Kannada Numbers and Everyday Practical Phrases

Numbers and a handful of practical everyday phrases cover a disproportionate share of real, daily communication needs — worth learning solidly and early, whether you're a language learner, a visitor, or reconnecting with Kannada-speaking family.

Kannada numerals

Kannada numerals have their own distinct visual forms, separate from Devanagari, Telugu, and Western Arabic numerals — worth learning to recognise directly, since they appear constantly on price tags and everyday printed material across Karnataka.

Counting basics

Ondu (1), eradu (2), muru (3), nalku (4), aidu (5), aru (6), ellu (7), entu (8), ombattu (9), hattu (10) — the foundation for prices, quantities, and everyday counting.

Shopping and market phrases

Idhu enu? (what is this?), bele eshtu? (what's the price?), bele kammi maadi (please reduce the price) — genuinely practical phrases for shopping and markets.

Telling time

Ivaga eshtu gante? (what time is it now?), alongside basic time-of-day vocabulary: belagge (morning), madhyahna (afternoon), sanje (evening), ratri (night).

Everyday courtesy in practical situations

Kshamisi (excuse me/sorry), sahaya maadthira? (will you help me?) — practical phrases for navigating everyday situations politely, beyond the basic greetings covered in our starter vocabulary article.

Why this vocabulary deserves early, deliberate focus

Numbers and practical everyday phrases show up in nearly every real interaction — shopping, travel, daily errands — far more frequently than many other early vocabulary categories, making them a high-value area to prioritise.

A quick practice approach

Rather than memorising numbers in isolation, practice them attached to real quantities — prices you see, times on a clock — so the vocabulary anchors to something concrete rather than floating as an abstract list.

Look up numbers and everyday phrases instantly with English Kannada Dictionary →