṭu - wrist
?␣ೂ…␣• - hoṭṭe - stomach/belly
ಉಗುರು - uguru - nail

The Instrumental-Ablative Case and Dative Case

The instrumental-ablative case is somewhat complicated, as it combines two different cases into
one declension. We will first cover the instrumental definition, which means “through, by way
of,” or “using”. The ablative definition means “from, away/moving from, since,” or “beginning
at”.

1st Class 2nd Class 3rd Class 4th Class

-g␣ಂದ -M␣ಂದ -ಇಂದ -ಇg␣ಂದ

Ex.

ಮರ+␣ಂದ ಹಣುŠ ಬರುತIl␣.

Maradinda haṇṇu baruttade.
Fruit comes from the tree.

D.ವu ಈ ರ•␣/ I ␣ಂದ ಬಂM␣l␣jವu.


Nāvu ī rasteyinda bandiddevu.

We came through/by way of this road.

The dative case is similar to the accusative case, in that it marks the noun that is being acted
upon by a verb. However, it is for a different kind of verb; the dative case marks a noun that is
recipient. The dative case roughly translates to “to, for,” or “on the behalf of”. It is used with
verbs that have meanings like “give, teach,” or “tell”. However, it has another use, usually with
© 2016 Shashank Rao !28

the ablative function of the instrumental-ablative case. In this situation, the dative case can mean
“to,” or “toward” in a directional sense.

1st Class 2nd Class 3rd Class 4th Class

-g␣•␣ -'␣( -•␣ -ಇ•␣

Ex.

g␣ೕನು ಅವ0␣1␣ ?␣ೕÀ␣'␣ೂಡುO␣IೕÈ␣.


Nīnu avanige hēḷikoḍuttīye.

You teach him. (Think: You give to him instruction).

ಅವಳu ಇ2␣3ಂದ l␣ೕವ9.¯ನ4␣5 ?␣ೂೕಗು•.IŒ␣.

Avaḷu illinda dēvasthānakke hoguttāḷe.
She goes to(ward) the temple from here.

There is yet another use of the dative case in Kannada, one which is purely idiomatic. Many
sensations and feelings conveyed using the dative case and the verbs ಆಗು (āgu - to become/
happen) and ಇl␣/ಇ“␣ (ide/ive - there is/are). Look at the examples below.

Ex.

ಅವ]␣•␣ ತುಂಬ ಜNರ ಇl␣.


Avarige tuṃba jvara ide.

He/she (polite) has a a high fever.

lit. With/for him/her (polite) there is much fever.

ನಮh W.z␣‡ಂˆ.ಟ ಇಷ• ಆಗುತIl␣.


Nammage kālceṇḍāta iṣṭa āguttade.

We like soccer.

lit. To/for us, soccer becomes much pleasure.

Personal Pronouns - Instrumental-Ablative and Dative Cases

ನg␣+ಂದ/ನನ•␣ - nanninda/nanage ಆದj]␣ಂದ/ಅದ]␣'.␣ - āddarinda/adarike

g␣g␣+ದ/g␣ನ•␣ - ninninda/ninage ನT␣hಂದ/ನಮh•␣ - namminda/nammage

ಅವg␣ಂದ/ಅವg␣•␣ - avaninda/avanige (g␣T␣hಂದ/ತT␣hಂದ)/(g␣ಮh•␣/ತಮh•␣) -
(nimminda/tamminda)/(nimmage/tammage)
ಅವÀ␣ಂದ/ಅವÀ␣•␣ - avaḷinda/avaḷige ಅವ]␣ಂದ/ಅವ]␣•␣ - avarinda/avarige
© 2016 Shashank Rao !29

•.g␣ಂದ/ತg␣+•␣ - tāninda/tannige - oneself ಅವಗÀ␣ಂದ/ಅವಗÀ␣•␣ - avagaḷinda/avagaḷige

The Negative Form

A peculiar feature of Kannada grammar is that negated verbs do not indicate person, gender, or
plurality. Negation in Kannada maintains the past versus non-past distinction, with its own forms
for negative expressions in the past. To form the negative non-past, simply append -ಉವM␣ಲo to
the base form. For second class verbs, add a final Ã, and then append -ಉವuM␣ಲo instead.

Ex.

D.ನು ಬ•␣ಯುವuM␣ಲo.
Nānu bareyuvudilla.
I do not write.

D.ನು ?␣ೂೕಗುವM␣ಲo.
Nānu hōguvadilla.
I do not go.

Demonstratives

Demonstratives in Kannada are only “this” and “that”. The root forms of these two determiners
are ಈ (ī - this) and ಆ (ā - that). Unlike other adjectives, the demonstratives do decline for case,
though one could say that the demonstrative pronouns are the nouns that decline. Below is a
table for all the forms. All cases will be shown here, since it will be fairly useful later on. Special
meanings will be indicated as necessary.

Form “This" “That"

Adjectival ಈ-ī ಆ-ā
Pronoun/Nominative ಇದು - idu ಅದು - adu

Accusative ಇದನು+ - idannu ಅದನು+ - adannu

Instrumental-Ablative ಇದ]␣ಂದ/ಇದj]␣ಂದ - idarinda/ ಆದ]␣ಂದ/ಆದj]␣ಂದ - ādarinda/
iddarinda āddarinda
Dative ಇದ]␣'␣ - idarike ಅದ]␣'␣ - adarike
Genitive ಇದರದುj - idaraddu ಅದರದುj - adaraddu

Locative ಇ=␣o - illi “here” ಅ=␣o - alli “there”

Vocative ಇl␣ೕ - idē ಅl␣ೕ - adē
© 2016 Shashank Rao !30

ಕನ#ಡ ಅ&'(ಸ - Kannaḍa Abhyāsa - Kannada Practice

1. Decline the following nouns into the instrumental and dative cases.

1. z␣ೕಖg␣ (lēkhani)
2. ಅw.<ಪಕ (adhyāpaka)
3. ನ2␣ಲು (navilu)
4. ಆf␣ (āne)
5. ಮರ (mara)
6. y␣ೕಜು (mēju)
7. g␣m.ಸ (nivāsa)
8. H␣ೕ=␣'␣ೖ (kīlikai)
9. ಪದುj (paddu)
10. ರ•␣I (rāste) 


C. Write the following verbs in the negative form.

1. ತ•␣
2. ನ{␣
3. ?␣ೂೕಗು
4. ಈಜು
5. ಸು=␣
6. e␣ೂz␣
7. ಕತI]␣ಸ ು
8. ಎš␣ಸ ು
9. ಬರು
10. ಕ•␣


D. Translate the following sentences into Kannada.

1. He takes from the bowl.

2. We go home from school.
3. I come from America.
4. They (person) go to India.
5. It gives me food.
6. Āsha (female) gives Ramā (female) an apple.
7. They (non-person) come from the south (dakṣina).
8. We go from the kitchen to the altar.
9. You (non-polite) write for me.
10. You all go from here to there.

© 2016 Shashank Rao !31

Section 4: Conditions and Feelings

Vocabulary: Postpositions

ಬÀ␣ಯ=␣o/ಹO␣Iರ/ಪಕ(ದ=␣o - baḷiyalli/hattira/pakkadalli - beside/next to

*ಹO␣Iರ - hattira - near

'␣ಳ•␣ - keḷage - under/down

ಅ„␣ - aḍi - under/on the ground/at one’s feet
ಮುಂl␣ - munde - in front
:␣ಂl␣ - hinde - behind/back/ago
y␣ೕz␣ - mēle - on top/upon/above/up/after
5.„␣/ಮಹ„␣ - māḍi/mahaḍi - upstairs/up there

ದೂರ - dūra - far/distant

ಸುಟ• - sutta - around

ಒಳ•␣ - oḷage - inside

?␣ೂರಗ{␣ - horagaḍe - outside

ಮುಂ^␣ - munce - before

ಆy␣ೕz␣/(ಅ)ನಂತರ - āmēle/(a)nantara - after
ತನಕ/ವ•␣•␣ - tanaka/varege - until/till

¢␣ೂe␣ - jote - with

ಇಲol␣ - illade - without

ಕು]␣ತ/ಬ•␣Ë/2␣ಷಯ - kurita/bagge/viṣaya - about/concerning
ನಡು“␣ - naḍuve - between
f␣ೕರm.i␣/ƒ␣ೕR. - nēravāgi/sīdā - straight
**l␣•␣ - dese - cause/fault

*Unlike other postpositions, it does not use the locative case to indicate the physical relationship.
By placing it after a noun in the genitive case, one can express possession.
** ([noun in genitive] + [l␣•␣ in instrumental-ablative case]) = “because of noun”

Vocabulary: Conditions

ಸು9.Iಗು - sustāgu - tired


ಹುÏ.ರು - huṣāru - well

ಹುÏ.ರುವM␣ಲo - huṣāruvadilla - sick
ಖುX␣ - khuṣi - happy
ದುಃಖ - duḥkha - sad

W.ಯ6ಮಗ+ - kāryamagna - occupied/busy
ಸNಚÍ/ಶು˜␣c.ದ - svaccha/śuciyāda - clean
'␣ೂಳW.ದ - koḷakāda - dirty

Z␣ೕಗ - bēga - fast

© 2016 Shashank Rao !32

g␣w.ನ - nidhāna - slow


ಪJO␣ಭವಂತ - pratibhāvanta - talented
9.5.ನ< - sāmānya - ordinary
ಸು5.3.ದ - sumārāda - mediocre
M␣ಟ• - diṭṭa - daring

ಶಕI - śakta - capable

ದ‚ - dakṣa - clever
'␣ಟ• - keṭṭa - bad

ದುಷ• - duṣṭa - evil

H␣]␣H␣]␣ವuಂಟು - kirikirivunṭu - annoying
W.ಡುವu - kāḍuvu - bothersome
ತುಂL␣ದ - tumbida - full

Ÿ.=␣c.ದ - khāliyāda - empty

9.ಧ< - sādhya - possible

Vocabulary: Animals

-.Jš␣ - prāṇi - animal


Z␣ಕು( - bekku - cat

D.†␣ - nāyi - dog

ಹಂM␣ - handi - pig/swine

ಹಸು - hasu - cow

'␣ೂೕÀ␣ಯ - kōḷiya - chicken
ಹH␣(/ಪ‹␣ - hakki/pakṣi - bird (D/S)
¬␣ಂ'␣ - jinke - deer
ಕರ„␣ - karaḍi - bear
ಗೂZ␣ - gūbe - owl
ಕುಂM␣=␣ - kundili - rabbit
ಅÀ␣ಲು - aḷilu - squirrel
ಇ=␣ - ili - mouse/rat
ಕ>␣ - kapi - monkey

ಹಂಸ - haṃsa - swan
ƒ␣ಂಹ/ƒ␣ಂಗ - sinha/singa - lion

|.ತು'␣ೂೕÀ␣ - bātukōḷi - duck

ಹು=␣ - huli - tiger

ನ]␣ - nari - fox

‘.ವu/ಸಪ6 - hāvu/sarpa - snake (D/S)

ಆf␣/ಗಜ - āne/gaja - elephant (D/S)

ಕು]␣ - kuri - sheep

ಕುದು•␣/ಅಶN - kudure/aśva - horse (D/S)

© 2016 Shashank Rao !33

ಹುಳu - huḷu - insect/bug


ಮŒ␣ ಹುಳu - maḷe huḷu - rain bug (a type of insect that appears in wet areas in India)
¢␣ೕನು ಹುಳu - jēnu huḷu - bee

¢␣ೕಡ(ರ) (ಹುಳu) - jēḍa(ra) (huḷu) - spider
ಕಣಜ (ಹುಳu) - kaṇaja hụlu - wasp

˜␣…␣•/ಪತಂಗ (ಹುಳu) - ciṭṭe/patanga (huḷu) - butterfly
M␣ೕಪದ ಹುಳu - dīpada huḷu - moth

•␣ೂŒ␣´ (ಹುಳu) - soḷḷe (huḷu) - fly

*You can also add -ಮ]␣ (-mari) to make nouns small, young, and/or cute.

Additional Vocabulary: The Weather and the Sky

ಹ“␣ - have - weather


W.ಲ/ಸಮಯ - kāla/samaya - time

ಕ‚ಣ - kakṣaṇa - moment

ಆW.ಶ - ākāśa - sky

ಸೂಯ6 - sūrya - sun

ಚಂದJ - candra - moon

ನ‚ತJ - nakṣatra/tāre - star

ಗJಹ - graha - planet

±␣ೂೕಡ/y␣ೕಘ - mōḍa/mēgha - cloud
±␣ೂೕಡಕ2␣ದ - mōḍakavida - cloudy
–.À␣ - gāḷi - wind

L␣ರು–.À␣ - birugāḷi - storm
ಚಂಡ5.ರುತ - caṇḍamāruta - hurricane
ಇಬÎg␣ - ibbani - mist

ಮಂಜು - manju - fog

ತಂಗÀ␣ - tangāḷi - breeze

T␣ಂಚು - mincu - lightning

ಗುಡುಗು - guḍugu - thunder

ಒl␣jc.ದ - oddeyāda - humid/wet
L␣ƒ␣ಲು - bisilu - heat

ಉÏ.ŠನÒ - uṣṇānśa - temperature
:␣ಮ - hima - ice/snow

ಮŒ␣ - maḷe - rain
ƒ␣ಡಲು - siḍalu - lightning bolt
ಬÈ␣Ë - bayge - evening twilight
© 2016 Shashank Rao !34

*The word for anything just about anything ice-related in Kannada is just :␣ಮ, which means
“ice/snow” in Sanskrit. The only place in India that really gets any ice is the Himalayas, a
mountain range at a very high elevation that includes Mt. Everest.
For most weather phenomena the verb ಬರು (baru - to come) is used after the name of the weather
to say that it is occurring. For example, ಮŒ␣ ಬರು (maḷe baru) means “to rain”.

The Locative Case and Postpositions

The locative case is an important case to learn for describing the positions of nouns, especially
considering that the words that are prepositions in English are actually postpositions in Kannada.
This means that the word describing the location is placed after the noun, rather than before. The
locative case is required for this as well. The table below shows how to decline each class of
noun.

1st Class 2nd Class 3rd Class 4th Class

-ನ=␣o -ದ=␣o -ಅ=␣o -ಇನ=␣o

Ex.

¥␣u␣••␣ ಒಳ•␣ಯ=␣o ¥␣ಂƒ␣ಲಗಳu ಇರುತI“.␣

Peṭṭige oḷageyalli pensilagaḷu iruttave.
There are pencils in the box.

ನನ+ •.†␣ ?␣ೂರಗ{␣ಯ=␣o ಇರು•.I•.␣

Nanna tāyi horagaḍeyalli iruttāre.
My mother is outside.

In colloquial spoken Kannada, the locative case is sometimes omitted from prepositions, but not
from other locations. There are also no declensions for pronouns in the locative case according to
classical grammar, except for demonstrative pronouns (which already been given).

The Progressive Aspect

The progressive aspect is essentially an affix that denotes a verb being ongoing or in progress at
the time indicated by the tense. It is important to recognize that tense and aspect are two separate
components of a verb. The progressive aspect is marked by the affixation of the auxiliar form of
the verb ಇರು (iru), conjugated in the appropriate tense. In order to make the present progressive,
for example, take the present adverbial participle and attach the present tense conjugated form of
auxiliar ಇರು. ಇರು is an irregular verb in its auxiliar form:
© 2016 Shashank Rao !35

D.ನು ಇl␣jೕf␣ - nānu iddēne ಅದು ಇl␣j - adu idde

g␣ೕನು ಇM␣jೕÈ␣ - nīnu iddīye D.ವu ಇl␣jೕ“␣ - nāvu iddēve

g␣ೕವu/•.ವu ಇM␣j]␣ - nīvu/tāvu iddīri ಅವರು ಇR.j•␣ - avaru iddāre

ಅವನು ಇR.jf␣ - avanu iddāne ಅವu ಇದj“␣ - avu iddave

ಅವಳu ಇR.jŒ␣ - avaḷu iddāḷe - she does

Note: There is a mostly defunct spelling rule for the present tense of this form of ಇರು, using ಇದುÓ
as the base of the verb. However, modern speakers and writers would pronounce and even write
this using ಇದುj.

Ex.

5.ಡುತI + ಇl␣jೕf␣ = 5.ಡುO␣Il␣jೕf␣


māḍutta + iddēne = māḍuttiddēne

present adverbial participle + 1st person singular form of ಇರು

Ex.

D.ನು ಊಟ 5.ಡುO␣Il␣jೕf␣.
Nānu ūṭa māḍuttiddēne*.
I am eating a meal.

ಅವನು ಅವÀ␣•␣ ಒಡ“␣ '␣ೂಡುO␣IR.jf.␣

Avanu avaḷige oḍave koḍuttiddāne.
He is giving her jewelry.

*Even though O␣ನು+ (tinnu) does mean “to eat”, ಊಟ 5.ಡು (ūṭa māḍu) is a specific expression
that means “to eat/take a meal”. The latter is the preferred way of talking about eating a meal.

However, for the past and the future tense, one needs to pay closer attention, as now, ಇರು must
conjugated in the past and future tenses, respectively. However, the present adverbial participle
and the conjugated form of ಇರು are still elided together.

Ex.

D.ನು O␣ನು+O␣Il.␣j
Nānu tinnuttidde.
I was eating.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !36

g␣ೕವu ?␣ೂೕಗುO␣Iರು2␣]␣.

Nīvu hōguttiruviri.

You (polite) will be going.

The Relative Clause

The relative clause in English is also called the dependent clause. It is a part of the sentence that
can be a phrase but not a complete sentence. For example, take the sentence “The girl that kicks
the ball”. The part after the word “that” is the dependent clause, and serves to describe
the girl. In Kannada, the equivalent is a single word, and is a complete thought in and of itself.
However, when there are multiple relative clauses, things get complicated. Kannada speakers,
even with simple one-clause constructions, avoid this part of speech, preferring the equivalent of
“That girl, she kicks the ball”.

To make this construction, consider the tense, and then find the appropriate adjectival participle.
Then simply attach the pronoun at the end. Look below for the Kannada version of the previous
example sentence.

Ex.

^␣ಂಡನು+ ಒl␣ಯುವಳu
Ceṇḍannu odeyuvaḷu

This girl that kicked the ball

Preferred:

ಈ ಹುಡುi␣/ಇವಳu, ^␣ಂಡನು+ ಒl␣ಯು•.IŒ␣.

Ī huḍugi/īvaḷu, ceṇḍannu odeyuttāḷe.

While this wouldn’t be wrong or even necessarily non-native sounding, many people avoid this
construction simply because the more information there is, the more complicated it gets. This
form can only be used in the third person, and is used to specify a particular subject that isn’t
present. A common pronoun used to refer to the subject of a relative clause is ಎಂಬ, which
essentially translates as “he/she/they who (verb)…”.

Also, notice that the euphonic ಯ is added before the pronoun. An important skill is to recognize
the patterns that require a euphonic ಯ or ವ.

The Imperative Forms

In Kannada, there are several types of commands, each with a separate connotation, and for a
different person. The low imperative distinguishes male and female, with a somewhat dismissive
© 2016 Shashank Rao !37

connotation if used with young adults and older people. The standard imperative fits all people,
though it is not polite. The polite imperative is used for people of higher status and worthy of
respect or politeness, as well as a group of people. The honorific imperative is a very polite form,
but can have connotations of pushiness or dismissiveness. There are also the optative and
hortative forms, whose endings are affixed to the verb’s base form. The optative form is used
only in the 3rd person (“shall/may...?”/“let...”) and the hortative is only used in the 2nd person
plural (“let’s...). The example verb is 5.ಡು.

Low (male) 5.{␣ೂೕ - māḍō

Low (female) 5.{␣ - māḍe

Standard 5.ಡು - māḍu

Polite 5.„␣ - māḍi

Honorific 5.„␣]␣ - māḍiri

Optative 5.ಡ=␣ - māḍali

Hortative 5.{␣ೂೕಣ - māḍōṇa

Note: The low (male/female), standard, polite, and honorific forms of ಬS are irregular: |.•␣ೂೕ
(bārō), |.•␣ (bāre), |. (bā), ಬg␣+ (banni), ಬg␣+]␣ (banniri).

*The hortative requires the euphonic à for second class verbs.

