kempu, haLadi and the rest of the paint box, the seven vaaras of the week, how to ask the time, and why so many Bengaluru place names end in halli, kere and ooru.
schedule12 min readtranslate67 words and 11 ready-made sentencesedit_noteBy Tariq Sallam, Founder
This is the chapter that lets you make plans. Once you know the days of the week, a few words for time and the difference between naaLe and ninne, you can fix a meeting, book a plumber or promise your neighbour you'll return the ladder on somavaara (and then actually do it).
We start with colours, because they're everywhere in Bengaluru's shops and you'll use them the day you buy a saree, a shirt or a bucket. Then the week, the clock and the calendar, and finally words for places and nature. That last set comes with a bonus: you'll suddenly understand half the neighbourhood names on your Namma Metro map.
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.
Put a colour straight in front of a thing: kempu seere is a red saree. When you want to say 'of that colour', add -da to baNNa, as in kempu baNNada shirt.
ENGLISHSAY ITIN KANNADA
ColourbaNNaಬಣ್ಣ
Redkempuಕೆಂಪು
YellowhaLadiಹಳದಿhaLadi and kempu are the two colours of the Kannada flag you saw everywhere on Rajyotsava.
Greenhasiruಹಸಿರು
Blueneeliನೀಲಿ
Saffron, orangekesariಕೇಸರಿSame word as the saffron in kesari bath, the sweet on every darshini menu.
Blackkappuಕಪ್ಪು
WhitebiLiಬಿಳಿ
Brownkanduಕಂದು
PinkgulaabiಗುಲಾಬಿAlso the word for a rose.
PurpleneraLeನೇರಳೆNamed after the jamun fruit, which is exactly that shade.
Light pinktiLi gulaabiತಿಳಿ ಗುಲಾಬಿtiLi means light or pale, and works with any colour: tiLi neeli is light blue.
calendar_monthThe Seven Days of the Week
Every day ends in vaara, which also means 'week'. Like English, the days are named after the sun, the moon and the planets: Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn.
ENGLISHSAY ITIN KANNADA
Week / weeksvaara / vaaragaLuವಾರ / ವಾರಗಳು
Sundaybhaanuvaara / ravivaaraಭಾನುವಾರ / ರವಿವಾರBoth mean 'sun day'. You'll also hear aadityavaara (ಆದಿತ್ಯವಾರ), another name for the sun.
Mondaysomavaaraಸೋಮವಾರsoma is the moon, just like Monday.
TuesdaymangaLavaaraಮಂಗಳವಾರ
Wednesdaybudhavaaraಬುಧವಾರ
Thursdayguruvaaraಗುರುವಾರ
Fridayshukravaaraಶುಕ್ರವಾರ
Saturdayshanivaaraಶನಿವಾರ
Holiday, day offrajaa / rajaa dinaರಜಾ / ರಜಾ ದಿನ
scheduleTime on the Clock
ganTe does double duty: it means hour, and it's also how you say o'clock. aidu ganTe is five o'clock.
ENGLISHSAY ITIN KANNADA
Timesamaya / kaalaಸಮಯ / ಕಾಲsamaya is clock time; kaala leans towards a period or era.
Hour, o'clockganTeಗಂಟೆ
Minutenimishaನಿಮಿಷ
Moment, secondkshaNaಕ್ಷಣReally 'a moment'. For seconds on a stopwatch, most people just say sekenD.
Noweegaಈಗ
Later, afterwardsaameleಆಮೇಲೆ
Quickly, earlybegaಬೇಗ
wb_twilightMorning, Noon and Night
The parts of the day. Add them to a time and you'll never mix up 7 in the morning with 7 at night: beLigge eLu ganTe is 7am.
ENGLISHSAY ITIN KANNADA
MorningbeLiggeಬೆಳಿಗ್ಗೆ
Afternoonmadhyaahnaಮಧ್ಯಾಹ್ನ
EveningsaayankaalaಸಾಯಂಕಾಲIn everyday speech you'll often hear the shorter sanje (ಸಂಜೆ).
