Language/Kannada/Grammar/Consonants

Kannada Grammar → Consonants

Welcome! In this lesson, we will explore the consonants in the Kannada language. The Kannada script is derived from the ancient Brahmi script and is closely related to other scripts of the Dravidian languages, such as Tamil and Telugu. Kannada has a rich and interesting history and learning the consonants will help you better understand and communicate in this beautiful language.

Consider broadening your understanding by checking out these related lessons: Pronouns & 0 to A1 Course.

Introduction to Kannada Consonants

Kannada has a total of 34 consonants that are grouped into three categories: gutturals, palatals, and cerebrals. They are further divided into five different classes: stops (oral and nasal), fricatives, affricates, approximants, and laterals.

In this lesson, we will focus on the basic consonants and their pronunciation. Each consonant in Kannada has an inherent vowel sound known as the schwa ('a') attached to it. When you write a consonant by itself, it is understood to have a 'ಅ' sound. We will also discuss how to write them and their corresponding sounds in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and Latin script.

Let's dive into the consonants!

Gutturals

Gutturals are consonants that are pronounced in the throat. Kannada has five guttural consonants:

Kannada	Pronunciation (IPA/Latin)	English
ಕ	k	k as in 'cat'
ಖ	kh	kh as in 'inkhorn'
ಗ	g	g as in 'goat'
ಘ	gh	gh as in 'spaghetti'
ಙ	ŋ	ng as in 'sing'

Palatals

Palatals are consonants that are pronounced by placing the tongue on the hard palate. Kannada has five palatal consonants:

Kannada	Pronunciation (IPA/Latin)	English
ಚ	tʃ	ch as in 'change'
ಛ	tʃh	chh as in 'catcher'
ಜ	dʒ	j as in 'judge'
ಝ	dʒh	jh as in 'bujharatee'
ಞ	ɲ	ñ as in 'cañon'

Cerebrals

Cerebrals, also known as retroflex consonants, are pronounced by curling the tip of the tongue back to the roof of the mouth. Kannada has five cerebral consonants:

Kannada	Pronunciation (IPA/Latin)	English
ಟ	ʈ	ṭ as in 'tarka'
ಠ	ʈh	ṭh as in 'peetham'
ಡ	ɖ	ḍ as in 'ḍamaru'
ಢ	ɖh	ḍh as in 'padha'
ಣ	ɳ	ṇ as in 'purnima'

Dentals

Dentals are consonants pronounced with the tongue touching the back of the upper front teeth. Kannada has five dental consonants:

Kannada	Pronunciation (IPA/Latin)	English
ತ	t	t as in 'stop'
ಥ	th	th as in 'path'
ದ	d	d as in 'dog'
ಧ	dh	dh as in 'had'
ನ	n	n as in 'sand'

Labials

Labials are consonants pronounced by closing or almost closing the lips. Kannada has five labial consonants:

Kannada	Pronunciation (IPA/Latin)	English
ಪ	p	p as in 'pat'
ಫ	ph	ph as in 'uphill'
ಬ	b	b as in 'bat'
ಭ	bh	bh as in 'abhor'
ಮ	m	m as in 'man'

Semi-vowels

Semi-vowels in Kannada are also called approximants. They are very similar to vowels, but are treated as consonants in the script. There are four semi-vowels in Kannada:

Kannada	Pronunciation (IPA/Latin)	English
ಯ	j	y as in 'yes'
ರ	r	r as in 'rose'
ಲ	l	l as in 'late'
ವ	ʋ	v as in 'vine'

Sibilants

Sibilants are a type of fricative consonants that produce a hissing sound when pronounced. Kannada has three sibilants:

Kannada	Pronunciation (IPA/Latin)	English
ಶ	ʃ	sh as in 'she'
ಷ	ʂ	ṣ as in 'paṣu'
ಸ	s	s as in 'so'

Fricative

The one additional fricative consonant in Kannada is:

Kannada	Pronunciation (IPA/Latin)	English
ಹ	h	h as in 'house'

Additional Consonants

Kannada has two additional consonants:

Kannada	Pronunciation (IPA/Latin)	English
ಳ	ɭ	ḷ as in 'pūrṇima'
ಱ	rɭ	kr as in 'krīḍa'

Practice Writing Consonants

Now that you have learned the consonants and their pronunciation, practice writing each character. Write them multiple times, and say the consonant sound out loud as you practice. This will help reinforce the connection between the written character and the sound it represents.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have now learned the Kannada consonants, their pronunciation, and how to write them. Keep practicing, and soon you will be able to read and write words in Kannada with ease.

In the next lesson, we will explore Kannada conjuncts, their pronunciation, and how to write them. Keep practicing and stay persistent, and you'll be on your way to learning the beautiful Kannada language!

Well done on mastering this lesson! Don't miss these related pages to expand your knowledge: Conjuncts & Negation.

Table of Contents - Kannada Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Basic Greetings and Introductions

• Greetings
• Introductions

  ---

Alphabet and Pronunciation

• Vowels
• Consonants
• Conjuncts

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers
• Days and Months
• Telling Time

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Nouns
• Pronouns

  ---

Common Verbs and Actions

• Basic Verbs
• Everyday Actions

  ---

Verb Conjugation

• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Describing People
• Describing Places
• Adverbs

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions

  ---

Food and Drink

• Meals and Ingredients
• Ordering at a Restaurant

  ---

Kannada Customs and Festivals

• Customs
• Festivals

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Phrases

  ---

Kannada Literature and Cinema

• Literature
• Cinema

Other Lessons

• Conditional Mood
• Prepositions
• Give your Opinion
• Future Tense
• Conjunctions
• Vowels
• Questions
• 0 to A1 Course
• Negation

Sources

• ವ್ಯಂಜನಗಳು - Kannada Consonants ** Part 1 ** | Alphabet writing ...
• Kannada script - Wikipedia
• Kannada