Kannada Transliteration

Writing Kannada words using PramukhIME is as easy as writing our names in English. For quick help, checkout the following image. This image shows which letter(s) will be typed when you press a particular key (combination). Press F9 (or your preferred Shortcut Key) to switch between currently selected language and last selected language.

Note: Typing is case-sensitive. Typing small "a" and capital "A" will yield different letters. Make sure "Caps Lock" key is not ON.

Quick Links: Vowel, Consonant, Vowel Sign, Digit, Other, Symbol, Rule, ZWJ/ZWNJ character, Example

Vowel

ಅ = a

ಆ = aa/A

ಇ = i

ಈ = ee/I

ಉ = u

ಊ = oo/U

ಋ = Ri

ೠ = RI

ಌ = Li-

ೡ = LI-

ಎ = e

ಏ = E

ಐ = ai

ಒ = o

ಓ = O

ಔ = au/ou

ಅಂ = aM/a.n/a.m

ಅಃ = a:/aH

Consonant

ಕ್ = k

ಖ್ = kh

ಗ್ = g

ಘ್ = gh

ಙ್ = NG

ಚ್ = ch/C

ಛ್ = chh/Ch

ಜ್ = j

ಝ್ = jh/z

ಞ್ = NY

ಟ್ = T

ಠ್ = Th

ಡ್ = D

ಢ್ = Dh

ಣ್ = N

ತ್ = t

ಥ್ = th

ದ್ = d

ಧ್ = dh

ನ್ = n

ಪ್ = p

ಫ್ = ph/f

ಬ್ = b

ಭ್ = bh

ಮ್ = m

ಯ್ = y

ರ್ = r/R

ಲ್ = l

ವ್ = v/w

ಶ್ = sh/S

ಷ್ = Sh

ಸ್ = s

ಹ್ = h

ಳ್ = L

ಕ್ಷ್ = kSh/x

ಜ್ಞ್ = Gy

Vowel Sign

ಾ = aa/A

ಿ = i

ೀ = ee/I

ೕ = e_ (Length mark)

ು = u

ೂ = oo/U

ೃ = Ri

ೄ = RI

ೢ = Li-

ೣ = LI-

ೆ = e

ೇ = E

ೈ = ai

ೖ = aI (AI Length mark)

ೊ = o

ೋ = O

ೌ = au/ou

ಂ = M/.n/.m (Anusvar)

ಃ = :/H (Visarg)

Note: Dotted round symbol represents placeholder for consonant character

Digit

If the setting "Digit in English" is not set, Kannada and English digits are typed this way

೦ = 0, ೧ = 1, ೨ = 2, ೩ = 3, ೪ = 4, ೫ = 5, ೬ = 6, ೭ = 7, ೮ = 8, ೯ = 9
0 = 0-, 1 = 1-, 2 = 2-, 3 = 3-, 4 = 4-, 5 = 5-, 6 = 6-, 7 = 7-, 8 = 8-, 9 = 9-

If the setting "Digit in English" is set, Kannada and English digits are typed this way

೦ = 0-, ೧ = 1-, ೨ = 2-, ೩ = 3-, ೪ = 4-, ೫ = 5-, ೬ = 6-, ೭ = 7-, ೮ = 8-, ೯ = 9-
0 = 0, 1 = 1, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, 5 = 5, 6 = 6, 7 = 7, 8 = 8, 9 = 9

Other

್ = See example (Viram/Halant)

್ಯ್ = Y (Explicit Ya phala)

ಽ = .a (Avagrah)

। = | (Devanagari danda)

॥ = || (Devanagari double danda)

₹ = Rs (Indian Rupee sign)

ॐ = OM (Aum)

卐 = +- (Swastika sign)

Zero Width Joiner = -- (2 Dashes)

Zero Width Non Joiner = --- (3 Dashes)

Note: Dotted round symbol represents placeholder for consonant character

Symbol

The English symbols [ ] { } ( ) < > - + / = ; . , ' " ? ! % \ _ & $ @ # ~ * ^ are transliterated into the same symbols.
Symbols : | have special meaning. You can type this way

: = :-

| = |-

These symbols will type Kannada characters first but if "-" will be followed, it will remove previously typed Kannada character and then type the symbol.