Supplemental Vocabulary: Clothing and Shopping

ಬ®.ರು - bajāru - supermarket/bazaar (F)


ಔಷಧದ ಅಂಗ„␣ - auṣadhada aṅgaḍi - pharmacy/drug store

H␣3.š␣ ಅಂಗ„␣ - kirāṇi angaḍi - general/grocery store

ಒಡ“␣/ಆಭರಣ ಅಂಗ„␣ - oḍave/ābharaṇa aṅgadi - jewelry store
•␣ೂu␣•ಯಂಗ„␣ - roṭṭiyangaḍi - bakery

>␣ೕÔ␣ೂೕಪಕರಣಗಳ ಅಂಗ„␣ - pīṭhōpakaraṇagaḷa aṅgadi - furniture store
ಬ…␣•ಯ ಅಂಗ„␣ - baṭṭeya aṅgadi - clothing store

ದ¬␣6 - darji - tailor/outfitter

Õ␣]␣ಕ/ಹ®.ಮ - kṣaurika/hajāma - barber (S/F)

Vocabulary: Items for Sale and Other Terms

ರತ+/ಮš␣ - ratna/maṇi - jewel (D/S)


ಒಡ“␣/ಆಭರಣ - oḍave/ābharaṇa - jewelry (D/S)

ಅಲಂW.ರ - alankāra - decoration/ornament

© 2016 Shashank Rao !38

ಉಂಗುರ/ಅಂಗು=␣ೕಯ - ungura/angulīya - ring (D/S)


'␣ೖಬŒ␣ - (kai)baḷe - bangle/bracelet

ಕಂಠ‘.ರ/ರತ+‘.ರ - kanṭhahāra/ratnahāra - necklace

ಸರ - sara - chain (usually for jewelry; can also be a very plain necklace)

ಓŒ␣/ಕಡಕು - ōḷe/kaḍaku - earring

'␣ೖಗ„␣c.ರ - kaigaḍiyāra - wristwatch

(ಬ…␣•/ಉಡು•␣)/ವಸ© - (baṭṭe/uḍuge)/vastra - clothing (D/S) (ಬ…␣• can also just mean “cloth”)
ಕುತ6 (¥␣ೖ®.ಮ) - kurta (paijāma) - kurta (Indian menswear) (¥␣ೖ®.ಮ refers to the pants)
ƒ␣ೕ•␣ - sīre - sari (Indian womenswear)
ಪu␣• - paṭṭi - belt

ಲಂಗ - langa - skirt
Ö␣ೂೕತJ/ಪಂ^␣ - dhotra/pance - a cloth worn by men around the waist
^␣„␣‰ - ceḍḍi - underwear

'␣ೖಗವಸು - kaigavasu - glove

ಚಪ™=␣ - chappali - sandal
ನಡುವಂi␣/ಕವಚ - naḍuvangi/kavaca - coat/jacket
¢␣ೕಬು/H␣•␣ - jēbu/kise - pocket (S/F)

×␣ೖ=␣/'␣ೖ˜␣ೕಲ - thaili/kaicīla - purse/wallet (D/S)
¢␣ೂೕ„␣ - jōḍi - pair/set
‘.ƒ␣•/␣ –.M␣ - hāsige/gādi - bed

ಶÈ␣< - śayye - bedding

±␣ೂೕಡ - mōḍa - a type of cylindrical stool
M␣ಂಬು - diṃbu - pillow/cushion

ಜಮŸ.f␣ - jamakhāne - carpet

q.¥␣ - cāpe - mat

ಚದರ L␣z␣o - cadara bille - tile

Z␣z␣/H␣ಮhತುI - bele/kimmattu - price (D/F)

ಆÈ␣( - āyke - choice

n.ಭ/ಸಂ-.ದf␣ - lābha/sampādane - profit

ವಟ•/•␣ೂೕ„␣ - vaṭṭa/sōḍi - discount

ಖಚು6 - kharcu - expense

ಡಂಡ/Ø␣ರ - ḍaṇḍa/caura - waste of money

ಮದುj/ಔಷಧ - maddu/auṣadha - medicine (D/S)

ಸೂ¬␣ ˜␣H␣e␣Ù - sūji cikitse - acupuncture

ಆಯು“␣ೕ6ದ - āyurveda - traditional Indian medicine
5.3.ಟ/L␣ಕ]␣/m.<-.ರ - mārāṭa/bikari/vyāpāra - sale (transaction)

Vocabulary: Verbs

O␣5.6g␣ಸ ು - tirmānisu - to decide


ಸಂV␣5.ಡು - sandhimāḍu - to negotiate

© 2016 Shashank Rao !39

Ø␣W.¤␣- caukāśi - to bargain


ಸ]␣c.i␣ರು/ಒಪu™ - sariyāgiru/oppu - to fit/look good
ಆ]␣ಸ ು - arisu - to choose

ಕನ#ಡ ಅ&'(ಸ - Kannaḍa Abhyāsa - Kannada Practice

A. Decline the following nouns into the locative case. 


1. 5.„␣
2. D.ಡು
3. ಮƒ␣ೕM␣
4. ಮf␣
5. L␣ರು–.À␣
6. ®.ಗ
7. ಆW.ಶ
8. ಅಂಗ„␣
9. :␣5.ಲಯ
10. ಬ®.ರು

B. Conjugate the following verbs in the present progressive for the given pronoun. 


1. ತ•␣, I
2. ನ{␣, you (non-polite)
3. ?␣ೂೕಗು, they (non-person)
4. ಈಜು, it
5. ಸು=␣, we
6. e␣ೂz␣, you all
7. ಕತI]␣ಸ ು, she
8. ಎš␣ಸ ು, he
9. ಬರು, they (person)
10. ಕ•␣, you (honorific) 


C. Conjugate the following verbs in the given imperative form.

1. ತ•␣, optative
2. ನ{␣, low (male)
3. ?␣ೂೕಗು, polite
4. ಈಜು, low (female)
5. ಸು=␣, hortative
6. e␣ೂz␣, honorific
7. ಕತI]␣ಸ ು, standard
© 2016 Shashank Rao !40

8. ಎš␣ಸ ು, polite
9. ಬರು, standard
10. ಕ•␣, hortative

© 2016 Shashank Rao !41

Section 5: Travel and Tourism

Vocabulary: Words for Travel

–.„␣ - gāḍi - car


|.„␣•␣ W.ಲು - bāḍige kālu - taxi

•␣ೖಲು –.„␣ - railu gāḍi - train (a normalized word meaning “rail vehicle”)
m.ಹನ - vāhana - vehicle
l␣ೂೕš␣ - dōṇi - boat/ferry
W.ಲು“␣ - kāluve - canal
ತg␣ - tani - alone/solo (typically of music or the arts)
-.ಡ - pāḍa - alone (preceded by a noun in the genitive case)
ಒಬÎ - obba - one person
ಇಬÎ - ibba - two people

Vocabulary: Giving Directions

M␣ಕು(/ಕ{␣ - dikku/kaḍe - direction (ಕ{␣ also means “side”)

ಉತIರ(M␣ಕು() - uttara(dikku) - north (M␣ಕು( is optional)
ದ‹␣ಣ - dakṣiṇa - south

ಪ¤␣‡ಮ - paścima - west
ಪ¦ವ6 - pūrva - east
ಬಲಗ{␣ - balagaḍe - right
ಎಡಗ{␣ - eḍagaḍe - left
ಭೂಪಟ - bhūpaṭa - map

ರ•␣I - raste - road/street

•␣ೕತು“␣/ಸಂಕ - sētuve/sanka - bridge

Vocabulary: Attractions and Tourism

ಪJm.•␣ೂೕದ<ಮ - pravāsōdyama - tourism


ಪJm.ƒ␣ - pravāsi - tourist

ಸಂ•␣¯ - sansthe - agency

ಮೂO␣6 - mūrti - form/statue (usually religious)
¤␣ಲ™ - śilpa - statue
?␣ೂೕ…␣ಲು - hōṭelu - restaurant/hotel (the word “hotel” can mean a restaurant in India)
ಹಬÎ - habba - festival/parade

˜␣ತJಮಂM␣ರ - citramandira - movie theater (lit. “picture temple”)

D.ಟಕ›.z␣ - nāṭakaśāle - theater
ಬ®.ರು - bajāru - market/bazaar
© 2016 Shashank Rao !42

ಅಂಗ„␣ - angaḍi - store


ರಜ - raja - vacation/holiday ಜನ - jana - people
9.hರಕ- smāraka - monument
ಸಂಗJ‘.ಲಯ - sangrahālaya - museum

Vocabulary: Domestic/International Travel

ಹÀ␣´ ಕ{␣/–.J5.ಂತರ ಪJl␣ೕಶ - haḷḷi kaḍe/grāmāntara pradēśa - countryside (D/S)

l␣ೕಶ - dēśa - country

3.ಷÚ - rāṣṭra - nation

3.ಜ< - rājya - state
D.ಡು - nāḍu - province

c.O␣Jಕ - yātrika - traveler/farer

ಪJc.ಣ/ಪJm.ಸ - prayāṇa/pravāsa - travel

O␣ೕಥ6c.ತJ - tīrthayātra - pilgrimage

ಪರm.ನi␣ - paravānagi - license

ರಹR.]␣ ಪತJ/-.ರಪತJ - rahadāri patra/pārapatra - passport

¥␣u␣••␣ - peṭṭige - suitcase

ಪJc.ಣದ ˜␣ೕu␣ - prayāṇada cīṭi - ticket (for transport)

ಪJl␣ೕಶದ ಪತJ - pravēśada cīṭi - ticket (for entry)

ಪJc.š␣ಕ - prayāṇika - passenger

3.ಯ”.ರ - rāyabhāra - embassy

*ಪಟ•ಣ/ಶಹರು/ನಗರ - paṭṭaṇa/śaharu/nagara - city

¥␣¦=␣ೕಸು (ದಳ) - polīsu (daḷa) - police

R.]␣ - dāri - space/path/way

ಪJ“␣ೕಶ - pravēśa - entrance

R.Nರ - dvāra - gate

g␣ಗ65.ನ - nirgamana - exit

2␣5.ನ - vimāna - plane

2␣5.ನ g␣n.jಣ - vimāna nildāṇa - airport

2␣5.ನc.ನ ಸಂ•␣¯ - vimānayāna sansthe - airline

ಹಣ/•␣ೂಕ(/ಧನ/ದುಡು‰ - haṇa/rokka/dhana/duḍḍu - money

ರೂ-.†␣ - rūpāyi - rupee

¥␣ೖ•␣ - paise - 100th of a rupee

D.ಣ< - nāṇya - coin
=␣>␣ - lipi - script/writing system

ಅ‚ರ - akṣara - letter (of the alphabet)

ಪತJ - patra - letter (written message)
ದೂರm.š␣/…␣=␣Ûೋನು - dūravāṇi/ṭelifōnu - telephone (the word …␣=␣Ûೋನು is normalized)
y␣ೂZ␣ೖಲು - mobailu - cell phone (normalized)

2␣g␣ಮಯ - vinimaya - exchange/trade
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ಸಂಬಳ - saṃbaḷa - salary/paycheck

*These are all words for “city”, ಪಟ•ಣ and ನಗರ being present in the names of many places.

Vocabulary: Verbs

ಪJc.ಣ 5.ಡು - prayāṇa māḍu - to travel


2␣g␣ಮಯ 5.„␣'␣ೂಳu´ - vinimaya māḍikoḷḷu - to exchange/trade
2␣ತರª␣ 5.ಡು - vitaraṇe māḍu - to distribute

ಹಂಚು - hancu - to share

ತಲು>␣ಸ ು - talupisu - to deliver

ಕಳu:␣ಸ ು/ರm.g␣ಸ ು - kaḷuhisu/ravānisu - to send (D/S)
‘.ರು/‘.]␣?␣ೂೕಂದು - hāru/hārihōndu - to fly

ಸ=␣oಸ ು - sallisu - to pay

'␣ೂಂಡು'␣ೂಳu´/ಖ]␣ೕM␣ಸ ು - konḍukoḷḷu/kharīdisu - to buy (D/F)
5.ರು - māru - to sell

L␣ಕ]␣ 5.ಡು - bikari māḍu - to vend

5.3.ಟH␣(ಡು - mārāṭakkiḍu - to offer (for purchase)

g␣ೕಡು - nīḍu - to offer

Z␣z␣c.ಗು - beleyāgu - to cost

ಖಚು6 - kharcu - to spend

ತಲುಪu/ಆಗT␣ಸ ು - talupu/āgamisu- to arrive/reach (D/S)
”.ಷಂತ]␣ಸ ು/ಅನುm.M␣ಸ ು - bhāṣāntarisu/anuvādisu - to translate
ಓ„␣ಸ ು/q.ಲf␣ 5.ಡು - oḍisu/cālane māḍu - to drive

ಕ•␣ತರು - karetaru - to bring (someone)

Ý␣¦ೕನು 5.ಡು - fōnu māḍu - to call by telephone (normalized)
g␣l␣J5.ಡು/ಮಲಗು - nidremāḍu/malagu - to sleep
ಒಳ?␣ೂೕಗು/ಪJ“␣ೕ¤␣ಸ ು - oḷahogu/pravēśisu - to enter
g␣-␣V␣ಸ ು/ಪJO␣ಬಂV␣ಸ ು - niṣēdhisu/pratibandhisu - to forbid/prohibit
ಮುಚು‡/ಮು˜␣‡'␣ೂ - muccu/mucciko - to close/seal

e␣•/␣ e␣•␣ - tere/tege - to open

|.„␣•␣ '␣ೂಡು - bāḍige koḍu - to rent/lease out

|.„␣•␣ e␣•␣ದು'␣ೂಳu´ - bāḍige tegedukoḷḷu - to rent

O␣ರುಗು - tirugu - to turn

ಸುತI?␣ೂೕಗು - suttahōgu - to go (all the way) around

ನಗು/ನಕು( - nagu/nakku - to laugh

ನಸುನಗು - nasunagu - to smile

«.ಪƒ␣u - jñāpisu - to remind

ಅg␣ಸ ು/e␣ೂೕರು - anisu/tōru - to seem/appear (like)
•.ಳu/ತ„␣ - tāḷu/taḍi - to wait
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*ಖ]␣ೕM␣ಸ ು (kharīdisu) is a loan from Hindi, which in turn borrowed it from Farsi. Though not as
many, there is a sizable group of words in Kannada borrowed from Farsi. Some are primarily
used by Muslim speakers of Kannada, though some have entered common parlance.

**ಮು˜␣‡'␣ೂ (mucciko) has a very specific meaning, usually in the context of closing something
that is attached to oneself. It can also have somewhat dismissive or rude connotations.

Useful Adverbs:

ಎ-␣ೂ•ೕ - eṣṭō - so (adverb)


ಸುಮhf␣ - summane - just/simply

-ತರಹ - -taraha - like/similar to (attach to word being compared; ôßö ತರಹ = “like an apple”)
mತ< -5.ತJ - mātra - only (a postposition)

ಅ-␣•ೕ - aṣṭē - enough

ಇನೂ+ - innū - more

ಕT␣ - kami - less

ಸNಲ™ - svalpa - some (also means “a little”)

ಚೂರು - cūru - some (also means “a little”; something that can be broken into pieces)

'␣ಲು - kelu - some

?␣ೕ–.ದರೂ - hēgādarū - somehow

ಏD.ದರು - ēnādaru - any/anyhow

c.3.ರು - yārāru - someone/whoever

ಏf␣ೕನು - ēnēnu - something/whatever

g␣ಜm.ಗಲು - nijavāgalu - actually/in truth

ಖಂ„␣ತ - khanḍita - sure/of course
“␣ೕಗm.i␣ - vēgavāgi - quickly
g␣w.ನm.i␣ - nidhānavāgi - slowly

Affirmative Words

ಸR./c.m.ಗಲೂ/g␣ರಂತರ - sadā/yāvāgalū/nirantara - always

(nominative case of nouns) - also/even
ಎಲo - ella - all/everything

ಎn.oರೂ - ellarū - everyone

Negative Words

Unlike many other languages, Kannada has no semantically negative words. This is to say that
there no words that are innately negative, such as the words never or nothing. In order to convey
such meanings, one must negate the affirmative version of the word. Notice that some words are
slightly different.
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c.ರು ಇಲo - yāru illa - no one


ಏನು ಇಲo - ēnu illa - none/nothing

(vocative case of nouns) - not even (will be covered later on)
c.ವತುI ಇಲo - yāvattu illa - never/ever

Dismissive Words

Kannada has a special category of words that have dismissive, insistent, and/or impatient
undertones, all derived from the question words.

ಏf␣ೕf␣ೂೕ - ēnēnō - something


c.3.•␣ೂೕ - yārārō - someone

ಎz␣ೂoೕ/ಎz␣oz␣ೂoೕ - ellō/ellellō - somewhere

?␣ೕ•␣ೕ•␣ೂೕ - hēgēgō - however/somehow/some way
ಇ-␣•ೕಷು•/ಅ-␣•ೕಷು• - iṣṭēṣṭu/aṣṭēṣṭu - only this/that much

The Past Tense

The past tense, just like the present tense, is based off of attaching various stems to an adjectival
participle. The past adverbial participle is slightly more complicated than the present, because
there are verbs with irregular forms. However, the common way of forming the past adverbial
participle is to add ಇ to the crude form of a verb whose base form ends in ಉ. If it ends in any
other vowel, then attach M␣.

Ex.


5.ಡು (māḍu) -> 5.„␣ (māḍi)
e␣•␣ (tege) -> e␣•␣ದು (tegedi)


The following verbs have ತು appended to the past adverbial participle instead of ಇ/M␣:

ಕವಲು - kavalu - to branch (out)/differentiate

ಮಡಲು - maḍalu - to grow (as in crops or plants)
ಬ=␣ - bali - to ripen/grow strong (for foods)

ಕ=␣ - kali - to learn (by practicing)

?␣ೂೕಲು - hōlu - to resemble/be similar to

9.ಲು - sālu - to be enough/sufficient

•␣ೂೕಲು - sōlu - to lose/fall short/fail

?␣ೕಲು - hēlu - to shit (vulgar)

ನೂಲು - nūlu - to spin thread/thread for sewing
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˜␣ಗುರು - ciguru - to sprout


Z␣ವರು - bevaru - to sweat

ಅಳu - aḷu - to cry

ಉಳu - uḷu - to be similar to

H␣ೕÀ␣ - kīḷi - to drag/move forcefully

ಚÀ␣ - caḷi - to chill

y␣ೂŒ␣ - moḷe - to grow/spread (organic things)
ಅ]␣ - ari - to know (factual information)

Certain final consonants are replaced with other consonants before the “ದು” or the “ತು” of the
past participle. Before 'ದು': à → á; â → á; ತು’: ã → ä; ಱು → ä. (Note: ಱ (ẓa) is an
obsolete character, only used in the transcription and translation of Tamil.)

It should be noted that the past adverbial participle is used only for the 3rd person neuter
conjugation. The rest use the past adjectival participle, formed from the past adverbial participle.
If the past adverbial participle of a verb ends in ಉ, add ಅ to the end of the past adverbial
participle. If the past adverbial participle of a verb ends in ಇ, add ದ to the end of the past
adverbial participle.

Irregular past adjectival participles include the following:

ಆಗು -> ಆ†␣ (3rd person neuter only)

¥␣¦ೕಗು -> ¥␣¦ೕದ
?␣ೂೕಗು - ?␣ೂೕದ
ಬರು -> ಬಂದ
O␣ನು+ -> O␣ಂದ
ತ•␣ -> ತಂದ
'␣ೂಡು -> '␣ೂಟ•
L␣ಡು -> L␣ಟ•
ಇಡು -> ಇಟ•
ಕ•␣ -> W.ಯ (optional; some people opt for the regular ಕ]␣)

The example verb below is 5.ಡು, whose past adjectival participle is 5.„␣ದ.

D.ನು 5.„␣l␣ನು - nānu māḍidenu - I did ಅದು 5.„␣ತು- adu māḍitu - it did
g␣ೕನು 5.„␣l␣ - nīnu māḍide - you did D.ವu 5.„␣l␣ವu - nāvu māḍidevu - we did

g␣ೕವu 5.„␣M␣]␣ - nīvu/māḍidiri - you (polite)/ ಅವರು 5.„␣ದರು - avaru māḍidaru - they (m/f;
you all did polite 3rd person) did
ಅವನು 5.„␣ದ(ನು) - avanu māḍida(nu) - he did ಅವu 5.„␣ದವu - avu māḍidavu - they (n) did
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ಅವಳu 5.„␣ದ(ಳu) - avaḷu māḍida(ḷu) - she did

Modal Expressions: “Must”, “Should,” and “Might/Could”

In Kannada, the modal expressions, “might”, “should”, and “must”, are used exclusively in the
third person singular. Take the base form of a verb and change the final vowel to ಅ. To express
“must”, the subject must be in the nominative case, and the verb must have Z␣ೕಕು suffixed to it.
You should remember that Z␣ೕW.i␣ರು means “to need/require (something)”, and while this is true,
it comes across as somewhat formal and most people would still just say Z␣ೕಕು instead.

Sometimes, z␣ೕ is also added to the verb for emphasis.* For “should”, the concept is conveyed by
suffixing ಬಹುದು . Note that it can also carry the connotation of strong possibility or suggestion.

Ex.

D.ನು ಮf␣†␣ಂದ m.ಪಸ(?␣ೂೕಗZ␣ೕಕು/?␣ೂೕಗz␣ೕZ␣ೕಕು).

Nānu maneyinda vāpasa(hōgabēku/hōgalēbēku).
I (have to/must) go back from my house.

D.ವu ಪ¦ಜ 5.ಡಬಹುದು.


Nāvu pūja māḍabahudu.

We should perform the ritual/It is possible for us to perform the ritual.

*The emphatic z␣ೕ can be attached to many words, to call attention to it, and contrast it. For
example: ಈಗz␣ೕ ?␣ೂೕಗZ␣ೕಕ? (Īgalē hōgabēka? - Go now (as opposed to later)?”

The form expressing “might/could” is slightly different, and is referred to as the contingent-
future, or simply contingent. To construct the stem of this form, take the polite imperative form
of the verb, and attach ಯ to the end. The example verb is 5.ಡು, whose stem is ಮ„␣ಯ.

D.ನು 5.„␣È␣ೕನು - nānu māḍiyēnu - I might ಅದು 5.„␣†␣ೕತು - adu māḍiyītu - it might do
do
g␣ೕನು 5.„␣È␣< - nīnu māḍīyye - you might do D.ವu 5.„␣È␣ೕವu - nāvu māḍiyēvu - we might
do
g␣ೕವu 5.„␣†␣ೕ]␣ - nīvu māḍiyīri - you (polite)/ ಅವರು 5.„␣c.ರು - avaru māḍiyāru - they (m/
you all might do f; polite 3rd person) might do
ಅವನು 5.„␣c.ನು - avanu māḍiyānu - he ಅವu 5.„␣c.ವu - avu māḍiyāvu - they (n)
might do might do
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ಅವಳu 5.„␣c.ಳu - avaḷu māḍiyāḷu - she

might do

The Genitive Case and Idiomatic Expressions

The genitive case denotes possession or relation. The declensions are given in the table below.
A handy way to remember the genitive case is to take the locative case declension, and drop the
=␣o. Now, look at some examples of the genitive case.

1st Class 2nd Class 3rd Class 4th Class

-ನ -ದ -ಅ -ಇನ

Ex.

ನನ+ ಕುಟುಂಬ
Nanna kuṭuṃba
My family

ಕನ+ಡದ ಪuಸIಕ
Kannaḍada pustaka

A “Kannada” book (a book in Kannada)

ಅವನ+ ಹO␣Iರ ಮೂರು •␣ೕಬುಗಳu ಇl␣.


Avanna hattira mūru sēbugaḷu ide.

He has three apples. (Lit. There are three apples near him.)

Personal Pronouns - Genitive Case

ನನ+ - nanna ಅದದ/ಅದರದುj - adada/adaraddu

g␣ನ+ - ninna ನಮh - namma

ಅವನ - avana g␣ಮh/ತಮh - nimma/tamma

ಅವಳ - avaḷa ಅವರ - avara

ತನ+ - tanna ಅವಗÀ␣ನ - avagaḷina

The Comparative Case

To make comparisons in Kannada, there is a special pseudo-case that is used, which we’ll call
the comparative case. The comparative case is a pseudo-case in that it is not a formally
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recognized declensional form, but behaves much like one. It is very similar to the dative case in
how it forms each ending. Look at the table below.