Nightraatriರಾತ್ರಿ
Midnightmadhyaraatriಮಧ್ಯರಾತ್ರಿ
Sunrisesooryodayaಸೂರ್ಯೋದಯ
Sunsetsooryaastaಸೂರ್ಯಾಸ್ತHandy for planning that Nandi Hills trip.
eventYesterday, Today, Tomorrow and Beyond
Kannada has single words for the day after tomorrow and the day before yesterday, which English sadly lacks. Learn naaDiddu and monne and you'll plan like a local.
ENGLISHSAY ITIN KANNADA
Todayivattuಇವತ್ತು
TomorrownaaLeನಾಳೆ
Day after tomorrownaaDidduನಾಡಿದ್ದು
Yesterdayninneನಿನ್ನೆ
Day before yesterdaymonneಮೊನ್ನೆIn casual talk, monne can also mean 'the other day'.
Daydinaದಿನ
MonthtingaLuತಿಂಗಳುAlso an old word for the moon, which is where months come from.
Yearvarshaವರ್ಷ
Decadedashakaದಶಕ
Centuryshataka / shatamaanaಶತಕ / ಶತಮಾನshataka is also what a batter scores at Chinnaswamy on a good day.
location_cityVillage, Town, City: Words for Places
Look at a Bengaluru map with these words in your head. Bommanahalli, Kodihalli and Yelahanka's villages are halli; Jayanagar and Rajajinagar are nagara; Bengaluru and Halasuru end in ooru.
ENGLISHSAY ITIN KANNADA
Place, hometownooruಊರುnimma ooru yaavudu? (where are you from?) is one of the first questions anyone here will ask you.
Area, regionpradeshaಪ್ರದೇಶ
VillagehaLLi / graamaಹಳ್ಳಿ / ಗ್ರಾಮ
TownpaTTaNaಪಟ್ಟಣAs in Srirangapatna and Channapatna.
Citynagaraನಗರ
Taluktaalukuತಾಲೂಕು
Districtjilleಜಿಲ್ಲೆ
Stateraajyaರಾಜ್ಯ
Countrydeshaದೇಶ
Capitalraajadhaaniರಾಜಧಾನಿ
Worldprapanchaಪ್ರಪಂಚ
landscapeSun, Sky, Lakes and Forests
Nature words, plus a few you'll use on every drive out of the city.
ENGLISHSAY ITIN KANNADA
Sunsooryaಸೂರ್ಯ
Moonchandraಚಂದ್ರ
Starnakshatraನಕ್ಷತ್ರ
Skyaakaashaಆಕಾಶ
Earth, landbhoomiಭೂಮಿ
Roadrasteರಸ್ತೆ
LakekereಕೆರೆBengaluru was built around hundreds of kere, which is why you have Tavarekere and why Ulsoor Lake is Halasuru kere to locals.
Rivernadiನದಿ
Seasamudraಸಮುದ್ರ
Oceansaagaraಸಾಗರ
ForestkaaDu / vanaಕಾಡು / ವನkaaDu is the everyday word; vana sounds more literary.
diversity_3Friendly or Polite? Asking Someone to Do Something
In Chapter 1 you met baa and banni for 'come'. The same rule works for almost any request: the short form ending in -u or -a is for friends and kids, and the form ending in -i is the polite one for elders, shopkeepers and anyone you've just met. If in doubt, use the polite form; nobody ever minds being treated with respect.
Wait a minute
FRIENDLYondu nimisha iruಒಂದು ನಿಮಿಷ ಇರು
POLITEondu nimisha iriಒಂದು ನಿಮಿಷ ಇರಿ
Come tomorrow
FRIENDLYnaaLe baaನಾಳೆ ಬಾ
POLITEnaaLe banniನಾಳೆ ಬನ್ನಿ
Come early
FRIENDLYbega baaಬೇಗ ಬಾ
POLITEbega banniಬೇಗ ಬನ್ನಿ
Show me the red one
FRIENDLYaa kempu baNNaddu torisuಆ ಕೆಂಪು ಬಣ್ಣದ್ದು ತೋರಿಸು
POLITEaa kempu baNNaddu torisiಆ ಕೆಂಪು ಬಣ್ಣದ್ದು ತೋರಿಸಿ
chatPut It Together: Plans, Shopping and Small Talk
Sentences for the shop counter, the office WhatsApp group and the neighbour who asks where you're from.
