ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ?
nīvu hēgiddīri?
The English phrase "how are you?" is translated into Kannada as ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ? (nīvu hēgiddīri?)
This phrase is a common greeting used to ask someone about their health or general well-being.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of nīvu (you), hēge (how) and the verb iddīri (are/staying).
Which one should you use?
While ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ? is the standard polite form, you may encounter Hegiddīrā? which is a more concise version used in professional environments or when addressing elders. Alternatively, the informal ನೀನು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀಯ? (nīnu hēgiddīya?) is used when speaking to close friends, younger people or children.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In North Karnataka, Hegiruvee is a formal way to ask how someone is.
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form uses the honorific/plural nīvu and the corresponding verb ending -īri to show respect to the listener.
How do you pronounce it?
nīvu hēgiddīri?
When do people say it?
A common response to this question is ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ (chennāgiddēne), which means "I am doing well".
Did you know?
- In many Kannada speaking households, the question ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ? is often skipped entirely. Instead, people ask ಊಟ ಆಯ್ತಾ? which literally means 'did you eat meal?'
- The response ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ comes from the root word ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ which can mean 'well' or 'beautifully'. To be well is linguistically tied to being beautiful in Kannada.
- The polite form nīvu is actually plural in its grammatical origin, even when you are speaking to only one person.
Examples in context
- ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ, ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ?Namaskāra, nīvu hēgiddīri?Hello, how are you?
- ಸರ್, ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ?Sir, nīvu hēgiddīri?Sir, how are you?
Example conversation
Pranav meets Saumya at a cafe.
- ಪ್ರಣವ್ Pranavನಮಸ್ಕಾರ ಸೌಮ್ಯ, ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ?Namaskāra Saumya, nīvu hēgiddīri?Hello Saumya, how are you?
- ಸೌಮ್ಯ Soumyaನಾನು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ, ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು.Nānu chennāgiddēne, dhanyavādagalu.I am fine, thank you.
- ಪ್ರಣವ್ Pranavನಿಮ್ಮ ಕೆಲಸ ಹೇಗೆ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದೆ?Nimma kelasa hēge naḍeyuttide?How is your work going?
- ಸೌಮ್ಯ Soumyaಕೆಲಸ ತುಂಬಾ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದೆ.Kelasa tumbā chennāgide.Work is going very well.
