Introduction:

Kannada is one of the official languages of India, and the official language of the southern Indian state of Karnataka.  This language is not just confined within the borders of Karnataka, for you will find it spoken by people in parts of the neighboring states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra. Kannada is spoken in its various dialects by roughly 45 million people across the globe. It is one of the top 40 most spoken languages in the world. Kannada is the third oldest language of India (after Sanskrit & Tamil). Through the centuries, Kannada has been developing both as literature and a language and has thus been recognized as a Classical( Language.

Bangalore has grown to become the IT capital of India, with immigrants making up nearly half of its population. With this influx of immigrants, interest in learning Kannada, the local language, has grown.

• First things first, Learn the pleasantries!

Try using “Namaskara” wherever possible and do not be ashamed to do so. The people will appreciate your effort to speak in Kannada and no, you will not be shamed. Another thing you could try is to ask for directions if needed, in Kannada rather than in English or Hindi. This should really improve your confidence in holding a small conversation in the language. Apart from this, the reply itself will help you grasp the language better..well, at least the very basics.

• Try to converse in Kannada

In Supermarkets and other stores when you want to buy something. I do understand the fact that a lot of these stores have people who would talk to you in English first off, but converse in Kannada with them. Simple verses such as “Idhu Yeshtu” instead of “how much does this cost” should suffice. As far as my experience goes, this is a sure-shot way to improve your language skills since you’d visit the store a lot of times and hence, get a lot of practice!

• Apart from these practices

Talking in Kannada with your Kannadiga colleagues will really help you. If you travel in an auto or a taxi, try talking to the drivers in Kannada. Try and refrain from the usual “bhaiyya seedha chalo” or “go straight” etc. and use “seedha hogi” instead. You should be able to get a very basic idea of the language if you practice these steps on a regular basis.

• Enroll in a Kannada class

In order to learn the finer nuances of the language, there are spoken Kannada classes in which you can enroll yourself in. These classes will help you learn the grammar associated with the language et al. But no matter how much you learn from the textbooks, you will be able to speak and hold a conversation in Kannada only if you start speaking in Kannada!

• Read the news

There are various ways you can learn Kannada. But according to my, the best way would be to take the help of a genuine tutor. When you try to learn things on your own they seem a bit more complicated and difficult than they usually are. So hiring a tutor would be best because the tutor will simplify a lot of things for you in a way that you can understand and remember too. And one of the easiest forms of hiring a tutor is hiring them online through online learning platforms. That way you can learn it anywhere, and also ensure that the tutor is a certified well-trained tutor. 

• Pick up basic question words.

Even if you don’t understand everything someone is asking you in Kannada, you may be able to get a general idea if you recognize the basic question words. Then you’ll at least understand what type of question they’re asking, and you might be able to infer the rest from context.