Kannada Numbers 1-10: Counting for Beginners
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Learn the building blocks of Kannada counting from one to ten to start your journey.
- 1 is 'ondu' (ಒಂದು).
- 2 is 'eradu' (ಎರಡು).
- 3-10 follow specific roots: 'muru', 'nalku', 'aidu', 'aaru', 'elu', 'entu', 'ombattu', 'hattu'.
Overview
How This Grammar Works
eraḍu (two) and then coffee. It’s that simple. Unlike some European languages, you don't have to worry about the number changing its shape based on whether the noun is masculine or feminine—at least not for basic counting of objects. It’s very plug-and-play. One thing to note is that Kannada has its own beautiful script for these numbers. While everyone in Bengaluru uses standard digits (1, 2, 3) for texting and bills, you will see the Kannada symbols on bus headboards and government buildings. It’s like learning a secret code that unlocks the city. Also, Kannada speakers often add a small 'u' sound at the end of numbers. It gives the language its characteristic 'bubbly' feel. If you miss the 'u', people will still understand you, but you’ll sound a bit like a robot with a low battery.
Formation Pattern
Ondu (One) - Sounds like 'Own-doo'.
Eraḍu (Two) - Sounds like 'Eh-ruh-doo'. The 'd' is soft.
Mūru (Three) - Sounds like 'Moo-roo'. Long 'u' sound.
Nālku (Four) - Sounds like 'Naal-koo'.
Ayidu (Five) - Sounds like 'Eye-doo'. Just like 'I do' at a wedding!
Āru (Six) - Sounds like 'Aa-roo'.
Ēḷu (Seven) - This is the tricky one. The 'ḷ' is a retroflex sound. Curl your tongue back!
Eṇṭu (Eight) - Sounds like 'En-too'. Another retroflex 'ṇ'.
Ombattu (Nine) - Sounds like 'Om-but-too'.
Hattu (Ten) - Sounds like 'Hut-too'.
When To Use It
ondu? hattu?). You are telling your friend you'll be there in 5 minutes (ayidu nimisha). You are ordering mūru plates of idli for the squad. You also need them for prices. If a street food vendor says 'hattu rūpāyi', you know it's 10 rupees. It’s also vital for addresses. 'Building number four' is nālku. Even when you are gaming, and you have eraḍu lives left, these words pop up. Basically, if there is a quantity involved, these ten words are your go-to tools. It's the difference between being a silent observer and actually participating in the world around you. Pro tip: use them when tipping your delivery driver to see their face light up!
Common Mistakes
ēḷu (7) and eṇṭu (8), your tongue needs to touch the roof of your mouth, not your teeth. If you say ēlu with a normal 'l', it might sound like the word for 'get up'. You don't want to tell a shopkeeper to 'get up' when you want seven bananas! Another mistake is confusing mūru (3) and āru (6). They both end in '-ru', and in a noisy market, they can sound similar. Make sure you emphasize the 'M' or the 'A'. Also, don't over-complicate the plural. In English, we say 'one apple' but 'two apples'. In casual Kannada, you can often just say eraḍu apple and people will get it. Don't stress the grammar rules of plurals until you've mastered the numbers themselves. Finally, don't mix up ondu with 'ondu' in other Indian languages where it might mean something else. Focus on the 'O'!Contrast With Similar Patterns
-ane. So ondu becomes onndane (first). But don't worry about that yet! Just stick to the basics. Also, compared to English, Kannada numbers are much more phonetic. You say exactly what you see. There are no silent letters like the 'w' in 'two' or the 'gh' in 'eight'. It's much more honest! Another contrast is with the number zero. In Kannada, it's sonne. It’s not used for 'O' in phone numbers like we do in English. If you see a 0, say sonne.Quick FAQ
Do I need to learn the Kannada script for numbers?
It's helpful for reading bus numbers, but for speaking and texting, the English digits are fine.
Is there a formal and informal way to say these?
The numbers themselves stay the same. The politeness comes from the words you use *after* the number.
How do I say 'zero'?
Sonne. It sounds like 'Sunny' but with an 'o'.
Why does 'seven' sound so weird?
Because of the 'L' sound. It’s a special Kannada sound where your tongue curls back. Practice it in the mirror; you'll look funny, but you'll sound great!
Can I use these for people?
For 1-10, yes, you can use these basic forms for people in casual speech, though there are specific 'human' forms you'll learn later.
Kannada Numbers 1-10
| Number | Kannada Script | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
|
1
|
ಒಂದು
|
ondu
|
|
2
|
ಎರಡು
|
eradu
|
|
3
|
ಮೂರು
|
muru
|
|
4
|
ನಾಲ್ಕು
|
nalku
|
|
5
|
ಐದು
|
aidu
|
|
6
|
ಆರು
|
aaru
|
|
7
|
ಏಳು
|
elu
|
|
8
|
ಎಂಟು
|
entu
|
|
9
|
ಒಂಬತ್ತು
|
ombattu
|
|
10
|
ಹತ್ತು
|
hattu
|
Meanings
These are the cardinal numbers used to count objects or people in Kannada.
