Survival politeness for crowded Bengaluru: get attention, ask for help, apologise, ask someone to wait — without freezing into English 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
You can use
Kshamisi · Dayavittu · Sahaya maadi · Swalpa wait maadi · Tumba thanks
in real micro-moments (queue, bump, ask a stranger).
You’ve covered scripts (greet, go, price, path, food). Real life is messy interruptions.
These phrases are the glue between scripts — shops, metro, society lobby, wrong turn.
02 One lever: maadi = polite “please do”
Pattern
You already used maadi in swalpa kammi maadi and parcel maadi.
Stack it: [request] maadi ≈ please do X.
Softener: dayavittu ≈ please / kindly (≈ kripya).
03 Phrase cards
Kshamisi
Excuse me / sorry (getting attention or mild apology)
≈ Maaf kijiye / excuse me
Default opener before asking a stranger. Also after a small bump.
Dayavittu
Please / kindly
≈ Kripya
Put before a request: Dayavittu, elli ide?
Sahaya maadi
slownatural
Please help
≈ Madad kijiye
sahaya = help. Full: Dayavittu sahaya maadi.
Swalpa wait maadi · Innu ondu nimisha
slownatural
slownatural
Please wait a bit · One more minute
≈ Thoda wait kijiye · Ek minute aur
Reuses swalpa, innu, ondu. EN “wait” is fully normal in Bengaluru Kannada mix.
Tumba sorry · Kshamisi maadi
slownatural
slownatural
So sorry · Please forgive me
≈ Bahut sorry · Maaf kardo
tumba = very/a lot. Stronger apology than plain kshamisi.
Tumba dhanyavadagalu · Tumba thanks
slownatural
slownatural
Thank you very much
≈ Bahut dhanyavaad
Upgrade from L1 thanks. Mix with English “thanks” is natural.
Gothilla / Gottila · Nanage gothilla
slownatural
I don’t know
≈ Mujhe nahi pata
You met gottila in L4. Nanage ≈ to me (like mujhe).
Kannada swalpa swalpa barutte · English OK?
slownatural
slownatural
I know a little Kannada · English OK?
≈ Thodi Kannada aati hai
Honesty line when stuck. barutte ≈ comes (it comes to me).
People usually switch or slow down — that’s a win.
Matte sigona · Sari hogi
slownatural
slownatural
See you again · Okay, go ahead
≈ Phir milte hain · Theek, jaao
Soft closers. matte ≈ again. Related to L2 nodona energy.
04 Mini vocab bank
KannadaEnglishHindi bridge
kshamisiexcuse me / sorrymaaf kijiye
dayavittuplease / kindlykripya
sahayahelpmadad
tumbavery / a lotbahut
nanageto memujhe
gothilladon’t knownahi pata
matteagainphir
sigonawe’ll meetmilte hain
nimishaminuteminute
swalpa barutte
slownatural
a little comes / I know a bitthodi aati hai
05 Model dialogues
A · Ask a stranger
You Kshamisi. Dayavittu, metro gate elli ide?
slownatural
Excuse me. Please, where is the metro gate?
Stranger Eduru hogi…
slownatural
Go straight…
You Gothaytu. Tumba dhanyavadagalu.
slownatural
Got it. Thank you very much.
B · Bump + help
You Tumba sorry! Kshamisi.
slownatural
So sorry! Excuse me.
You Dayavittu sahaya maadi — bag beelitu.
slownatural
Please help — the bag fell. (beelitu ≈ fell; bonus recognition)
Other Sari sari.
slownatural
It’s fine.
You Tumba thanks.
slownatural
Thanks a lot.
06 Retrieval practice
1. “Excuse me / sorry” (default)
2. “Please / kindly”
3. “Please help”
4. “Very / a lot”
5. “I don’t know”
6. Spaced: “please give” at counter (L5)
07 Production
Excuse me. Please, where is the gate?
Please help.
Please wait a bit.
So sorry.
Thank you very much.
I don’t know. I know a little Kannada.
08 Real-world task
Before next lesson
Use Kshamisi once before asking anyone anything.
End one favour with Tumba dhanyavadagalu.
If stuck mid-conversation: Kannada swalpa swalpa barutte.