Yes, no and the essentials in Kannada
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Kannada words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Kannada phrases in this lesson
- ಹೌದುHOW-du
- Yes
- ಇಲ್ಲIL-la
- No
- ಸರಿSA-ri
- Okay
- ನನಗೆ ಅರ್ಥ ಆಗಲ್ಲna-NA-ge AR-tha AA-gal-la
- I don't understand
- ನಿಮಗೆ ಇಂಗ್ಲಿಷ್ ಬರುತ್ತಾ?ni-MA-ge ING-glish ba-RUT-taa
- Do you speak English?
- ಇನ್ನೊಮ್ಮೆ ಹೇಳಿIN-nom-me HEE-li
- Can you repeat that?
- ನಿಧಾನವಾಗಿ ಮಾತಾಡಿni-DHAA-na-vaa-gi MAA-taa-di
- Slowly, please
- ಇದು ಏನು?I-du EE-nu
- What is this?
- ನನಗೆ ... ಅಗತ್ಯ ಇದೆna-NA-ge ... a-GAT-ya I-de
- I need...
- ನನಗೆ ಸಹಾಯ ಮಾಡುತ್ತೀರಾ?na-NA-ge sa-HAA-ya MAA-dut-tee-raa
- Can you help me?
The standard affirmative in Kannada, and what you should use. The literary form ಅಹುದು (a-HU-du) appears in writing and on stage but sounds stilted in conversation. Note the "how" sound, not "haw."
Means both "no" and "there is not." Context makes it clear: ಇಲ್ಲ answers a question, and it is also what a shopkeeper says when something is out of stock. To soften a refusal, pair it with ಪರವಾಗಿಲ್ಲ or a smile rather than a bare illa.
"Sari" is the most common filler-affirmative in Kannada conversation. It means "okay," "alright," and "correct." You will hear it constantly.
Say this when someone speaks too fast or uses dialect. Most urban Kannadigas will switch to simpler speech or English.
In Bengaluru, English is widely spoken especially in the tech and service sectors. Outside the city, this phrase becomes more necessary.
Literally "say it once more".
Literally "speak slowly".