8 Sakkath Kanglish phrases that will help you in Namma Bengaluru

With more than half the population of this IT city being from the rest of India, you might actually survive here without knowing a single word of Kannada.

But for a more immersive experience of Namma Bengaluru, try using a few words of Kanglish. This will win you friends and help you appreciate something of the rich local culture. Here are the top eight Kanglish phrases that you can adopt for starters!

1. Anna, please…

‘Anna’ is a magical word. Use it when you address shopkeepers and auto rickshaw drivers. They’ll love the implicit respect you’re giving them and are guaranteed to reach out to you with special helpfulness as a result.

2. Swalpa adjust maadi

Easily Bangalore’s favourite phrase, this means, ‘could you please adjust a little.’ When somebody gets difficult to deal with, this Kanglish phrase comes in handy. Be it finding a seat in a crowded Volvo bus or bargaining at a local kirana store, use this stock phrase and watch its quite magical effects!

3. Other magic words: Beku, beda, gothilla, yelli, howdu

Beku means you ‘want it’, and beda means you don’t. Gothilla means you ‘don’t know’ , yelli means ‘where’, and howdu means ‘yes.’  So when a passer-by rattles away in Kannada, you could always say “Kannada gothilla’ or if you’re searching for an address, you could ask “e address yelli.” These five words will help you get past most situations.

4. Life super, guru!

When your Kannadiga friends ask you how you’re doing, surprise them by replying with, “Life super, guru!” Basically – and unsurprisingly –  this means you’re doing great. Coincidentally, it’s also the tag line of a popular FM station in the city.

5. Okay, Maga

Maga is the equivalent of bro in English, da in malayalam, ra in telugu, macha in tamil or bhai in Hindi. Generally used when addressing a male buddy or peer, this is a very informal term, most often heard in casual settings or circumstances.

6. Eshtu Saar?

Not Sir, but Saar especially to add the colloquial touch.  Eshtu means ‘how much’.  So whether you want to know how much the auto guy will charge you or how much the bus fare is, you’ll get your answer with just these two words, “Eshtu Saar?”

7. Nashta aitha? Oota aitha?

Yes, nashta is what you understand by nashta in Hindi – breakfast –  now a part of Kannada lingo. And oota refers to lunch or dinner, a meal. So when you say nashta aitha? or oota aitha?, you’re asking if the other person has had breakfast or lunch. You could also simply ask, “Lunch aitha?” And if you’re one who has to answer the question, there’s a one word answer: “Aithu (done) or aagilla (not yet).”

8. Sakkath easy!

Sakkath is a word that means awesome, cool, or super. It’s most often used as an adjective. For instance you when your buddy asks if the examination was breeze, you could say, “Yeah, sakkath easy.” And if  your Kannadiga friend asks about your last weekend roadtrip, you could just say, “Sakkath agithu.” So go ahead, stop using the overly-used word, ‘awesome’ and replace it with something better, “Sakkath.”

So while you in namma Bengaluru, Sakkath maja maadi!

That’s all for now. Next time sigona! ( See you next time!)

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