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Kannada · Kannada letters
Kannada Alphabet
Kannada is written in the Kannada script, read left to right. It is an abugida: every consonant letter carries a built-in short a, and the other vowels are written as signs (the kagunita) attached on top of, beside or after the consonant; unlike in Hindi, no sign is ever written before it. The vowel-killer ್ (halanta) removes the vowel, and two consonants with no vowel between them are joined by writing the second in a smaller subscript form under the first (ottakshara), so ಕ್ಕ is ಕ್ + ಕ; the r sign ರ್ is the exception and is written after the syllable it belongs to. The anusvara ಂ is a nasal that is said as n, m, ṅ or ṇ to match the next letter, so ಒಂದು is said ondu and ಅಂಗಡಿ aṅgaḍi, and the cards spell it that way, as the lessons do; on its own it is written ṁ. Sounds use the lessons' spelling: a line on top (ā ī ū ē ō) is a long vowel, a dot under (ṭ ḍ ṇ ḷ) means the tongue curls back, ś and ṣ are two sh sounds, c is ch as in 'church' and ch is the same with a puff of air, ṛ is the vowel r, and h after a letter means a puff of air. Kannada has its own digits (೧ ೨ ೩ …); they may appear on some older signs and in some printed material, but 1 2 3 are what you will see most on prices and signs today. Two obsolete letters, ಱ and ೞ, appear only in Old Kannada texts.
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Vowels (swaragalu)
ಅavowel · short a as in 'about'ಅಮ್ಮ (amma) mother
ಆāvowel · long a as in 'father'ಆನೆ (āne) elephant
ಇivowel · short i as in 'sit'ಇಲ್ಲ (illa) no
ಈīvowel · long ee as in 'see'ಈಗ (īga) now
ಉuvowel · short u as in 'put'ಉಪ್ಪು (uppu) salt
ಊūvowel · long oo as in 'food'ಊಟ (ūṭa) meal
ಋṛvowel · vowel r, said like 'ru'; only in words from Sanskritಋತು (ṛtu) season
ಎevowel · short e as in 'pen'ಎಲೆ (ele) leaf
ಏēvowel · long e as in 'say', a pure vowelಏಕೆ (ēke) why
ಐaivowel · diphthong as in 'aisle'ಐದು (aidu) five
ಒovowel · short o as in 'pot'ಒಂದು (ondu) one
ಓōvowel · long o as in 'go', a pure vowelಓದು (ōdu) read
ಔauvowel · diphthong as in 'cow'ಔಷಧಿ (auṣadhi) medicine
ಅಂaṁanusvara ಂ (yogavaha) · nasal sound after the vowel; before a letter it is said as that letter's nasal (n, m, ṅ, ṇ)ಅಂಗಡಿ (aṅgaḍi) shop
ಅಃaḥvisarga ಃ (yogavaha) · a light breath h after the vowel, mostly in Sanskrit wordsಬಹುಶಃ (bahuśaḥ) perhaps
Vowel signs on ಕ (kagunita)
ಕkaconsonant ಕ alone · k + the built-in short a (as in 'skin' + 'about')ಕಲ್ಲು (kallu) stone
ಕಾkāconsonant + sign ಾ · long āಕಾಲು (kālu) leg, foot
ಕಿkiconsonant + sign ಿ · short iಕಿವಿ (kivi) ear
