Order anything by pointing in Kannada
I would like, this one, how much, the bill: survive any counter or menu. 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 11 Kannada phrases in this lesson
- ನನಗೆ ... ಬೇಕುna-NA-ge ... BEE-ku
- I would like...
- ಇದುI-du
- This one
- ಎಷ್ಟು?ESH-tu
- How much is it?
- ಬಿಲ್ ಕೊಡಿBIL KO-di
- The bill, please
- ಕಾರ್ಡ್ನಲ್ಲಿKAARD-nal-li
- By card
- ನಗದುNA-ga-du
- In cash
- ನೀರುNEE-ru
- Water
- ಕಾಫಿKAA-fi
- Coffee
- ಚಹಾcha-HAA
- Tea
- ಬಿಯರ್BI-yar
- Beer
- ... ಇಲ್ಲದೆil-LA-de
- Without...
Literally "to me ... is wanted": ನನಗೆ ಒಂದು ಕಾಫಿ ಬೇಕು (na-NA-ge ON-du KAA-fi BEE-ku).
Point and say this. Universally understood. Saves you from having to pronounce product names.
Short, direct, and universally understood. Raise the intonation at the end to signal a question.
"Bill" is the same English-origin word used everywhere in India. Adding "kodi" (give) makes it polite.
UPI phone payments are even more common.
In speech most people say ಕ್ಯಾಶ್ (KYAASH).
Drink bottled or filtered water.
Karnataka grows most of India's coffee. Filter coffee in a steel tumbler is the local ritual.
Bengaluru is India's craft beer capital.
ಸಕ್ಕರೆ ಇಲ್ಲದೆ (sak-KA-re il-LA-de), without sugar.