Kannada is a Southern-Dravidian Language also known as‘Canarese’ or‘Kanarese’.It is the most widely spoken language in the state of Karnataka and also to some extent in the other Southern states of India, like Tamilnadu,Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.It also has its reach in parts of Maharashtra as well as Goa.The people speaking this language are known as‘Kannadigas’ or‘Kannadigaru’ in the native language. Kannada is the official administrative language of Karnataka.
History
It is one of the most ancient languages which has evolved over a period of centuries.The Kannada script, which evolved from the 5th-century Kadamba script, has its origin in the Brahmic script.Since its inception, Kannada script which consists of both the Alphabets as well as the Numerals has flourished under many dynasties like the Kadamba dynasty, Ganga dynasty and the Rashtrakuta dynasty.
The research also states that Kannada and other Dravidian languages like Tamil and Telugu could have had an influence over each other since the earlier dynasties have now become different states.The Kannada alphabets are somewhat similar to Telugu alphabets.
The history and evolution of Kannada can be divided into three parts:
Old Kannada also was known as‘Halegannada’ from 450–1200 AD
Middle Kannada also was known as‘Nadugannada’ from 1200–1700 AD
Modern Kannada also was known as‘Hosagannada’ from 1700 AD
Alphabets in Kannada
The total no.of Kannada alphabets in Kannada is 50.Each letter of the Kannada script consists of an‘Akshara’ and‘Varna’ which gives each letter a different shape and sound.
The Kannada alphabets are classified into 3 categories:
Svara(Vowels)
Vyanjana(Consonants)
Yogavahaka(Part vowel, Part consonant)
Below is the list of the Kannada alphabets :
Varnmaala
Kannada examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
ಅ
ಅಮ್ಮ
a
Up
ಆ
ಆನೆ
aa
Arm
ಇ
ಇಲಿ
i
Is
ಈ
ಈಗ
ee
Eat
ಉ
ಉತ್ತರ
u
Uber
ಊ
ಊಟ
oo
Oops
ಋ
ಋಷಿ
ri
Risk
ಎ
ಎಲೆ
e
Ate
ಏ
ಏತ
ae
Ant
ಐ
ಐರಾವತ
ai
Ice
ಒ
ಒಂಟೆ
o
On
ಓ
ಓಟ
oo
Old
ಔ
ಔಷಧಿ
au
Outside
ಅಂ
ಅಂಗಳ
am
Umbrella
ಅ:
ಅ:
aha
ಕ
ಕತ್ತರಿ
ka,ca
King
ಖ
ಖಡ್ಗ
kha
Khaki
ಗ
ಗಂಧ
ga
Gun
ಘ
ಘಂಟೆ
gha
Ghastly
ಙ
Nga
ಚ
ಚಮಚ
cha
Chair
ಛ
ಛತ್ರಿ
chha
Chhatisgarh
ಜ
ಜಲ
ja
Jam
ಝ
ಝರಿ
jha
Jhalem
ಞ
Nja
ಟ
ಟಗರು
Ta
Take
ಠ
ಠಸ್ಸೆ
Tha
Thane
ಡ
ಡಮರು
Da
Danger
ಢ
ಢಣಢಣ
Dha
ಣ
ಬಾಣ
Na
ತ
ತಬಲ
ta
Path
ಥ
ರಥ
tha
Thick
