ನಾನು
nānu/n̪aːn̪u/
The English pronoun 'I' is translated into Kannada as ನಾನು (nānu).
ನಾನು is a pronoun used by a speaker to refer to themselves.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In coastal areas such as Mangalore and Udupi, ನಾನು is often pronounced as ನಾನ್ (Nān).
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the pronoun changes depending on its grammatical role in a sentence. Use ನನ್ನ to express the possessive sense meaning 'my' or 'mine'. Use ನನಗೆ to express the dative case meaning 'to me' or 'for me'. When the pronoun is the direct object of a verb, use the accusative form ನನ್ನನ್ನು to mean 'me'.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is nānu. The IPA is /n̪aːn̪u/.
Did you know?
- The word ನಾನು is a direct relative of the Tamil word நான் (nān) and the Malayalam word ഞാൻ (ñān), reflecting a shared linguistic ancestor.
- In Kannada, the choice of 'I' can signal a speaker's social standing or degree of humility. While ನಾನು is standard, different pronouns may be used in formal settings to project a more modest persona.
- The pronoun ನಾನು is derived from the Proto-South Dravidian root *ñān.
Examples in context
- ನಾನು ಕನ್ನಡ ಕಲಿಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದೇನೆI am learning Kannada
- ನಾನು ಹೋಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದೇನೆI am going
- ನಾನು ಉತ್ಸಾಹಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆI am enthusiastic
- ನಾನು ಬರುತ್ತೇನೆI am coming
- ನಾನು ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿ.nānu vidyārthi.I am a student.
- ನಾನು ಕಾಫಿ ಕುಡಿಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದೇನೆ.nānu kāphi kuḍiyuttiddēne.I am drinking coffee.
Example conversation
Rahul and Soumya are meeting for the first time.
- ಸೌಮ್ಯ Soumyaನಿಮ್ಮ ಹೆಸರು ಏನು?nimma hesaru ēnu?What is your name?
- ರಾಹುಲ್ Rahulನಾನು ರಾಹುಲ್.nānu rāhul.I am Rahul.
- ಸೌಮ್ಯ Soumyaನನ್ನ ಹೆಸರು ಸೌಮ್ಯ.nanna hesaru saumya.My name is Soumya.
- ರಾಹುಲ್ Rahulನಿಮ್ಮನ್ನು ಭೇಟಿಯಾದದ್ದು ಸಂತೋಷ.nimmannu bhēṭiyādaddu santōṣa.Nice to meet you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ನಾನು, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ನಾನು, CC BY-SA 4.0.
