Difference between revisions of "Tulu phrasebook"

Revision as of 12:27, 24 June 2011

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.

Pronounciation guide

Vowels

Consonants

mithun

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.

Basics

Hello. 

NamaskAra. ( )

Hello. (informal) 

Namaskara . ( )

How are you? 

Encha uller? ( ?)

I am doing great 

HushAr ulle. ( )

What is your name? 

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

My name is ______ . 

yenna pudar . ( <name>.)

Nice to meet you. 

Thikene santosha aandu . ( )

Come here. 

enchi(here) balle (come)

Go there.  

anchi (there) polle (go)

Please. 

daya maltudu. ( )

Thank you. 

danya vaada . ( )

You're welcome. 

Swagaata . ( )

Yes. 

andu. ( )

No. 

attu. ( )

Excuse me. (getting attention) 

. ( )

Excuse me. (begging pardon) 

. ( )

I'm sorry. 

thapu aandu . ( )

Goodbye 

thikkuga . (also means lets meet again )

Goodbye (informal) 

Barpe . (also means I will be back )

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 gottitthinaaglu yeranda ullera? ( ?)

Help! 

saaya! ( !)

help me : saaya malpule ( ! )

Look out! 

jaagrathe! ( !)

Early morning. 

. (Pulya Kaande )

Evening. 

. (Baiyyadu )

Night. 

(Raathre )

Jeppunu (to sleep) 

I don't understand. 

enk gottu aapujji/ enku artha aapuji. ( )

Where is the toilet? 

Thandaas or Sandaas Vondu ?/ Thandaas or Sandaas Volundu Ye? ( ?)

tender coconut 

Bonda ( !)

tender coconut water 

Bonda da neeru

coconut 

thaarai ( !)

I am not feeling well 

yenk soukya ijji.

I don't want

yenk boduchi.

Give Me

yenk korule.

God

Devere

She is not feeling well (While mentioning to someone younger than You)

Aleg soukya ijji.

He is not feeling well (While mentioning to someone younger than You)

Ayag soukya ijjji.

He/she is not feeling well (While mentioning to an elderly person both male/ female) 

Areg sokya ijji.

Problems

thondareh kasta

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 (...)

1/4th 

kaal

3/4th 

mukkal

less 

kammi (...)

more 

jasthi (...)

Time

porthu

Clock time

ganthe yeth aand?

Duration

yeth portuddu inchi

Days

ini va dina

Months

tingolu

Writing time and date

Colors

red kempu blue nili green pacche white boldu black kappu yellow manjal

Transportation

Bus and train

Directions

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

Taxi

Lodging

badai the illu

Money

dhodu/kaas - money chillarey - change

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

Bars

gangasara alchohol

meals-vanas

sleep - jeppu

perade - hen

pettha - cow

amma, appe - mom''''

pappa, ammer - dad

ishta - wish

dever - God

moke, mamathe,ista- love

porlu - beauty

kule - ghost

Alcohol -- Gangasara (Some slangs: Bajal, Kuppi, Teertha, Vatis)

Breakfast -- Thindi Water -- neer Cool drinks -- Bajal

Shopping

santhe (Market)

Driving

For Hire -- Badaig barpara

Authority