Saying No in Kannada: ಇಲ್ಲ, ಅಲ್ಲ and ಬೇಡ

Kannada uses different negative words depending on what you are negating. Learning them together saves confusion.

The main negatives

Word	Roman	Use
ಇಲ್ಲ	illa	no, not, there is not
ಅಲ್ಲ	alla	is not (identity)
ಬೇಡ	bēḍa	don't want, don't

Negating a verb

Add -ಉವುದಿಲ್ಲ to the verb stem:

Positive	Negative
ನಾನು ಹೋಗುತ್ತೇನೆ. (I go / will go)	ನಾನು ಹೋಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. (I don't go / won't go)
ಅವನು ಬರುತ್ತಾನೆ. (He comes)	ಅವನು ಬರುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. (He doesn't come)
ಅವಳು ತಿನ್ನುತ್ತಾಳೆ. (She eats)	ಅವಳು ತಿನ್ನುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. (She doesn't eat)

The negative form is the same for every person.

Negating the past

• ನಾನು ಹೋಗಲಿಲ್ಲ. — I didn't go.
• ಅವನು ಬರಲಿಲ್ಲ. — He didn't come.
• ನಾವು ತಿನ್ನಲಿಲ್ಲ. — We didn't eat.

The pattern is the stem plus -ಅಲಿಲ್ಲ.

Not knowing, not having

• ಗೊತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ. — I don't know.
• ನನಗೆ ಅರ್ಥವಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ. — I didn't understand.
• ಹಣ ಇಲ್ಲ. — There is no money.

Don't: ಬೇಡ

ಬೇಡ means "no thanks" or "don't":

• ನನಗೆ ಕಾಫಿ ಬೇಡ. — I don't want coffee.
• ಹೋಗಬೇಡ. — Don't go. (informal)
• ಹೋಗಬೇಡಿ. — Please don't go. (polite)
• ಚಿಂತೆ ಬೇಡ. — Don't worry.

Polite refusals

• ಬೇಡ, ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು. — No, thank you.
• ಇಲ್ಲ, ಪರವಾಗಿಲ್ಲ. — No, it's fine.

ಪರವಾಗಿಲ್ಲ (paravāgilla) means "no problem" or "never mind".

Common mistakes

1. Using ಇಲ್ಲ for identity. Use ಅಲ್ಲ.
2. Using ಅಲ್ಲ for absence. Use ಇಲ್ಲ.
3. Forgetting ಬೇಡ when refusing an offer.

Tips

1. Learn the three words in the table.
2. Practise with short sentences.
3. Use the dictionary to check negative forms.

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