Wednesday, April 06, 2005

Kannada Proverbs

Even though Kannada is my mother tongue, I must admit my Kannada vocabulary is rather limited. But I really enjoy hearing the many proverbs. Of course, proverbs are part of every language. However, for now, I'm only interested in collecting Kannada proverbs.


  1. Veda suLLaadaroo gaade suLLagadu
  2. Sathyakke saavilla, suLLige sukhavilla
  3. Avaru chaape keLage tooridare neenu rangoli keLage tooru
  4. Ibbara jagaLa mooranevayarige laaBha
  5. KoNana munde kinnari
  6. Sankata bandare VenkataramaNa
  7. Adakeli hoda maana aane kottare barutha?
  8. Ellara mane dosenoo toothe
  9. Gubbi mele brahmaastra
  10. Tengu ingu iddare Mangammana adigenoo chenda
  11. Angai huNNige kannadi yaake
  12. Haasige iddashtu kaalu chaachu
  13. Ravanasurana hottege arekasina majjige
  14. Eechalu marada keLage majjige kudidare kaLLu annutare
  15. Kaadu baa annuthe, ooru hogu annuthe
  16. Uppiginta ruchi illa thayigintha bandhuvilla
  17. Shankadinda biddare teertha
  18. Doorada betta nuNNage
  19. Antoo intoo Kunti makkaLige rajya illa
  20. Dharmakke datti kottare, hittalalli maNa haakidante
  21. Maneli ili, beedili huli
  22. Kappena takkadili haakidante
  23. Akki mele aase, nentara meloo preethi
  24. Chinte illadavanige santeyalloo nidde
  25. Gidavaagi baggadu, maravaagi baggithe?
  26. Gedda ettina bala hididante
  27. Ganeshanannu maadalu hogi avarappanannu maadidante
  28. Kochhe mele kallu haakidante
  29. Dudde doddappa
  30. Haagala kaayige bevina kaayiye saakshi
  31. Mukha nodi maNe haaku
  32. Kuri kaayodakke thoLanannu kaLisidante
Please share more with me. Thanks!!

24 comments:

N. Madhavi said...

yaaranthe andre oor mundiro avaranthe.

A reference to someone who is unlike the rest, always "out-standing" (usually used in the derogatory sense). The "oor mundiro avaru" is supposedly a reference to the monkey-god hanuman who's temple is said to placed at beginning of every village to protect its people.

N. Madhavi said...

jatti nelakke bidhdharu meese mannagallilla.

No matter how hard a setback suffers, one doesn't lose faith in oneself.

N. Madhavi said...

henda kudiyuvavanige meese hidiyuvavanu.

henda = liquor
kudiyuvavanige = for the drinker
meese = mustache
hidiyuvavanu = one who holds

Seeking assistance for the smallest of tasks.

N. Madhavi said...

Here are some interesting webpages...

http://www.missouri.edu/~physchan/kannada/gade/gAdegaLu3/gAdegaLu3.html

http://www.missouri.edu/~physchan/kannada/gade/gAdegaLu2/gAdegaLu2.html

Anonymous said...

hodhya pishachi endare, bandhe gavaakshili endithu.

I said "There goes the devil", It replied "Here I come through the ventilator".

Just when you heavy a sigh of relief at having won over a difficult situation, you're faced with another just as terrible.

Anonymous said...

Maaduvudakke Kelasa Villa. Kooth Kollakke Pursoththilla.

this is said of someone who pretends to be busy even when he's got nothing to do.

my great-aunt always says this of my pet dog, who's tirelessly pacing all the while. that's how i came by the saying. {:->

Anonymous said...

sada shivnigay onde dhyana

Arthaat -- Thinking of the same thing all the time

Poor kannada. Dont mind

N. Madhavi said...

http://www.billionquotes.com/index.php/Kannada_proverbs

Avalokane said...

Kumbarange Ondu Varsha, Donnege ondu nimisha

Avalokane said...

Kada tinnorige happala ide?

Avalokane said...

Kardange karitini, kaluhidikondu bedkoltini, baradehange buddikodoo veerabhadra..

Used to invite an unwanted guest..

Avalokane said...

Amli kudiyonige meese hidiyunavu obba.

Avalokane said...

Tanu madiddu uttama.. maga madiddu adhama

Avalokane said...

Sarisida mane bolappa heta.

Avalokane said...

badavra mane oota chenda, srimantara mane nota chenda

Avalokane said...

bitti hennu sikre, nanagondu nammappanigondu

Avalokane said...

Aliya alla magala ganda

Avalokane said...

Malli malli manchakkestu kalu andre mooru anthondu andalante

Suresh said...

http://storyofkannada.blogspot.com/2009/09/gadegalu-kannada-proverbs.html

many on the above link

Anonymous said...

athi aase gathi kedu

sachin said...

KUMBARANIGE VARUSHA, DONNEGE NIMISHA

N. Madhavi said...

NEKK (https://www.facebook.com/groups/100374473391347/) has an ongoing session called 'gaade budhavaara' (ಗಾದೆ ಬುಧವಾರ) where people post kannada proverbs based on a theme. A pleasure to follow!

Unknown said...

Kumbharanige varsha donnege nimisha gade?

Unknown said...

ಬೆಟ್ಟಕ್ಕೆ ಕಲ್ಲು ಹೊತ್ತ ಹಾಗೆ.




kannada gadegalu