ಕೀkīconsonant + sign ೀ · long īಕೀಲಿ (kīli) key
ಕುkuconsonant + sign ು · short uಕುದುರೆ (kudure) horse
ಕೂkūconsonant + sign ೂ · long ūಕೂದಲು (kūdalu) hair
ಕೃkṛconsonant + sign ೃ · vowel r, said like 'kru'; only in Sanskrit wordsಕೃಷಿ (kṛṣi) farming
ಕೆkeconsonant + sign ೆ · short eಕೆಲಸ (kelasa) work
ಕೇkēconsonant + sign ೇ · long ēಕೇಳು (kēḷu) ask, listen
ಕೈkaiconsonant + sign ೈ · ai as in 'aisle'ಕೈ (kai) hand
ಕೊkoconsonant + sign ೊ · short oಕೊಡು (koḍu) give
ಕೋkōconsonant + sign ೋ · long ōಕೋಳಿ (kōḷi) chicken
ಕೌkauconsonant + sign ೌ · au as in 'cow'ಕೌಶಲ್ಯ (kauśalya) skill
ಕಂkaṁconsonant + anusvara ಂ added · nasal ending; before another letter it is said n, m, ṅ or ṇಕಂಬ (kamba) pole, pillar
ಕಃkaḥconsonant + visarga ಃ added · a light breath h after the syllable (the same sign works on any letter)ದುಃಖ (duḥkha) sorrow; the visarga sits on ದು
ಕ್kconsonant + the vowel-killer ್ (halanta, virama) added · the bare consonant k with no vowelಬ್ಯಾಂಕ್ (byāṅk) bank, ending in ಕ್
Consonants: velar (the ka row)
ಕkaconsonant · k as in 'skin', no puff of airಕಣ್ಣು (kaṇṇu) eye
ಖkhaconsonant · k with a puff of airಖರ್ಚು (kharcu) expense
ಗgaconsonant · g as in 'go'ಗಿಡ (giḍa) plant
ಘghaconsonant · g with a puff of air; rare, mostly Sanskrit wordsಘಟನೆ (ghaṭane) event
ಙṅaconsonant · ng as in 'sing'; never starts a word and is now written with the anusvara ಂಅಂಗಡಿ (aṅgaḍi) shop has the same ṅ sound, written with ಂ; the letter ಙ itself is only learned for completeness
Consonants: palatal (the ca row)
ಚcaconsonant · ch as in 'church' (written c)ಚಹಾ (cahā) tea
ಛchaconsonant · ch with a puff of air (written ch)ಸ್ವಚ್ಛ (svaccha) clean
ಜjaconsonant · j as in 'jam'ಜನ (jana) people
ಝjhaconsonant · j with a puff of air; rareಝರಿ (jhari) stream (unverified, rare word)
ಞñaconsonant · ny as in 'canyon'; seen in the joined letter ಜ್ಞಜ್ಞಾನ (jñāna) knowledge
Consonants: retroflex (the ṭa row)
ಟṭaconsonant · t with the tongue tip curled back, no puff of airಟೊಮೆಟೊ (ṭomeṭo) tomato
ಠṭhaconsonant · ṭ with a puff of airಠಾಣೆ (ṭhāṇe) police station
ಡḍaconsonant · d with the tongue tip curled backಡಬ್ಬ (ḍabba) tin, box
ಢḍhaconsonant · ḍ with a puff of air; rareಢಕ್ಕೆ (ḍhakke) a large drum (unverified, rare word)
ಣṇaconsonant · n with the tongue tip curled backಬಣ್ಣ (baṇṇa) colour
Consonants: dental (the ta row)
ತtaconsonant · t with the tongue on the teeth, no puff of air (like Spanish t)ತಲೆ (tale) head
ಥthaconsonant · t with a puff of air (th is not the English 'th')ಕಥೆ (kathe) story
ದdaconsonant · d with the tongue on the teethದಾರಿ (dāri) way, road
