ಆನೆ
āne/aːn̪e/
The English word 'elephant' is ಆನೆ (āne) in Kannada. Wiktionary also lists ಗಜ (gaja).
Meaning: mammal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Kannada | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ಆನೆ | āne | /aːn̪e/ |
| ಗಜ | gaja |
Both ಆನೆ and ಗಜ refer to the mammal elephant.
Which one should you use?
ಗಜ is a more formal, literary or poetic term for elephant, often used in classical contexts or names.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of ಆನೆ is ಆನೆಗಳು.
How do you pronounce it?
āne is pronounced /aːn̪e/.
Did you know?
- The word ಆನೆ can evoke religious reverence rather than just a biological animal, as temple elephants are viewed as living deities in many Karnataka towns.
- The word ಗಜ is frequently used as a prefix in personal names to symbolize qualities like royalty and immense strength.
- Kannada idioms often contrast the ಆನೆ with an ant to describe a massive disparity in size or power.
Examples in context
- ಆನೆ ಕಾಡಿನಲ್ಲಿ ವಾಸಿಸುತ್ತದೆ.āne kāḍinalli vāsisuttade.The elephant lives in the forest.
- ನಾನು ಒಂದು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಆನೆಯನ್ನು ನೋಡಿದೆ.nānu ondu doḍḍa āneyannu nōḍide.I saw a big elephant.
- ಆನೆಯು ತುಂಬಾ ಶಕ್ತಿಶಾಲಿ ಪ್ರಾಣಿ.āneyu tumbā śaktiśāli prāṇi.The elephant is a very powerful animal.
Example conversation
Abhishek and Soumya are visiting a zoo.
- ಸೌಮ್ಯ Soumyaಅಭಿಷೇಕ್, ನೋಡು ಆ ಆನೆ ಎಷ್ಟು ದೊಡ್ಡದಿದೆ!Abhishek, nōḍu ā āne eṣṭu doddadide!Abhishek, look how big that elephant is!
- ಅಭಿಷೇಕ್ Abhishekಹೌದು ಸೌಮ್ಯ, ಅದು ತುಂಬಾ ಸುಂದರವಾಗಿದೆ.haudu Soumya, adu tumbā sundaravāgide.Yes Soumya, it is very beautiful.
- ಸೌಮ್ಯ Soumyaಆನೆಗೆ ಆಹಾರ ನೀಡಬಹುದೇ?ānege āhāra nīḍabahudē?Can we feed the elephant?
- ಅಭಿಷೇಕ್ Abhishekಇಲ್ಲ, ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಅನುಮತಿ ಇಲ್ಲ.illa, illi anumati illa.No, it is not allowed here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “elephant” translations and entries ಆನೆ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
