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Why learn Kannada?
Kannada is one of the 67 languages you can learn on Lingocard with frequency-ranked flashcards, spaced repetition, and live speaking partners. Build vocabulary and pronunciation at your own pace, on web and mobile.
In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Kannada is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Kannada belongs to the Dravidian family - if you enjoy it, a natural next step is Telugu or Tamil.
50 essential Kannada words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Kannada sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ನಾನು | NAH-noo | I |
| 2 | ನೀನು | NEE-noo | you |
| 3 | ಅವನು | AH-vah-noo | he |
| 4 | ಅವಳು | AH-vah-loo | she |
| 5 | ನಾವು | NAH-voo | we |
| 6 | ಅವರು | AH-vah-roo | they |
| 7 | ಇದು | EE-doo | this |
| 8 | ಅದು | AH-doo | that |
| 9 | ಏನು | EH-noo | what |
| 10 | ಯಾರು | YAH-roo | who |
| 11 | ಇಲ್ಲ | IL-lah | no |
| 12 | ಮತ್ತು | MAHT-too | and |
| 13 | ಅಥವಾ | AH-thah-vah | or |
| 14 | ಆದರೆ | AH-dah-reh | but |
| 15 | ಒಳಗೆ | OH-lah-geh | in |
| 16 | ಜೊತೆ | JOH-teh | with |
| 17 | ಒಂದು | ON-doo | one |
| 18 | ಎರಡು | EH-rah-doo | two |
| 19 | ದೊಡ್ಡ | DOD-dah | big |
| 20 | ಚಿಕ್ಕ | CHIK-kah | small |
| 21 | ಒಳ್ಳೆಯ | OL-leh-yah | good |
| 22 | ಹೊಸ | HOH-sah | new |
| 23 | ಮನುಷ್ಯ | mah-NOOSH-yah | person |
| 24 | ನೀರು | NEE-roo | water |
| 25 | ದಿನ | DEE-nah | day |
| 26 | ವರ್ಷ | VAR-shah | year |
| 27 | ಸಮಯ | SAH-mah-yah | time |
| 28 | ಮನೆ | MAH-neh | house |
| 29 | ಕೆಲಸ | KEH-lah-sah | work |
| 30 | ಜೀವನ | JEE-vah-nah | life |
| 31 | ಪದ | PAH-dah | word |
| 32 | ಇರು | EE-roo | be |
| 33 | ಮಾಡು | MAH-doo | do |
| 34 | ಹೇಳು | HEH-loo | say |
| 35 | ತಿಳಿ | TEE-lee | know |
| 36 | ನೋಡು | NOH-doo | see |
| 37 | ಹೋಗು | HOH-goo | go |
| 38 | ಬರು | BAH-roo | come |
| 39 | ಕೊಡು | KOH-doo | give |
| 40 | ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳು | TEH-geh-doo-kohl-loo | take |
| 41 | ಬಯಸು | BAH-yah-soo | want |
| 42 | ತಿನ್ನು | TIN-noo | eat |
| 43 | ಕುಡಿ | KOO-dee | to drink |
| 44 | ಈಗ | EE-gah | now |
| 45 | ಇಲ್ಲಿ | IL-lee | here |
| 46 | ಅಲ್ಲಿ | AHL-lee | there |
| 47 | ಎಲ್ಲಿ | EL-lee | where |
| 48 | ಏಕೆ | EH-keh | why |
| 49 | ಎಲ್ಲಾ | EL-lah | all |
| 50 | ಬಹಳ | BAH-hah-lah | very |
Useful phrases in Kannada
- ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ · na-mas-KA-ra · Hello / Good day
- ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಾ? · HE-gid-dee-ra · How are you?
- ಧನ್ಯವಾದ · dhan-ya-VA-da · Thank you
- ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು · da-ya-VIT-tu · Please
- ನನ್ನ ಹೆಸರು... · NAN-na HE-sa-ru · My name is...
- ... ಎಲ್ಲಿದೆ? · EL-li-de · Where is...?
- ಹೋಗಿ ಬರುತ್ತೇನೆ · HOH-gi ba-rut-TEH-ne · Goodbye
- ಕ್ಷಮಿಸಿ · ksha-MI-si · Excuse me
- ನನಗೆ ಅರ್ಥವಾಗುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ · NA-na-ge AR-tha-vah-gut-TIL-la · I don't understand
- ನೀವು ನನಗೆ ಸಹಾಯ ಮಾಡಬಹುದೇ? · NEE-vu NA-na-ge sa-HAH-ya MAH-da-ba-hu-deh · Can you help me?
- ಇದು ಎಷ್ಟು? · i-du ESH-tu · How much is it?
- ನಾಳೆ ಸಿಗೋಣ! · NAH-le si-GOH-na · See you tomorrow!
Learn Kannada with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Kannada, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
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Join our global Kannada learning community
Collaborate with native Kannada speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
Are you an educator? Teach Kannada online · Create an online Kannada school · Build a Kannada curriculum
Frequently asked questions about learning Kannada
How difficult is it to learn Kannada?
How difficult Kannada is depends on your background, but every language becomes manageable with consistent daily practice. Focusing on the most frequent words first means you can understand and say a lot early on. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Kannada is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Kannada?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Kannada?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level in Kannada within 8-18 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 59 million people across 1 countries speak Kannada, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Kannada vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Kannada pronunciation hard?
Every language has a few sounds that take practice, but Kannada pronunciation becomes consistent with regular listening and speaking. Hearing the language often matters more than memorising rules.
How do I get Free Kannada speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Kannada alphabet first?
If Kannada uses a different script, learning it early unlocks reading - and it's usually faster than people expect. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.