1st Class 2nd Class 3rd Class 4th Class

-g␣i␣ಂತ -H␣(ಂತ -i␣ಂತ -ಇi␣ಂತ

Ex.

ಈ ಹಣುŠ ಆ ಹಣುŠ6␣ಂತ ಇನೂ+ ƒ␣:␣c.i␣l␣.

Ī haṇṇu ā haṇṇuginta innū sihiyāgide.
This fruit is sweeter than that fruit.

D.ನು g␣ಮh6␣ಂತ ಕT␣ g␣ಶÒಬjm.i␣l␣jೕf␣.

Nānu nimmaginta kami niśśabdavāgiddēne.
I am less quiet than you (polite).

It should be noted that in colloquial Kannada, simply adding -i␣ಂತ to the end of a noun often
suffices for forming the comparative case.

ನನi␣ಂತ - nanaginta ಅದH␣(ಂತ/ಅದ]␣H␣(ಂತ - adakkinta/adarikkinta

g␣ನi␣ಂತ - ninaginta ನಮhi␣ಂತ - nammaginta

ಅವg␣i␣ಂತ - avaniginta g␣ಮhi␣ಂತ/ತಮhi␣ಂತ - nimmaginta/tammaginta

ಅವÀ␣i␣ಂತ - avaḷiginta ಅವ]␣i␣ಂತ - avariginta

ತನi␣ಂತ - taniginta ಅವಗÀ␣i␣ಂತ - avagaḷiginta

ಕನ#ಡ ಅ&'(ಸ - Kannaḍa Abhyāsa - Kannada Practice



A. Conjugate the following verbs in the past tense for the given pronoun.

1. ತ•␣, I
2. ನ{␣, you (non-polite)
3. ?␣ೂೕಗು, they (non-person)
4. ಈಜು, it
5. ಸು=␣, we
6. e␣ೂz␣, you all
7. ಕತI]␣ಸ ು, she
8. ಎš␣ಸ ು, he
9. ಬರು, they (person)
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10. ಕ•␣, you (honorific)

B. Translate the following sentences into Kannada using modal expressions.

1. I have to eat dinner right now.

2. She had to sleep.
3. We need to leave.
4. It might be possible.
5. He should study.
6. They (non-person) might go from here.
7. I might go home.
8. They (person) should run.
9. You all need to cook.
10. You (polite) might sing. 


C. Decline the following nouns into the genitive case.

1. z␣ೕಖg␣ (lēkhani)
2. ಅw.<ಪಕ (adhyāpaka)
3. ನ2␣ಲು (navilu)
4. ಆf␣ (āne)
5. ಮರ (mara)
6. y␣ೕಜು (mēju)
7. g␣m.ಸ (nivāsa)
8. H␣ೕ=␣'␣ೖ (kīlikai)
9. ಪದುj (paddu)
10. ರ•␣I (rāste)


D. Translate the following sentences into Kannada using the comparative form. Note: ಇ^# (innu -
more), ಕJ (kami - less)

1. This is harder than that.

2. I have more work than you (non-polite).
3. She is prettier than you (polite).
4. They are less hungry than we are.
5. There is less of this here than there.
6. We have fewer apples than you all do.
7. The deer is quieter than the rabbit.
8. The tiger is smaller than the bear.
9. (That) They (non-person) eat more than (this) they (non-person) do.
10. You (non-polite) are more boring than I am. 

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Section 6: Events and Celebrations

Vocabulary: Events and People

ಮದು“␣/2␣m.ಹ - maduve/vivāha - wedding (D/S)


9.Nಗತ - svāgata - reception/welcome (the reception comes before the wedding in India)
ಆಚರª␣ - ācaraṇe - celebration/festivity/ceremony

ಪ¦¢␣ - pūje - (religious) ritual
ಹುಟ•ದ ಹಬÎ - huṭṭada habba - birthday
O␣S␣ - tithi - death anniversary
ಉಪನಯನ/ಮುಂ¬␣ - upanayana/munji - Hindu rite of passage (similar to a bar mitzvah)

ಹಬÎ - habba - festival

'␣æಸI l␣ೕm.ಲಯ/ಇಗ¬␣6 - kraista dēvālaya/igarji - church

l␣ೕವ9.¯ನ/l␣ೕm.ಲಯ - devasthāna/dēvālaya - temple

ಮƒ␣ೕM␣ - masīdi - mosque

È␣ಹೂದ<ರ ಪ¦ಜಮಂM␣ರ - yehūdyara pūjāmandira - synagogue

*ಸಂi␣ೕತ/D.ಟ</ಅ$␣ನಯ ಪ]␣ೕç␣ - sangīta/nāṭya/abhinaya parīkśe - audition (music/dance/acting)
W.ಯ6ಕJಮ - kāryakrama - show/event/program

–.ನ•␣ೂೕX␣Y - gānagōṣṭhi - concert

ನೃತ</ನತ6ನ/D.ಟ< - nṛtya/nartana/nāṭya - dance

ಆಟ - āṭa - game

ತ5.-␣/‘.ಸ< - tamāṣe/hāsya - joke/humor (D/S)

^␣ೕ-␣• - chēṣṭe - mischief

ಪಂದ</ಸ™Ö␣6 - pandya/spardhe - match

ವರ - vara - groom

ವಧು - vadhu - bride

9.+ತಕ - snātaka - bachelor/bachelorette

(•␣Œ␣ಯ/•␣ಳO␣)/(•␣+ೕ:␣ತ/T␣ತJ) - (geḷeya/geḷati)/(snēhita/mitra) - friend (D (m/f)/S)
‘.ಡು–.ರ/ಸಂi␣ೕತ–.ರ - hāḍugāra/sangītagāra - musician (D/S)

ನಟ - naṭa - actor/actress

ಸNತಂತJ M␣ನ - svantantra dina - Independence Day

ಗಣಪO␣ ಹಬÎ - gaṇapati habba - Gaṇapati Habba

ಗf␣ೕಶ ಪ¦¢␣ - gaṇēśa pūje - Ganesh Puja

ಸಂW.JಂO␣ - sankrānti - Sankranti

ಗು–.6 ಪ¦¢␣ - durgā pūje - Durga Puja

ಸತ<D.3.ಯಣ ಪ¦¢␣ - satyanārāyaṇa pūje - Satyanarayan Puja

ನವ3.O␣J - navarātri - Navaratri

ಉ–.M␣ - ugādi - Indian New Year
ನವವಷ6 - navavarṣa - New Year

ಬH␣§á - bakrīd - Eid al-Adha

ಈá ಅà-Ûಿತೃ - īd al-fitṛ - Eid al-Fitr

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H␣JಸIಜಯಂO␣/H␣Jಸhé ಹಬÎ - kristajayanti/krismas habba - Christmas


ಈಸ•Â ಹಬÎ - īsṭar habba - Easter

ಮುಖm.ಡ - mukhavāḍa - mask

y␣ರವš␣•␣ - meravaṇige - parade/procession

Vocabulary: Adverbs of Time

ಈವತುI/ಇಂದು - īvattu/indu - today (lit. “this day”)

ಆವತುI/ಅಂದು - āvattu/andu - that day

D.Œ␣ - nāḷe - tomorrow

f␣f␣+ - nenne - yesterday
D.À␣ದುj - nāḷiddu - day after tomorrow

y␣ೂf␣+ - monne - day before yesterday

Z␣ಳ•␣ - beḷage - daytime/morning
Z␣ೕಳi␣ನ ®.ವ - beḷagina jāva - early morning
ಮುಂ®.f␣ - muṃjāne - dawn

9.ಯಂW.ಲ - sāyankāla - evening
ಮುಚ‡ಂ¢␣ - muccaṃje - dusk/just before sunset
ಇರುಳu/(3.O␣J/g␣_)␣ - iruḷu/(rātri/niśe)- night (D/S)
ಮw.<ಹ+/ನಡುಹಗಲು/ಅಪ3.ಹ+ - madhyāhna/naḍuhagalu/aparāhṇa - afternoon

Vocabulary: Verbs

ಮಜ 5.ಡು - maja māḍu - to have fun


‘.ಜ3.ಗು - hājarāgu - to attend

”.ಗವ:␣ಸ ು/-.z␣ೂËಳu´ - bhāgavahisu/pālgoḷḷu - to participate

5.ತು '␣ೂಡು/m.–.jನ 5.ಡು - mātu koḍu/vāgdāna māḍu - to promise

ಕ•␣/ಕೂಗು - kare/kūgu - to call

ಆêm.g␣ಸ ು/ಆಮಂO␣Jಸು - āhvānisu/āmantrisu - to invite

ಹುಡುಕು - huḍuku - to look for

ಕಂಡು:␣„␣ - kaṇḍuhiḍi/sigu - to find

ಚH␣ತ•␣ೂÀ␣ಸ ು - cakitagoḷisu - to surprise

ಆಗು - āgu - to take place/happen/occur

ಹರ…␣ ?␣ೂಡು - haraṭe hoḍe - to gossip (ಹರç alone means “nonsense/gossip”)
•␣ಲುo/ಜ†␣ಸ ು - gellu/jayisu- to win (D/S)

•␣ೂ=␣ಸ ು/ಅಪಜಯ•␣ೂÀ␣ಸ ು - sōlisu/apajayagoḷisu - to defeat/beat (D/S)

The Perfective Aspect

The perfective aspect is a suffix that adds the meaning of something having been already
completed. This includes tenses such as the present and past perfect, “have done” and “had
© 2016 Shashank Rao !53

done”, respectively. To give the perfective aspect to a verb, take the past adverbial participle and
affix the conjugation of ಇರು, similar to the progressive aspect. Look at the example.

Ex.

D.ನು O␣ಂM␣l␣jೕf␣.
Nānu tindiddēne.
I have eaten.


The verb can be broken down the same way the progressive forms were:

O␣ಂದ + ಇl␣jೕf␣ = O␣ಂM␣l␣jೕf␣


tinda + iddēne = tindiddēne

past adverbial participle + 1st person singular present tense of ಇರು

Here’s an example of the past perfect:

D.ನು O␣ಂM␣l␣jನು.
Nānu tindiddenu.
I had eaten.

Remember that ಇರು is an irregular verb in its auxiliary function. For your reference, the past and
present tenses are shown below to highlight the differences between the conjugations.

Present

D.ನು ಇl␣jೕf␣ - nānu iddēne ಅದು ಇl␣j - adu idde

g␣ೕನು ಇM␣jÈ␣ - nīnu iddiye D.ವu ಇl␣jೕ“␣ - nāvu iddēve

g␣ೕವu/•.ವu ಇM␣jೕ]␣ - nīvu/tāvu iddīri ಅವರು ಇR.j•␣ - avaru iddāre

ಅವನು ಇ8'9f␣ - avanu iddāne ಅವu ಇದj“␣ - avu iddave

ಅವಳu ಇ8'9Œ␣ - avaḷu iddāḷe

Past

D.ನು ಇl␣jನು - nānu iddenu ಅ ಇತುI - adu ittu

g␣ೕನು ಇl␣j - nīnu idde D.ವu ಇl␣jವu - nāvu iddevu

g␣ೕವu ಇM␣j]␣ - nīvu/nīvugaḷu iddiri ಅವರು ಇದjರು - avaru iddaru
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ಅವನು ಇದjನು - avanu iddanu ಅವu ಇದjವu - avu iddavu

ಅವಳu ಇದjಳu - avaḷu iddaḷu

For the past tense, you can drop the gender marking ನು and ಳu from the end if it is obvious from
context who you are talking about.

It’s important to know that the present perfect is more commonly heard in Kannada than the past
perfect. The past perfect (and also the future perfect) is fairly uncommon, but it’s still good to
know. The basic patterns for the progressive and perfective aspects are as follows:

present adverbial participle + auxiliary ಇರು in desired tense = (tense)

progressive past adverbial participle + auxiliary ಇರು in desired tense = (tense) perfect

The Prohibitive

To give negative commands, Kannada has a separate set of five prohibitive verb forms, each with
a slightly different nuance. The example verb is 5.ಡು.

Dismissive/Insistent/Low “don’t” (Male/ 5.ಡZ␣ೕ{␣ೂNೕ/5.ಡZ␣ೕ{␣Nೕ (māḍabēḍvō/

Female) māḍabeḍvē)
Non-polite “don’t” 5.ಡZ␣ೕಡ (māḍabēḍa)
Polite “please don’t” 5.ಡZ␣ೕ„␣ (māḍabēḍi)

Discouraging “shouldn’t” 5.ಡ|.ರದು (māḍabāradu)

Forbidding “mustn’t” 5.ಡಕುಡದು (māḍakūḍadu)

Ex.

ನನ+ನು+ ?␣ೂೕ„␣ಯZ␣ೕ{␣Nೕ.
Nannannu hoḍiyabēḍve.
Please don’t hit me.

®.ƒ␣I ಸ'␣J O␣ನ+|.ರದು.


Jāsti sakre tinnabāradu.

You shouldn’t eat too/so much sugar.

›.z␣•␣ m.ಪಸ?␣ೂೕಗZ␣ೕಡ!
Śālege vāpasahōgabēḍa!
Don’t go back to the school!
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ನಮh•␣ ವ®. 5.ಡZ␣ೕ„␣(]␣).

Nammage vajā māḍabēḍi(ri).
Please don’t fire us.
You’ll notice that though the first example is translated with “please”, the tone of the command
itself is not polite, but rather it is softened. This is the insistent form, and can be used with young
children or to issue a command without too much force. The “female” form is used regardless of
whether the recipient is actually female, though that is true when used dismissively. The “male”
form is usually only used in the dismissive form.

The polite prohibitive sometimes takes the polite suffix ]␣ (ri), which has a similar effect of
softening, but with a more intimate context. This particular use may be used, for example, by
someone to their spouse. If your mom or dad is scolding you, your other parent might use this
form to tell them to calm down or to be more lenient. Similarly, coworkers in a workplace who
are also somewhat close might use this form with one another.

Second Person Referents

The three second person singular pronouns in Kannada are 0␣ೕನು (nīnu), 0␣ೕವu (nīvu), and ='ವu
(tāvu). In this section we’re going to be discussing the cultural dynamics of these pronouns and
other second person referents.

As you already know, g␣ೕನು means “you”, and is non-polite, and g␣ೕವu means “you” and is polite,
as well as plural. The singular use of g␣ೕವu is used to give respect, such as with elders and
teachers. However, even though older siblings are typically higher in the social hierarchy, they
are almost never addressed with g␣ೕವu, because of a special relationship between siblings. The
only exception might be if the siblings are very far apart in age (such as 15 years or more). For
the most part, siblings use g␣ೕನು with one another.

Within the family, the use of these terms varies between families. Most often, spouses will refer
to each other as g␣ೕವu, but more in more socially conservative households, husbands refer to their
wives as g␣ೕನು.

On the other hand, wives use g␣ೕವu, but more often, they refer to their husbands obliquely with
nouns like ಯಜ5.ನರು (yajamānaru - lord), and also with ಏನು (ēnu). The latter does mean
“what”, but it is common way for women to refer to their husbands. Spouses in general may
rarely use their first names to address one another directly, though this is changing in modern
Kannada-speaking society.

Children who are friends will use g␣ೕನು, since there is no real need for respect. Between adults,
however, it gets a little complicated. If the adults met as children or young adults, they may use
g␣ೕನು. But if they became friends only as adults, or in the workplace, they likely use g␣ೕವu.
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Other second person referents include ]␣/]␣ೕ (ri/rī), the former being attached to the end of words
to address someone politely. The latter is often its word, and is often said to be a contraction of
the word 3.ಯ (rāya), meaning “master”. ]␣ೕ is often used to address a stranger politely, though
this can easily be interchanged with g␣ೕವu. ]␣ೕ can also have sarcastic uses, where one addresses
someone else politely for the purpose of mocking their stuck up attitude or haughty behavior.

•.ವu can also have similar uses to sarcastic ]␣ೕ, but in reality, this pronoun is archaic and shares
the same conjugations g␣ೕವu. •.ವu is used almost exclusively with God and royalty, and doesn’t
have much use other than its sarcastic uses.

Modal Expressions - “Can” and “In Order To”

In Kannada, the verb ಆಗು (āgu) expresses the meaning of “able to”. In order to use it, you have
to use the conjunctive form, which, by itself, often means “in order to”. To make the conjunctive
form, change the last vowel of the base form to ಅ, and then attach '␣(. Place the conjunctive form
of the verb and then the third person singular form of ಆಗು. The subject pronoun declined in the
dative case should be included, unless obvious from context. Look at the example.

Ex.

g␣ನ•␣ ?␣ೂೕಗ'␣( ಆಗುತIದ?


Ninage hōgakke aguttada?

Can you go? (lit. “Does it happen that you go?”)

The conjunctive form can also be used in other ways:

Ex.

ಪದುjವನು+ 5.ಡ'␣(, Z␣ೕಯZ␣ೕಕು.

Padduvannu māḍakke, bēyabēku.

To make paddu*, you must cook/fry it.

*Paddu is a fried food, similar to takoyaki. It is more widely known by its Tamil name,
paniyaram.

There is another way to say “can”, though with a different meaning. In Kannada, you can use
ಬರು to express that you can do something because you have the skills or the knowledge. Look at
the example below.

Ex.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !57

ನನ•␣ ಕನ+ಡ ಬರುತIl␣.


Nanage Kannaḍa baruttade.

I can speak Kannada. (lit. “Kannada comes to me.”)

When you include the pronoun or noun, then you have to put it in the dative case. For knowing
how to do actions, you need to change the verb into its conjunctive form.

ಅವÀ␣•␣ ಅ„␣•␣ 5.ಡ'␣( ಬರುತIl␣.

Avaḷige aḍige māḍakke baruttade.
She can cook.

ಕನ#ಡ ಅ&'(ಸ - Kannaḍa Abhyāsa - Kannada Practice



A. Conjugate the following nouns in the given perfective tense for the given pronoun.

1. ತ•␣, present perfect, I

2. ನ{␣, present perfect, you (non-polite)
3. ?␣ೂೕಗು, past perfect, they (non-person)
4. ಈಜು, past perfect, it
5. ಸು=␣, past perfect, we
6. e␣ೂz␣, present perfect, you all
7. ಕತI]␣ಸ ು, past perfect, she
8. ಎš␣ಸ ು, present perfect, he
9. ಬರು, past perfect, they (person)
10. ಕ•␣, present perfect, you (honorific)

B. Translate the following sentences into Kannada, using the prohibitive forms.

1. Please don’t eat that!

2. Rāṇi (female), don’t go to sleep yet (insistent). (Hint: “yet” = ಇನೂ+)
3. You (non-polite) shouldn’t run so fast.
4. We mustn’t eat so much.
5. Rāju, don’t go home.
6. It is forbidden to smoke (ôß - sēdu).
7. He shouldn’t sleep so much.
8. Don’t play here (insistent; to male)!
9. They (person) aren’t allowed to come in.
10. You all shouldn’t leave.

C. Translate the following sentences into Kannada using modal expressions.

1. Can you (polite) sleep here?

© 2016 Shashank Rao !58

2. In order to go to school, you go here.

3. What do I need to do to use this?
4. We know how to play this game.
5. She couldn’t sleep last night.
6. They (non-person) can’t eat rice.
7. My mother can’t speak Hindi.
8. You (non-polite) used this to read.
9. Our families went by plane to go to India.
10. You (polite) paid money to play here. 