Counting objects
Used to quantify nouns.
“ಒಂದು ಪುಸ್ತಕ (one book)”
“ಎರಡು ಪೆನ್ನು (two pens)”
Reference Table
| Number | Kannada Script | Transliteration | Pronunciation Hint |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
೧
|
Ondu
|
Own-doo
|
|
2
|
೨
|
Eraḍu
|
Eh-ruh-doo
|
|
3
|
೩
|
Mūru
|
Moo-roo
|
|
4
|
೪
|
Nālku
|
Naal-koo
|
|
5
|
೫
|
Ayidu
|
Eye-doo
|
|
6
|
೬
|
Āru
|
Aa-roo
|
|
7
|
೭
|
Ēḷu
|
Ay-loo (tongue back)
|
|
8
|
೮
|
Eṇṭu
|
En-too (tongue back)
|
|
9
|
೯
|
Ombattu
|
Om-but-too
|
|
10
|
೧೦
|
Hattu
|
Hut-too
|
Formality Spectrum
ನನಗೆ ಒಂದು ಕಾಫಿ ಬೇಕು. (Ordering at a cafe)
ಒಂದು ಕಾಫಿ ಕೊಡಿ. (Ordering at a cafe)
ಒಂದು ಕಾಫಿ. (Ordering at a cafe)
ಒಂದು ಕಾಫಿ ಪ್ಲೀಸ್. (Ordering at a cafe)
Kannada Number Families
Rhyming Pair
- Mūru 3
- Āru 6
Retroflex Group
- Ēḷu 7
- Eṇṭu 8
English vs. Kannada Numerals
How to use a number?
Are you counting an object?
Does it come before the noun?
Number Sounds
Ends in -u
- • Ondu
- • Eraḍu
- • Mūru
- • Nālku
- • Ayidu
- • Āru
- • Ēḷu
- • Eṇṭu
- • Hattu
Ends in -tu
- • Ombattu
- • Hattu
Examples by Level
ಒಂದು ಪುಸ್ತಕ
One book
ಎರಡು ಪೆನ್ನು
Two pens
ಮೂರು ಮನೆ
Three houses
ಹತ್ತು ರೂಪಾಯಿ
Ten rupees
ನನ್ನ ಬಳಿ ನಾಲ್ಕು ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳಿವೆ.
I have four books.
ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಐದು ಜನ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ.
There are five people there.
ಆರು ಗಂಟೆ ಆಯ್ತು.
It is six o'clock.
ಏಳು ದಿನಗಳು.
Seven days.
ಎಂಟು ಗಂಟೆಗೆ ಬನ್ನಿ.
Come at eight o'clock.
ಒಂಬತ್ತು ಜನ ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿಗಳು ಬಂದರು.
Nine students came.
ಹತ್ತು ನಿಮಿಷ ಕಾಯಿರಿ.
Wait for ten minutes.
ಒಂದು ಕಪ್ ಚಹಾ ಕೊಡಿ.
Give me one cup of tea.
ನಾವು ಎರಡು ಗಂಟೆಗಳ ಕಾಲ ಚರ್ಚಿಸಿದೆವು.
We discussed for two hours.
ಮೂರು ಪ್ರಮುಖ ಕಾರಣಗಳಿವೆ.
There are three main reasons.
ನಾಲ್ಕು ದಿಕ್ಕುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಹುಡುಕಿದೆವು.
We searched in four directions.
ಐದು ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಅನುಭವವಿದೆ.
I have five years of experience.
ಆರು ತಿಂಗಳ ಅವಧಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪೂರ್ಣಗೊಳಿಸಿ.
Complete it within a period of six months.
ಏಳು ಸಮುದ್ರಗಳನ್ನು ದಾಟಿದನು.
He crossed seven seas.
ಎಂಟು ಮಂದಿ ಸದಸ್ಯರ ಸಮಿತಿ.
A committee of eight members.
ಒಂಬತ್ತು ಗ್ರಹಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಓದಿದೆ.
I read about nine planets.
ಹತ್ತು ಅವತಾರಗಳ ಕಥೆ.
The story of ten incarnations.
ಒಂದು ಕ್ಷಣವೂ ವ್ಯರ್ಥ ಮಾಡಬೇಡಿ.
Don't waste even one moment.
ಎರಡು ದಾರಿಗಳ ನಡುವೆ.
Between two paths.
ಮೂರು ಲೋಕಗಳ ಒಡೆಯ.
Lord of the three worlds.
Easily Confused
Learners mix up 'ondu' (one) and 'modalane' (first).
