Appa, amma, aNNa, akka and the in-laws who each get their own word. Plus friends, guests and the feelings in between, from santosha to siTTu.
schedule13 min readtranslate55 words and 10 ready-made sentencesedit_noteBy Tariq Sallam, Founder
Spend one day in Bengaluru and you'll hear family words used on complete strangers. The auto driver is aNNa, the flower seller is akka, the elderly man at the bus stop is ajja and the friendly uncle next door may well be maava. Kannada uses relationship words as everyday courtesy, so learning them does double duty.
This chapter covers the close family first, then the grandparents and grandchildren, then the in-laws and uncles and aunts, where Kannada gets far more precise than English. We finish with friends, guests and a set of feeling words, so you can say you're happy, scared, angry or simply in pain.
HOW TO READ THE SPELLINGS
aa, ee, ooDoubled vowels are long. 'naanu' is nah-nu, 'neevu' is nee-vu.
T, D, L, NCapital letters are the hard sounds, with the tongue curled back: 'beDa', 'avaLu', 'ishTa', 'kaNNu'.
t, d, lSmall letters are the soft, flat sounds you already use in English.
neenu / neevuneenu is 'you' for friends and kids. neevu is 'you' for elders, strangers and anyone you want to be polite to. When in doubt, say neevu.
The words you'll use at home every day. appa and amma are the warm, everyday forms; tande and taayi are the formal ones you'll see in writing.
ENGLISHSAY ITIN KANNADA
FamilykuTumbaಕುಟುಂಬ
Fatherappa / tandeಅಪ್ಪ / ತಂದೆ
Motheramma / taayiಅಮ್ಮ / ತಾಯಿ
HusbandganDaಗಂಡ
WifehenDatiಹೆಂಡತಿ
Sonmagaಮಗ
DaughtermagaLuಮಗಳು
ChildrenmakkaLuಮಕ್ಕಳು
Boy / boyshuDuga / huDugaruಹುಡುಗ / ಹುಡುಗರು
Girl / girlshuDugi / huDugiyaruಹುಡುಗಿ / ಹುಡುಗಿಯರು
groupBrothers and Sisters: Older or Younger?
English says 'brother'. Kannada wants to know if he's older or younger, and you'll almost always use the specific word.
ENGLISHSAY ITIN KANNADA
Brother (general)sahodaraಸಹೋದರ
Sister (general)sahodariಸಹೋದರಿ
Elder brotheraNNaಅಣ್ಣAlso the polite way to address any man around your age: auto drivers, delivery partners, shopkeepers.
Younger brothertammaತಮ್ಮ
Elder sisterakkaಅಕ್ಕThe friendly way to address a woman around your age, like the vegetable or flower vendor.
Younger sistertangiತಂಗಿ
elderlyGrandparents and Grandchildren
Notice the pattern: 'mom' in front of maga, magaLu and makkaLu turns them into grandson, granddaughter and grandchildren.
ENGLISHSAY ITIN KANNADA
Grandfathertaata / ajjaತಾತ / ಅಜ್ಜ
Grandmotherajjiಅಜ್ಜಿAlso how you'd respectfully address an elderly woman.
Grandsonmommagaಮೊಮ್ಮಗ
GranddaughtermommagaLuಮೊಮ್ಮಗಳು
GrandchildrenmommakkaLuಮೊಮ್ಮಕ್ಕಳು
diversity_1The In-Laws (Where English Gives Up)
Kannada has a separate word for almost every in-law, and some words cover two relationships. It's a reminder of how often families married within their own circle.
ENGLISHSAY ITIN KANNADA
Father-in-law, or mother's brothermaavaಮಾವ
Mother-in-law, or father's sisteratteಅತ್ತೆ
Son-in-lawaLiyaಅಳಿಯ
Daughter-in-lawsoseಸೊಸೆ
Sister's husband, or husband's elder brotherbhaavaಭಾವ
Husband's younger brothermaidunaಮೈದುನ
Elder brother's wife, or wife's elder sisterattigeಅತ್ತಿಗೆ
Husband's younger sister, or younger brother's wifenaadiniನಾದಿನಿ
groupsUncles and Aunts: Big and Small
doDDa means big and chikka means small. Put them in front of appa or amma and you get the elder or younger uncle and aunt.
ENGLISHSAY ITIN KANNADA
Father's elder brotherdoDDappaದೊಡ್ಡಪ್ಪ
Father's younger brotherchikkappaಚಿಕ್ಕಪ್ಪ
Mother's elder sisterdoDDammaದೊಡ್ಡಮ್ಮ
Mother's younger sisterchikkammaಚಿಕ್ಕಮ್ಮ
Bridegroommadumagaಮದುಮಗ
BridemadumagaLuಮದುಮಗಳುmaduve means wedding, so these are literally the wedding son and wedding daughter.
handshakeFriends, Relatives and Guests
The people around the family. Two words for friend, both in daily use; geLeya feels a touch more casual.
House helpmanekelasadavaruಮನೆಕೆಲಸದವರುLiterally 'the people who do the housework'. Kinder than the textbook words sevaka and sevaki.
Enemyshatruಶತ್ರು
moodHow Are You Feeling?
Feeling words, mostly nouns. You'll usually pair them with 'nanage' (to me): nanage bhaya means 'I'm scared'.
