ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ?
Neevu hegiddiri?
ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ? (Neevu hegiddiri?) is the Kannada way to say "how are you doing?"
This phrase is a common greeting used to ask someone about their current well-being or general state of life.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Neevu (you), hege (how) and iddiri (are/staying).
Which one should you use?
Neevu hegiddiri? is the formal or plural form, whereas Neenu hegiddiya? is the singular or informal form used with friends or younger people.
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal version of this greeting uses Neenu instead of Neevu and changes the verb ending to hegiddiya?
How do you pronounce it?
Neevu hegiddiri?
When do people say it?
When someone asks you this, a standard response is Chennagiddene (I am well) or Kushalavāgiddēne (I am doing fine).
Did you know?
- While ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ? asks about general well-being, Kannada speakers often use the specific phrase ಊಟ ಆಯ್ತಾ? ('Did you eat?') as a primary way to show care and check on someone's status.
- A common way to respond to this greeting is to say Chennagiddene, where the root Chenna can also mean 'beautiful' or 'good', linking your well-being to a sense of beauty.
- The distinction between ನೀವು and ನೀನು is so strict that using the informal 'you' with an elder or a stranger can be perceived as a significant social insult.
Examples in context
- ಹಲೋ, ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ?halō, nīvu hēgiddīri?Hello, how are you doing?
- ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ, ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ?namaskāra, nīvu hēgiddīri?Greetings, how are you doing?
Example conversation
Kiran and Kavya meet at a park after a long time.
- ಕಿರಣ್ Kiranಕಾವ್ಯ, ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ?Kāvya, nīvu hēgiddīri?Kavya, how are you doing?
- ಕಾವ್ಯ Kavyaನಾನು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ, ಕಿರಣ್.Nānu cennāgiddēne, Kiran.I am doing well, Kiran.
- ಕಿರಣ್ Kiranನಿಮ್ಮ ಕೆಲಸ ಹೇಗಿದೆ?Nimma kelasa hēgide?How is your work going?
- ಕಾವ್ಯ Kavyaಎಲ್ಲಾ ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದೆ.Ellā sariyāgi naḍeyuttide.Everything is going well.
