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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

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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.

Vowels

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Consonants

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Common diphthongs

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Phrase list

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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

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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) ( )
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 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 )
Jeppunu (to sleep)
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

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thondareh

Numbers

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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

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porthu

Clock time

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What time it is? : gante yeth aand?

Duration

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From how long duration - yeth portuddu inchi

Day

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What day it is? : ini va dina?

Daily : Dinala

Month

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tingolu

Writing time and date

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Colors

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

Transportation

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Bus and train

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Bus bokka rail

Directions

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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

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Lodging

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badai da roomu or badigeda roomu

House for rent
badai/badige da ill

Money

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duddu/kaas - money chillare - change

Eating

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

This Tulu phrasebook is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!