ದ
ದನ
da
The
ಧ
ಧನ
dha
Buddha
ನ
ನಳ
na
Name
ಪ
ಪದಕ
pa
Parent
ಫ
ಫಲ
pha,fa
Flower
ಬ
ಬಣ್ಣ
ba
Bank
ಭ
ಭವನ
bha
Bhavan
ಮ
ಮನೆ
ma
Made
ಯ
ಯಮ
ya
Yacht
ರ
ರಂಗೋಲಿ
ra
Rain
ಲ
ಲಂಗ
la
Lawyer
ವ
ವನ
va
Vase
ಶ
ಶಂಖ
sha
Shine
ಷ
ಷಟ್ಕೋನ
Sha
Share
ಸ
ಸರ
sa
Sale
ಹ
ಹಣ್ಣು
ha
Hat
ಳ
ಅವಳ
La
ಕ್ಷ
ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯ
ksha
Laksha
ತ್ರ
ನಕ್ಷತ್ರ
tra
Chitra
ಜ್ಞ
ಜ್ಞಾನ
Gya
Gyan
ಕ
ಕಮಲ
Ka
Colour
ಕಾ
ಕಾಗೆ
Kaa
Carton
ಕಿ
ಕಿರೀಟ
Ki
King
ಕೀ
ಕೀಟ
Kee
Keep
ಕು
ಕುಶಲ
Ku
Kung Fu
ಕೂ
ಕೂಗು
Koo
Cool
ಕೃ
ಕೃಷ್ಣ
Kri
Crypto
ಕೆ
ಕೆಂಪು
Ke
Kept
ಕೇ
ಕೇಸರಿ
Kae
Kale
ಕೈ
ಕೈಲಾಸ
Kai
Kind
ಕೊ
ಕೊಂಬು
Ko
Cost
ಕೋ
ಕೋಳಿ
Koo
Cold
ಕೌ
ಕೌಶಿಕ್
Kau
Cauliflower
ಕಂ
ಕಂಬಳಿ
Kam
Computer
ಕಃ
ಕಃ
Kaha
The letters are classified into three categories:
ಸ್ವರ svara(Vowels)
ವ್ಯಂಜನ vyan̄jana(Consonants) and
ಯೋಗವಾಹಕ yōgavāhaka(Part vowel, Part consonant).
Vowels
There are 13 vowel(Svara) letters in Kannada.These form the basis for the‘Aksharamale’ or‘Kagunita’, which is derived by combining vowels and consonants.
Below is the table depicting the‘Svara’ :
Svara
Kannada examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
ಅ
ಅಮ್ಮ
a
Up
ಆ
ಆನೆ
aa
Arm
ಇ
ಇಲಿ
i
Is
ಈ
ಈಗ
ee
Eat
ಉ
ಉತ್ತರ
u
Uber
ಊ
ಊಟ
oo
Oops
ಋ
ಋಷಿ
ri
Risk
ಎ
ಎಲೆ
e
Ate
ಏ
ಏತ
ae
Ant
ಐ
ಐರಾವತ
ai
Ice
ಒ
ಒಂಟೆ
o
On
ಓ
ಓಟ
oo
Old
ಔ
ಔಷಧಿ
au
Outside
The‘Svara’ in Kannada alphabets can be further classified into two categories:
Hrusva Svara
Deergha Svara
Hrusva Svara : The alphabets which do not require much stress while saying them are called Hrusva Svara.
Below is a table depicting the‘Hrusva Svara’ :
Hrusva Svara
Kannada examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
ಅ
ಅಮ್ಮ
a
Up
ಇ
ಇಲಿ
i
Is
ಉ
ಉತ್ತರ
u
Uber
ಎ
ಎಲೆ
e
Ate
ಒ
ಒಂಟೆ
o
On
Deergha Svara : The alphabets which need stress while saying them are called Deergha Svara.
Below is a table depicting the‘Deergha Svara’ :
Deergha Svara
Kannada examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
ಆ
ಆನೆ
aa
Arm
ಈ
ಈಗ
ee
Eat
ಊ
ಊಟ
oo
Oops
ಋ
ಋಷಿ
ri
Risk
ಏ
ಏತ
ae
Ant
ಐ
ಐರಾವತ
ai
Ice
ಓ
ಓಟ
oo
Old
ಔ
ಔಷಧಿ
au
Outside
Part Vowel-Part Consonants
The Yōgavāha(Part-vowel, Part consonant) include two letters:
The Anusvara : ಅಂ(aṁ)
The Visarga : ಅಃ(aḥa)
Consonants
The remaining are the consonants which are categorised as:
Structured Consonants– which are classified into groups of 5 based on the sounds they produce when the tongue touches the palate of the mouth.