© 2016 Shashank Rao !59

Section 7: Family

Vocabulary: Family-Related Words

¬␣ೕವ/-.Jಣ - jīva/prāṇa - life (D/S)


9.ವu/(ಮರಣ/ಮೃತು<) - sāvu/(maraṇa/mṛtyu) - death (D/S)

ಕುಟುಂಬ/ಸಂ9.ರ - kuṭumba/sansāra - family (D/S)

ವಂಶ ವೃ‚ - vanśa vṛkṣa - family tree

ವಂಶಸ¯/ವಂಶಜ - vanśastha/vanśaja - descendant

ಪ¦ವ6ಜ/ಪ¦2␣6ಕ - pūrvaja/pūrvika - ancestor

:␣]␣ಯ - hiriya - the elderly

ಮೂಲಪuರುಷ - mūlapuruṣa - forefather

ವಂ›.ವÀ␣/>␣ೕÀ␣•␣ - vanśāvaḷi/pīḷige - lineage

ಅಮh/ಅಪ™ - amma/appa - mother/father (direct address)

ತಂl␣/•.†␣ - tande/tāyi - mother/father (indirect address)

ಅT␣h/ಅಬÎ - ammi/abba - mother father (direct address; Muslim variant)

5.ವ - māva - maternal uncle/father-in-law (often pronounced 5.ಮ - māma)
5.2␣ - māvi - maternal uncle’s wife (often pronounced 5.T␣ - māmi)

ಅe␣I - atte - paternal aunt/mother-in-law
ಅe␣I5.ವ - attemāva - paternal aunt’s husband

ಅÀ␣ಯ - aḷiya - son-in-law

•␣ೂ•␣ - sose - daughter-in-law

˜␣ಕ(ಪ™ - cikkappa - father’s younger brother/mother’s younger sister’s husband

˜␣ಕ(ಮh - cikkamma - mother’s younger sister/father’s younger brother’s wife

l␣ೂಡ‰ಪ™ - doḍḍappa - father’s elder brother/mother’s elder sister’s husband

l␣ೂಡ‰ಮh - doḍḍamma - mother’s elder sister/father’s elder brother’s wife

y␣ೖದುನ - maiduna - husband’s younger brother

D.M␣g␣ - nādini - younger brother’s wife
”.ವ - bhāva - brother-in-law

ಅO␣I•␣ - attige - sister-in-law

ಮಕ(ಳu - makkaḷu - children

ತಂl␣•.†␣ - tandetāyi - parents

ಮಲತಂl␣ - malatande - stepfather

ಮಲ•.†␣ - malatāyi - stepmother

ಅಜÉ/ಅ¬␣É - ajja/ajji - grandfather/grandmother
ಅಜÉ5.ವ/ಅಜÉ5.2␣ - ajjamāva/ajjamāvi - grandmother’s brother/grandmother’s brother’s wife

ಮುತIಜÉ/ಮುತI¬␣É - muttajja/muttajji - great-grandfather/great-grandmother

l␣ೂಡ‰ಜÉ/l␣ೂಡ‰¬␣É - doḍḍajja/doḍḍajji - great-uncle/great-aunt (older than the grandparent)
˜␣ಕ(ಜÉ/˜␣ಕ(¬␣É - cikkajja/cikkajji - great-uncle/great-aunt (younger than the grandparent)
ಹುಟ•/ಜನನ - huṭṭa/janana - birth (D/S)

ಸ?␣ೂೕದರ/ಸ?␣ೂೕದ]␣ - sahōdara/sahōdari - sibling (male/female)

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ಅಣŠ - aṇṇa - older brother/older male cousin


ಅಕ/ - akka - older sister/older female cousin

ತಮh - tamma - younger brother/younger male cousin
ತಂi␣ - tangi - younger sister/younger female cousin

ಮಲಸ?␣ೂೕದರ/ಮಲಸ?␣ೂೕದರ - malasahōdara/malasahōdari - stepbrother/stepsister
ಮಗ/ಪuತJ - maga/putra - son (D/S)

ಮಗಳu/ಪuO␣J - magaḷu/putri - daughter (D/S)

y␣ೂಮhಗ/y␣ೂಮhಗಳu - mommaga/mommagaḷu - grandson/granddaughter
ಮ]␣(y␣ೂಮhಗ/y␣ೂಮhಗಳu) - mari(mommaga/mommagaḷu) - great-grandson/great- granddaughter

ಮಲಮಗ - malamaga - stepson

ಮಲಮಗಳu - malamagaḷu - stepdaughter

ಗಂಡ/ಪO␣ - gaṇda/pati - husband (D/S)

?␣ಂಡO␣/ಪO␣+ - heṇḍati/patni - wife (D/S)

ಮದು“␣ಯ ರದÓO/␣ 2␣m.ಹ 2␣^␣Íೕದನ - maduveya raddhati/vivāha vicchēdana - divorce (D/S)
ಆƒ␣/I ಸNತುI/ಸಂಪತುI/ಜT␣ೕನು - asti/svattu/saṃpattu/jamīnu - property

ಉ†␣ಲು/ಮೃತು<ಪತJ - uyilu/mṛtyupatra - will (the document) (D/S)

ಸಂಪJR.ಯ/ರೂë␣ - saṃpradāya/rūḍhi - tradition/custom

ವಯಸುÙ - vayassu - age

Vocabulary: Adjectives

_␣§ಷY - śrēṣṭha - excellent/perfect


ಕು=␣ೕನ - kulīna - noble

ಬಡವD.ದ/]␣ಕ/I g␣ಗ6O␣ಕ - baḍavanāda/rikta/nirgatika - poor
ƒ␣]ವ
␣ ಂತ/ಹಣವಂತ - sirivanta/haṇavanta - rich

3.ಜನ - rājana - royal

ಅO␣ಮುಖ</ಪJಮುಖ - atimukhya/pramukha - important

ಪ2␣ತJ - pavitra - holy

ಕುರೂಪದ - kurūvada - ugly

^␣ಲುm.ದ/ಸುಂದರfದ - celuvāda/sundaravāda - beautiful/handsome (D/S)
ಅಂದm.ದ/ಮುR.jಡ - andavāda/muddāda - cute/pretty

ಹŒ␣ಯ - haḷeya - old (of things)

ವಯ9.Ùದ - vayassāda - old (of people)

-.Jಯದ/ì␣ವನದ - prāyada/yauvanada - young

?␣ೂಸ/ನವ - hosa/nava - new (D/S)

ಪJ˜␣ೕನ/ಪu3.ತನ - prācīna/purātana - ancient

(ಅl␣ೕ/ಒಂl␣ೕ)/ಏಕಪJW.ರದ - (adē/ondē)/ekaprakārada - same (D/S)
g␣ಜm.ದ/ಸತ<m.ದ - nijavāda/satyavāda - true (D/S)

ಸುಳ´ದ/ಹುƒ␣c.ದ - suḷḷāda/husiyāda - false/untrue

2␣g␣ೕತ/ಸಭ< - vinīta/sabhya - courteous/humble

ಮೃದು/ದc.ಪರ - mṛdu/dayāpara - nice/good-hearted/sweet-tempered
© 2016 Shashank Rao !61

ಬುM␣ÓವಂತD.ದ/®.ಣ - buddhivantanāda/jāṇa - intelligent/smart


y␣ೖಗಳ´D.ದ - maigaḷḷanāda - lazy
(ಅಸಭ</ಅ2␣ನಯದ)/ಮc.6l␣†␣ಲoದ - (asabhya/avinayada)/maryādeyillada - rude (D/S)
ಕರುª␣†␣ಲoದ - karuṇeyillada - unkind

ಮೂಢ/¥␣ದj/ದಡ‰ - mūḍha/pedda/daḍḍa - stupid/idiotic/foolish
ಶಂತ - śānta - calm/peaceful
ಸ5.¬␣ಕ - samājika - social/sociable

ಗಂ$␣ೕರm.ದ - gambhīravāda - composed/humble
?␣ದರುವ - hedaruva - timid/scared
ಅಹಂW.ರದ/ಜಂಬದ - ahankārada/jaṃbada - arrogant
”.ರm.ದ - bhāravāda - heavy

ಹಗುರm.ದ - haguravāda - light

l␣ೂಡ‰ - doḍḍa - large/big

ಸಣŠ/ಪuಟ•/˜␣ಕ( - saṇṇa/puṭṭa/cikka - small

ದೂರದ/ದೂರm.ದ - dūrada/dūravāda - far

ಉದjm.ದ - uddavāda - long

ಬಲ›.=␣c.ದ - balaśāliyāda - strong

ಗu␣• - gaṭṭi - solid/firm/hard

ದಪ™ - dappa - fat

ಸಣŠ - saṇṇa - fine (as in thickness)

e␣ಳ´f␣ಯ - teḷḷaneya - thin

ಎತIರ|.ದ - ettaravāda - tall/high

ಕುಳu´ - kuḷḷu - short/low

Vocabulary: Verbs

ಮದು“␣ 5.„␣ಸ ು - maduve māḍisu - to marry (as in to cause someone else to get married)
ಮದು“␣ 5.ಡು - maduve māḍu - to get married/have a wedding

ಅ>␣™'␣ೂ/ತL␣Î'␣ೂ - appiko/tabbiko - to hug

ಮುತುI'␣ೂಡು - muttukoḍu - to kiss
*ಇಷ•ಪಡು/(>␣§O␣ಸ ು/¥␣§T␣ಸ ು) - iṣṭapaḍu/(prītisu/prēmisu) - to love (D/S)
9.NಗO␣ಸ ು/ಅ$␣ವಂM␣ಸ ು - svāgatisu/abhivandisu - to greet/welcome
ಮುತುI - muṭṭu - to touch

ಬ…␣• ‘.H␣'␣ೂ - baṭṭe hākiko - to get dressed
ಬ…␣• ಕಳಚು - baṭṭe kaḷacu - to undress

ಬಳಸು/ಉಪ¡␣ೂೕi␣ಸ ು - baḷasu/upayōgisu - to use (D/S)

9.+ನ 5.ಡು/T␣ೕಯು - snāna mādu/mīyu - to take a bath
Z␣ೂೕÀ␣ಸ ು/Õ␣ರ5.ಡು - bōḷisu/kṣauramāḍu - to shave
ತz␣/ಕೂದಲು |.˜␣'␣ೂ - tale/kūdalu bāciko - to comb one’s hair
¥␣ಟು• 5.„␣'␣ೂ - peṭṭu māḍikō - to hurt/injure oneself
© 2016 Shashank Rao !62

^␣ೕತ]␣ƒ␣'␣ೂಳu´ - cētarisikoḷḷu - to recover/get better


ಹುu␣•ರು - huṭṭiru - to be born

Z␣Œ␣/l␣ೂಡ‰m.ಗು - beḷe/doḍḍavāgu - to grow (up)
ತ–.l␣ 5.ಡು/ವ3.e␣ ಹೂಡು - tagāde māḍu/varāte hūḍu - to demand
W.š␣ಸ ು/e␣ೂೕ]␣ಸ ು - kāṇisu/tōrisu - to show/be visible

R.]␣ e␣ೂೕ]␣ಸ ು - dāri tōrisu - to lead/guide (lit. “to show the way”)
ನ{␣ದು'␣ೂ - naḍeduko - to behave
t␣ೕu␣5.ಡು - bhēṭimāḍu - to meet

ಗುರುO␣ಸ ು - gurutisu - to recognize

(ಮದು“␣ ರದುj/2␣m.ಹ 2␣^␣Íೕದ) 5.ಡು - (maduve raddu/vivāha vicchēda) māḍu - to divorce (D/S)
f␣ನ>␣ಡು - nenapiḍu - to remember/recall

«.ಪಕಯ=␣o ಇಡು'␣ೂ - jñāpakayalli iḍuko - to remember (keep in mind)

ಮ•␣ - mare - to forget

ಏಳu/ಎದುj - ēḷu/eddu - to get up (out of bed)

Z␣ೕಸ]␣ಸ ು/ž␣ೕದಪಡು - bēsarisu/khēdapaḍu - to regret

?␣ದರು - hedaru - to fear

'␣ೂೕಪ ಆಗು - kōpa āgu - to get angry

ಕಷ•ಪಡು - kaṣṭapaḍu - to struggle/make an effort

Z␣ೕ®.ರು 5.ಡು'␣ೂ - bējāru māduko - to be worried

Z␣ೕ®.ರು ಆಗು - bējāru āgu - to be bored/sad

ತಪu™ 5.ಡು - tappu māḍu - to make a mistake

ಅš␣c.ಗು/ƒ␣ದÓm.i␣ರು/ತc.3.i␣ರು - aṇiyāgu/siddhavāgiru/tayārāgiru - to be/get ready (D/S/F)
ಅš␣•␣ೂÀ␣ಸ ು/ƒ␣ದÓ•␣ೂÀ␣ಸ ು/ತc.ರು 5.ಡು - aṇigoḷisu/siddhagoḷisu/tayāru māḍu - to prepare (D/S/F)

*Use sparingly. These words very often have romantic implications, and can seem excessive
when used without proper context. Most Kannada speakers do not use these words, even though
they’re the only words meaning “to love”, as a kind of cultural norm.

Derived Verb Forms

In Kannada, a convenient way to “create” new verbs is to learn how to derive new verbs from
existing ones. There are seven types of derived verbs in Kannada: causative I, causative II,
benefactive, reflexive, andative, venitive, and energetic. A causative verb is one that compels or
causes someone to do something. Causative I is a verb that causes someone to do something,
such as “to feed”, or literally, “to cause to eat”. Causative II is a verb that causes something to
cause something else to do something; “to cause to feed”.

A benefactive verb is one that does something for someone or for their benefit. The reflexive
form indicates an action done unto oneself. The andative form indicates the meaning of “go and
(verb)”, such as “she went and slept”. Similarly, the venitive form indicates the meaning of
“come and (verb)”: “she came and slept”. The energetic form suggests force, suddenness, or
instantaneousness: “she just fell asleep”, “she knocked right out”.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !63

Consider the verb 5.ಡು (māḍu), meaning “to do”. The causative I form is 5.„␣ಸ ು (māḍisu),
which means “to cause to do” or “compel to do”. The causative II form suggests a second level
of causation, meaning “to cause to compel to do”, which is 5.„␣ƒ␣ಸ ು (māḍisisu). The
benefactive form is 5.ಡ'␣ೂಡು (māḍakoḍu), which means “to do for someone”, or literally, “to
do and give”. The reflexive form is 5.{␣ೂ(ಂಡು (māḍkoṇdu), “to do to/for oneself”. The andative
form is 5.ಡು(ವ)?␣ೂೕಗು (māḍu(va)hōgu), meaning “to go and do”. The venitive form is
5.ಡು(ವ)ಬರು (māḍu(va)baru). The energetic form is 5.„␣L␣ಡು (māḍbiḍu). The basic pattern
for deriving verbs is described below:

1. Causative I: Delete the final vowel with -ಇಸು.

2. Causative II: Delete the final vowel of Causative I and add -ಇಸು.
3. Benefactive: Change the final vowel to ಅ and then add -'␣ೂಡು.
4. Reflexive: Delete the final vowel and then add -'␣ೂಂಡು.
5. Andative: Take the present-future adjectival participle and then add ?␣ೂೕಗು.
6. Venitive: Take the present-future adjectival participle and then add ಬರು.
7. Energetic: Change the the final vowel to ಇ and then add -L␣ಡು.

One will notice that some of these verbs seem like two verbs combined, and some of them are
indeed like that, and as such, one needs to conjugate that verb accordingly. However, not all
verbs can be put into all of these forms. One example is ಬ•␣ (bare), “to write”. There are
ಬ•␣†␣ಸ ು (bareyisu), ಬರ'␣ೂಡು (barakoḍu), ಬ'␣ೂ6ಂಡು (barkoṇḍu), but no motional form.

A good rule of thumb is that all verbs have a causative form (I and II), nearly all have a
benefactive and reflexive form (check to see if the concept of such a verb is strange; if so, then it
probably doesn’t exist), only transitive verbs (ones that take direct objects) can have andative,
venitive, and energetic forms. Below are examples of different forms for the verb mä in
sentences, with their translations.

Ex.

ನಂದ ತಂl␣•.†␣ ಅಡು•␣ 5.„␣ಸ ು•.I•.␣

Nanda tandetāyi aḍuge mādisuttāre.
My parents are having the meal made.

ನಂದ ಅಜÉ-ಅ¬␣É ನಂದ ತಂl␣•.†␣ಯನ+ ಅಡು•␣ 5.„␣ƒ␣ಸ ು•.I•.␣ 


Nanda ajja-ajji nanda tandetāyiyanna aḍuge māḍisisuttāre.
My grandparents are making my parents have the meal made.

•␣ೕವಕರು ನಮh•␣ ಅಡು•␣ ತಂದ '␣ೂಟ•ರು.


Sēvakaru nammage aḍuge tanda koṭṭaru.
The servants brought (and gave) us the meal.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !64

D.ವu ?␣ೂೕದ ಬಂl␣ವu.

Nāvu hōda bandevu.

We went and came back.
ಅವನು ¥␣ಟು• 5.{␣ೂ(ಂಡನು.
Avanu peṭṭu māḍkoṇḍanu.
He hurt himself/He got hurt.

ಅವಳu ಊರು•␣ m.ಪಸ?␣ೂೕಗL␣ಟ•ಳ?!


Avaḷu ūruge vāpasahōgabiṭṭaḷa?!

She went back to the city?!/She just up and left for the city?!

Coordinating Sentences

In Kannada, complicated sentences with a lot of information can be difficult to construct without
coordinating conjunctions. These are words such as “and, or, but, if,” or “while/when”. In
Kannada, some of these are postpositions, making them a little different from how they’re used
in English.

To include two thoughts in the same sentence using “and”, use ಮತುI (mattu) in between the
clauses. However, it is possible to omit ಮತುI; from the sentence, using a pause or given context.

Ex.

ಅವS ಊಟ O␣ಂದರು ಮತುI ?␣ೂರಗ{␣•␣ ?␣ೂೕದರು.

Avaru ūṭa tindaru mattu horagaḍege hōdaru.
They ate dinner and went outside.

g␣ೕವu -.ಠ ಓದುO␣I],␣ ಮf␣•␣ಲಸ 5.ಡುO␣I].␣

Nīvu pāṭha ōduttiri, manegelasa māḍuttiri.
You study, (and) do housework.

‘.ಗೂ (hāgū) is also a valid alternative to ಮತುI.

To include two thoughts and contrast them using “or/otherwise”, use ಅಥವ (athavā).

Ex.

g␣ೕ“␣n.o 5.ಂಸ O␣ನು+O␣Iರ, ಅಥವ (ಬ]␣ ತರW.]␣/ತರW.]␣ 5.ತJ)?

Nīvellā māṃsa tinnuttira, athavā (bari tarakāri/tarakāri mātra)?
Do you all eat meat, or only vegetables?

g␣ೕನು ಒಂದು ಆಟದ 9.5.ನು '␣ೂಂಡು'␣ೂಳ´ಬಹುದು, ಅಥವ ಏನು '␣ೂಂಡು'␣ೂಳu´ವM␣ಲo.

© 2016 Shashank Rao !65

Nīnu ondu āṭada sāmānu koṇḍukoḷḷabahudu, athavā ēnu koṇdukoḷḷuvadilla.

You can get one toy, or you can’t buy anything.

For “but”, use ಆದ•␣ (ādare). Note that just like ಮತುI, it is possible to omit it with intonation,
phrasing, or context.

Ex.

—|., D.ವu ಮf␣•␣ m.ಪಸ?␣ೂೕಗZ␣ೕಕು.

—ಆದ•␣ ನನ•␣ ?␣ೂೕಗZ␣ೕH␣ಲo.

—Bā, nāvu manege vāpasahōgabēku.

—Ādare nanage hōgabēkilla.

—Come, we have to go home.


—But I don’t want to go.

To use “if” in Kannada is a peculiar construction, as it only accounts for tense and aspect. To use
it, change the final syllable of the base form to -ದ•␣.

Ex.

g␣ೕನು -.ಠ ^␣D.+i␣ ಓದ•␣, ಒŒ␣´ 2␣R.<ಲಯ•␣ ?␣ೂೕಗುO␣IೕÈ␣.

Nīnu pāṭha cennāgi ōdare, oḷḷe vidyālayage hōguttīye.
If you study well, you’ll go to a good university.

D.ನು ಅಂಗ„␣•␣ ?␣ೂೕi␣ದj•,␣ ಹಣುŠವಣುŠ '␣ೂಂಡು'␣ೂಳu´ ಆi␣ರಬಹುದು.

Nānu angaḍige hogiddare, haṇṇuvannu koṇḍukoḷḷu āgirabahudu.
If I had gone to the store, I could have bought a fruit.

To say that something is happening while something else is happening, Kannada’s construction
does not account for tense, aspect, or anything else. To use this construction, suffix -m.ಗ to the
end of the base form of a verb.

Ex.

D.ವu O␣ನು+m.ಗ, ಮಹ„␣ಯ'␣( ?␣ೂೕಗು.

Nāvu tinnuvāga, mahaḍiya hōgu.
While/when we eat, go upstairs.

g␣ೕನು '␣ಲಸ 5.ಡುm.ಗ, D.ನು ಮಲi␣l.␣j 


Nīnu kelasa māḍuvāga, nānu malagidde.
While/when you were working, I was sleeping.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !66

Note that the tense of the “while/when” construction is determined entirely by the conjugated
verb in the main clause.
ಕನ>ಡ ಅ&'(ಸ - Kannaḍa Abhyāsa - Kannada Practice


A. Translate the following sentences into Kannada, using coordinating conjunctions.


1. You (non-polite) either take the test, or you fail. (Note: “to take a test” = ಪ]␣ೕç␣ '␣ೂಡು)
2. He was studying while you (polite) were at work.
3. I need to go the mosque and talk to the imam.
4. Do birds sing often, or rarely?
5. If we’re ready, we should get going.
6. They (person) would like to go, but they need to do housework first. (Hint: “would like to
go” ?␣ೂೕಗ'␣( ಇಷ•)
7. If you (polite) go to temple today, please go and get some darbha grass. (Hint: use
e␣•␣ೕದು'␣ೂಂಡುಬರು for “to go and get”)
8. Don’t be so lazy! Otherwise your (polite) mother will be upset.
9. I’ll get eggs from the store, and you (non-polite) buy the vegetables.
10. We’re tired right now, but after a little nap (g␣l␣J ?␣ೂಡು- nidre hoḍu), we’ll come. 

