ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದೀರಾ?
alli iddira?
The English phrase "are you there?" is translated into Kannada as ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದೀರಾ? (alli iddira?)
This phrase is used as a question to check if someone is present or listening, often during a phone call or digital chat.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of alli, which means "there" and iddira, which means "are you" (plural/polite).
Which one should you use?
There are two main forms: ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದೀರಾ? and ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದೀಯಾ? The form ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದೀರಾ? is polite or plural, while ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದೀಯಾ? is the informal version used with friends or younger people.
How do you pronounce it?
alli iddira?
Did you know?
- The word ಅಲ್ಲಿ is a cognate with the word for 'there' in the Sholaga language, spoken by a small tribal community in the Western Ghats.
- If you use the informal ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದೀಯಾ? (alli iddīyā?) with an elder or a stranger, it is not just rude, it can be perceived as a direct challenge to their status.
- Kannada belongs to the Dravidian language family, meaning the structure of ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದೀರಾ? is fundamentally different from the Indo-Aryan languages like Hindi spoken in the same country.
Examples in context
- ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದೀರಾ?alli iddirā?Are you there?
- ಹಲೋ, ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದೀರಾ?hallō, alli iddirā?Hello, are you there?
- ನನ್ನ ಮಾತು ಕೇಳಿಸುತ್ತಿದೆಯೇ ಅಥವಾ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದೀರಾ?nanna mātu kēḷisuttidēyē athavā alli iddirā?Can you hear me or are you there?
Example conversation
Rahul is calling Kavya on a phone call, but she is not responding.
- ರಾಹುಲ್ Rahulಹಲೋ, ಕಾವ್ಯ ಅವರೇ, ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದೀರಾ?hallō, kāvya avarē, alli iddirā?Hello, Kavya, are you there?
- ಕಾವ್ಯ Kavyaಹೌದು ರಾಹುಲ್, ನಾನು ಇಲ್ಲೇ ಇದ್ದೆ.haudu rāhul, nānu illē idde.Yes Rahul, I was right here.
- ರಾಹುಲ್ Rahulನಿಮ್ಮ ಧ್ವನಿ ಕೇಳಿಸುತ್ತಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ.nimma dhvani kēḷisuttirallilla.Your voice was not audible.
- ಕಾವ್ಯ Kavyaಕ್ಷಮಿಸಿ, ನೆಟ್ವರ್ಕ್ ಸಮಸ್ಯೆ ಇತ್ತು.kṣamisi, neṭvark samasye ittu.Sorry, there was a network problem.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ಅಲ್ಲಿ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