ಕ ಖ ಗ ಘ ಙ
ಚ ಛ ಜ ಝ ಞ
ಟ ಠ ಡ ಢ ಣ
ತ ಥ ದ ಧ ನ
ಪ ಫ ಬ ಭ ಮ
Below is a list of the Structured consonants with examples :
Structured consonants
Kannada examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
ಕ
ಕತ್ತರಿ
ka,ca
King
ಖ
ಖಡ್ಗ
kha
Khaki
ಗ
ಗಂಧ
ga
Gun
ಘ
ಘಂಟೆ
gha
Ghastly
ಙ
Nga
ಚ
ಚಮಚ
cha
Chair
ಛ
ಛತ್ರಿ
chha
Chhatisgarh
ಜ
ಜಲ
ja
Jam
ಝ
ಝರಿ
jha
Jhalem
ಞ
Nja
ಟ
ಟಗರು
Ta
Take
ಠ
ಠಸ್ಸೆ
Tha
Thane
ಡ
ಡಮರು
Da
Danger
ಢ
ಢಣಢಣ
Dha
ಣ
ಬಾಣ
Na
ತ
ತಬಲ
ta
ಥ
ರಥ
tha
Thick
ದ
ದನ
da
The
ಧ
ಧನ
dha
Buddha
ನ
ನಳ
na
Name
ಪ
ಪದಕ
pa
Parent
ಫ
ಫಲ
pha,fa
Flower
ಬ
ಬಣ್ಣ
ba
Bank
ಭ
ಭವನ
bha
Bhavan
ಮ
ಮನೆ
ma
Made
Unstructured Consonants– which do not belong to any particular pattern of alphabets.
Unstructured
Consonants
Kannada examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
ಯ
ಯಮ
ya
Yacht
ರ
ರಂಗೋಲಿ
ra
Rain
ಲ
ಲಂಗ
la
Lawyer
ವ
ವನ
va,wa
Vase
ಶ
ಶಂಖ
sha
Shine
ಷ
ಷಟ್ಕೋನ
Sha
Share
ಸ
ಸರ
sa
Sale
ಹ
ಹಣ್ಣು
ha
Hat
ಳ
ಅವಳ
La
Merging Vowels and Consonants
When we merge the vowels and consonants in Kannada, we get a new letter with a special character attached to it, which gives a unique sound to the consonant, the vowel is added to. The special character also known as a diacritic mark,will differ based on the vowel being used. Below is a simple representation of the same:
Swar+Vyanjan
Kannada examples
Pronounced as
Phonetic Examples
ಕ = ಕ್+ ಅ
ಕಮಲ
Ka
Colour
ಕಾ = ಕ್+ಆ
ಕಾಗೆ
Kaa
Carton
ಕಿ = ಕ್+ ಇ
ಕಿರೀಟ
Ki
King
ಕೀ = ಕ್ + ಈ
ಕೀಟ
Kee
Keep
ಕು = ಕ್ + ಉ
ಕುಶಲ
Ku
Kung Fu
ಕೂ = ಕ್ + ಊ
ಕೂಗು
Koo
Cool
ಕ್ರ = ಕ್ + ಋ
ಕೃಷ್ಣ
Kri
Crypto
ಕೆ = ಕ್ + ಎ
ಕೆಂಪು
Ke
Kept
ಕೇ = ಕ್ + ಏ
ಕೇಸರಿ
Kae
Kale
ಕೈ = ಕ್ + ಐ
ಕೈಲಾಸ
Kai
Kind
ಕೊ = ಕ್ + ಒ
ಕೊಂಬು
Ko
Cost
ಕೋ = ಕ್ + ಓ
ಕೋಳಿ
Koo
Cold
ಕೌ = ಕ್ + ಔ
ಕೌಶಿಕ್
Kau
Cauliflower
ಕಂ = ಕ್ + ಅಂ
ಕಂಬಳಿ
Kam
Computer
ಕಃ = ಕ್ + ಅ:
ಕಃ
Kaha
Sample Text
To understand how Kannada alphabets are used as building blocks to make complex sentences, please see the following :
“ಕರುಣೆ ಎಂಬ ಭಾಷೆಯನ್ನು ಕಿವುಡ ಕೇಳಬಹುದು ಮತ್ತು ಕುರುಡ ನೋಡಬಹುದು”.
“Kindness is the language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see”
–Mark Twain
You can use our free learning app which helps you to come across a lot of Kannada alphabets, phrases and other basic Kannada lessons to improve your Kannada alphabets and basics.