Essential Kannada Phrases for Bangalore Newcomers
Moving to Bengaluru doesn’t mean memorising a textbook. A handful of Kannada phrases, used at the right moment, will get you fairer auto fares, friendlier shopkeepers and a lot more goodwill. Here are the ones worth learning first.
Start with politeness
Two words do most of the heavy lifting: “Dhanyavaada” (thank you) and “Sari” (okay / fine). Drop them into any interaction and you instantly sound less like a tourist. If you only learn two words, learn these.
The situations that matter most
Day to day, you’ll spend the most Kannada on three things: getting around, paying for things, and ordering food. Each of those pages has the full back-and-forth conversation with audio, so you can hear exactly how a sentence should sound before you say it.
A few tips that help
- Say less, clearly. A short correct phrase beats a long shaky sentence.
- Listen first. Use the “Slow” speed to learn, then switch to “Normal”.
- Numbers are your friend. Fares and prices are mostly numbers — learn 10, 20, 50, 100.
- Don’t worry about the script. Roman pronunciation is enough to be understood.
Want all of this offline? The free Android app has every phrase on this site, and it works without internet — handy inside an auto with no signal.