Learners put the number after the noun like in some other languages.
Learners aren't sure when to use 'jana' vs 'manda' for people.
Common Mistakes
ondu pustaka (one book) -> ondu pustakavu
ondu pustaka
eradu jana (two people) -> eradu janaru
eradu jana
muru (3) -> muru (sounds like 'muru' in English)
muru (pronounced with a soft 'r')
hattu (10) -> hatu
hattu
eshtu pustakagalu?
eshtu pustaka?
nalku (4) -> nalku (with long 'a')
nalku (short 'a')
ombattu (9) -> ombatu
ombattu
ondu coffee (one coffee) -> ondu coffee-nu
ondu coffee
aidu (5) -> aidu (sounds like 'eye-doo')
aidu (pronounced 'ai-du')
elu (7) -> elu (sounds like 'eel-u')
elu (short 'e')
hattu (10) used as 'many'
hattu is specifically 10
Sentence Patterns
ನನ್ನ ಬಳಿ ___ ಪೆನ್ನುಗಳಿವೆ.
ಇದು ___ ಗಂಟೆ.
ನಮ್ಮ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ___ ಜನ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ.
ನನಗೆ ___ ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಅನುಭವವಿದೆ.
Real World Usage
ondu dosa kodi
hattu kilo akki
nalku ganthege banni
aidu varshagala anubhava
ondu ticket
muru item
The 'U' factor
7 vs 8
Ordering like a local
Smart Tips
Always add 'jana' after the number.
Always add 'ganthe' after the number.
Add 'rupayi' after the number.
Add 'varsha' for years.
Pronunciation
Retroflex sounds
The 't' and 'd' in Kannada are retroflex (tongue touches the roof of the mouth).
Question intonation
Eshtu pustaka? ↑
Rising intonation at the end for questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Ondu' as 'One-du' (sounds like one).
Visual Association
Imagine a big '1' shaped like a stick (ondu) and a '2' shaped like a duck (eradu).
Rhyme
Ondu, eradu, muru, nalku, aidu, aaru, elu, entu, ombattu, hattuu!
Story
One (ondu) duck had two (eradu) eggs. Three (muru) birds watched as four (nalku) fish swam by. Five (aidu) frogs jumped over six (aaru) stones, while seven (elu) bees and eight (entu) ants danced with nine (ombattu) butterflies until ten (hattu) stars appeared.
Word Web
Challenge
Count the items on your desk in Kannada right now.
Cultural Notes
Numbers are often used with the suffix '-jana' for people and '-ganthe' for time.
In some dialects, numbers might be slightly shortened in rapid speech.
Numbers are written out fully in formal documents.
Kannada numbers are of Dravidian origin, distinct from the Sanskrit-derived numbers found in many other Indian languages.
Conversation Starters
ನಿಮ್ಮ ಬಳಿ ಎಷ್ಟು ಪೆನ್ನುಗಳಿವೆ?
ಒಂದು ದಿನಕ್ಕೆ ಎಷ್ಟು ಗಂಟೆ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡುತ್ತೀರಿ?
ನಿಮ್ಮ ಕುಟುಂಬದಲ್ಲಿ ಎಷ್ಟು ಜನ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ?
ಹತ್ತು ವರ್ಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನೀವು ಎಲ್ಲಿರಲು ಬಯಸುತ್ತೀರಿ?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Nanage ___ (2) dosa bēku.
Choose the word for 5:
Find and fix the mistake:
I have 9 apples: Nanna hattira 'Hattu' ಸೇಬು ಇದೆ.
Score: /3
Practice Exercises
8 exercises___ pustaka
What is 2 in Kannada?
Find and fix the mistake:
nalku pustakagalu
Three apples.
Match 5 to Kannada.
What is 9 in Kannada?
___ rupayi
Find and fix the mistake:
hattu janaru
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesOne
Match the pairs
coffee / Mūru
Āru, ___, Eṇṭu
Which of these is 8?
10 = Ombattu
Seven
Nanage ___ (4) ticket bēku.
nimiṣa / Ondu
Select 9:
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
No, Kannada numbers are gender-neutral.
Use the word `eshtu`.
No, use the singular form of the noun.
It takes practice! Focus on the 'tt' sound.
Yes, they are standard.
They have different roots (Dravidian vs Indo-Aryan).
Yes, add `ganthe` after the number.
Pluralizing the noun after the number.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
uno, dos, tres...
Gender agreement is mandatory in Spanish, absent in Kannada.
un, deux, trois...
Kannada is strictly phonetic; French is not.
eins, zwei, drei...
German grammar is highly inflected; Kannada is agglutinative.
ichi, ni, san...
Japanese requires specific counters; Kannada does not.
wahid, ithnan, thalatha...
Arabic gender-matching is complex; Kannada is neutral.
yi, er, san...
Chinese measure words are essential; Kannada is simpler.
