Lesson 0001 Spoken Kannada ~10 min

Greet a neighbour (polite check-in)

One skill: open a polite hello with someone in your society, ask how they are, answer about yourself, and close cleanly — in Bengaluru spoken Kannada (Roman only).

Audio: Machine-generated Kannada (edge-tts · kn-IN-SapnaNeural). Helpful for rhythm and recognition — may not perfectly match native Bengaluru pronunciation. Prefer what you hear from neighbours when the two differ.
Today’s win

By the end you can run this loop out loud without looking: Namaskara → Hegiddiri? → Chennagidini → Nimma hesaru enu? → Nanna hesaru … → Dhanyavadagalu.

01 Why this matters

Your mission is everyday Bengaluru speech with neighbours — not exams, not script. The first real social move is a polite check-in. Get this smooth and every later lesson (prices, directions, small talk) attaches to a face you’ve already greeted.

02 One grammar lever: polite you

Hindi has tu / tum / aap. In neighbour life, default like Hindi aap:

Register

Neevu / nimma = polite / plural “you / your” (use with neighbours, staff, strangers).
Neenu / ninna = intimate “you / your” (close friends, kids — not today).

Word order is SOV, like Hindi: Nanna hesaru Prayank ≈ “My name Prayank [is].”

03 Phrase cards (≤10 new items)

Namaskara

Hello / greetings

≈ Namaste

Word-by-word: greeting formula · Register: safe everywhere · You already know this — keep it as the opener.

Hegiddiri?

slownatural

How are you? (polite)

≈ Aap kaise hain?

Word-by-word: hege (how) + iddiri (are-you, polite) · Also hear: Hegiddeera? / Hegiddira? — same idea, slightly different shape. Use Hegiddiri? as your default.

Chennagidini

I’m fine / I’m well

≈ Main theek hoon

Word-by-word: chennagi (well) + idini (I-am) · Also hear: Chennagiddeeni. Short reply after they ask about you.

Neevu?

slownatural

And you? (polite)

≈ Aap?

Use after answering about yourself — bounce the check-in back.

Nimma hesaru enu?

slownatural

What is your name? (polite)

≈ Aapka naam kya hai?

Word-by-word: nimma (your-polite) · hesaru (name) · enu (what)

Nanna hesaru Prayank

slownatural

My name is Prayank

≈ Mera naam Prayank hai

Word-by-word: nanna (my) · hesaru (name) · Prayank · Swap in any name after hesaru.

Dhanyavadagalu

Thank you

≈ Dhanyavaad / shukriya

Register: polite, slightly full form — perfect for neighbours. Casual shortenings exist; learn the full one first.

Sari

Okay / alright

≈ Theek / accha

Glue word for acknowledging — “sari, sari” is very Bengaluru.

04 Mini vocab bank

Kannada (Roman)EnglishHindi bridge
Namaskara
HelloNamaste
Hegiddiri?
How are you?Aap kaise hain?
Chennagidini
I’m fineMain theek hoon
Neevu?
And you?Aap?
nimma
your (polite)aapka
nanna
mymera
hesaru
namenaam
enu?
what?kya?
Dhanyavadagalu
Thank youDhanyavaad
Sari
OkayTheek

05 Model dialogue

You
Namaskara.

slownatural

Hello.

Neighbour
Namaskara. Hegiddiri?

slownatural

Hello. How are you?

You
Chennagidini. Neevu?

slownatural

I’m fine. And you?

Neighbour
Chennagidini.

slownatural

I’m fine.

You
Nimma hesaru enu?

slownatural

What is your name?

Neighbour
Nanna hesaru Ravi. Nimma?

slownatural

My name is Ravi. Yours?

You
Nanna hesaru Prayank. Dhanyavadagalu.

slownatural

My name is Prayank. Thank you.

Say it out loud three times — cover the glosses on the second pass.

06 Retrieval practice

Equal-length options so wording doesn’t leak the answer.

1. Polite “How are you?”
2. “I’m fine” (your reply)
3. Polite “What is your name?”
4. “My name is Prayank”
5. Default register with a neighbour

07 Production (cover + speak)

Without looking up, say in Kannada:

  1. Hello.
  2. How are you? (polite)
  3. I’m fine. And you?
  4. What is your name?
  5. My name is Prayank. Thank you.

Then flip back and score yourself honestly. Redo any miss out loud twice.

08 Real-world task

Before next lesson
  1. Use Namaskara + Hegiddiri? with one neighbour, guard, or society staff.
  2. If they reply, answer Chennagidini (even if the rest stays English).
  3. Note one new word you heard — paste it to me in chat for Lesson 2.

09 Primary source

Skim the greeting / “how are you” section of WikiBooks: Kannada conversational phrases and compare forms to this lesson’s polite set. Prefer what you actually hear in your building over any single page.

Ask your teacher

Stuck on pronunciation, a reply you heard, or whether something felt too formal? Ask in this Hermes chat — I’m your teacher for this course. Follow-ups welcome anytime.

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