© 2016 Shashank Rao !67

Section 8: The Arts

Vocabulary: Fine Arts Terminology

W.ಲ - kāla - era/time period


ಕz␣ - kale - art

ಸಂಸí - sanskṛti - culture

ಅ$␣ನಯ - abhinaya - pantomime

ಅ”.<ಸ - abhyāsa - rehearsal/practice

|.ಂಸು]␣ - bānsuri - Indian bamboo flute
9.:␣ತ</m.ಙhಯ - sāhitya/vāṅmaya - literature
W.ದಂಬ]␣ - kādambari - novel

ಇಂಪu/5.ಧುಯ6 - iṃpu/mādhurya - melody (D/S)
•.ಳ/ಛಂl␣ೂೕಗO␣ - tāḷa/chandōgati - rhythm (D/S)
ಪದ - pada - word/lyric
‘.ಡು - hāḍu - song

W.ವ</ಕವನ - kāvya/kavana - poetry

ವಸುI›.ಸ© - vāstuśāstra - architecture

˜␣ತJಕz␣/ವಣ6˜␣ತJ - citrakale/varṇacitra - painting

¤␣ಲ™/2␣ಗJಹ/ಮೂO␣6 - śilpa/vigraha/mūrti - sculpture/statue

ಬಣŠ–.ರ/(ವಣ6W.ರ/ವಣ6˜␣ತJW.ರ) - baṇṇagāra/(varṇakāra/varṇacitrakāra) - painter (D/S)
¤␣=␣™/ಮೂO␣6W.ರ - śilpi/mūrtikāra - sculptor

m.ಸುI¤␣=␣™/ಸ¯ಪO␣ - vāstuśilpi/sthapati - architect

ಕ2␣/W.ವ<ಕತ6 - kavi/kāvyakarta - poet

2␣ಮ_␣6 - vimarśe - critique/review

ಕ×␣ - kathe - story

œ␣3.š␣ಕ ಕ×␣ - paurāṇika kathe - mythology

ಕ=␣™ತ - kalpita - fantasy/fiction

ಗುಟು•/ರಹಸಸ< - guṭṭu/rahasya - secret (ರಹಸe also can mean “mystery)

ಭc.ನಕ - bhayānaka - horror

ಅರಸ/ರಜ - arasa/rāja - king (D/S)

ಅರƒ␣/3.š␣ - arasi/rāṇi - queen (D/S)

3.ಜಕು5.ರ/3.ಜಕು5.]␣ - rājakumāra/rājakumāri - prince/princess
(5.ಟ–.ರ/5.ಟ–.O␣)/ಮಂO␣Jಕ - (māṭagāra/māṭagāti)/māntrika - magician (D/S)

Z␣ೕ…␣–.ರ/m.<ಧ - bēṭegāra/vyādha - hunter (D/S)
-.M␣J - pādri - Christian priest

ಪu®.]␣ - pūjāri - Hindu priest

ಇ5.ಮು - imāmu - imam

È␣ಹೂದ< ಪಂ„␣ತ- yehūdya panḍita - rabbi

l␣ೕವ/l␣ೕ2␣ - dēva/dēvi - god/goddess (l␣ೕ2␣ can refer to the supreme female form of God as well)
l␣ೕವರು - dēvaru - God (there are many words for God, but this fits most purposes)
© 2016 Shashank Rao !68

ಪ…␣•R.ರ - pattēdāra - detective


ಅಪ3.V␣/ದುಷ(T␣6 - aparādhi/duṣkarmi - criminal

3.‚ಸ - rākṣasa - demon/monster

ಋX␣ - rṣi - sage/wise person

ಮ‘.«.ನ - mahājñāna - genius

•␣ೖg␣ಕ/ಯುದÓ2␣ೕರ - sainika/yuddhavīra - warrior

•␣ೖನ< - sainya - army

g␣V␣ - nidhi - treasure

ಐಶNಯ6 - aiśvarya - wealth

ಉn.oಸ/ಸಂe␣ೂೕಷ - ullāsa/santōṣa - joy (D/S)

ಸುಖ - sukha - happiness

±␣ೂೕ„␣ 5.ಟ/ಮಂತJ2␣ದ< mōḍi māṭa/mantravidya - magic
ಶತುJ/2␣•␣ೂೕV␣ - śatru/virōdhi - enemy

ಸುಳu´/ಅನೃತ - suḷḷu/anṛta - lie (D/S)

•␣ಲುವu/2␣ಜಯ - geluvu/vijaya - victory (D/S)
•␣ೂೕಲು/ಅಪಜಯ - sōlu/apajaya - defeat/loss (D/S)

Vocabulary: Verbs

ಬಣŠ ಬÀ␣ - baṇṇa baḷi - to paint


Z␣ಳi␣ಸ ು/ಪJW.¤␣ಸ ು - beḷagisu//prakāśisu - to illuminate/light up/brighten (D/S)
¤␣ಲ™ g␣T␣6ಸು - śilpa nirmisu - to sculpt

g␣T␣6ಸು - nirmisu - to construct/weave

¢␣ೂೕ„␣ಸ ು - jōḍisu - to assemble

ಅ”.<ಸ 5.ಡು - abhyāsa māḍu - to practice/rehearse/train

ಪJಯO␣+ಸು/ಪJಯತ+ 5.ಡು mä - prayatnisu/prayatna māḍu - to try

ಪJಕu␣ಸ ು - prakaṭisu - to publish

'␣ೂಲುo/9.†␣ಸ ು - kollu/sāyisu - to kill

*9.ಯು - sāyu - to die

?␣ೂೕi␣L␣ಡು - hōgibiḍu - to pass away

|.ಳu/¬␣ೕ2␣ಸ ು - bāḷu/jīvisu - to live

m.ƒ␣ಸ ು/f␣z␣ೕಸು - vāsisu/nelesu - to live (as in to inhabit or reside)
ಪe␣Iಹಚು‡ - pattehaccu - to discover
ಕŒ␣ದು'␣ೂಳu´ - kaḷedukọḷḷu - to lose

f␣ಚು‡/2␣›.Nƒ␣ಡು - neccu/viśvāsaviḍu - to trust

5.ಟ5.ಡು - māṭamāḍu - to enchant (as in delight/charm)

•␣ೂಂದಲ•␣ೂÀ␣ಸ ು - gondalagoḷisu - to confuse

•␣ೕi␣ಸ ು/'␣ರÀ␣ಸ ು - rēgisu/keraḷisu - to anger/annoy/irritate
ಸಂe␣ೂೕಷಪಡು/ಖುX␣ಪಡು - santoṣapaḍu/khuṣipaḍu - to rejoice (S/F)
ಬˆ.†␣'␣ೂಚು‡/ಜಂಬ ಪಡು - baḍāyikoccu/jaṃba paḍu - to brag/boast
ಅಳu/•␣ೂೕM␣ಸ ು - aḷu/rōdisu - to cry
© 2016 Shashank Rao !69

ಶುರು 5.ಡು - śuru māḍu - to start


ಮುi␣ - mugi - to end

L␣ೕಳu/L␣ಳu - bīḷu/biḷu - to fall (both accepted pronunciations)
ಎಚ‡]␣ಸ ು/ಎL␣Îಸು - eccarisu/ebbisu - to wake up (someone)
g␣ಲುo - nillu - to stand up
ನಂಬು/”.2␣ಸ ು - nambu/bhāvisu - to believe (D/S)
‘.•␣ೖಸು/ಆ¤␣ಸ ು - hāraisu/āśisu - to hope/wish
**ಹರ'␣ ಕಟು• - harake kaṭṭu - to make a vow/bargain with God

W.-.ಡು/ರ‹␣ಸ ು - kāpāḍu/rakṣisu - to protect/defend/save (D/S)
O␣]/␣ $␣ç␣Z␣ೕಡು - tiri/bhikṣebēḍu - to beg
“␣ೖರ•.ಲು/l␣NೕX␣ಸ ು - vairatāḷu/dvēṣisu - to hate

5.ತು '␣ೕಳu - mātu kēḷu - to obey
ಕM␣ - kadi - to steal

-.JS␣6ಸು - prārthisu - to pray

ಸುಳu´ ?␣ೕಳu - suḷḷu hēḷu - to lie

ಯುದÓ5.ಡು - yuddhamāḍu - to fight/battle/go to war

m.ಪಸ?␣ೂೕಗು - vāpasahōgu - to return (go back somewhere)
m.ಪಸ'␣ೂಡು - vāpasakoḍu - to return (give something back)

ಒ{␣ - oḍe - to break

*A very important cultural convention to observe in Kannada is that Kannada speakers (as well
as other Indians) avoid the direct mention or discussion of death as much as possible, because it
is seen as inauspicious and bad luck. Instead of using 9.ಯು, most speakers opt for ?␣ೂೕi␣L␣ಡು. It
is similar to saying “to pass away” instead of “to die”.
**An idiomatic phrase that means to make promises to God in exchange for something, usually
in the context of desperation. It would be as if one said “I’ll give up dessert for a year if you’ll
give me one more chance”.

The Vocative Case and Contrast with the Nominative Case

The last case, the vocative case, is formally understood to be the form of noun used for
addressing or calling it. While this is a function of the vocative cases, there are other, more useful
meanings.

In Kannada, the vocative case also serves as what might be called an “exclusionary” case. This
means that a noun declined in the vocative case excludes everything but the noun itself. It would
be something like “This thing, and nothing else”. Fortunately, the vocative case declension for
all nouns is simply changing the final vowel to ಏ (ē), and adding it, if there isn’t already a
vowel.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !70

Ex.

—c.ರು 5.ಡು•.I•?␣
—g␣ೕf␣ 5.ಡುO␣IೕÈ␣.

—Yāru māḍuttāre?
—Nīne māḍuttīye.

—Who will do it?

—You (alone/and no one else) will do it.

It can also be used to clarify something said.

Ex.

—c.ರು 5.•.ಡುO␣IR.j•?␣ —D.f␣(f␣).

—Yāru mātāḍuttiddare? —Nāne(ne).

—Who is speaking? —It is I (and no other).

Through contextual clues, the first person is probably able to tell who the person on the other end
of the line, so the second person needs to give no further information than to say, “It is I”.

The vocative case contrasts with the nominative case, which as covered so far, is the base form
of all nouns. The nominative case has what might be called an “inclusionary” meaning, doing the
opposite of the vocative case.

Ex.

A: c.ರು ಈಜು•.I•?␣ B: 3.ಮ ಈಜು•.If␣. C: D.ನು ಈಜುe␣Iೕf␣.

A: Yāru ījuttāre? B: Rāma ījuttāne. C: Nanu ījuttēne.
A: Who swims? B: Rama swims. C: I, too, swim.

In this context, this the only conceivable meaning of the nominative case. The “inclusionary”
function of the nominative case is derived entirely from context.

It should be noted that one can extend the functions of the nominative-vocative contrast to
declined nouns. Just as changing the final vowel of a word to ಅ (a) gives most words to an
interrogative meaning, changing the ending of a noun to ಊ (ū) and ಏ (ē) gives the
“inclusionary” and “exclusionary” meanings to words, and even be combined, for another
meaning. See the example.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !71

Ex.

ಇz␣oೕ! (Locative + Vocative)

Illē!

Here (and no other place)!

ನನಗುಅ? (Dative +Nominative + Interrogative)

Nanagu’a?

For me as well?

ಅವನf␣+ೕ! (Accusative + Vocative)


Avanannē!

Him (only)! (This would require context where the verb was acting on a direct object)

ಮf␣ಯಲೂo? (Locative + Nominative)

Maneyallū.

In the house as well.

ನಮhಗುಏ? (Dative + Nominative + Vocative)

Nammagu’ē?

Even for us?

Note: These are largely colloquial constructions and are not seen in written Kannada.
Earlier in the text, •.ನ (tāna), the reflexive and impersonal pronoun, was explained to be
somewhat confusing with respect to the vocative case. •.ನ can only be used after a subject has
been introduced, or to refer to an impersonal “you”, or “one”. Compare these two examples.

Ex.

ಅವಳu •.ನ ›.z␣•␣ ?␣ೂೕಗು•.IŒ␣.

Avaḷu tāna śālegē hōguttāḷe.
She goes to school herself.

ಅವŒ␣ ›.z␣•␣ೕ ?␣ೂೕಗು•.IŒ␣.

Avaḷe śālegē hōguttāḷe.
(Only) She (alone) goes to school.

The first sentence differs in meaning from the second in that it calls attention to a different detail;
the sentence is referring to the fact that the “she” goes to school without assistance or company.
The second sentence refers to the fact that the “she” is the only one going to school, as opposed
to anyone else.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !72

The Future Tense

As explained previously, the use of the future tense in Kannada is restricted primarily to literary
and formal contexts. The practical use of the future tense is understanding Kannada news, more
than Kannada literature. News in Kannada is notoriously difficult to understand if one is not used
to hearing and understanding it, especially with the use of the future tense. The future tense is
also found in legal documents, some instruction manuals, and in literature.

In everyday conversation, the future tense is conveyed using the present tense with future
context. To construct the future tense stem, simply find the present-future adjectival participle.
To construct it, simply take the crude form, and affix -ಉವ. Then add the appropriate endings.

D.ನು 5.ಡು“␣ನು - nānu māḍuvenu - I will do ಅದು 5.ಡುವuದು - adu māḍuvudu - it did
g␣ೕನು 5.ಡು“␣ - nīnu māḍuve - you will do D.ವu 5.ಡು“␣ವu - nāvu māḍuvevu - we did

g␣ೕವu 5.ಡು2␣]␣ - nīvu/nīvugaḷu māḍuviri - you ಅವರು 5.ಡುವರು - avaru māḍuvaru - they (m/
(polite)/you all will do f; polite 3rd person) will do
ಅವನು 5.ಡುವನು - avanu māḍuvanu - he will ಅವu 5.ಡುವವu - avu māḍuvavu - they (n) did
do
ಅವಳu 5.ಡುವಳu - avaḷu māḍuvaḷu - she will
do

Ex.

D.ವu ¤␣ವy␣ೂಗË'␣( ?␣ೂೕಗು“␣ವu.


Nāvu śivamoggakke hōguvevu.

We will go to Shivamogga (a city in central Karnataka).

ಅವರು ಸಂi␣ೕತ -.ಠ ಓದುವರು.

Avaru sangīta pāṭha ōduvaru.
They will study music.

The future tense also has a conditional meaning, which is heard more often than the actual future
tense meaning. This conditional meaning is different from the contingent form, meaning
“would”, as opposed to “maybe”. See the example.

ಅವನು ‘.ಗಲW.†␣ಯನು+ O␣ನ+ದ•␣, ಅವನು m.ಂO␣ ಮಡುವನು.

Avanu hāgalakāyiyannu tinnadare, avanu vānti māḍuvanu.
If he eats bitter gourd, he will/would vomit.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !73

D.ನು ®.ƒ␣I ಪJ_␣+ '␣ೕಳM␣ದ•␣, ಅw.<ಪಕರು ತುಂ|. '␣ೂೕಪ ಆಗವರು.

Nānu jāsti praśne kēḷadidare, adhyāpakaru tuṃbā kōpa āguvaru.
If I asked too many questions, the teacher would get angry.

Participial Adjectives

Participial adjectives are adjectives formed from verbs, and unlike normal adjectives, they can be
inflected for tense. You should already know all three participles: past, present, and future. The
future is not often used, but sometimes appears in instructions and recipes as a command or
directive.

To form a participial adjective, simply take the given participle (taking the tense into account),
and add ದ to the end. See the example for the verb 5.ಡು, and with the noun ವಸುI (thing):

5.ಡದ ವಸುI- māḍada vastu - something that is done/to be done (latter is in colloquial speech)
5.„␣ದ ವಸುI - māḍida vastu - something that was done
5.ಡುವದ ವಸುI - māduvada vastu - something that will be done

ಕನ#ಡ ಅ&'(ಸ - Kannaḍa Abhyāsa - Kannada Practice

A. Decline the following nouns into the vocative case.

1. z␣ೕಖg␣ (lēkhani)
2. ಅw.<ಪಕ (adhyāpaka)
3. ನ2␣ಲು (navilu)
4. ಆf␣ (āne)
5. ಮರ (mara)
6. y␣ೕಜು (mēju)
7. g␣m.ಸ (nivāsa)
8. H␣ೕ=␣'␣ೖ (kīlikai)
9. ಪದುj (paddu)
10. ರ•␣I (rāste)

B. Conjugate the following verbs in the past tense for the given pronoun.

1. ತ•␣, I
2. ನ{␣, you (non-polite)
3. ?␣ೂೕಗು, they (non-person)
4. ಈಜು, it
5. ಸು=␣, we
6. e␣ೂz␣, you all
7. ಕತI]␣ಸ ು, she
© 2016 Shashank Rao !74

8. ಎš␣ಸ ು, he
9. ಬರು, they (person)
10. ಕ•␣, you (honorific)

© 2016 Shashank Rao !75

Section 9: The World

Vocabulary: The Natural World

ಪJಕೃO␣/g␣ಸ6ಗ - prakṛti/nisarga - nature

ಪJಪಂಚ - prapanca - world

ನM␣ - nadi - river

ಸ±␣ೂೕವರ - samōvara - lake
ಕಡಲು/ಸಮುದJ - kaḍalu/samudra - sea
9.ಗರ - sāgara - ocean
'␣ೂೕಳ - kōḷa - pond

ಹುM␣ಲು - hudilu - marsh

ಜಲ-.ತ/ಅL␣Î - jalapāta/abbi - waterfall
'␣ೂ=␣o/Ÿ.]␣ - kolli/khāri - bay/gulf

ಹುಲುo–.ವಲು - hullugāvalu - meadow/grassland
ಹುಲುo - hullu - grass

ಮರುಭೂT␣ - marubhūmi - desert

W.ಡು/ಅರಣ< - kāḍu/araṇya - forest (D/S)
ಭೂT␣ - bhūmi - land

f␣ಲ - nela - ground

Z␣ಟ•/ಪವ6ತ - beṭṭa/parvata - mountain (D/S)
ಗುಡ‰ - guḍḍa - hill

Vocabulary: The Man-made World

ಕŸ.6f␣ - kārkhāne - factory

ಅª␣ಕಟು•/ಒದುj/ಏ]␣ - aṇekaṭṭu/oḍḍu/ēri - dam

5.=␣ನ< - mālinya - contamination/pollution

ಕಟ•ಡ/ಭವನ - kaṭṭaḍa/bhavana - building

5.ನವಕೂಲ/ಮನುಷ<ವಗ6 - mānavakūla/manuṣyavarga - humanity
ƒ␣ೕy␣ - sīme - border

ಉR.<ನವನ/ಉಪವನ - udyānavana/upavana - park

•␣ೖನ</Ûೌಜು - sainya/fauju - military (S/F)

ಸW.6ರ - sarkāra - government building

ಸಂಸತುI - sansattu - parliament

ಮಂO␣Jಮಂಡಲ - mantrimanḍala - cabinet/ministry
ಅರಮf␣/3.ಜಗೃಹ/ಮಹಲು - aramane/rājagṛha/mahalu - palace (D/S/F)
ಕೂಟ/ಸಂಘ - kūṭa/sangha - association/organization/union (D/S)
ಸಮ•␣</ಪJ_␣+ - samasye/praśne - issue/problem

ಕಷ• - kaṣṭa - difficulty

œ␣ರ/D.ಗ]␣ಕ - paura/nāgarika - citizen
© 2016 Shashank Rao !76

œ␣ರತN - pauratva - citizenship


m.ದ2␣m.ದ/m.ಗNದ - vādavivāda/vāgvada - debate
m.•.ವರಣ - vātāvaraṇa - environment

3.ಜ</ಅV␣ಪತ< - rājya/adhipatya - rkingdom

¬␣ಲo - jilla - district

-.Jಂತ/ಪJl␣ೕಶ - prānta/pradēśa - region
3.ಜ</3.ಷÚ)/ಸಂ9.¯ನ - rājya/rāṣṭra/sansthāna - state
3.ಜತN - rājatva - monarchy

ಹಂತ/ƒ␣¯O/␣ ಮಜಲು - hanta/sthiti/majalu - phase (D/S/F)
ಏ-.6ಡು/¡␣ೂೕಜf␣ - ērpāḍu/yōjane - plan (D/S)
ಕಟು•ಕಟ•z␣/g␣ಯಮ - kaṭṭukaṭṭaḷe/niyama - rule (D/S)

Vocabulary: Professions

“␣ೖದ</˜␣H␣ತÙಕ - vaidya/cikitsaka - doctor

ದಂತ“␣ೖದ< - dantavaidya - dentist
D.<ಯm.M␣/ವH␣ೕಲ - nyāyavādi/vakīla - lawyer (S/F)
ಯಂತJ¤␣=␣™ - yantraśilpi - engineer
'␣ಲಸ–.ರ - kelasagāra - worker
ಆಳj/3.ಜW.ರš␣ - āḷda/rājakāraṇi - politician
•␣ೕವಕ/ñ␣ಕರ - sēvaka/naukara - maid/worker/servant (refers to many kinds of menial laborers)
ಗು5.ಸI - gumāsta - clerk
ಒ{␣ಯ - oḍeya - owner/lord
ಪತJಕತ6 - patrakarta - journalist
2␣«.g␣/ಅ]␣ಗ - vijñāni/ariga - scientist
ಅನುm.ದಕ - anuvādaka - translator

Verbs:

ತc.]␣ಸ ು/ಉ•.™M␣ಸ ು - tayārisu/utpādisu - to produce


‘.ಳu5.ಡು/(D.ಶಪ„␣ಸ ು/ಧNಂಸ5.ಡು) - hāḷumāḍu/(nāśapaḍisu/dhvansamāḍu) - to destroy (D/S)
L␣ಚು‡ - biccu - to undo/remove

ಹ]␣ - hari - to flow

'␣ೂŒ␣ 5.ಡು - koḷe māḍu - to pollute/contaminate

ಲಂಚ O␣g␣+ಸು - lanca tinnisu - to corrupt

ಸಂ9.(]␣ಸ ು - sanskarisu - to recycle

m.ದ ಮಂ„␣ಸ ು/m.M␣ಸ ು/ಚ˜␣6ಸು - vāda maṇḍisu/vādisu/carcisu - to debate/deliberate

:␣„␣ತ - hiḍita - to control

3.ಜ<”.ರ - rājyabhāra - to rule

ಕಷ• ಪ{␣ - kaṣṭa paḍe - to make an effort
•␣ೕ]␣ಸ ು - sērisu - to join/connect (something/someone) to something else
© 2016 Shashank Rao !77

•␣ೕರು - sēru - to be related to/connected to/join (as a member or student)

Speaking Colloquial Kannada

To speak colloquial Kannada requires some knowledge of the way written Kannada differs from
the spoken language. The majority of Kannada speakers will speak in a manner completely
different from the written form of the language. Pronunciation is the biggest difference, as it
involves the changing of vowel lengths and even the dropping of entire syllables. However,
when reading written Kannada aloud, such as from a book, it will be pronounced as written.
People from Mysore and Mangalore speak the most similar to the written form. Moreover,
certain people will speak with varying amounts of Sanskrit, Dravidian, and Perso-Arabic
influences, depending on where they’re from. This section will do the best possible to help make
spoken Kannada easier.

One of the distinctive and important features of spoken Kannada is the absence of a separate
future tense. Instead, Kannada speakers take the present adverbial participle, and use an partially
different set of endings. This conjugation is called the present-future tense, used for both present
and future tense.

D.ನು 5.ಡುO␣Ig␣ - nānu māḍuttini ಅದು 5.ಡುತIe␣I - adu māḍuttatte

g␣ೕನು 5.ಡುO␣Iಯ - nīnu māḍuttiya D.ವu 5.ಡುO␣I2␣ - nāvu māḍuttivi

g␣ೕವu 5.ಡುO␣(I ]␣) - nīvu māḍutti(ri/rā) ಅವರು 5.ಡು•.I•␣ - avaru māḍuttāre

ಅವನು 5.ಡು•.If␣ - avanu māḍuttāne ಅವu 5.ಡುತI“␣ - avu māḍuttave

ಅವಳu 5.ಡು•.IŒ␣ - avaḷu māḍuttāḷe

In questions, spoken Kannada frequently appends ನ to the ends of words declined in the vocative
case, for no particular reason.

Ex.

ಔ•␣ೕನ?
Aurēna?
Them?

Now, to pronunciation. The change in pronunciation from written to spoken Kannada will be
called “reduction” from here on. Please keep in mind that these are not hard and fast rules, nor
are they exhaustive; they are the best approximations of spoken Kannada that I know.

