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!!
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25 comments:

  1. N. MadhaviApril 06, 2005 11:10 PM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  2. N. MadhaviApril 06, 2005 11:12 PM

    jatti nelakke bidhdharu meese mannagallilla.

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

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  3. N. MadhaviApril 06, 2005 11:18 PM

    henda kudiyuvavanige meese hidiyuvavanu.

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

    Seeking assistance for the smallest of tasks.

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  4. N. MadhaviApril 07, 2005 12:26 AM

    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

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  5. AnonymousApril 10, 2005 10:45 AM

    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.

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  6. AnonymousApril 10, 2005 10:49 AM

    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. {:->

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  7. AnonymousDecember 09, 2005 1:59 PM

    sada shivnigay onde dhyana

    Arthaat -- Thinking of the same thing all the time

    Poor kannada. Dont mind

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  8. N. MadhaviMarch 22, 2008 9:25 AM

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

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  9. AvalokaneNovember 11, 2008 1:01 AM

    Kumbarange Ondu Varsha, Donnege ondu nimisha

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  10. AvalokaneNovember 11, 2008 1:02 AM

    Kada tinnorige happala ide?

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  11. AvalokaneNovember 11, 2008 1:04 AM

    Kardange karitini, kaluhidikondu bedkoltini, baradehange buddikodoo veerabhadra..

    Used to invite an unwanted guest..

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  12. AvalokaneNovember 26, 2008 4:06 AM

    Amli kudiyonige meese hidiyunavu obba.

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  13. AvalokaneNovember 26, 2008 4:06 AM

    Tanu madiddu uttama.. maga madiddu adhama

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  14. AvalokaneNovember 26, 2008 4:07 AM

    Sarisida mane bolappa heta.

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  15. AvalokaneNovember 26, 2008 4:09 AM

    badavra mane oota chenda, srimantara mane nota chenda

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  16. AvalokaneNovember 26, 2008 4:10 AM

    bitti hennu sikre, nanagondu nammappanigondu

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  17. AvalokaneNovember 26, 2008 4:11 AM

    Aliya alla magala ganda

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  18. AvalokaneNovember 26, 2008 4:11 AM

    Malli malli manchakkestu kalu andre mooru anthondu andalante

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  19. SureshSeptember 15, 2009 10:35 AM

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

    many on the above link

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  20. AnonymousNovember 19, 2009 10:12 PM

    athi aase gathi kedu

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  21. sachinDecember 10, 2012 11:13 PM

    KUMBARANIGE VARUSHA, DONNEGE NIMISHA

    ReplyDelete
  22. N. MadhaviOctober 31, 2013 10:41 AM

    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!

    ReplyDelete
  23. UnknownDecember 08, 2015 7:12 PM

    Kumbharanige varsha donnege nimisha gade?

    ReplyDelete
  24. UnknownFebruary 07, 2020 10:04 PM

    ಬೆಟ್ಟಕ್ಕೆ ಕಲ್ಲು ಹೊತ್ತ ಹಾಗೆ.




    kannada gadegalu

    ReplyDelete
  25. AnonymousNovember 12, 2025 4:34 PM

    Duduku

    ReplyDelete