My favourite colour is blue.nanna ishTada baNNa neeliನನ್ನ ಇಷ್ಟದ ಬಣ್ಣ ನೀಲಿ
Do you have this in red?idu kempu baNNadalli ideyaa?ಇದು ಕೆಂಪು ಬಣ್ಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಇದೆಯಾ?Your new best friend on Commercial Street.
Today is Friday.ivattu shukravaaraಇವತ್ತು ಶುಕ್ರವಾರ
Tomorrow is a holiday.naaLe rajaaನಾಳೆ ರಜಾ
Let's meet on Monday.somavaara sigonaಸೋಮವಾರ ಸಿಗೋಣ
What time is it now?eega eshTu ganTe?ಈಗ ಎಷ್ಟು ಗಂಟೆ?
It's five o'clock.aidu ganTeಐದು ಗಂಟೆNumbers are in Chapter 2 if you need a refresher.
I'll come in the evening.naanu saayankaala barteeniನಾನು ಸಾಯಂಕಾಲ ಬರ್ತೀನಿ
Let's go to the lake in the morning.beLigge kerege hogonaಬೆಳಿಗ್ಗೆ ಕೆರೆಗೆ ಹೋಗೋಣ
My hometown is a village near Mysuru.nanna ooru maisoora hattira ondu haLLiನನ್ನ ಊರು ಮೈಸೂರ ಹತ್ತಿರ ಒಂದು ಹಳ್ಳಿ
Bengaluru is the capital of Karnataka.bengaLooru karnaaTakada raajadhaaniಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ರಾಜಧಾನಿ
record_voice_overAsk Away: When, Where and Which
Five questions that turn a one-word answer into a conversation.
What day is it today?
FRIENDLYivattu yaava vaara?ಇವತ್ತು ಯಾವ ವಾರ?
POLITE
Is today a holiday?
FRIENDLYivattu rajaa naa?ಇವತ್ತು ರಜಾನಾ?
POLITE
When will you come?
FRIENDLYyaavaaga barteeya?ಯಾವಾಗ ಬರ್ತೀಯ?
POLITEyaavaaga barteeri?ಯಾವಾಗ ಬರ್ತೀರಿ?
Where are you from?
FRIENDLYninna ooru yaavudu?ನಿನ್ನ ಊರು ಯಾವುದು?
POLITEnimma ooru yaavudu?ನಿಮ್ಮ ಊರು ಯಾವುದು?
Which colour do you like?
FRIENDLYninage yaava baNNa ishTa?ನಿನಗೆ ಯಾವ ಬಣ್ಣ ಇಷ್ಟ?
POLITEnimage yaava baNNa ishTa?ನಿಮಗೆ ಯಾವ ಬಣ್ಣ ಇಷ್ಟ?
emoji_eventsYour Challenge This Week
check_box_outline_blankSay today's day in Kannada every morning this week: ivattu ...vaara.
check_box_outline_blankNext time you shop, ask for a colour: idu neeli baNNadalli ideyaa?
check_box_outline_blankAsk someone the time: eega eshTu ganTe?
check_box_outline_blankSpot three halli, nagara or kere names on your way to work.
That's Chapter 4. You can now name every colour in the saree shop, fix a plan for naaDiddu and tell people your ooru. Next time someone asks 'nimma ooru yaavudu?', you'll have the answer ready in Kannada.
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.
Same city. New stories. Always.
SUPPORT INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM
Help Us Keep Bengaluru's Stories Alive
The City 24/7 is an independent platform built with love for Bengaluru. Your support helps us create quality content, discover hidden gems and keep the city's spirit alive.
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.