1. The general absence of aspirated consonants in rapid speech, despite their appearance in
writing. This is more true in the south of Karnataka, near the border with Tamil Nadu. In
© 2016 Shashank Rao !78

the north, aspirated consonants will be pronounced almost all the time, and in most
standard spoken forms. Kannada speakers generally don't have consistent patterns as to
when they aspirate consonants and when they don’t.
2. Drop weak vowels such as ಉ and ಎ from a word, unless it makes the word
unpronounceable or odd.
3. Pronounce initial ಒ/ಓ and ಎ/ಏ with euphonic “w” and “y” sounds, respectively, at the
beginning.
4. Shorten ಆ to ಅ almost all the time, unless it sounds odd.
5. Frequently (though not all the time) destress tt, dd, ṭṭ, ḍḍ, to t, d, ṭ, and ḍ.
6. The syllables ಇವ (iva) and ಅವ (ava) are almost invariably changed to ಯೂ (yū) and ಔ
(au) respectively. Many instances of ವ are dropped or become some kind of vowel. Ex.
ಇವರು -> ಯೂವರು -> ಯೂರು
7. If two of the same vowel or vowels differing only in length occur together, merge them
into one long vowel. Ex. ಅಥ6 ಆಗು is often pronounced ಅ .6ಗು
8. Foreign words (usually from English) take a final ಉ if the end in a consonant. After this,
all other rules in Kannada apply. 


Now, look at an example sentence of how a written sentence changes to its spoken form. Ex.
“We go to the store and buy fruit.

Ex.

D.ವu ಅಂಗ„␣•␣ ?␣ೂೕಗುe␣Iೕ“␣ ,ಹಣŠನು+ '␣ೂಂದು'␣ೂಳu´e␣Iೕ“␣/ಖ]␣ೕM␣ಸ ುe␣Iೕ“␣.


Nāvu aṅgaḍige hōguttēve, haṇṇannu kharīdisuttēve.

D.ವu ಅಂi␣‰•␣ ?␣ೂೕi␣I2␣, ಹಣŠನು+ '␣ೂಂ{␣ೂ(À␣I2/␣ ಖ]␣ೕM␣I2.␣ 


Nāvu aṅgḍige hōgtivi, haṇṇannu kharīdtivi.

There are other changes that Kannada speakers can make to words, including nasalizing syllables
or even other variations on the conjugations of verbs. Here is another example: “She ate dinner
and went out with her friends.”

Ex.

ಅವಳu ಊಟ 5.„␣ದಳu, ?␣ೂರಗ{␣•␣ •␣+ೕ:␣ತರು ¢␣ೂe␣ ?␣ೂೕದಳu.

Avaḷu ūṭa māḍidaḷu, horagaḍege snēhitaru jote hōdaḷu.

ಔಳu ಊಟ 5.ಡುj ò ?␣ೂಗ6{␣•␣ •␣+ೕ:␣ತುJ ?␣ೂೕದು´.

Auḷu ūṭa māḍdlu matu horgaḍege snehitru jote hōdḷu.

As you might be able to tell, Kannada’s spoken and written forms differ considerably.
Unfortunately there’s no easy way to learn the spoken form without listening to people speak a
© 2016 Shashank Rao !79

lot. The advantage to learning written Kannada before spoken Kannada is that you will be able to
acquire vocabulary from a wider variety of sources, and the majority of those educated in
Kannada will be able to understand you, even if that’s not the way they talk.

It’s also worth noting that verbs, which differ the most from their written forms, can sound
extremely different. For that reason, they’re written below. Even the present-future tense shown
two pages ago is not really said the way it’s been written. Here are tables for the way that most
verbs (roughly) are spoken, in each tense. Again, this is not exhaustive, and may not describe
dialects outside of urban places.

Present-Future

D.ನು 5.„␣Ig␣ - nānu māḍtini ಅದು 5.ಡe␣ - adu māḍate

g␣ೕನು 5.ಡó - nīnu māḍtya D.ವu 5.„␣I2␣ - nāvu māḍtivi

g␣ೕವu 5.„␣(I ]␣/ರ) - nīvu māḍti(ri/ra) ಅವರು 5.ಡI•␣ - avaru māḍtare

ಅವನು 5.ಡIf␣ - avanu māḍtane ಅವu 5.ಡI“␣ - avu māḍtave

ಅವಳu 5.ಡIŒ␣ - avaḷu māḍtaḷe

Past

D.ನು 5.{␣j - nānu māḍde ಅದು 5.ಡುI - adu māḍtu

g␣ೕನು 5.{␣/j 5.ಡj ô - nīnu māḍde/māḍdya D.ವu 5.„␣j õ/5.ಡುjಂ - nāvu māḍdvi/māḍdvuṃ
(statement/question)
g␣ೕವu 5.„␣j ö - nīvu māḍdri ಅವರು 5.ಡುj ö - avaru māḍdru

ಅವನು 5.ಡj/5.ಡುj ÷ - avanu māḍda/maḍdnu ಅವu 5.ಡುj õ - avu māḍdvu

ಅವಳu 5.ಡj/5.ಡುj ò - avaḷu māḍda/māḍdḷu

Present Progressive

D.ನು 5.{␣øM␣g␣ - nānu māḍtaidini ಅದು 5.{␣øl␣ - adu māḍtaide

g␣ೕನು 5.{␣øl␣/5.{␣øದ< - nīnu māḍtaide/ D.ವu 5.{␣øM␣2␣ - nāvu māḍtaidivi
māḍtaidya (statement/question)
g␣ೕವu 5.{␣øM␣]␣ - nīvu māḍtaidiri ಅವರು 5.{␣øದ•␣ - avaru māḍtaidare
ಅವನು 5.{␣øದf␣ - avanu māḍtaidane ಅವu 5.{␣øದ“␣ - avu māḍtaidave
© 2016 Shashank Rao !80

ಅವಳu 5.{␣øದŒ␣ - avaḷu māḍtaidaḷe

Present Perfect

D.ನು 5.ಡM␣g␣ - nānu māḍidini ಅದು ಮ„␣l␣ - adu māḍide

g␣ೕನು 5.„␣M␣ಯ - nīnu māḍidiya D.ವu 5.„␣M␣2␣ - nāvu māḍidivi

g␣ೕವu 5.„␣M␣]␣ - nīvu māḍidiri ಅವರು 5.„␣ದ•␣ - avaru māḍidare

ಅವನು 5.„␣ದf␣ - avanu māḍidane ಅವu 5.„␣ದ“␣ - avu māḍidave

ಅವಳu 5.„␣ದŒ␣ - avaḷu māḍidaḷe

Past Progressive

D.ನು 5.{␣øಇl␣j - nānu māḍtai-idde ಅದು 5.{␣øಇತುI - adu māḍtai-ittu

g␣ೕನು 5.{␣øಇl␣j - nīnu māḍtai-idde D.ವu 5.{␣ø(ಇM␣j õ/ಇದುj õಂ) - nāvu māḍtai-(iddvi/
iddvuṃ)
g␣ೕವu 5.{␣øಇM␣j ö - nīvu māḍtai-iddri ಅವರು 5.{␣øಇದುj ö - avaru māḍtai-iddru
ಅವನು 5.{␣øಇದj - avanu māḍtai-idda ಅವu 5.{␣øಇದುj õ - avu māḍtai-iddvu

ಅವಳu 5.{␣øಇದj/5.{␣øಇದುj ò - avaḷu māḍtai-

idda/māḍtai-iddḷu
© 2016 Shashank Rao !81

Appendix A: Idioms and Sayings

Just like any other language, Kannada is rich in idioms that are used every day. A Kannada
proverb is called a –.l␣ (gāde), meaning “saying” or “dictum”. This section details several such
common or useful idioms. You’ll notice that some of the idioms of have parts in parentheses or
variations in the words included in them. There are variations in these sayings that appear across
different regions of Karnataka.

ಅಡ‰ •␣ೂೕ{␣ಯ y␣ೕz␣ M␣ೕಪ ಇಟ• ‘.•␣

Aḍḍa gōḍeya mēle dīpa iṭṭa hāge
“Like a lamp set on a partition wall”

Meaning: Used when someone is caught in a situation where if they take either side, they will be
blamed for taking a position

ಅH␣(ಯ y␣ೕz␣ ಆ•␣, f␣ಂಟರ y␣ೕz␣ >␣§O␣ (ನ{␣ಯುವM␣ಲo/ಆಗುವM␣ಲo)

Akkiya mēle āse, neṃṭara mēle prīti (naḍeyuvadilla/āguvadilla)
Desire for rice, affection for relatives (can’t be/won’t work)

Meaning: You can’t have your cake and eat it too; Literally: you can’t want rice and still give it
to your relatives

ಗಂ¬␣ ಕು„␣ಯುವg␣•␣ T␣ೕ•␣ಯನು+ :␣„␣ಯುವf␣ೂಬÎ

Ganji kuḍiyuvanige mīseyannu hiḍiyuvanobba
For one who drinks ganji (congee), there’s someone to hold his mustache

Meaning: Used to refer to someone living beyond their means, or to describe someone being lazy
and asking others to do simple things for them all the time

ಅ„␣'␣•␣ ?␣ೂೕದ 5.ನ, ಆf␣ '␣ೂಟIರೂ ಬರದು

Aḍikege hōda māna, āne koṭṭarū baradu
The reputation lost on a betel nut, giving an elephant will not bring it back.

Meaning: The reputation lost on small or trivial things cannot be brought back by making grand
gestures or other big things.

ಅ¬␣É•␣ ಅ]␣“␣ಯ ˜␣ಂe␣, y␣ೂಮhಗÀ␣•␣ ಕ®.Éಯದ/ಮದು“␣ಯ ˜␣ಂe␣

Ajjige ariveya cinte, mommagaḷige kajjāyada/maduveya cinte
A grandmother worries about her clothes/dress, her granddaughter worries about having kajjāya
(a sweet dish)/her wedding
© 2016 Shashank Rao !82

Meaning: Elders and parents struggle to make ends meet, while children are concerned about
unimportant things. Used to chastise or remark on young people who are irresponsible about
finances or are otherwise unconcerned with the welfare of their elders. This saying remarks on
the need for young people to have their priorities straight, especially in regards to taking care of
aging parents and being considerate to their relatives.

ಅಂತು ಇಂತು ಕುಂO␣ಯ ಮಕ(À␣•␣ ಎಂತು 3.ಜ< ಇಲo

Aṃtu iṃtu kuntiya makkaḷige eṃtu rājya illa
Somehow, the children of Kunti have no kingdom

Meaning: After much struggle, there is nothing to claim (usually said to refer to unlucky people
who work hard but ultimately receive nothing)

ಅe␣I•␣ೂಂದು W.ಲ, •␣ೂಸ•␣ೂಂದು W.ಲ

Attegondu kāla, sosegondu kāla
There is a time for the mother-in-law, and there is a time for a daughter-in-law

Meaning: “Every dog has his day”; refers to the conflict between mother-in-law and daughter-in-
law in joint families, where the dynamic changes over time

ಆ•␣È␣ೕ ದುಃಖ'␣( ಮೂಲ

Āseyē duḥkhakke mūla
Greed/desire is the root of suffering

Meaning: Self-evident.

ಆâ y␣ೕz␣ ಆâ L␣ದುj •␣ೂೕಣು ಬ]␣R.†␣ತು

Āḷ mēle āḷ biddu gōṇu baridāyitu
One servant put their burden on another, and then there was no one left to carry it.

Meaning: Refers to a situation where multiple people passed the buck and then there was no one
left to deal with the problem.

ಅ]␣ಯl␣ೕ 5.„␣ದ -.ಪ ಅ]␣ತಂದು ಪ]␣‘.ರ

Ariyadē māḍida pāpa aritaṃdu parihāra
A sin done unaware is undone when realized

Meaning: When committing a wrong without knowing, it might be set right if acknowledged; “A
fault confessed is half redressed”
© 2016 Shashank Rao !83

ಅಕ(•␣†␣ದj=␣o ದುಃಖವuಂಟು
Akkareyiddalli duḥkhavuṃṭu
Where there is love there is suffering

Meaning: There is no love without pain (not necessarily romantic); refers to relationships that
involve trials and tribulations

ಆಯಕಟು• ಇಲoದವg␣•␣ ಆರುಕಟು• 2␣ಭೂO␣

Āyakaṭṭu illadavanige ārukaṭṭu vibhūti
One who has no physique/physical strength/vitality/spirit (only) has six packs of holy ash

Meaning: Someone without conviction or practice is pseudo-religious

ಅವನು ಸಗš␣ O␣ನು+•.If,␣ g␣ೕನು O␣ನು+O␣Iೕc.?

Avanu sagaṇi tinnuttāne, nīnu tinnuttīya?
He eats dung, would you?

Meaning: Would you follow someone blindly?

ಅ„␣•␣ L␣ದjರೂ ಮೂಗು y␣ೕz␣(†␣l␣)

Aḍige biddarū, mūgu mēle(yide)
Even if they fell, their nose is still on top/upright

Meaning: Down, but not out

ಆರು W.ƒ␣ನ ಸಂಬಳ ಆದರೂ, ಅರಮf␣ಯ '␣ಲಸ 5.ಡು

Āru kāsina saṃbaḷa ādarū, aramaneya kelasa māḍu
Even if the salary is only six coins, work in a palace.

Meaning: Even if the pay is low, it is better to find respectable/stable/safe job.

ಆಲ9.<ä ಅಮೃತಂ 2␣ಷಂ

Ālasyāt amṛtaṃ viṣaṃ
Delay makes nectar into poison

Meaning: Being idle or lazy can become harmful

ಆರುವ M␣ೕಪ'␣( W.ಂO␣ ?␣ಚು‡

Āruva dīpakke kāṃti heccu
A dying flame burns brighter

Meaning: The attractive but false promise before the inevitable end of something
© 2016 Shashank Rao !84

ಅಪ™ನ 5.ತು, ಆf␣ಯ ಬಲ

Appana mātu, āneya bala
Father’s word, elephant’s strength

Meaning: Having a father (or someone else, usually family member) approve gives motivation

ಆಣŠ ತಮhನ Z␣ೕ•␣ 5.ಡ Z␣ೕಡ

Aṇṇa tammana bēre māḍa bēḍa
Don’t part two brothers

Meaning: Refers to people (or siblings) who work really well together; advises not to part them
for fear of something bad happening, reducing efficiency of work, etc.

ಆ•␣ೂೕಗ<“␣ೕ ”.ಗ<
Ārōgyavē bhāgya
Health is wealth

Meaning: Self explanatory

ಅಲ™g␣•␣ ಐಶNಯ6 ಬಂದ•␣, ಅಧ6 3.O␣Jಯ=␣o '␣ೂ{␣ :␣„␣ƒ␣'␣ೂಂಡ

Alpanige āiśwarya bandare, ardha rātriyalli koḍe hiḍisikoṃḍa
If a lowly person obtains wealth, in half a night they demand an umbrella be held for them

Meaning: When fortune smiles on someone, they should be careful and not be too hasty/arrogant

ಅÀ␣ವul␣ೕ W.ಯ ಉÀ␣ವul␣ೕ H␣ೕO␣6

Aḷivudē kāya uḷivudē kīrti
The body dies, fame lives on

Meaning: Self-explanatory

ಅÀ␣ಯ ಅಲo, ಮಗಳ ಗಂಡ

Aḷiya alla, magaḷa gaṃḍa
He’s not my son-in-law, he’s my daughter’s husband
Meaning: Facts don’t change based on how they’re said

ಆ„␣ದ•␣ ಅರi␣š␣ W.„␣ದ•␣ D.ಗರ W.ಟ

Āḍidare aragiṇi kādidare nāgara kāṭa
At play, a royal parrot, if bothered, a cobra

Meaning: Someone who behaves amicably and helpful when things are easy or good, but
behaves poorly or irritably when things go bad
© 2016 Shashank Rao !85

“ಅÈ␣ೂ< -.ಪ!” ಅಂದ•␣, ಅಧ6 ಆಯಸುÙ

“Ayyo pāpa!” andare ardha āyassu
If one says “Oh dear”, one has half a life

Meaning: If one has too much pity or sympathy for others, they will be taken advantage of

ಆಡುವವ ಆ„␣ದ•␣ f␣ೂೕಡುವವ•␣ ƒ␣ಗುË

Āḍuvava āḍidare nōḍuvavage siggu
If the actor performs (indecently), the spectator is ashamed

Meaning: If someone behaves indecently, onlookers will be embarrassed

ಅಂ¬␣ದವನ/?␣ದರವನ y␣ೕz␣ ಕಪ™ ‘.]␣ದ ‘.•␣

Aṃjidavana/Hedaravana mēle kappa hārida hāge
Like a frog that jumps on someone who is afraid (of the frog)

Meaning: Used when something that was expected occurs and brings bad consequences; Similar
to “when it rains, it pours”, but a little different

ಅಲoದ ಕನಸು ಕಂಡ•␣ ಎದುj ಕುಂಡರು

Allada kanasu kaṃḍare, eddu kuṃḍaru
If you have a nightmare, get up and sit

Meaning: Be aware of bad omens and be prepared


© 2016 Shashank Rao !86

Appendix B: Perso-Arabic Vocabulary

Despite Muslims being a relative minority in India, the two languages traditionally spoken by
Muslims in India, Farsi (AKA Persian) and Arabic, have influenced the languages of India
considerably. Kannada is no exception, and there are quite a few words that have entered
common usage. The speakers of this Muslim variety of Kannada primarily reside in the north of
Karnataka, in the Mysore area, where the Nizams of Hyderabad, Aurangzeb, and other Islamic
rulers had once lived. It should be noted, however, that the language spoken by most Muslim
people in this area is not necessarily Kannada, but a variety of Urdu known as Dakhni.

Perso-Arabic loans in Kannada are peculiar cases in terms of spelling, because while many
Muslims can pronounce Arabic and Farsi words, it is difficult to write such words in Kannada,
because certain sounds in those languages do not exist in Kannada. You may notice that some of
the letters have two dots underneath them, reflecting that they are foreign sounds. Even though
the formatting of the Kannada is not quite right for these letters, you should know that things like
Ûಾ should be read as fā, ಅಲ( ú is read as alq, and so on.

The following list details the protocol for pronunciation. The corresponding Nastaliq letter will
be given, its Kannada equivalent, common pronunciation by non-Muslims and people unable to
pronounce the sounds, and then the IPA of each. Note: the pronunciation, for lack of better
methods, will be written in IPA. Pronunciation guides for IPA can be found here: http://
web.uvic.ca/ling/resources/ipa/charts/IPAlab/IPAlab.htm.

Nastaliq [IPA] -> Muslim Kannada [IPA] (use two dots) -> Common Kannada [IPA] (no dots)

‫[ ف‬f] -> Û [f] -> ಪ/ಫ [p/ph]

‫[ ص‬ṣ] -> ಷ [ṣ] -> ಷ [ʂ]

‫[ ق‬q] -> û [q] -> ಕ [k]
‫[ ز‬z] -> ಜ [z] -> ಜ [j]
‫[ ث‬θ] -> ಥ [θ] -> ಥ [th]
‫[ و‬w] -> ವ [w] -> ವ [v]
‫[ خ‬χ] -> ಖ [χ] -> ಖ [kh]
‫[ غ‬ɣ] -> ಘ [ɣ] -> ಘ [gh]
‫[ ذ‬ð] -> ಧ [ð] -> ಧ [dh]
‫[ آ‬ɒ] -> ಔ [ɒ] -> ಔ [au]
‫[ ه‬h] -> ü [h] -> ü [ø]

The vocabulary list gives the pronunciation of words in Standard Kannada, in which only [f] and
[q] have separate characters to represent them. It should go without saying that Muslim Kannada
speakers with some knowledge of Arabic and/or Farsi will know how to pronounce a particular
word from these languages, even if the word is not written to reflect it.
© 2016 Shashank Rao !87

Arabic Vocabulary

ಅûಲು - aqalu - wisdom


ಅ'␣ೖS - akairu - end

ಅತIರು - attaru - perfume

ಅದD. - adanā - ordinary

ಆದಬ - ādaba - respect

ಅದವO␣ - adavati - enmity
ಅÛೀಮು - afīmu - opium
ಅಮಲು - amalu - action
ಅ5.ನತು - amānatu - trust
ಅ5.g␣ - amāni - irregular work
ಅT␣ೕನ - amīna - trustworthy
ಅಷJÛ - aṣrafa - a noble man
ಐನು - ainu - original
ಔಇಬು - au’ibu - defeat

ಅ†␣ವಜು - ayivaju - reward

ಅಲ†␣ದ - alayida - separate

ಅàûಬು - alqabu - title

ಅವಲ - avala - best/first

ಅಹವಲು - ahavalu - conditions

ಆ9.T␣ - āsāmi - person/fellow

ಇಂW.ರ 5.ಡು - inkāra māḍu - to deny

ಇಜ - ija - trouble

ಇಜÉತು - ijjatu - honor/reputation

ಇತ|.]␣ - itabāri - confidence

ಇಜÛೆ - ijafe - addition

ಇO␣Iಲo - ittilla - information/report

ಇD.ಮು - inamu - reward

ಇD.ಯತು - ināyatu - favor

ಇ5.ರO␣ - imārati - building

ಇರ9.ಲು - irasālu - sending

ಇ3.ದ - irāda - purpose

ಇಲûೆ - ilaqe - territory

ಇಲಜು - ilaju - remedy

:␣9.•␣ - hisāre - sign

ಇಸIû|.?␣ - istaqabāhe - welcome/receiving a visitor
ಇƒ␣I‘.ರ - istihāra - announcement/proclamation
ಊದು - ūdu - incense

ûತIಲ - qattala - slaughter

ಖತುI - khattu - letter
© 2016 Shashank Rao !88

ûM␣ೕಮು - qadīmu - old


ûಂM␣ - qandi - lantern

ûಬರ - qabara - grave

ûಬೂಲ - qubūla - acceptance
ûಲಮು - qalamu - pen
ಕಸಬು - kasabu - profession

ಕಸರತ - kasarata - gymnastics

ಕಸರು - kasaru - deficiency

ಕ9.z␣ - kasāle - disorder of the body
W.ಯಮು - kāyamu - permanent
ûೈl␣ - qaidē - rule
ûಿಸಮು - qisamu - division/kind (as in type)
ûೌಲು - qaulu - agreement

