Tulu Lesson 21: Imperative Mood

namaskAra! Welcome back!

So far we have finished 20 lessons in Tulu. I hope you are enjoying the lessons. If you have any feedbacks, please let me know. Today we are going to learn imperative forms in Tulu. The imperative mood is verb form that generally used to make a command or a request. Look at these sentences in English:

Go!

Be quit!

Let us go!

Let him do!

Now we are going to learn these types of sentences in Tulu.

Let us look at all of the imperative forms used in Tulu:

		Singular			Plural
		Pronoun	Ending	Example: malpu	Pronoun	Ending	Example: malpu
First Person		yAn	-	-	nama	ka/ga	malpuga
Second Person		I	la / nothing	malpula / malpu	nikulu/Ir	le	malpule
Third Person	Masc.	Aye/imbe	aD	malpaD	akulu/Ar/mokulu/mEr	aD	malpaD
	Fem.	Al/mOlu	aD	malpaD
	Neut.	au/undu	aD	malpaD	aikulu/undekulu	aD	malpaD

First Person Imperative forms:

First person plural imperatives are used mainly for suggesting an action to be performed together by the speaker and the listener.  

Tulu does not have imperative forms for the first person singular ‘yAn’.

As we know, we have two pronouns for first person plural in Tulu, they are:

1. nama - the person to whom spoken is also included
2. enkulu - the person to whom spoken is not included

Only ‘nama’ has imperative form in Tulu.

To make imperative form for the pronoun ‘nama’, we have to add ‘ka/ga’ to root verbs. (‘ka’ for Class A verbs and ‘ga’ for Class B verbs)

Root verb + ka/ga

malpu + ga >>> malpuga – Let us do (Kannda: mADONa)

bar + ka >>> barka – Let us come (Kannada: barONa)

uN + ka >>> uNka – Let us have lunch/dinner (Kannada: uTa mADONa)

kullu + ga >>> kulluga – Let us sit (Kannada: kuLitukoLLONa)

telipu + ga >>> telipuga Let us smile/laugh (Kannada: nagONa)

kEN + ga >>> kENga – Let us ask/hear (Kannada: kELONa)

paN + ka >>> paNka – Let us say (Kannada: hELONa)

tU + ka >>> tUka – Let us see (Kannada: nODONa)

tUpA + ga >>> tUpAga – Let us show (Kannada: tOrisONa)

pO + ka >>> pOka or pOyi – Let us go (Kannada: hOGONa)

The verb ‘pO’ is irregular. The imperative form ‘pOyi’ is used more frequently compared to ‘pOka’.

Examples:

Tulu: nama ellae tikk’ga

English: Let us meet tomorrow

Kannada: nAvu nALe sigONa

Tulu: nama kuDlag pOyi

English: Let us go to Mangalore

Kannada: nAvu mangaLUrige hOgONa

Tulu: dAda ApuNDu tUka

English: Let us see what will happen

Kannada: Enu Agtade nODONa

Tulu: nama kushiT uppuga

English: Let us be happy

Kannada: nAvu khushiyinda irONA

Tulu: ini naDatondu pOyi

English: Let us go walking today

Kannada: ivattu naDedukoNDu hOgONa

Tulu: nama tulu kalpuga

English: Let us learn Tulu

Kannada: nAvu tuLu kaliyONa

Tulu: nama ini movie’g pOya?

English: Let’s go to movie today?

Kannada: nAvu ivattu movie’ge hOgONva?

Tulu: chA parkana, boDcha?

English: Let us have tea or not?

Kannada: chaha kuDiyONva, bEDva?

There is no negative imperative form for the first persons in Tulu, but this can be expressed by using the negative Adverbial Participle with imperative forms of the verb ‘uppu’.

Examples:

Tulu: nama pOvandae uppuga

English: Let us not go

Kannda: nAvu hOgadirONa

Tulu: nama manipande uppuga

English: Let us not talk

Kannda: nAvu summane (mAtannADade) irONa

Tulu: nama dAla tiNandae uppuga

English: Let us not eat anything

Kannada: nAvu EnU tinnadirONa

Second Person Imperative forms:

Second Person imperatives are used for ordering, requesting or advising the listener to do something and to express a wish.

