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From Wikitravel

Tulu is a regional language spoken in coastal districts of Karnataka i.e. Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. It is the 24th most populous Indian language according to the 2001 census of India. It is often mistakenly claimed as a dialect of Kannada. In reality, it is an independently derived descendent of the proto-Dravidian language. Tulu does not have a widely used script, though efforts are on to discover or construct one. Currently, most writing in the language is in the Kannada script. A lack of a script, however, has not prevented it from developing a vibrant literature of its own, most notably poems and plays.

One remarkable feature of Tulu is the number of dialects that you will find in the small geographical area. Not only are there regional differences, there are also caste-based dialects. Different sub-castes of Brahmins speak different dialects of Tulu, all of them different from the "standard" dialect described here.

[edit] Pronunciation guide

[edit] Vowels

[edit] Consonants

[edit] Common diphthongs

[edit] Phrase list

[edit] Basics

Hello. 

NamaskAra. ( )

Hello. (informal) 

Namaskara . ( )

How are you? 

Encha uller? ( ?)

Fine, thank you. 

HushAr ulle. ( )

What is your name? 

Eerena pudar daytha/ena/enchina/dada?( ?)

My name is ______ . 

enna pudar . ( <name>.)

Nice to meet you. 

Thikene santosha aandu . ( )

Please. 

daya maltudu. ( )

Thank you. 

. ( )

You're welcome. 

Swagaata . ( )

Yes. 

andu. ( )

No. 

attu. ( )

Excuse me. (getting attention) 

. ( )

Excuse me. (begging pardon) 

. ( )

I'm sorry. 

thapu aandu . ( )

Goodbye 

thikga . ( )

Goodbye (informal) 

Barpe . ( )

I can't speak name of language [well]. 

Enku TULU pAtere gotuji [ ]. ( [ ])

Do you speak English? 

Eereg English pateriyera gottunda? ( ?)

Is there someone here who speaks English? 

English gottitthina aglu ullera? ( ?)

Help! 

saaya! ( !)

Look out! 

jaagrathe! ( !)

Good morning. 

. ( )

Good evening. 

. ( )

Good night. 

. ( )

Good night (to sleep) 

. ( )

I don't understand. 

enk gottu aapujji. ( )

Where is the toilet? 

Toilet Vondu ? ( ?)

[edit] Problems

thondareh kasta

[edit] Numbers

1 

onji (...)

2 

raddu (...)

3 

mooji (...)

4 

naalu (...)

5 

ainu (...)

6 

aaji (...)

7 

yeLu (...)

8 

yenma (...)

9 

ormba (...)

10 

pattu (...)

11 

patt-onji (...)

12 

pad-radu (...)

13 

padi-mooji (...)

14 

padi-naalu (...)

15 

padi-nainu (...)

16 

padi-naaji (...)

17 

padi-nelu (...)

18 

padi-nenamma (...)

19 

padi-noramba (...)

20 

iruva (...)

21 

iruvatha onji (...)

22 

iruvatha eradu (...)

23 

iruvatha mooji (...)

30 

muppa (...)

40 

nalpa (...)

50 

aiva (...)

60 

ajippa (...)

70 

elpa (...)

80 

enpa (...)

90 

sonpa (...)

100 

noodu (...)

200 

irnoodu (...)

300 

munnoodu (...)

1000 

onji savira (...)

2000 

raddu savira (...)

1,000,000 

pattu laksha (...)

1,000,000,000 

noodu koti

1,000,000,000,000 

pattu savira koti

number _____ (train, bus, etc.) 

number _____ (...)

half 

ardha (...)

less 

kammi (...)

more 

jasthi (...)

[edit] Time

porthu

[edit] Clock time

ganthe yeth aand?

[edit] Duration

yeth portuddu inchi

[edit] Days

ini va dina

[edit] Months

tingolu

[edit] Writing time and date

[edit] Colors

red kempu blue nili green pacche white boldu black kappu

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Bus and train

[edit] Directions

mithu up, thirthu down, dumbu front, phira back, inchidu-from here, unchiddu-from there, kaithal -near, doora -far, padai-west, moodai-east, balatha kai- right hand, yedatha kai- left hand,

[edit] Taxi

[edit] Lodging

badai the illu

[edit] Money

dhodu money chillarey change

[edit] Eating

Thinpini- to eat, purpini -to drink, ahtil -kitchen/cook, cheepe- sweet, khara- spicy, ooppu- salt, vanthe- little, balasle- serve, kaippu- curry, alley- butter milk, puli- sour/tamrind, noopu- rice, tethi- egg, kori- chicken, meen- fish, masa- meat, boothayi-sardine, manji-pomfret, bangude-mackerel, thaateh-shark, koyollu-shell fish, yeti-prawns, bareh the parndu -bannana, kooku-mango kerengeh -sweet potato

[edit] Bars

gangasara alchohol

[edit] Shopping

santhe

[edit] Driving

[edit] Authority