Ÿ.=␣ - khāli - empty

ಖm.ಲು - khayālu - thought
ಗರಜು - garaju - need

ಗ]␣ೕಬ - garība - poor

ಗ=␣ಜು - galiju - dirty

ಜರ - jara - little

ಜm.ಬ - javāba - reply

ಜm.:␣ರು - javāhiru - gem/jewel

¬␣y␣h - jimme - to charge

ಜುಲುಮು - julumu - to force

ತÛƒ␣ಲು - tafasilu - details

ತÛಾವO␣ - tafāvati - difference

ತಬಲ - tabala - a type of Indian pitched drum
ತL␣jಲ - tabdila - exchange
ತರಹ - taraha - like (as in “similar to”)
ತಸ=␣ - tasali - to salute

•.]␣Ûು - tārifu - praise

ತುÛಾನು - tufānu - storm
ತûುI ý; - taqttu - strength

ದm. - davā - medicine

ನûಲು - naqalu - copy/transcript
ನƒ␣ೕಬು - nasību - luck/fortune
Ûಿಕರು - fikaru - anxiety

ÛJಸತುI - frasattu - leisure

Ûೈಸಲ - faisala - settlement
ÛಾವuO␣ - fāvuti - death

ಬರಕತುI - barakattu - success
|.ûಿ - bāqi - remainder/leftover
© 2016 Shashank Rao !89

|.ಬತು - bābatu - with regard to


ಮಜಬೂತು - majabūtu - strong

ಮ®.ಕು - majāku - teasing/making fun of

ಮಂಜೂರು 5.ಡು - manjūru māḍu - to accept

ಮರಹಮhತ - marahammata - repair

ಮ¬␣6 - marji - wish

ಮಲÛೂÛು 5.ಡು - malafūfu māḍu - to cover

ಮಸಲ - masala - for instance

5.¬␣ - māji - past

ಮತುಬ]␣ - matubari - trusted

5.=␣ಕ - mālika - owner

5.ಲು - mālu - goods

5.ಲುಮ - māluma - known

T␣ರƒ␣ - mirasi - inheritance

T␣ಲûತುI - milaqattu - meeting

ಮುದjಮು - muddamu - permanent

ಮುX␣(úಲು - muṣkilu - difficult

ಮು9.Ûರ - musāfara - traveler

ಮು•␣øl␣ - mustaide - prepared

y␣ಹ+ತು - mehnatu - labor

y␣ೂH␣Ic.ರ - moktiyāra - absolute/free

ರûಮು - raqamu - article

ರದುj - raddu - to cancel

3.¬␣ - rāji - to agree

ಇವಜು - ivāju - custom

]␣c.ಯO␣ - riyāyati - concession

=␣ÛಾÛಿ - lifāfi - envelope

ವಜg␣ - vajani - weight

ವತನ - vatana - hereditary estate

ವರಕು - varaku - leaf

2␣R.ಯ - vidāya - farewell

9.T␣ಲ - sāmila - comprehension/understanding

þ␣ಕ - śauka - voluptuousness/litheness

ಸಂದುû - sanduqa - box

ಸಬೂಬು - sabūbu - excuse

ಸಲo - salla - peace

ಸn.ಮು - salāmu - salutation

ಅಸÙn.ಮು ಅz␣ೖಕುÿ - assalāmu alaikuṃ - Muslim greeting
ಸವಲತುI - savalattu - facilities

ಸm.ಲು - savālu - challenge

9.g␣ - sāni - second/another
© 2016 Shashank Rao !90

ಹû್ûು - haqqu - truth


ಹವ - hava - wind/air

‘.ಜ]␣ - hājari - present

:␣•␣Ù - hisse - part/share

?␣ೖ3.ನು - hairānu - restlessness/indecisiveness
ûೈದು - qaidu - prison
D.ಯಬ - nāyaba - deputy

y␣ೂH␣Ic.ರ D.ಮ - moktiyāra nāma - power of attorney

y␣ೂಹಲ - mohala - neighborhood/borough/quarter

ಹುಕುಂ - hukuṃ - order

ಹm.ಲe␣ - havālate - transfer

ಹಮಲ - hamāla - bearer

ƒ␣'␣( - sikke - royal seal

ಅಲoà :␣ಸಬು - allal hisabu - according to the contract

ಇಜರ - ijara - contract

ûಿಸುI - qistu - installment

ಜುಮಲ - jumala - total

"␣ಲತುI - daulattu - property

ನÛೆ - nafe - profit

y␣ೂಬಲಗು - mobalagu - sum/account

y␣ೂಹತÂÛ - mohatarfa - tax imposed on traders

y␣ೂಹಸz␣ - mohasale - one who collects something

ಲುûಸಮು - luqasamu - loss

ವಸುಲು/ವಸೂಲು - vasulu/vasūlu - things collected as revenue/rent

ಸ3.Û - sarāfa - cashier

ಹƒ␣ಲು - hasilu - revenue/tax

ಅದಲತು - adalatu - justice/court

û¬␣ - qaji - judge

ûಾನೂಮು - qānūmu - law

ಜ>␣I - japti - to confiscate

ಮುl␣j ೖ - muddai - complaint

ಮುD.ಸಬು - munāsabu - munsiff (an Indian low court handling civil cases)
ಸನ+ದು - sannadu - warrant

ಅÂû - arqa - juice

ಮಬುಜು - mabuju - plantain

ಮುರಬÎ - murabba - jam

ಹಲN - halva - a kind of Indian sweet

ಅಹÏ.ಂ - ahaṣāṃ - a group of military people

]␣9.ಲು - risālu - a troop of horses

ಬುರುಜು - buruju - tower/bastion

T␣D.ರ - mināra - minaret
© 2016 Shashank Rao !91

ಅn.o - allā - Allah


ಕುತುL␣ - kutubi - sermon

>␣ೕರ - pīra - Muslim religious teacher

Persian Vocabulary

ಅಜ5.†␣ƒ␣ - ajamāyisi - to examine/estimate

ಅ®.]␣ - ajāri - disease

ಅಂಜೂರ - anjūra - fig tree

ಅಂR.ಜು - andāju - estimation
ಅಬರು - abaru - honor

ಅಂ|.]␣ - aṃbāri - howdah (a seat with a canopy placed on top of an elephant)
ಆ†␣D. - āyinā - mirror

ಅm.ಜು - avāju - voice

ಆ3.ಮು - ārāmu - rest/comfort

ಆ3.ಮು ಕು˜␣6 - ārāmu kurci - easy chair/resting chair

ಆಸ5.g␣ - āsamāni - sky blue

ಇಸುhm.ರ - ismuvāra - according to names

ಇƒ␣I‘.ರು D.y␣ - istihāru nāme - a written proclamation

ಉy␣ೕದು - umēdu - hope

ಉy␣ೕದm.ರ - umēdavāra - candidate

ಎಕ9.ಲ - ekasāla - one year

ûM␣T␣ - qadimi - long standing

ಕT␣ - kami - less

ಕ5.ನು - kamānu - bow/arch

ಕT␣h - kammi - deficiency

ಕn.ಬತುI - kalābattu - embroidery

ûn.†␣ - qalāyi - coating of the vessel

ಖn.ƒ␣ - khalāsi - seaman

W.ರ9.Iನ - kārastāna - cleverness

Ÿ.ಸR.ರ - khāsadāra - groom

Ÿ.ವಂದ - khāvanda - master

Ÿ.9.i␣ - khāsāgi - private

ಕ=␣ೕಜ - kalīja - liver

H␣D.•␣ - kināre - riverbed

H␣3.ಯ - kirāya - rent

ಕುಮುಕು - kumuku - help

ಖುƒ␣( - khuski - dry land

ಕುƒ␣I - kusti - wrestling

ಕೂಚು - kūcu - march

ûೈದು ಖೂf␣ - qaidu khūne - prison
© 2016 Shashank Rao !92

ûೊಮು ವ¦ರು - qomu vūru - caste-wise

Ÿ.f␣ - khāne - house

ಖುದುj - khuddu - self

ಖೂg␣ - khūni - murder
ಖೂಬು - khūbu - handsome

ಗಜ - gaja - yard

ಗಲoತು - gallatu - mistake/incorrect

ಗƒ␣I - gasti - going round

–.•␣ - gāre - plaster

i␣ರಬj]␣ - girabdari - to be involved in difficulty

i␣ಲo - gilla - complaint

ಗುn.L␣ - gulābi - rose

ಗುಲುo - gullu - noise/din

ಚಮhರ - cammara - cobbler

ಚರL␣ - carabi - fat

q.ಕರ - cākara - servant

ಆಮದು - āmadu - income

ûಿಸುIಬಂM␣ - qistubandi - paying in installments

ಖ]␣ೕM␣ - kharīdi - purchase

ಗಲo - gallā - box used for money after sales

ನಗದು - nagadu - ready cash

ಅ¬␣6 - arji - petition

ಅಜ6ದಸುI - arjadastu - written petition

ಅ¬␣6ದರ - arjidara - petitioner

ರೂಬW.]␣ - rūbakāri - written record of the case

Ï.ಇM␣- ṣā’idi - witness at law

ಅಂಗೂರ - angūra - grape

ಅD.ಜು - anāju - grain

ಕರಬೂಜ - karabūja - muskmelon/cantaloupe

ಖು3.ಕು - khurāku - nutritive diet

ಗರಮ - garama - hot

ಗರಮ ಮ9.z␣ - garama masāle - garam masala

ಚ-.O␣ - capāti - a type of leavened bread from wheat flour (also called •␣ೂu␣• - roṭṭi)
¬␣z␣ೕL␣ - jilēbi - a type of sweet (usually orange or yellow)

ನಮಕು - namaku - salt

ಪg␣ೕರು - panīru - paneer (Indian farmer’s cheese)

ಪuM␣ನ - pudina - mint leaves

y␣ೖದ - maida - wheat flour

ƒ␣3. - sirā - a type of sweet

ಬÂÛಿ - barfi - a type of sweet made from nuts such as almond and cashew
|.ದು_␣ೖ - bāduśai - a sort of sweet Indian sweet doughnut
© 2016 Shashank Rao !93

ಲಷ(ರು - laṣkaru - army


ƒ␣-.†␣ - sipāyi - soldier

ಜ5.R.ರ - jamādāra - commander of troops

.ನಯ - thānaya - camp/encampment

e␣ೂೕಪu - tōpu - cannon

¥␣ೕದದ - pēda - infantryman/one who walks on their feet
ಬಕತರ - bakatara - armor

ಬ‘.ದರ - bahādara - warrior/courageous person
|.ƒ␣6-.†␣ - bārsipāyi - foot soldier

]␣9.ಲjರ - risāldara - commander of troops on horses
ಗುಮು]␣ - gumuri - domet

ಗ]␣ - gari - grave/tomb

ಕರŸ.f␣ - karakhāne - square house

M␣m.ಲ - divāla - wall

ನ5.ಜು - namāju - prayer

f␣ೕಕ - nēka - purity of heart

|.ಷಂದ - bāṣanda - may you live in peace

•␣ೂೕಜ - rōja - fast (as in a period of not eating)

•␣ೕಬು - sēbu - pir (a Muslim holy man)

•␣ೕರು - sēru - seer

ಕುn.†␣ - kulāyi - cap

ತÛಾI - taftā - a kind of silk cloth

ತುm.ಲ - tuvāla - towel

ಪರl␣ - parade - veil

ಲುಂi␣ - lungi - a kind of cloth
Ï.ಲು - ṣālu - shawl

© 2016 Shashank Rao !94

Appendix C: Advanced Vocabulary

ಏ]␣ದ - ērida - advanced (literally “raised” or “elevated”)

ಆç␣ೕಪª␣ '␣ೂಡು - to speak poorly of/reproach
ದೂರು - to blame/insult/speak poorly of
ಪJ®.ಪJಭುತN - democracy
ಸಂ2␣w.ನ - constitution
5.ಧ<ಮ - medium (by which something is done)
ಅ$␣-.Jಯ - opinion
“␣ೕM␣'␣ - platform
ಪJO␣g␣V␣ - representative
ಪರm.i␣ - on behalf of
W.ಲW.ಲ'␣( - from time to time
ವರM␣/ಸುM␣j - report
ತg␣ž␣ - inquiry/investigation
W.ಲT␣O␣ - time limit
ಸಲುm.i␣ - in order to
Z␣ದ]␣'␣ - intimidation
ಸೂಕI - appropriate
ಆc. - respective
ಸ˜␣m.ಲಯ - ministry
ಸಲ?␣ - advice
ಚುD.ವª␣ - election
#␣ೂೕX␣ಸ ು - to declare
ಪJe␣<ೕಕ - separate
ಆಗJಹ - demand
O␣ೕವJ•␣ೂಂಡು - intensify
ಒತIಡ - pressure
?␣ೕರು - to inflict/bring down on
ಮುಂಬರು - to be forthcoming/oncoming
5.ನ<e␣ - right (as in civil right)
ಸ5.“␣ೕಶ - conference
ಮುಖಂಡ/D.ಯಕ - leader
ತ3.…␣•␣ - seriously
2␣ರಕI - sanyasi/hermit
ಮ$.V␣ೕಶ - religious leader
f␣ೕW.ರ - weaver
9.ಲ - loan
ಮD.+ - waiver
”.ಗ< #␣ೂೕX␣ಸ ು - to declare paid/pay off for someone else (usually of the government)
ಸಹW.ರ - cooperation
© 2016 Shashank Rao !95

ಪರಸ™ರ - reciprocal
ವ•␣ಗು - postposition indicating the maximum of something
5.ಡn.ಗು - to be done/become done/performed/executed
ಜವÀ␣ - textiles
ಸ˜␣ವ - minister
ಸುM␣j•␣ೂೕX␣Y - news conference
ಉl␣jೕ¤␣ಸ ು - to intend
ಉl␣jೕಶ - intention/purpose
ಬ„␣‰ - interest (on a loan)
5.ದ]␣ - way/manner/form
ಸಂಬಧ6 - time/instance/happening
ಮುಖ<ಮಂO␣J - Chief Minister
ಸNತಃ - oneself (emphasizes the subject)
2␣q.ರ - manner/affair/issue
5.ನವ q.=␣ತ - powered by man/manned
ಅವಳವ„␣ಸ ು - to insert
f␣ೕÈ␣Ë - to weave
ಅನುಕೂಲ - convenience/comfort
ಅನುಕೂಲ ಕ=␣™ಸು - to facilitate
ಆz␣ೂೕ˜␣ಸ ು - to decide
ಸ‘.ಯಧನ - subsidy
ಒದi␣ಸ ು - to provide
z␣ೂೕW.ಯುಕI - a committee and task force appointed to investigate corruption
ಅಧ<‚ - president (of a college)
f␣ಲಮಂಗಲ - ground floor
“␣ೖದ<H␣ೕಯ - medical/relating to doctors
ಪJO␣H␣Jಯ - feedback
W.ಯ6g␣m.6ಹಕ - executive
ಸದಸ< - members (of a government council or body)
ದೂರು - complaint/accusation
ಆw.ರ - basis
_␣ೖ‚š␣ಕ - academic/educational/relating to students or learning
ಉಲoಂ%␣ಸ ು - to violate
ಉಲoಂ%␣ಸn.ಗು - to be violated
ಅಕJಮm.i␣ - illegally
R.9.Iನ - inventory/storage facility
:␣ನ+z␣ - background
ಸ¯ಳ - place
R.ಖz␣ - admission/document
ಪ]␣¤␣ೕಲf␣ ನಡಸn.ಗು - to review/scrutinize/examine (of documents/complaints/etc.)
ತರುm.ಯ/ಬÀ␣ಕ - after
© 2016 Shashank Rao !96

ƒ␣ದÓಪ„␣ಸ ು - to prepare (documents/statements/etc.)

ಕJಮ - action
'␣ೖ•␣ೂಳu´ - to carry out
'␣ೖ•␣ೂಳ´n.ಗು - to be carried out
ಆವರಣ - premises/precinct/veil
ಆ•␣ೂೕ>␣ಸ ು - to allege
g␣ಲ6‹␣ಸ ು - to ignore
g␣ಲ6‹␣ಸn.ಗು - to be ignored
g␣ಗM␣c.ದ - scheduled
ಕಂR.ಯ/e␣]␣•␣ - tax/revenue
ಇn.ž␣ - administrative body of the government/governmental division or branch
ಅV␣W.ರದ=␣oರು - to be in power
ತ>␣™ಸು - to cause to make mistakes
‘.M␣ - damage
5.:␣O␣ - information
3.¬␣ೕD.y␣ - resignation
ಉತI3.V␣W.ರ - succession/successor
L␣ಕ(ಟು• - crisis
3.ಜH␣ೕಯ - political
g␣]␣ೕç␣(ಯ) - expectation/expected
g␣]␣ೕç␣ಯಂe␣È␣ೕ - as expected
•.ರಕ'␣(ೕ]␣ರು - to crystallize/become reality
ಆಡÀ␣ತ - administration
ಆಡÀ␣ತ ನ{␣ಸ ು - to run (an operation)/administer (usually of government)
2␣q.ರª␣ - (criminal) investigation
ಅಹ6ರು - something deserved
ಮುಂದೂಡ - postponing
˜␣ಂe␣ - worry
ಥಳಕು ‘.ಕು - to “put an earring”; to bring up a certain topic and fixate on it in a debate
ಸಂಬಂV␣ƒ␣ದಂe␣ - regarding/germanely/with regard to/about
ಪJಕರಣ - case/topic/issue
>␣ೕಠ - bench (of court)
ಮನ2␣ - appeal
O␣ರಸ(]␣ಸ ು - to deny
g␣ಗM␣ 5.ಡು - to fix/set (a time or place for an appointment)
ವ®.•␣ೂÀ␣ಸ ು- to dismiss (legal term)
®.T␣ೕನು - charge (synonym: ಈಡು/?␣ೂª␣)
ಅ¬␣6 - petition
ಹz␣o - assault
ಪ‚ - (political) party/wing/faction
O␣ರಸ(]␣ಸ ು - reject
© 2016 Shashank Rao !97

ಪJO␣ಭಟD.W.ರ - protestor
D.ಪe␣Ic.ಗು - to be missing/not visible
ಗುಂಡು - shot (from a bullet)
ಇM␣ೕಗ - right now/shortly (relative to a specific moment)
ಬ:␣ರಂಗ - exposed/revealed/public
ಕಲುo ತೂ3.ಟ - stone-throwing/stoning
g␣ರಂಕುಶ - arbitrary
g␣w.6ರ/g␣ಣ6ಯ - decision
y␣u␣•z␣ೕರು - meṭṭilēru - to step up (to something)
R.ಖ=␣ƒ␣ರು - to be admitted/filed (of a case or document)
g␣ವೃತI - retired
ಗುಂಪu - group
ಉM␣JಕI - frantic
ಉz␣oೕ&␣ಸ ು - to mention
O␣Jಸದಸ< >␣ೕಠ - apex court bench
ತ{␣ g␣ೕಡು - to stay/delay/hinder (of an action)
(noun) ಸಂಬಂಧ - in connection with (noun)
g␣ರತ - dutiful/responsible
'␣ರÀ␣ಸ ು - to exacerbate/enrage
ಕುತೂಹಲ - interest/curiosity
ಮತR. - ballot
ಜನಪJO␣g␣V␣ - representative
ಸಂ¢␣ - evening
ಅತI - beyond (a formal conjunction for the word “and”)
›.ಸಕ - legislator
›.ಸಕಂಗ - legislator
2␣w.ನಸt␣ - assembly
ತವಕ - anxiety (metaphorically)
ಉÀ␣ƒ␣'␣ೂಳu´ - to retain
ಪJO␣-␣Yಯ - prestigious/important
‘.=␣ - extant/current
ಸುಣŠm.i␣ರು - to be in the limelight
ಕಣm.ಗು - to be a part of/take part in
ಅಭ<S␣6 - candidate
ಸ™V␣6ಸು - to contest/challenge
¥␣ೖ¥␣¦ೕu␣ - competition
ಪJಕರಣ - case
W.ಯ6ದ¤␣6 - secretary
9.ಮೂ:␣ಕ - relating to a group
ಹz␣o - attack
ಸಬ=␣ೕಕರಣ - empowerment
© 2016 Shashank Rao !98

(locative case of noun) ಆತಂಕ ಮf␣ 5.ಡು - to become anxious about (something or someone)

© 2016 Shashank Rao !99

Answer Key for Practice Questions

Section 1


A. Practice writing the following words after completing the first exercise.

1. sēbu - •␣ೕಬು
2. ācaraṇe - ಆಚರª␣
3. gōḍe - •␣ೂೕ{␣
4. manuṣya - ಮನುಷ<
5. mattu - ಮತುI
6. rakta - ರಕI
7. raita - •␣ೖತ
8. mūle - ಮೂz␣
9. ṛsī - ಋX␣ೕ
10. mṛtyū - ಮೃತೂ<
11. mara - ಮರ
12. īga - ಈಗ
13. mēle - y␣ೕz␣
14. amṛtā - ಅಮೃ•.
15. lēkhani - z␣ೕಖg␣
16. arasa - ಅರಸ
17. nīliya - g␣ೕ=␣ಯ
18. svaccha - ಸNಚÍ
19. kālu - W.ಲು
20. nālkane - D.ಲ(f␣

Section 2


A. Decline the following nouns into the nominative and accusative cases.

1. z␣ೕಖg␣ಯನು+ (lēkhaniyannu)
2. ಅw.<ಪಕನನು+ (adhyāpakanannu)
3. ನ2␣ಲುವನು+ (naviluvannu)
4. ಆf␣ಯನು+ (āneyannu)
5. ಮರವನು+ (maravannu)
6. y␣ೕಜುವನು+ (mējuvannu)
7. g␣m.ಸವನು+ (nivāsavannu)
8. H␣ೕ=␣'␣ೖಯನು+ (kīlikaiyannu)
9. ಪದುjವನು+ (padduvannu)
10. ರ•␣Iಯನು+ (rāsteyannu)
© 2016 Shashank Rao !100

B. Conjugate the following verbs for the given pronoun.


1. D.ವu L␣ದುe␣Iೕf␣
2. ಅವನು ಬ•␣ಯು•.If␣
3. ಅವರು ಈಜು•.I•␣
4. D.ವu ¡␣ೂೕ˜␣ಸ ುe␣Iೕ“␣
5. ಅವಳu ಮ•␣ಯು•.IŒ␣
6. g␣ೕವu 5.ಡುO␣I]␣
7. ಅದು ಕು„␣ಯುO␣Iಯ
8. ಅದು :␣„␣ಯುತIl␣
9. ಅವu ಇರುತI“␣
10. •.ವu ಓದುO␣I]␣ 


C. Translate the following sentences into Kannada.

1. D.ನು •␣ೕಬನು+ O␣ನು+e␣Iೕf␣. (Nānu sēbannu tinnuttēne.)

2. D.ವu ಪuಸIಕವನು+ ಮ•␣ಯುe␣Iೕ“␣. (Nāvu pustakavannu mareyuttēve.)
3. ಅವರು ಹಣŠಗಳನು+ ತ•␣ಯು•.I•.␣ (Avaru haṇṇagaḷannu tareyuttāre.)
4. ಅವ) ಓಡು•.IŒ.␣ (Avaḷu ōduttāḷe.)
5. ಅದು '␣ಲಸ 5.ಡು•.Il.␣ (Adu kelasa māḍuttade.)
6. g␣ೕವu g␣l␣J5.ಡುO␣I]/␣ ಮಲಗುO␣I].␣ (Nīvu nidremāduttiri/malaguttiri).
7. g␣ೕನು z␣ೕಖg␣ಯನು+ :␣„␣ಯುO␣IೕÈ␣. (Nīnu lēkhaniyannu hiḍiyuttīye).
8. g␣ೕವu ¡␣ೂೕ˜␣ಸ ುO␣I]␣. (Nīvu yōcisuttiri).
9. ಅವಳu ತಮhನು+ «.ಪಕ2␣ಟು•'␣ೂಳu´ತIŒ␣/f␣ನ>␣ಡುತIŒ␣. (Avaḷu tamannu jñāpakaviṭṭukoḷḷuttāḷe/
nenapiḍuttāḷe.)
10. ಅವu ನಮhನು+ f␣ೂೕಡುತI“␣. (Avu nammannu nōḍuttave.)