Rule

Consonant is followed by vowel sign character to make a live consonant.

Example
ಕ ಕಾ ಕಿ ಕೀ ಕು ಕೂ ಕೃ ಕೄ ಕೢ ಕೣ ಕೕ ಕೆ ಕೇ ಕೖ ಕೈ ಕೊ ಕೋ ಕೌ ಕಂ ಕಃ
ka kaa ki kee ku koo kRi kRI kLi- kLI- ke_ ke kE kaI kai ko kO kau kaM ka:
Two or more consecutive consonants make consonant cluster. The last consonant takes the full form and all preceding consonants within cluster take half form
Example
ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ = namaskaara
Special consonant cluster forms (ligature) will be automatically created if it is available in the font. Look at the examples for clarification. All possible ligatures may not be given in the example. Try typing the consonant combinations according to ligature pronounciation and it will work. For example, try typing "vidhyaa", "viDyaa", "vidyaa" to get the correct ligature for "dy" in "vidyaa".
Character "-" is followed by consonant will be transliterated as ್ (Viram/Halant)
Example
ಖ ಕ್ಹ ಘ ಗ್ಹ ಛ ಚ್ಹ ಝ ಜ್ಹ ಠ ಟ್ಹ ಢ ಡ್ಹ ಥ ತ್ಹ ಧ ದ್ಹ ಫ ಪ್ಹ ಭ ಬ್ಹ ಶ ಸ್ಹ ಷ ಶ್ಹ
kha k-ha gha g-ha chha ch-ha jha j-ha Tha T-ha Dha D-ha tha t-ha dha d-ha pha p-ha bha b-ha sha s-ha Sha S-ha
If two english characters are making one Kannada Vowel (i.e. ai, au), then "-" character is used to separate them into two different vowels.
Example
ಐರಾವತ = airaavata

ಅಇರಾವತ = a-iraavata
Character "m" transliterates to "ಂ" if it is the last character in the word.
Example
ಸಿಕ್ಕಿಂ = sikkim

If the Advanced Rule is set to "Panchamakshar", character "n"/"m" will be automatically transliterated to panchamakshar of the varg of the consonant following "n"/"m".

If character	Followed by	Transliterated to
n	k, kh, g, gh	ಙ್
n	ch, chh, j, jh	ಞ್
n	T, Th, D , Dh	ಣ್
n	t, th, d, dh	ಣ್
n	p, ph, b, bh	ಮ್
n	- (Dash)	ನ್
m	- (Dash)	ಮ್
n	Any other character	ನ್
m	Any other character	ಮ್

Example

If the Advanced Rule is set to "Anusvar", character "n"/"m" will be automatically transliterated to anusvar ಂ.

If character	Followed by	Transliterated to
n	k, kh, g, gh	ಂ
n	ch, chh, j, jh	ಂ
n	T, Th, D, Dh	ಂ
n	t, th, d, dh	ಂ
m	p, ph, b, bh, v	ಂ
n	- (Dash)	ನ್
m	- (Dash)	ಮ್
n	Any other character	ನ್
m	Any other character	ಮ್

Example
ಮುಂಜಾನೆ = munjaane

ತಂತ್ರ = tantra

ಇಂಪಾದ = impaada

ಮುನ್ಜಾನೆ = mun-jaane

ZWJ/ZWNJ character

ZWJ and ZWNJ characters are used to produce alternate rendering of ligature.

A consonant followed by ZWJ character will produce half-formed consonant character.

Example
ಪ್ರಶ್ನ = prashna

ಪ್ರಶ್‍ನ = prash--na
A consonant followed by ZWNJ character will produce dead consonant character.

Example
ಪ್ರಶ್ನ = prashna

ಪ್ರಶ್‌ನ = prash---na

Example

ರಾತ್ರಿ = raatri

ಮಧ್ಯಾಹ್ನ = madhyaahna

ಕರ್ಮ = karma

ಎಷ್ಟು = eShTu

ಕ್ರಾಂತಿ = kraaMti

ಕರ್ತವ್ಯ = kartavya

ಕರ್ರಗೆ = karrage

ಕರ್‌ರಗೆ = kar---rage