ENGLISHSAY ITIN KANNADA
Feelingbhaavaneಭಾವನೆ
Lovepreetiಪ್ರೀತಿ
Friendshipsneha / geLetanaಸ್ನೇಹ / ಗೆಳೆತನ
Happiness, pleasuresantoshaಸಂತೋಷ
Sadness, sorrowdukhaದುಃಖ
Griefshokaಶೋಕ
Fearbhayaಭಯ
Angerkopa / siTTuಕೋಪ / ಸಿಟ್ಟು
Jealousyasooyeಅಸೂಯೆ
Hatreddveshaದ್ವೇಷ
Kindness, pitydayeದಯೆ
Painnovuನೋವು
Laugh / laughternaguನಗು
CryaLuಅಳು
diversity_3Friendly or Polite? Talking About People
When you talk about someone, Kannada changes the word for he or she depending on respect. avanu (he) and avaLu (she) are for friends, kids and younger people. avaru works for anyone you respect, man or woman, and it's what you use for parents, elders and in-laws. Using avanu for your father-in-law is a mistake you only make once.
He is my friend
FRIENDLYavanu nanna geLeyaಅವನು ನನ್ನ ಗೆಳೆಯ
POLITEavaru nanna geLeyaruಅವರು ನನ್ನ ಗೆಳೆಯರು
She is laughing
FRIENDLYavaLu nagtiddaaLeಅವಳು ನಗ್ತಿದ್ದಾಳೆ
POLITEavaru nagtiddaareಅವರು ನಗ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ
Why are you angry?
FRIENDLYninage yaake kopa?ನಿನಗೆ ಯಾಕೆ ಕೋಪ?
POLITEnimage yaake kopa?ನಿಮಗೆ ಯಾಕೆ ಕೋಪ?
Don't be scared
FRIENDLYbhaya paDabeDaಭಯ ಪಡಬೇಡ
POLITEbhaya paDabeDiಭಯ ಪಡಬೇಡಿ
chatPut It Together: Introducing Your People
Handy for housewarmings, weddings, school gates and the neighbour who wants to know everything.
This is my family.idu nanna kuTumbaಇದು ನನ್ನ ಕುಟುಂಬ
He is my father.avaru nanna appaಅವರು ನನ್ನ ಅಪ್ಪavaru, not avanu, because it's your father.
This is my wife.ivaru nanna henDatiಇವರು ನನ್ನ ಹೆಂಡತಿ
These are my children.ivaru nanna makkaLuಇವರು ನನ್ನ ಮಕ್ಕಳು
My elder sister lives in Mysuru.nanna akka maisoorinalli iddaareನನ್ನ ಅಕ್ಕ ಮೈಸೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ
My grandchildren are coming tomorrow.nanna mommakkaLu naaLe bartaareನನ್ನ ಮೊಮ್ಮಕ್ಕಳು ನಾಳೆ ಬರ್ತಾರೆ
I love my country.naanu nanna deshavannu preetisteeniನಾನು ನನ್ನ ದೇಶವನ್ನು ಪ್ರೀತಿಸ್ತೀನಿ
I'm very happy.nanage tumba santosha aagideನನಗೆ ತುಂಬಾ ಸಂತೋಷ ಆಗಿದೆ
My leg hurts.nanage kaalu novu ideನನಗೆ ಕಾಲು ನೋವು ಇದೆSame pattern as the headache from Chapter 2.
He is my friend.avanu nanna geLeyaಅವನು ನನ್ನ ಗೆಳೆಯ
record_voice_overAsk Away: Questions About Family
The questions every Bengaluru aunty asks within five minutes of meeting you. Now you can ask them back.
Who is he?
FRIENDLYavanu yaaru?ಅವನು ಯಾರು?
POLITEavaru yaaru?ಅವರು ಯಾರು?
How many people are there in your family?
FRIENDLYninna maneyalli eshTu jana iddaare?ನಿನ್ನ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಎಷ್ಟು ಜನ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ?
POLITEnimma maneyalli eshTu jana iddaare?ನಿಮ್ಮ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಎಷ್ಟು ಜನ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ?
Are you married?
FRIENDLYninage maduve aagideyaa?ನಿನಗೆ ಮದುವೆ ಆಗಿದೆಯಾ?
POLITEnimage maduve aagideyaa?ನಿಮಗೆ ಮದುವೆ ಆಗಿದೆಯಾ?
How many children do you have?
FRIENDLYninage eshTu makkaLu?ನಿನಗೆ ಎಷ್ಟು ಮಕ್ಕಳು?
POLITEnimage eshTu makkaLu?ನಿಮಗೆ ಎಷ್ಟು ಮಕ್ಕಳು?
emoji_eventsYour Challenge This Week
check_box_outline_blankCall your next auto driver aNNa and see the difference it makes.
check_box_outline_blankIntroduce one family member in Kannada: ivaru nanna...
check_box_outline_blankTell someone how you feel today: nanage santosha, nanage bhaya, or nanage siTTu.
check_box_outline_blankWork out what you'd call your sister's husband. (Answer: bhaava.)
That's Chapter 3. You can now name the whole family tree, sort your bhaava from your maiduna and tell people how you feel. Next time an aunty asks if you're married, answer her in Kannada and watch her day get better.
Got a Kannada word you always mishear, or a phrase you want us to cover? Tap the WhatsApp icon at the bottom right of your screen and tell us. And if you'd like each new chapter delivered, join our ever-growing community: subscribe to The City 24/7 newsletter.
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