ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ
namaskāra/n̪ɐmɐskaːɾɐ/
The English phrase 'hello' translates to Kannada as ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ (namaskāra). Wiktionary also lists ತುಳಿಲು (tuḷilu).
Meaning: greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| Kannada | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ | namaskāra | /n̪ɐmɐskaːɾɐ/ |
| ತುಳಿಲು | tuḷilu |
It is a common way to say 'Hello' or 'Greetings' and can be used both when arriving to greet someone and when leaving to say goodbye.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ is the standard, polite way to say hello in any formal or respectful setting. While the pack contains the form ತುಳಿಲು, ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ is the common formal greeting.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is namaskāra. The IPA is /n̪ɐmɐskaːɾɐ/.
Did you know?
- In many traditional Kannada households, a greeting to an elder is often accompanied by touching the elder's feet as a sign of deep respect.
- The word ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ is derived from Sanskrit, where 'nama' means 'bow' or 'salutation' and 'skāra' refers to 'the act of doing'.
- The gesture accompanying ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ is often used in Indian classical dance to greet the audience and the deity before a performance begins.
Examples in context
- ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ.Hello.This example shows the use of ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ for a simple greeting.Tatoeba #13237337 by Lumi, translation #1858850 by LanguageExpert
- ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ.ellarigū namaskāra.Hello to everyone.
- ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ, ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ?namaskāra, nīvu hēgiddīri?Hello, how are you?
Example conversation
Kavya meets Rahul at a coffee shop.
- ಕಾವ್ಯ Kavyaನಮಸ್ಕಾರ ರಾಹುಲ್!namaskāra rāhul!Hello Rahul!
- ರಾಹುಲ್ Rahulನಮಸ್ಕಾರ ಕಾವ್ಯ, ಸಿಕ್ಕಿದ್ದಕ್ಕೆ ಸಂತೋಷ.namaskāra kāvya, sikkiddakke santōṣa.Hello Kavya, nice to see you.
- ಕಾವ್ಯ Kavyaನನಗೂ ಕೂಡ.nanagū kūḍa.Me too.
- ರಾಹುಲ್ Rahulಬನ್ನಿ, ಕುಳಿತುಕೊಳ್ಳೋಣ.banni, kulitukōḷḷōṇa.Come, let's sit down.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