ಧdhaconsonant · d with a puff of air (dh is not the English 'th')ಧೈರ್ಯ (dhairya) courage
ನnaconsonant · n as in 'nine'ನೀರು (nīru) water
Consonants: labial (the pa row)
ಪpaconsonant · p as in 'spin', no puff of airಪುಸ್ತಕ (pustaka) book
ಫphaconsonant · p with a puff of air (ph is not 'f', but loanwords with f use it, as in ಕಾಫಿ kāfi)ಫೋನ್ (phōn) phone
ಬbaconsonant · b as in 'bat'ಬಸ್ (bas) bus
ಭbhaconsonant · b with a puff of airಭಾರ (bhāra) heavy
ಮmaconsonant · m as in 'man'ಮನೆ (mane) house
Other consonants
ಯyaconsonant · y as in 'yes'ಯಾರು (yāru) who
ರraconsonant · r, a light tap of the tongue like Spanish 'pero'ರಸ್ತೆ (raste) road
ಲlaconsonant · l as in 'love'ಲಾರಿ (lāri) lorry, truck
ವvaconsonant · between English v and wವಾರ (vāra) week
ಶśaconsonant · sh as in 'shop'ಶಾಲೆ (śāle) school
ಷṣaconsonant · sh with the tongue tip curled back; in practice close to śಎಷ್ಟು (eṣṭu) how much
ಸsaconsonant · s as in 'sun'ಸೂರ್ಯ (sūrya) sun
ಹhaconsonant · h as in 'hat'ಹಣ (haṇa) money
ಳḷaconsonant · l with the tongue tip curled back, a Dravidian sound with no English matchಬಳಿ (baḷi) near
ಱṟaconsonant · OBSOLETE: an r sound found only in Old Kannada, replaced by ರ since about the 12th century (sound unverified)no modern word; unverified
ೞḻaconsonant · OBSOLETE: a retroflex r/l sound found only in Old Kannada, replaced by ಳ by about the 18th century (sound unverified)no modern word; unverified
Common joined letters (ottaksharas)
ಕ್ಕkkajoined letter · ಕ್ + ಕ, the second ಕ is written in a smaller subscript form (ottakshara)ಅಕ್ಕ (akka) elder sister
ಗ್ಗggajoined letter · ಗ್ + ಗ, double gಅಗ್ಗ (agga) cheap
ಚ್ಚccajoined letter · ಚ್ + ಚ, double cಅಚ್ಚರಿ (accari) surprise
ಟ್ಟṭṭajoined letter · ಟ್ + ಟ, double ṭಬಟ್ಟೆ (baṭṭe) clothes
ಡ್ಡḍḍajoined letter · ಡ್ + ಡ, double ḍದೊಡ್ಡ (doḍḍa) big
ಣ್ಣṇṇajoined letter · ಣ್ + ಣ, double ṇಕಣ್ಣು (kaṇṇu) eye
ತ್ತttajoined letter · ತ್ + ತ, double tಹತ್ತು (hattu) ten
ದ್ದddajoined letter · ದ್ + ದ, double dಉದ್ದ (udda) long
ನ್ನnnajoined letter · ನ್ + ನ, double nತಿನ್ನು (tinnu) to eat
ಪ್ಪppajoined letter · ಪ್ + ಪ, double pಉಪ್ಪು (uppu) salt
ಮ್ಮmmajoined letter · ಮ್ + ಮ, double mಅಮ್ಮ (amma) mother
ಲ್ಲllajoined letter · ಲ್ + ಲ, double lಇಲ್ಲ (illa) no
ಳ್ಳḷḷajoined letter · ಳ್ + ಳ, double ḷಕಳ್ಳ (kaḷḷa) thief
ಸ್ತstajoined letter · ಸ್ + ತಪುಸ್ತಕ (pustaka) book
ಸ್ಥsthajoined letter · ಸ್ + ಥಸ್ಥಳ (sthaḷa) place
ಕ್ಷkṣajoined letter · ಕ್ + ಷ, a true ligature; often said 'ksha'ನಕ್ಷೆ (nakṣe) map
ಜ್ಞjñajoined letter · ಜ್ + ಞ, a true ligature; said about 'jna' or 'gna', with a ñ sound after the jಜ್ಞಾನ (jñāna) knowledge
ತ್ರtrajoined letter · ತ್ + ರ, ರ is written as a subscriptಪತ್ರ (patra) letter
