# Tulu phrasebook

Tulu (ತುಳು) is a regional language spoken in coastal districts of Karnataka, i.e. Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and some areas of Kasargod district . 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, but it is actually 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. 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.

## Pronunciation guide

Most of the words that end with 'u', e.g., apundu, undu, andu, attu , maltudu, enku, bayyadu, gothu, and vondu, are pronounced in a different way than similar words that end with 'u' in Kannada.
Only half of the sound of 'u' is pronounced while speaking the words mentioned above that end with 'u'.
There are also many words in which the half sound of 'u' is in the mid part of word, e.g., thikkuga, gottuji, and korule.

### 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 ullar? (for elders or showing respect or to a stranger), Encha ulla? (for someone youger or a friend)( ?)

#### I am doing great

    HushAr ulle. ( )

#### What is your name?

    Eerena pudar daytha/eina/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.

    Malle ijji (never mind) . ( )

#### Welcome (as in welcoming someone).

    Swagatha. (" ")

#### Yes.

    andu. ( )

#### No.

    attu. (or ijji) ( )

#### 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 Tulu [well].

    Enku TULU patere gottuji [ ]. ( [ ])

#### 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 )

#### I don't understand.

    enk gottu aapujji/ enku artha aapuji. ( )

#### Where is the toilet?

    Thandaas or Sandaas or Kakkus Vondu ?/ Thandaas or Sandaas or Kakkus 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 korle.

#### 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 soukya ijji.

#### Look there (as in "look at that thing")

    Thoole/Thoola (for a younger person)

#### Looking here(for a he/she)

    Thoope/Thoopal

#### I like him/she/it very much

    Yenk muste laikape/laikaple/laikapundu.

#### He/She/It is gone

    Pooye/Poyal/Poondu

#### Hurts

    bene, for example, "my stomach hurts" would be yanna bungee benapundu

#### Very (can also mean "too much")

    muste

#### Car

    gaadi

#### Foot

    khar

#### Confuse

    Kanna K B

#### Living Room

    Chavadi

#### Guest

    Bin-ner

#### Bride

    Madhmalu

#### Bridegroom

    Madhmaye

### Problem

thondareh

### Numbers
#### 1

    onji (...)

#### 2

    radd (...)

#### 3

    mooji (...)

#### 4

    naal (...)

#### 5

    ain (...)

#### 6

    aaji (...)

#### 7

    yeL (...)

#### 8

    yenma (...)

#### 9

    ormba (...)

#### 10

    pat-t (...)

#### 11

    patt-onji (...)

#### 12

    pad-rad (yes in twelve '2 or radd' is pronounced as 'rad') (...)

#### 13

    padi-mooji (...)

#### 14

    padi-naal (...)

#### 15

    padi-nain (...)

#### 16

    padi-naaji (...)

#### 17

    padi-nel (...)

#### 18

    padi-nenma (...)

#### 19

    padi-noramba (...)

#### 20

    iruva (...)

#### 21

    iruvatha onji (...)

#### 22

    iruvatha radd (...)

#### 23

    iruvatha mooji (...)

#### 30

    muppa (...)

#### 40

    nalpa (...)

#### 50

    aiva (...)

#### 60

    ajippa (...)

#### 70

    yelpa (...)

#### 80

    enpa (...)

#### 90

    sonpa (...)

#### 100

    noodu (...)

#### 200

    irnoodu (...)

#### 300

    munnoodu (...)

#### 1000

    onji savira (...)

#### 2000

    radd savira (...)

#### 1,000,000

    patt laksha (...)

#### 1,000,000,000

    noodu koti

#### 1,000,000,000,000

    patt savira koti

#### number _____ (train, bus, etc.)

    number _____ , though the original word in Tulu is 'anke'(...)

#### full

    eedi (...)

#### half

    ardha (...)

#### 1/4th

    kaal

#### 3/4th

    mukkal

#### less

    kammi (...)

#### more

    jasthi (...)

### Time

porthu

#### Clock time

What time it is? : gante yeth aand?

#### Duration

From how long duration - yeth portuddu inchi

#### Day

What day it is? : ini va dina?
Daily : Dinala

#### Month

tingolu

#### Writing time and date
### Colors

Red - kempu Blue - neeli Green - pacche White - boldhu Black - kappu Yellow - manjal Violet/Purple - nerale Orange - Kesari Pink - Gulaabi Brown - Kaapi

### Transportation
#### Bus and train

Bus bokka rail

#### Directions

mithu=up, thirthu=down, dumbu=front, pira=back, inchidu-from here, unchiddu-from there, kaithal -near, doora -far, paddai-west, moodai-east, badakai-north, tenkai-south, balatha kai - right hand, yedatha kai - left hand,

#### Taxi
### Lodging

badai da roomu or badigeda roomu

#### House for rent

    badai/badige da ill

### Money

duddu/kaas - money chillare - change

### Eating

Thinre- to eat, parrre - to drink, atil - cooking, cheepe- sweet, khaara- spicy, uppu (salt) undu (has) - salty