ಮತ್ತು
mattu/mɐt̪t̪u/
The English word 'and' is translated into Kannada as ಮತ್ತು (mattu) or ಹಾಗೂ.
Meaning: used to connect two similar words, phrases, et cetera (conj)
Ways to say it
| Kannada | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ಮತ್ತು | mattu | /mɐt̪t̪u/ |
| ಹಾಗೂ | hāgū |
Both forms are conjunctions used to connect two similar words, phrases or clauses. In casual spoken Kannada, speakers often omit the word 'and' entirely if the connection between two words is clear or they use a slight pause instead of using ಮತ್ತು.
Which one should you use?
ಮತ್ತು is the standard, neutral way to say 'and' in both speech and writing. ಹಾಗೂ is a more formal version of 'and' often used in literature, news or formal speeches.
How do you pronounce it?
The default form ಮತ್ತು is pronounced /mɐt̪t̪u/.
Did you know?
- Because Kannada is a highly agglutinative language, the concept of 'and' is sometimes absorbed into the suffixes of the words themselves rather than using a separate conjunction.
- The word ಮತ್ತು is a cognate of the Tamil word மற்றும் (maṟṟum), reflecting the shared ancestry of the Dravidian language family.
- While ಮತ್ತು is the most common, using ಹಾಗೂ in a casual conversation with friends might make you sound like a news anchor or a textbook.
Examples in context
- ನಾನು ಮತ್ತು ನನ್ನ ತಂದೆ ಮೊದಲ ಬಾರಿಗೆ ಸಂಗ್ರಾಲಯಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋದ್ವಿ.Both my father and I went to the museum for the first time.This sentence shows how to use ಮತ್ತು to connect two people.Tatoeba #4783980 by legalghost, translation #319396 by CK
- ಆ ದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಾವು ಹಾಗೂ ರೋಗ ಪ್ರತಿ ಊರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದವು.Death and disease were in every town in that country.This sentence demonstrates the use of ಹಾಗೂ to connect two nouns.
- ನನ್ನನ್ನು ನೋದಿದರೆ ಅವನು ಆನಂದಿಸುವನು ಮತ್ತು ಅವಳು ಆಶ್ಚರ್ಯ ಪಡುವಳು.If they see me, he will rejoice and she will feel surprise.This sentence illustrates using ಮತ್ತು to connect two different actions or clauses.
Example conversation
Pranav and Soumya are talking about their grocery list.
- ಪ್ರಣವ್ Pranavಸೌಮ್ಯ, ಹಾಲು ಮತ್ತು ಮೊಟ್ಟೆ ತಂದಿದ್ದೀಯಾ?Soumya, haalu mattu motte tandiddiya?Soumya, did you bring milk and eggs?
- ಸೌಮ್ಯ Soumyaಹೌದು, ನಾನು ಅವೆಲ್ಲವನ್ನೂ ತಂದಿದ್ದೇನೆ.Houdu, naanu avellavannu tandiddene.Yes, I brought all of them.
- ಪ್ರಣವ್ Pranavಹಣ್ಣು ಮತ್ತು ತರಕಾರಿ ಕೂಡ ಬೇಕು.Hannu mattu tarakari kooda beku.Fruits and vegetables are also needed.
- ಸೌಮ್ಯ Soumyaಸರಿ, ನಾನು ಈಗಲೇ ಹೋಗಿ ತರುತ್ತೇನೆ.Sari, naanu eegale hogi taruttene.Okay, I will go and get them right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “and” translations and entries ಮತ್ತು, ಹಾಗೂ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ಮತ್ತು, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