Section 3

A. Decline the following nouns into the instrumental and dative cases.

1. z␣ೕಖg␣†␣ಂದ/z␣ೕಖg␣•␣ (lēkhaniyinda/lēkhanige)
2. ಅw.<ಪಕg␣ಂದ/ಅw.<ಪಕg␣•␣ (adhyāpakaninda/adhyāpakanige)
3. ನ2␣ಲು2␣ಂದ/ನ2␣ಲು2␣•␣ (naviluvinda/naviluvige)
4. ಆf␣†␣ಂದ/ಆf␣•␣ (āneyinda/ānege)
5. ಮರM␣ಂದ/ಮರ'␣( (maradinda/marakke)
6. y␣ೕಜು2␣ಂದ/y␣ೕಜು2␣•␣ (mējuvinda/mējuvige)
7. g␣m.ಸM␣ಂದ/g␣ವಸ'␣( (nivāsadinda/nivāsakke)
8. H␣ೕ=␣'␣ೖ†␣ಂದ/H␣ೕ=␣'␣ೖ•␣ (kīlikaiyinda/kīlikaige)
9. ಪದುj2␣ಂದ/ಪದುj2␣•␣ (padduvinda/padduvige)
© 2016 Shashank Rao !101

10. 3.•␣I†␣ಂದ/3.•␣Ig␣•␣ (rāsteyinda/rāstenige) 


B. Write the following verbs in the negative form.

1. ತ•␣ಯುವM␣ಲo (tareyuvadilla)
2. ನ{␣ಯುವM␣ಲo (naḍeyuvadilla)
3. ?␣ೂೕಗುವM␣ಲo (hōguvadilla)
4. ಈಜುವM␣ಲo (ījuvadilla)
5. ಸು=␣ಯುವM␣ಲo (suliyuvadilla)
6. e␣ೂŒ␣ಯುವM␣ಲo (toḷeyuvadilla)
7. ಕತI]␣ಸ ುವM␣ಲo (kattarisuvadilla)
8. ಎš␣ಸ ುವM␣ಲo (eṇisuvadilla)
9. ಬರುವM␣ಲo (baruvadilla)
10. ಕ•␣ಯುವM␣ಲo (kareyuvadilla)

C. Translate the following sentences into Kannada.

1. ಅವನು ಬಟ•=␣ಂದ e␣•␣ದು'␣ೂಳu´•.If.␣ (Avanu baṭṭalinda tegedukoḷḷuttāne.)

2. D.ವu ›.z␣†␣ಂದ ಮf␣•␣ ?␣ೂೕಗುತI“␣. (Nāvu śaleyinda manege hōguttave.)
3. ಅy␣ೕ]␣ಕM␣ಂದ ಬರುe␣Iೕf␣. (Amērikadinda baruttēne.)
4. ಅವರು ”.ರತ'␣( ?␣ೂೕಗು•.I•.␣ (Avaru bhāratakke hōguttāre.)
5. ಅದು ನನ•␣ ಊಟ. (Adu nanage ūṭa koḍuttade.)
6. ಆಶ ರ5.g␣•␣ •␣ೕಬನು+ '␣ೂಡು•.IŒ.␣ (Āsha Ramānige sēbannu koḍuttāḷe.)
a. Note: Ramā ends in ಆ, and there is no special rule for this kind of nouns; these nouns are
usually people’s names.
7. ಅವu ದ‹␣ಣM␣ಂದ ಬರುತI“␣. (Avu dakṣinadinda baruttave.)
8. D.ವu ಅ„␣•␣ಮf␣†␣ಂದ l␣ೕವರಮf␣•␣ ?␣ೂೕಗುe␣Iೕ“␣. (Nāvu aḍigemaneyinda dēvaramanege
hōguttēve.)
9. g␣ೕವu ನನ•␣ ಬ•␣ಯುO␣IೕÈ␣. (Nīvu nanage bareyuttīye.)
10. g␣ೕವu ಇ=␣oಂದ ಅದ]␣'␣ ?␣ೂೕಗುO␣I]␣. (Nīvu illinda adarike hōguttiri.) 


Section 4

A. Decline the following nouns into the locative case.

1. 5.„␣ಯ=␣o (māḍiyalli)
2. ನಡು2␣ನ=␣o (nāḍuvinalli)
3. ಮƒ␣ೕM␣ಯ=␣o (masīdiyalli)
4. ಮf␣ಯ=␣o (maneyalli)
5. l␣ೕವ9.¯ನದ=␣o (dēvasthānadalli)
6. ಜಗದ=␣o (jāgadalli)
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7. ಆW.ಸದ=␣o (ākāśadalli)
8. ಅಂಗ„␣ಯ=␣o (angaḍiyalli)
9. :␣5.ಲಯದ=␣o (himālayadalli)
10. ಬ®.ರು2␣ನ=␣o (bajāruvinalli)


B. Conjugate the following verbs in the present progressive for the given pronoun.

1. ತ•␣ಯುO␣Il␣jೕf␣ (tareyuttiddēne)
2. ನ{␣ಯುO␣IM␣jÈ␣ (naḍeyuttiddiye)
3. ?␣ೂೕಗುO␣Il␣j (hōguttidde)
4. ಈಜುO␣Il␣j (ījuttidde)
5. ಸು=␣ಯುO␣Il␣jೕ“␣ (suliyuttiddēve)
6. e␣ೂŒ␣ಯುO␣IM␣j]␣ (toḷeyuttiddiri)
7. ಕತI]␣ಸ ುO␣IದjŒ␣ (kattarisuttiddāḷe)
8. ಎš␣ಸ ುO␣Il␣jೕf␣ (eṇisuttiddāne)
9. ಬರುO␣IR.j•␣ (baruttiddāre)
10. ಕ•␣ಯುO␣IR.j•␣ (kareyuttiddāre)

C. Conjugate the following verbs in the given imperative form.

1. ತರ=␣ (tarali)
2. ನ{␣ೂೕ (naḍō)
3. ?␣ೂೕi␣ (hōgi)
4. ಈ¢␣ (ījē)
5. ಸು=␣¡␣ೂೕಣ (suliyōṇa)
6. e␣ೂÀ␣]␣ (toḷiri)
7. ಕತI]␣ಸ ು (kattarisu)
8. ಎš␣ƒ␣ (eṇisi)
9. |. (bā)
10. ಕ•␣¡␣ೂೕಣ (kareyōṇa) 


Section 5

A. Conjugate the following verbs in the past tense for the given pronoun.

1. ತಂl␣ೕನು (tandēnu)
2. ನ{␣l␣ (naḍede)
3. ?␣ೂೕi␣ದವu (hōgidavu)
4. ಈ¬␣ತು (ījitu)
5. ಸು=␣l␣ೕವu (sulidēvu)
6. e␣ೂŒ␣M␣]␣ (toḷediri)
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7. ಕತI]␣ƒ␣ದಳu (kattarisidaḷu)
8. ಎš␣ƒ␣ದನು (eṇisidanu)
9. ಬಂದರು (bandaru)
10. ಕ•␣ದರು (karedaru)


B. Translate the following sentences into Kannada using modal expressions.

1. D.ನು ಈಗz␣ ಊಟ 5.ಡZ␣ೕಕು. (Nānu īgale ūṭa māḍabēku.)

2. ಅವಳu g␣l␣J5.ಡZ␣ೕW.i␣ತುI/ಮಲಗZ␣ೕW.i␣ತುI. (Avaru nidremāḍabēkāgittu/malagabēkāgittu.)
3. D.ವu ?␣ೂರಡZ␣ೕಕು. (Nāvu hōraḍabēku.)
4. 9.ಧ< ಆi␣†␣ೕತು. (Sādhya āgiyītu.)
5. ಅವನು -.ಠ ಓದಬಹುದು. (Avanu pāṭha ōdabahudu).
6. ಅವu ಇ=␣oಂದ ?␣ೂೕi␣c.ವu. (Avu illinda hōgiyāvu.)
7. D.ನು ಮf␣•␣ m.ಪಸ?␣ೂೕi␣È␣ೕನು. (Nānu manege vāpasahōgiyēnu.)
8. ಅವರು ಓಡಹಹುದು. (Avaru ōḍabahudu.)
9. g␣ೕ“␣n.o ಅ„␣•␣ 5.ಡZ␣ೕಕು. (Nīvellā aḍige māḍabēku.)
10. g␣ೕವu ‘.„␣†␣ೕ]␣. (Nīvu hāḍiyīri.)


C. Decline the following nouns into the genitive case.

1. z␣ೕಖg␣ಯ (lēkhaniya)
2. ಅw.<ಪಕನ (adhyāpakana)
3. ನ2␣ಲು2␣ನ (naviluvina)
4. ಆf␣ಯ (āneya)
5. ಮರದ (marada)
6. y␣ೕಜು2␣ನ (mējuvina)
7. g␣m.ಸದ (nivāsada)
8. H␣ೕ=␣ಕಯ (kīlikaiya)
9. ಪದುj2␣ನ (padduvina)
10. 3.•␣Iಯ (rāsteya)

D. Translate the following sentences into Kannada using the comparative form. Note: ಇನೂ+ (innū
- more), ಕT␣ (kami - less)

1. ಇದು ಅದುi␣ಂತ ಇನೂ+ ಕಷ•m.i␣l␣j (Idu aduginta innū kaṣṭavāgidde.)

2. ನನ•␣ g␣ನi␣ಂತ ಇನೂ+ '␣ಲಸ ಇl␣. (Nanage ninaginta innū kelasa ide.)
3. ಅವಳu g␣ಮhi␣ಂತ ಇನೂ+ ಅಂದm.i␣R.jŒ/␣ ಮುR.ji␣R.jŒ.␣ (Avaḷu nimmaginta innū andavāgiddāḷe/ 

muddāgiddāḷe.)
4. ಅವ]␣•␣ ನಮhi␣ಂತ ಕT␣ ಹƒ␣ವu ಆಗುತIl␣ (Avarige nammaginta kami hasivu āguttade.)
5. ಇ=␣o ಅ=␣oi␣ಂತ ಈ 2␣ಷಯ ಕT␣ ಇl␣. (Illi alliginta ī viṣaya kami ide.)
6. ನಮh ಹO␣Iರ g␣ಮhi␣ಂತ ಕT␣ •␣ೕಬುಗಳu ಇ“␣. (Namma hattira nimaginta kami sēbugaḷu ive.)
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7. ¬␣ಂ'␣ ಕುಂM␣=␣i␣ಂತ ಇನೂ+ g␣ಶÒಬjm.i␣l.␣j (Jinke kundiliginta innū niśśabdvāgidde.)

8. ಹು=␣ ಕರ„␣i␣ಂತ ಇನೂ+ ˜␣ಕು(m.i␣l␣j. (Huli karaḍiginta innū cikkuvāgidde.)
9. ಅವu ಇವui␣ಂತ ಇನೂ+ O␣ನು+ತI“␣. (Avu ivuginta innū tinnuttave.)
10. g␣ೕನು ನನ+ ಇನೂ+ g␣ೕರಸm.i␣M␣jÈ.␣ (Nīnu nannaginta innū nīrasavāgiddiye.)

Section 6

A. Conjugate the following nouns in the given perfective tense for the given pronoun.

1. ತಂM␣l␣jನು (tandiddenu)
2. ನ{␣M␣M␣jÈ␣ (naḍediddiye)
3. ?␣ೂೕi␣ದjವu (hōgiddavu)
4. ಈ¬␣M␣ತುI (ījidittu)
5. ಸು=␣M␣l␣jವu (sulididdevu)
6. e␣ೂŒ␣M␣M␣j]␣ (toḷediddiri)
7. ಕತI]␣ƒ␣M␣ದjಳu (kattarisididdaḷu)
8. ಎš␣ƒ␣M␣l␣jೕf␣ (eṇisididdēne)
9. ಬಂM␣ದjರು (bandiddaru)
10. ಕ•␣M␣M␣j]␣ (karediddiri) 


B. Translate the following sentences into Kannada, using the prohibitive forms.

1. ಅದನು+ O␣ನ+Z␣ೕ„␣! (Adannu tinnabēḍi!)

2. 3.š␣, ಇನೂ+ g␣l␣J5.ಡZ␣ೕ{␣N/ಮಲಗZ␣ೕ{␣ೂNೕ. (Rāṇi, innū nidremāḍabēḍvē/malagabēḍvō).
3. g␣ೕನು ಅಷು• Z␣ೕಗ ಓಡ|.ರದು . (Nīnu aṣṭu bēga ōḍabāradu.)
4. D.ವu ಇ-␣ೂ•ೕ O␣ನ+|.ರದು. (Nāvu iṣṭō tinnabāradu.)
5. 3.ಜು, ಮf␣•␣ m.ಪಸ?␣ೂೕಗZ␣ೕಡ. (Rāju, manege vāpasahōgabēḍa).
6. •␣ೕದಕೂಡದು . (Sēdakūḍadu.)
7. ಅವನು ಅಷು• g␣l␣J5.ಡ|.ರದು/ಮಲಗ|.ರದದು. (Avanu aṣṭu nidremāḍabāradu/malagabāradu.)
8. ಇ=␣o ಆÌ.ಡZ␣ೕ{␣ೂNೕ! (Illi āṭāḍabēḍvō!)
9. ಅವರು ಒಳಗ{␣ ಬರಕುಡದು. (Avaru oḷagade barakūḍadu.)
10. g␣ೕವu ?␣ೂರಡ|.ರದು. (Nīvu horaḍabāradu.) 


C. Translate the following sentences into Kannada using modal expressions.

1. g␣ಮh•␣ ಇ=␣o g␣l␣J5.ಡ'␣(/ಮಲಗ'␣( ಆಗುತIದ? (Nimmage illi nidremāḍakke/malagakke āguttada?)

2. ›.z␣•␣ ?␣ೂೕಗ'␣(, ಇ=␣o•␣ ?␣ೂೕಗZ␣ೕಕು. (Śālege hōgakke, illige hōgabēku.)
3. ಏನು 5.ˆ.Z␣ೕಕು ಇದನು+ ಉಪ¡␣ೂೕi␣ಸ'␣(? (Ēnu māḍabēku idannu upayōgisakke?)
4. ನಮh•␣ ಈ ಆಟಡ'␣( ಬರುತIl␣. (Nammage ī āṭa āṭāḍakke baruttade.)
5. f␣f␣+ ಅವÀ␣•␣ g␣l␣J5.ಡ'␣(/ಮಲಗ'␣( ಆಗುವM␣ಲo. (Nenne avaḷige nidremāḍakke/malagakke
āguvadilla.)
© 2016 Shashank Rao !105

6. ಅವu ಅH␣( O␣ನ+'␣ ಆಗುವM␣ಲo. (Avu akki tinnakke āguvadilla.)

7. ನನ+ •.†␣•/␣ ಅಮhg␣•␣ :␣ಂM␣ ಬರುವM␣ಲo. (Nanna tāyige/ammanige Hindi baruvadilla.)
8. g␣ೕನು ಇದನು+ ಉಪ¡␣ೂೕi␣ಸ'␣( ಓಡ'␣(. (Nīnu idannu upayōgiside ōdakke.)
9. ನಮh ಕುಟುಂಬಗರು ”.ರತ'␣( ?␣ೂೕಗ'␣( 2␣5.ನದ=␣o ಬರು•.I•.␣ (Namma kuṭumbagaru Bhāratakke
hōgakke vimānadinalli baruttāre.)
10. g␣ೕವu ದುಡು‰ '␣ೂu␣•]␣ ಇ=␣o ಆÌ.ಡ'␣(. (Nīvu duḍḍu koṭṭiri illi āṭāḍakke.)

Section 7

A. Translate the following sentences into Kannada, using coordinating conjunctions.

1. ಪ]␣ೕ‚ '␣ೂಡುO␣IÈ␣, ಅಥವ •␣ೂೕಲುO␣IÈ␣. (Parīkśa koḍuttīye, athava sōluttīye.)

2. ಅವನು -.ಠ ಓದುO␣Iದjನು g␣ೕವu '␣ಲಸM␣ನ=␣o ಇರುm.ಗ. (Avanu pāṭha ōduttiddanu nīvu kelasadinalli
iruvaga.)
3. D.ನು 5.ƒ␣ೕM␣•␣ ?␣ೂೕZ␣ೕಕು, ಇ5.ಮು ¢␣ೂe␣ 5.ತD.ಡZ␣ೕಕು. (Nānu masīdige hōgabēku, imāmu
jote mātanāḍabēku.)
4. ಪ‹␣ಗಳu ಮe␣Iಮe␣/I ಪl␣ೕಪl␣ೕ ‘.ಡು•.I•,␣ ಅಥವ 2␣ರಳm.i␣? (Pakśigaḷu mattematte/padēpadē
hāḍuttāre, athava viraḷavāgi?)
5. D.ವu ಅš␣c.i␣ದ•␣/ƒ␣ದÓm.i␣ದ•␣/ತc.3.i␣ದ•␣, D.ವu ?␣ೂರಡZ␣ೕಕು. (Nāvu aṇiyāgidare/
siddhavāgidare/tayārāgidare, nāvu horaḍabāeku.)
6. ಅವ]␣•␣ ?␣ೂೕಗ'␣( ಇಷ•, ಆದ•␣ y␣ೂದಲು/ಮುಂ^␣ ಮf␣•␣ಲಸ 5.ಡZ␣ೕಕು. (Avarige hōgakke iṣṭa, ādare
modalu/munce manegelasa māḍabēku.)
7. g␣ೕವu l␣ೕವ9.¯ನ'␣( ?␣ೂೕದ•␣, ಸNಲ™ ದಭ6 e␣•␣ದು'␣ೂಂಡಬg␣+. (Nīvu dēvasthānakke hōdare, svalpa
darbha tegedukonḍabanni.)
8. ಇಷು• y␣ೖಗಳ´D.i␣ರZ␣ೕಡ! ಅಥವ g␣ಮh •.†␣/ಅಮh '␣ೂೕಪ ಆಗು•.I•.␣ (Iṣṭu maigaḷḷanāgirabēḍa! 

Athava nimma tāyi/amma kōpa āguttāre.)
9. D.ನು y␣ೂ…␣•ಗಳನು+ '␣ೂಂಡು'␣ೂಳu´e␣Iೕf␣/ಖ]␣ೕM␣ಸ ುe␣Iೕf␣, g␣ೕನು ತರW.]␣ಯನು+ '␣ೂಂಡು'␣ೂಳu´O␣IÈ␣/
ಖ]␣ೕM␣ಸ ುO␣IÈ␣. (Nānu moṭṭegaḷannu konḍukoḷḷuttēne/kharīdisuttēne, nīnu tarakāriyannu
konḍukoḷḷuttīye/kharīdisuttīye.)
10. D.ವu ಸುಸIm.i␣l␣jೕ“␣, ಆದ•␣ ಸNಲ™ g␣l␣J ?␣ೂಡy␣ೕz␣ ಬರುe␣Iೕ“␣. (Nāvu sustavāgiddēve, ādare svalpa
nidre hoḍamēle baruttēve.)

Section 8

A. Decline the following nouns into the vocative case.

1. z␣ೕಖg␣È␣ೕ (lēkhaniyē)
2. ಅw.<ಪ'␣ೕ (adhyāpakē)
3. ನ2␣z␣ೕ (navilē)
4. ಆf␣È␣ೕ (āneyē)
5. ಮ•␣ೕ (marē)
6. y␣ೕ¢␣ೕ (mējē)
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7. g␣m.•␣ೕ (nivāsē)
8. H␣ೕ=␣'␣ೖÈ␣ೕ (kīlikaiyē)
9. ಪl␣jೕ (paddē)
10. 3.•␣IÈ␣ೕ (rāsteyē)


B. Conjugate the following verbs in the future tense for the given pronoun.

1. ತರು“␣ನು (taruvenu)
2. ನಡು“␣ (naḍuve)
3. ?␣ೂೕಗುವವu (hōguvavu)
4. ಈಜುವuದು (ījuvavu)
5. ಸುಲು“␣ವu (suluvevu)
6. e␣ೂಳu2␣]␣ (toḷuviri)
7. ಕತI]␣ಸ ುವಳu (kattarisuvaḷu)
8. ಎš␣ಸ ುವನು (eṇisuvanu)
9. ಬರುವರು (baruvaru)
10. ಕರು2␣]␣ (karuviri)