Telling the Time in Kannada: ಗಂಟೆ, ಕಾಲು and ಅರ್ಧ
How to ask and tell the time in Kannada, including the words for a quarter and a half, and the parts of the day.
Telling the time in Kannada is straightforward, with special words for quarters and halves that you'll hear all the time.
Asking the time
- ಈಗ ಗಂಟೆ ಎಷ್ಟು? (Īga gaṇṭe eṣṭu?) — What time is it now?
- ಎಷ್ಟು ಗಂಟೆಗೆ? — At what time?
ಗಂಟೆ (gaṇṭe) means both "hour" and "bell", and ನಿಮಿಷ (nimiṣa) means "minute".
O'clock
The number plus ಗಂಟೆ:
| Time | Kannada |
|---|---|
| 1:00 | ಒಂದು ಗಂಟೆ |
| 2:00 | ಎರಡು ಗಂಟೆ |
| 3:00 | ಮೂರು ಗಂಟೆ |
| 4:00 | ನಾಲ್ಕು ಗಂಟೆ |
| 5:00 | ಐದು ಗಂಟೆ |
| 6:00 | ಆರು ಗಂಟೆ |
| 7:00 | ಏಳು ಗಂಟೆ |
| 8:00 | ಎಂಟು ಗಂಟೆ |
| 9:00 | ಒಂಬತ್ತು ಗಂಟೆ |
| 10:00 | ಹತ್ತು ಗಂಟೆ |
Quarters and halves
| Time | Kannada |
|---|---|
| quarter past three | ಮೂರು ಕಾಲು (mūru kālu) |
| half past three | ಮೂರೂವರೆ (mūrūvare) |
| half past one | ಒಂದೂವರೆ (ondūvare) |
| half past two | ಎರಡೂವರೆ (eraḍūvare) |
ಕಾಲು means "quarter" and ಅರ್ಧ means "half". After a number, "half past" is formed with -ವರೆ, a lengthened vowel plus vare.
Parts of the day
| Kannada | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ಬೆಳಗ್ಗೆ | morning |
| ಮಧ್ಯಾಹ್ನ | midday, afternoon |
| ಸಂಜೆ | evening |
| ರಾತ್ರಿ | night |
Examples
- ಈಗ ಎಂಟು ಗಂಟೆ. — It's eight o'clock now.
- ನಾನು ಬೆಳಗ್ಗೆ ಆರು ಗಂಟೆಗೆ ಏಳುತ್ತೇನೆ. — I wake up at six in the morning.
- ಸಭೆ ಸಂಜೆ ಐದು ಗಂಟೆಗೆ. — The meeting is at five in the evening.
- ರೈಲು ಮೂರೂವರೆಗೆ ಬರುತ್ತದೆ. — The train comes at half past three.
The ending -ಗೆ marks "at" a time.
Useful phrases
- ಸಮಯ (samaya) — time
- ತಡ (taḍa) — late
- ಬೇಗ (bēga) — early, quickly
- ಈಗ ತಡವಾಗಿದೆ. — It's late now.
Tips
- Learn 1–10 with ಗಂಟೆ.
- Learn ಕಾಲು and -ವರೆ.
- Use the dictionary to check spellings.
English Kannada Dictionary
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