Kannada Phrase of the Day - 1

[Sharla]

Kannada Phrase of the Day - 1
(See pronunciation guide)
Kannada phrase: kammi / kaDime maaDi
Pronunciation:
kammi (similar to Mummy).
kaDime (ka-Di-may)
maadi (maa-Di)

Meaning: to reduce something, to make it less
kammi / kaDime: less, maaDi: do

Usage:
1. In a chaat shop: khaara kaDime maaDi: make it less spicy/hot.
khaara: hot (Teekha in hindi)
2. Bargaining for clothes: bele kammi maaDi (reduce the price). bele:
price
3. In a bus when your fellow passenger turns on the loudspeaker of his
mobile: volume kammi maaDi

Additions:
You can add "swalpa" to mean "a little less": khara swalpa kaDime
maaDi
You can add "dayaviTTu" to mean "please": dayaviTTu swalpa volume
kammi maaDi (please reduce the volume a little bit)

'swalpa' can also some time replace 'dayaviTTu' or please when used in
the beginning of the sentence:
Ex:
1. swalpa jaaga koDi: please give me some space.(jaaga: space/
location, koDi: give)
2. swalpa taTTe koDi: please give me a plate (taTTe: plate)
3. swalpa looTa koDi:: please give me a glass (looTa: glass – rhymes
with “quota”)
Notes:
'maaDi' is generally used for elders or when you want to show respect.
If you are talking to a young person, you can use 'maaDu' (similar to
podu).
This applies to most verbs in Kannada. Example: koDi/koDu.
***********
Antonym:
jaasti (t formed against front teeth as in thick) or heccu (he-chch-u)

Usage:
1. When you are asking a Kannadiga to eat more: swalpa jaasti/heccu
uuTa maaDi (uuTa: meal)
2. When you want a hard-working colleague to sleep more: nidde
jaasti / heccu maaDi. (nidde (as in mudde): sleep)

Sham Kashyap July 2008
Used with permission by Kannada 4 the Day