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
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. (or ijji) ( )
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.
Look there (as in "look at that thing") Thoole
Look here Thoope
I like it very much Yane muste laikape
He/She/It is gone Poondu
Hurts bene, for example, "my stomach hurts" would be yanna bungee benapundu
Very (can also mean "too much") muste
Car gaadi
Foot khare
Confuse Kanna K B
Living Room Chavadi
Guest Bin-ner
Bride Madhmalu
Bridegroom Madhmaye
Problems
thondareh
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
Thinre- to eat,
purrre -to drink,
ahtil -kitchen/cook,
cheepe- sweet,
khaara- spicy,
uppu- salt,
vanthe- little,
balasle- serve,
kajipu- curry,
ale- butter milk,
puli- sour/tamrind,
nuppu- rice,
tethi- egg,
kori- chicken,
meen- fish,
masa- meat,
boothayi- sardine,
maanji- pomfret,
bangude- mackerel,
thaateh- shark,
koyollu- shell fish,
yetti- prawns,
bareh the parndu- bannana,
kukku- mango,
kereng- sweet potato,
parndh- fruit or banana,
neer- water,
badavu- hunger,
onas- meal,
uppad- pickle,
lote- glass,
tarkaari- vegitables,
narthe- snail
Bars
gangasara(Some slangs: Bajal, Kuppi, Teertha, watis) - alchohol
vanas - meals
jeppu - sleep
perade - hen
pettha - cow
appe - mother
ammer - father
ishta - wish
dever - God
moke, mamathe - love
porlu - beauty
kule - ghost
Breakfast - thindi
baajal - cool drink
bonda - tender coconut
amal - drunkenness
Shopping
santhe (Market)
paintae - something like malls but smaller
Driving
For Hire -- Badaig barpara
Authority
