stage 1 · lesson 1 · 15 phrases
Hello, and how are you?
The six things you can actually say to a person before you know any grammar.
Draft — these 15 phrases still need a native-speaker check before they count as correct.
by the end you can
- Greet anyone at any time of day and answer a greeting.
- Say thank you, please, yes and no without switching to English.
- Tell someone your name and ask for theirs.
say these out loud
ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ
namaskaara
Hello / greetings
ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ?
heegiddiiri?
How are you?formal
ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀಯ?
heegiddiiya?
How are you?informal
ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ
chennaagiddeene
I'm fine
ಧನ್ಯವಾದ
dhanyavaada
Thank you
ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು
dayavittu
Please
ಪರವಾಗಿಲ್ಲ
paravaagilla
It's okay / you're welcome
ಹೌದು
haudu
Yes
ಇಲ್ಲ
illa
No / it isn't there
ಗೊತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ
gottilla
I don't know
ನನ್ನ ಹೆಸರು …
nanna hesaru …
My name is …
ನಿಮ್ಮ ಹೆಸರು ಏನು?
nimma hesaru eenu?
What is your name?formal
ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ನಿಧಾನವಾಗಿ ಹೇಳಿ
svalpa nidhaanavaagi heeLi
Please speak a little slowlyformal
ನೀವು ಇಂಗ್ಲಿಷ್ ಮಾತನಾಡುತ್ತೀರಾ?
niivu ingliish maatanaaduttiir?
Do you speak English?formal
ಎಷ್ಟು?
eshtu?
How much? / how many?
This is a phrase-first course. You start with sentences you can use today, at the shop, at the door, on the phone — and the grammar gets explained afterwards, once you already own something to hang it on.
Play each card out loud and copy it. Reading Kannada silently will not teach you Kannada.
How to use this page
- Listen, then repeat out loud. Twice.
- Tap Practice at the bottom to drill them from memory.
- Switch the script with the
ಕ / kacontrol at the top. Start in both, move to Kanglish once the shapes start to stick, then to ಕನ್ನಡ alone.
The one pattern
Every polite phrase in this lesson ends in -iiri:
| to a friend | to an elder / stranger | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀಯ? heegiddiiya? | ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ? heegiddiiri? | how are you? |
| ನಿನ್ನ ಹೆಸರು ಏನು? ninna hesaru eenu? | ನಿಮ್ಮ ಹೆಸರು ಏನು? nimma hesaru eenu? | what’s your name? |
| ಹೇಳು heeLu | ಹೇಳಿ heeLi | say (it) |
Where English has one “you”, Kannada has two, and the verb changes with it. Use the right-hand column unless you are talking to a child or a close friend — getting this wrong is the one mistake Kannada speakers actually notice.
Sound notes
ಳ and ಲ are different letters. ಹೇಳಿ heeLi (say) ends in ಳ, a retroflex L made with the tongue curled back. ಇಲ್ಲ illa ends in ಲ, a plain L.
Long and short vowels are different words. ಇಲ್ಲ illa (no) is not ಈಗ iiga (now). When the romanization doubles a letter, hold it.