ಪ್ರprajoined letter · ಪ್ + ರ, very common at the start of Sanskrit-origin wordsಪ್ರವೇಶ (pravēśa) entrance
ಸ್ವsvajoined letter · ಸ್ + ವಸ್ವಾಗತ (svāgata) welcome
ಬ್ಯbyajoined letter · ಬ್ + ಯ, ಯ is written as a subscriptಬ್ಯಾಂಕ್ (byāṅk) bank
ರ್ಮrmajoined letter · ರ್ + ಮ. The r sign (arkāvottu) is said first but written AFTER the syllable it belongs toಧರ್ಮ (dharma) religion, duty
Numbers
೦0 · sonneKannada digit zeroಸೊನ್ನೆ (sonne) zero
೧1 · onduKannada digit oneಒಂದು (ondu) one
೨2 · eraḍuKannada digit twoಎರಡು (eraḍu) two
೩3 · mūruKannada digit threeಮೂರು (mūru) three
೪4 · nālkuKannada digit fourನಾಲ್ಕು (nālku) four
೫5 · aiduKannada digit fiveಐದು (aidu) five
೬6 · āruKannada digit sixಆರು (āru) six
೭7 · ēḷuKannada digit sevenಏಳು (ēḷu) seven
೮8 · eṇṭuKannada digit eightಎಂಟು (eṇṭu) eight
೯9 · ombattuKannada digit nineಒಂಬತ್ತು (ombattu) nine
೧೦10 · hattuKannada digit tenಹತ್ತು (hattu) ten
Signs & menu words
ಪ್ರವೇಶpravēśaentranceover doors and gates
ನಿರ್ಗಮನnirgamanaexitover doors, stations, cinemas
ಶೌಚಾಲಯśaucālayatoileton the toilet door or a street sign
ಪುರುಷರುpuruṣarumenon the men's toilet door
ಮಹಿಳೆಯರುmahiḷeyaruwomenon the women's toilet door
ತೆರೆದಿದೆteredideopenhung on shop doors
ಮುಚ್ಚಿದೆmuccideclosedhung on shop doors
ತಳ್ಳಿtaḷḷipushon doors; ತಳ್ಳಿರಿ is also used (wording unverified)
ಎಳೆಯಿರಿeḷeyiripullon doors
ಪೊಲೀಸ್ ಠಾಣೆpolīs ṭhāṇepolice stationon police buildings
ಆಸ್ಪತ್ರೆāspatrehospitalroad signs and buildings
ಔಷಧಿ ಅಂಗಡಿauṣadhi aṅgaḍipharmacyover pharmacy shops
ರೈಲು ನಿಲ್ದಾಣrailu nildāṇarailway stationstation signs
ವಿಮಾನ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣvimāna nildāṇaairportroad signs and terminals
ಬಸ್basbusbus stops and bus fronts
ಟಿಕೆಟ್ṭikeṭticketticket counters and tickets
ಅಪಾಯapāyadangerwarning signs
ಧೂಮಪಾನ ನಿಷೇಧdhūmapāna niṣēdhano smokingpublic buildings and stations
ನೀರುnīruwatermenus, drinking-water taps
ಚಹಾcahāteamenus and tea stalls
ಕಾಫಿkāficoffeemenus and cafés
ಬಿಯರ್biyarbeerbar signs and menus
ಅನ್ನannarice (cooked)menus
ಕೋಳಿkōḷichickenmenus
ಮೀನುmīnufishmenus
ಹಾಲುhālumilkmenus and dairy shops
ಸಸ್ಯಾಹಾರಿsasyāhārivegetarianrestaurant signs and menus
ಮಾಂಸಾಹಾರಿmāṁsāhārinon-vegetarianrestaurant signs and menus (unverified spelling on signs)
ಖಾರkhāraspicymenus
ಬೆಲೆbelepricemenus and shop labels
ಉಚಿತucitafree (no charge)offers and entrance signs
ಊಟūṭamealrestaurant signs, thali menus
ಹೋಟೆಲ್hōṭelrestaurant, hotelsigns; in Karnataka it often means a small eatery
ಅಂಗಡಿaṅgaḍishopshop signs
ಬ್ಯಾಂಕ್byāṅkbankbank signs
ಸ್ವಾಗತsvāgatawelcome, receptionhotel and office signs
Basic Kannada phrases