Usually the root verb itself is the imperative form for the second person singular. We can add the suffix ‘la’ optionally to the root verb. However, adding  the suffix ‘la’ is mandatory for the verbs with single syllable like tU, dI, mI, rA, A, sai (except pO) to make second person singular imperative forms.   

Root verb + la

malpu or malpula - Come (Kannada: mADu)

kEN or kENla - Hear/Ask/Listen (Kannada: kELu)

paN or paNla - Tell/Say (Kannada: hELu)

pO or pOla - Go (Kannada: hOgu)

tUla – See/Look (Kannada: nODu)

Ala – Become (Kannada: Agu)

rAla – Fly (Kannada: hAru)

dIla – Keep or Place (Kannada: iDu)

The verb ‘bar’ is irregular.

bar + la >>> balla >>> bala – Come (Kannada: bA)

To make second person plural imperative forms, the suffix ‘le’ is added to root verbs.   

Root verb + le

bar + le >>> balle >>> bale – Come (Kannada: banni)

kENle - Hear/Ask/Listen (Kannada: kELi)

paNle - Tell/Say (Kannada: hELi)

pOle - Go (Kannada: hOgi)

tUle – See/Look (Kannada: nODi)

Ale – Become (Kannada: Agi)

rAle – Fly (Kannada: hAri)

dIle – Keep or Place (Kannada: iDi)

Examples:

Tulu: rAma! iDe bala

English: Rama! Come here

Kannada: rAma! illi bA

Tulu: pENTeg pOdu ari kanala

English: Go to the bazaar and bring some rice

Kannada: pETege hOgi akki koNDu bA

Tulu: onji lOTae nIr koru

English: Give me a glass of water

Kannada: ondu lOTa nIru koDu

Tulu: satya paN

English: Tell the truth

Kannada: satya hELu

Tulu: sAleg pO

English: Go to school

Kannada: shAlege hOgu

Tulu: jAgrateD uppula

English: Be Careful

Kannada: jAgrateyinda iru

Tulu: ninna bElae malpu

English: Do your work

Kannda: ninna kelasa mADu

Tulu: posa angi dettoNDana? enk tUpAv (tOjAv)

English: Did you buy a new dress? Show it to me

Kannada: hosa angi takoNDeya? nanage tOrisu

Tulu: bAlen jeppAla

English: Make the baby to sleep

Kannada: maguvannu malagisu

Tulu: enan tUla

English: Look at me

Kannda: nannannu nODu

Tulu: nIr parle

English: Drink some water

Kannda: nIru kuDIri

Tulu: aven tirt dIle

English: Put that down

Kannada: adannu keLage iDi

Tulu: Ayen leppule

English: Call him

Kannda: avanannu karIri

Tulu: bAkil deppule

English: Open the door

Kannda: bAgilu tegIri

Tulu: manipande kullule

English: Sit Quietly

Kannada: summane kuLitukoLLi

Tulu: dayadId enan artha maltoNle

English: Please try to understand me

Kannada: dayaviTTu nannannu artha mADikoLLi

Tulu: enna bag’n vantae pattoNle

English: Hold my bag for a moment

Kannada: nanna bag’annu swalpa hiDidukoLLi

Tulu: nUdu varsha kushiT bad’k’le

English: May you live 100 years happily

Kannada: nUru varsha kushiyinda bALi

Imperative forms can be used with different particles depending on the persons you are addressing.

'ya' - balaya / pOya - Come / Go (Kannada: bAra / hOga): Informal or singular – can be used for both male and female friends/younger persons

'mbae or mae' - balambae / pOmbae – Come / Go (Kannada: bAro / hOgo): Informal or singular – can be used for male friends/younger persons – Don’t use this for any one unless your close friend

   

'de' - balade / pOde - Come / Go (Kannada: bAre / hOge): informal or singular – can be used for female friends/younger persons – Don’t use this for any one unless your close friend

  

'ye' - baleye / pOleye – Come / Go (Kannada: banniri / hOgiri): To show respect to a person – can be used for both male and female elders/strangers

To make negative imperative forms for the second persons, add the suffix ‘aDa’ (singular) or ‘aDe’ (plural) to root verbs.

