25 Kannada Words To Kickstart Your Hostel Life In Bangalore

If you’re here looking to fatten your vocabulary with some Kannada words, we assume you’re moving to Namma Bengaluru. And you want to feel at home here. We get that. That’s why we make sure every Stanza Living PG in Bangalore has all the warmth, coziness, and comforts of home within its four walls. And you have something familiar in the strange city. We also host movie screenings, game nights, festive celebrations, and more. That way, you get to mingle with like-minded people and find your new gang.

Now, one more thing we could probably organise is a quick workshop on basic Kannada words. We’ll get to work on that. But till then, you can go through our list of some Kannada words in English. It’ll help you feel like a local in no time. And will also help you bargain with Autowallahs when they ask for a ridiculous fare from Koramangala to Indiranagar. Just say “Naanu meter rate kodthini”, and they’ll take you with no fuss. And what does it mean? Keep on reading to find out.

List of Kannada Words in English:

Kannada	English
Kannada Baralla/Gottila	I don’t Know Kannada
Yelli/Yellige	Where
Kodu/Kodi	Give it
Yaaru	Who
Yen/Yenu	What
Yen Guru Yen Samachar?	What is Guru?
Utta ita?	What’s up?
Hegiddera?	How are you?
Channagiddini	Well done
Jaasti	Aptitude
Naanu meter rate kodthini	I will pay by the meter
Hoggala	Not going
Ninna hesarenu?	What is your name?
Shubha Dinavāgali	Have a good day
Namaskara	Hello
Baruthe	I know
Naanu/num	me
Ninu/Nim/Ni	you
Illa	no
Kelsa	work
Banni/Baraa/Barappa	come
Hogu/Horadu	Go on
Nalle	The lady
Yeshtu	How much?
Eevu Inglish Mathanadutthira	Do you speak english?

Kannada Baralla/Gottila

This is probably the first phrase you need to learn after coming to Bangalore. It simply means “I do not understand Kannada”. It’ll save you from a lot of those awkward conversations where the other person goes on rambling for ten minutes. And your reply is nothing but the look you give when facing a tough calculus problem.

Yelli/Yellige

Say you need to get to Phoenix Mall. Your phone is dead, so Google Maps can’t come to the rescue. What do you do? Easy. Simply blurt out “Yelli Phoenix?” (Where is Phoenix) a few times in all directions. And some helpful soul will give you the directions. Thank us later.

Kodu/Kodi

This one’s for the time you have to go grocery shopping. Local shopkeepers seem to have an accent of their own. Instead of standing there and trying to explain in English, just point to the item and say “Kodu/Kodi”. It means “give” and they’ll understand it in a jiffy.

Yaaru

It’s your first day in your new college. You’re in a meeting, but don’t know who the CEO is yet. Just nudge a Kannada colleague and ask them softly, “CEO yaaru?”, which means “who/which one is the CEO?”. This will surely help you out. Unless the person you’re nudging is the CEO (yikes!)

Yen/Yenu

Even after you’ve learned some from the Kannada words list, you’ll still need some time adjusting to the dialect. If someone is saying something you don’t understand, just say “Yen/Yenu”. It means “what” and don’t worry, it is not impolite at all.

Yen Guru Yen Samachar?

This one’s going to impress your newly-made local friends. Instead of “hey bro, what’s up?”, just say “Yen Guru Yen Samachar?”. And they’ll tell you what the Samachar is, but only after a few seconds of silent admiration of your basic Kannada skills.

Utta ita?

The one question that shows more love and care than even “I love you” in India. Of course, we’re talking about asking someone, “Did you eat?”. Now, here’s how to say it in Kannada: “Utta ita?”. Go text this to that special someone, now!

Hegiddera?

The most polite among all Kannada common words, this means “How are you?”. You can – and should – say this to everyone. From your boss in office to the guard at your residence.

Channagiddini

This is the next basic Kannada word you need to add to your personal dictionary. After “How are you?”, comes its response. To say “I am fine” in Kannada, just say “Channagiddini”.

Jaasti

Here’s an easy one. “Jaasti” means more. Learn it by heart. These Kannada language basics will come in extremely handy in some very critical situations. Like when you’re at your local biryani and want an extra serving. 

Naanu meter rate kodthini

Probably the most important on this Kannada words list, this phrase will help you bargain with auto wallahs who ask double the actual price. It means, “I will pay by the meter” and will save you a few bucks, as well some awkward exchanges between you and the auto wallah.

Hoggala

This Kannada word – which means “Not going” – will be your BFF when you want to ditch a boring office party. Just hold up your hands, shake your head and say “Hoggala” as if you really wanted to buy the Gods conspired to keep you busy. 

Ninna hesarenu?

These are some of the basic Kannada language words you’ll hear a lot, and it means “What’s your name?”. And you will use it equally as often. Plus, it’s pretty simple to remember. Easier than remembering all the names, definitely.

Shubha Dinavāgali

Talking of exchanging pleasantries, this is another important phrase in Kannada. It means “Have a good day” and you should use it at the end of every conversation. Even if that conversation is with your least favourite professor, and the last thing you want them to have is a good day.

Namaskara

This is an easy one. Namaskara, as it means in most Indian languages, means Hello in Kannada too. Just use this Kannada common word to greet your landlord, warden or the person delivering your late-night munchies.

Baruthe

This Kannada word is for all those times when people treat you like you don’t know much about your work, just because you’re an outsider. If anyone starts mansplaining your own work to you, just say “Baruthe” (I know) in a serious tone and walk out.

Naanu/num

This Kannada word means ‘Me’ and is useful for the go-getters. Boss wants someone to volunteer for an important job? Say “Naanu”. College prof is looking for a class representative? “Naanu” again. 

Ninu/Nim/Ni

If your roomie asks who your best friend is in the city, be sure to tell him or her that it’s “ninu/nim/ni”. All of these mean “you”. And just like that, you will have won their heart.

Illa

The magic word – No. It’s already hard enough to say. Especially to someone who doesn’t even understand your language. So if someone wants you to have some sugar-loaded sweets and you’re on a strict diet, just wave your hands rapidly and say “Illa” a couple of times.

Kelsa

Say you’re at your desk, finishing off an important assignment. And your roommate is blasting some loud music (and worse still, is singing along to it, out of tune). Just point to your laptop and say the Kannada word for work: “kelsa”. Hopefully, your roommate understands you’re serious and you won’t have to find a new one.

Banni/Baraa/Barappa

Baraa doesn’t mean big in Kannada. It actually means, “come”. So if you’ve ordered a family-size pizza and realised you don’t have the stomach space to fit it all in, you don’t have to say “Hey, you want to help me finish this?” to your roommate. Just point to it and say “Baraa”.

Hogu/Horadu

Another Kannada word in English that will come in handy on multiple occasions. You can use Hogu/Horadu to tell your roommate to “go” to her classes instead of sleeping in the hostel.

Nalle

Your first week at work will be hectic. Meeting team members, group meetings, getting used to the work. Your first assignment. We get that it can be a lot. Maybe ask your Kannada senior to give you an extension on the deadline until Nalle? Yes, it means “tomorrow”. Just make sure Nalle doesn’t end up being the day after Nalle.

Yeshtu

When talking of basic Kannada, how can we forget “Yeshtu”? It means “How much?” and will be your saviour when talking to all the local vegetable and fruit vendors.

Eevu English Mathanadutthira

And the last one on this Kannada words list, but definitely not the least. This phrase means “Do you speak English?”. Ask this at the beginning of the conversation. Who knows, you might not even need to use all the words on this list.