ದಾದ ಮಲ್ತೊಂದುಲ್ಲ?
dāda maltondulla?
ದಾದ ಮಲ್ತೊಂದುಲ್ಲ? (dāda maltondulla?) is the Tulu phrase for "what are you doing?"
This phrase is a question used to ask someone about their current activity.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of dāda (what) and maltondulla (doing/is doing).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase ದಾದ ಮಲ್ತೊಂದುಲ್ಲ? is used for both singular and plural "you" in Tulu.
How do you pronounce it?
dāda maltondulla?
Did you know?
- In Tulu culture, asking ದಾದ ಮಲ್ತೊಂದುಲ್ಲ? is often used as a social lubricant or a 'phatic' greeting, similar to how an English speaker might say 'what's up?' without expecting a detailed report of their actions.
- Tulu is one of the few languages that has traditionally been spoken for millennia but only recently developed standardized writing systems, often borrowing the Kannada script to write phrases like ದಾದ ಮಲ್ತೊಂದುಲ್ಲ?
- While English uses the verb 'to do' for activities, the Tulu word ಮಾಲ್ತೊಂದುಲ್ಲ (maltondulla) is derived from the root ಮಾಡು (māḍu), which shares a common Dravidian ancestry with verbs meaning 'to make' or 'to construct'.
Example conversation
Sumitha calls Rakshit on the phone.
- ರಕ್ಷಿತ್ Rakshithಹಲೋ ಸುಮಿತಾ, ದಾದ ಮಲ್ತೊಂದುಲ್ಲ?hello sumita, dada maltondulla?Hello Sumitha, what are you doing?
- ಸುಮಿತಾ Sumitaಯಾನ್ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಓದೊಂದುಲ್ಲ.yan pustaka odondulla.I am reading a book.
- ರಕ್ಷಿತ್ Rakshithಒಳ್ಳೆದು, ಯಾನ್ ಊಟ ಮಲ್ತೊಂದುಲ್ಲ.olledu, yan uta maltondulla.Good, I am eating food.
- ಸುಮಿತಾ Sumitaಸರಿ ರಕ್ಷಿತ್, ಆಮೇಲೆ ಪಾತೆರೊಣ.sari rakshit, amele paterona.Okay Rakshit, let's talk later.