Examples:

Tulu: iDe baraDa

English: Don’t come here

Kannada: illi barabEDa

Tulu: sullu paNaDa

English: Don’t tell a lie

Kannada: suLLu hELbEDa

Tulu: enan tUvaDa

English: Don’t look at me

Kannda: nannannu nODabEDa

Tulu: amasara malpaDe

English: Don’t hurry

Kannada: avasara mADbEDi

Tulu: Ayen leppaDe

English: Don’t call him

Kannda: avanannu karibEDi

Tulu: enan madapaDe

English: Don’t forget me

Kannada: nannannu maribEDi

Also, there is another negative imperative form for the second persons that can be formed by adding the suffix ‘oDchi’ (for both singular and plural) which is derived from modal verb ‘boDchi’ (Don’t want/Don’t need)

Tulu: aDe pOvoDchi

English: Don’t go there

Kannada: alli hOgbEDa

Tulu: enan tUvoDchi

English: Don’t look at me

Kannad: nannannu nODbEDa

Tulu: eNDa pAteroDchi

English: Don’t talk with me

Kannada: nannondige mAtannADabEDa

Tulu: pODyoDchi

English: Don’t be scared

Kannda: hedarbEDa

Third Person Imperative forms:

Third person imperatives are used to suggest or order that third parties be permitted to do something and to express a wish.

To make third person imperative forms (both singular and plural), the suffix ‘aD’ is added to root verbs.

Root verb + aD

bar + aD >>> baraD – Let it/him/her/them come (Kannada: barali)

kENaD – Let it/him/her/them hear/ask (Kannada: kELali)

tiNaD - Let it/him/her/them eat (Kannada: tinnali)

pOvaD - Let it/him/her/them go (Kannada: hOgali)

AvaD - Let it/him/her/them be/become (Kannada: Agali)

uppaD - Let it/him/her/them be (Kannada: irali)

Tulu: anchene AvaD

English: Let it be so

Kannada: hAgE Agali

Tulu: Aye ellae baraD

English: Let him come tomorrow

Kannada: avanu nAle barali

Tulu: Al onas malpaD

English: Let her eat her lunch/dinner

Kannada: avaLu UTa mADali

Tulu: I bAjana dekk’la, Aye kuNTu ardaD

English: You wash the dishes, let him wash the clothes.

Kannada: nInu pAtre toLi, avanu baTTe ogeyali

Tulu: akulu bAlen tUvoNaD

English: Let them take care of the baby

Kannada: avaru maguvannu nODikoLLali

Tulu: Aye pidai kApaD

English: Let him wait outside

Kannada: avanu horage kAyali

Tulu: Aye ittae pOvaDa?

English: Let him go now?

Kannada: avanu Iga hOgala?

Tulu: Ar tIrmAna malpaD

English: Let him/her decide

Kannada: avaru tIrmAna mADali

Tulu: nikk dEver eDDae malpaD

English: May God bless you

Kannada: ninage dEvaru oLLedu mADali

Tulu: mAta janokulu kushiT uppaD

English: May all the people be happy

Kannada: ellA janaru kushiyinda irali

There is no negative imperative form for the third persons in Tulu, but this can be expressed by using the negative Adverbial Participle with imperative forms of the verb ‘uppu’.

Tulu: Aye barandae uppaD

English: Let him not come

Kannada: avanu barade irali

Tulu: akulu manipandae uppaD

English: Let them not speak (be quiet)

Kannada: avaru summane (mAtannADade) irali

Tulu: ancha Avandae uppaD

English: Let it not be so

Kannada: hAge Agadirali

Click here to go to Vocabulary page.

Click here for Video lessons

If you need more sentences translated in Tulu, please leave a comment. If you find this lesson helpful, please share it with your friends who wish to learn Tulu J

See you next week!

solmelu!