Conjuncts in Kannada: Ottakshara and the Virama

Kannada words often contain two consonants in a row, with no vowel between them. The script handles this with ಒತ್ತಕ್ಷರ (ottakshara, "pressed letter"): the second consonant is written in a smaller form beneath or beside the first.

How it works

1. The first consonant loses its inherent a.
2. The second consonant is written in a subscript form.
3. The vowel comes after the cluster.

Example: ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada) is written ಕ + ನ್ನ + ಡ, where ನ್ನ is the doubled consonant nna.

Doubled consonants

Word	Reading	Meaning
ಅಮ್ಮ	amma	mother
ಅಪ್ಪ	appa	father
ಅಕ್ಕ	akka	elder sister
ಅಣ್ಣ	aṇṇa	elder brother
ತಮ್ಮ	tamma	younger brother
ಚಿಕ್ಕ	cikka	small
ದೊಡ್ಡ	doḍḍa	big
ಉಪ್ಪು	uppu	salt

Doubled consonants are very common in Kannada, and the doubled sound is held longer.

Different consonants together

Word	Reading	Meaning
ಪುಸ್ತಕ	pustaka	book
ಸ್ನೇಹಿತ	snēhita	friend
ಪ್ರೀತಿ	prīti	love
ಕೃಷ್ಣ	kṛṣṇa	Krishna
ಸಂತೋಷ	santōṣa	happiness

In ಪ್ರೀತಿ and ಸ್ನೇಹಿತ, the second letter (ರ, ನ) is written below or beside the first.

The virama

The virama (್, called ಹಲಂತ, halanta) is a small mark that cancels the inherent vowel. It appears at the end of a word when a consonant has no vowel, especially in loanwords:

• ಬಸ್ (bas, bus)
• ಪೆನ್ (pen)

Reading clusters

1. Recognise the first consonant, then look at the subscript.
2. Say them together without a vowel between.
3. Add the vowel at the end.

Practice

1. ಸ್ವಾಗತ (svāgata, welcome)
2. ಮಕ್ಕಳು (makkaḷu, children)

Tips

1. Learn the doubled consonants first.
2. Look for the subscript in longer words.
3. Use the dictionary to see how clusters are written.

Look up any word with English Kannada Dictionary →