Greetings in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam
Many South Indian families live far from the cities where they grew up. A greeting in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada or Malayalam makes the distance smaller.
Birthday phrases
- Tamil: பிறந்தநாள் வாழ்த்துகள்!
- Telugu: పుట్టినరోజు శుభాకాంక్షలు!
- Kannada: ಹುಟ್ಟುಹಬ್ಬದ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು!
- Malayalam: പിറന്നാൾ ആശംസകൾ!
Festival phrases
- Tamil: பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துகள்!
- Telugu: సంక్రాంతి శుభాకాంక్షలు!
Beyond the phrase
A phrase is the opener. A greeting that works also names the person and mentions something real, such as the kolam at dawn, the beach in Chennai, the dosa your grandmother makes on Sundays.
More phrases
- Tamil, Diwali: இனிய தீபாவளி நல்வாழ்த்துகள்!
- Telugu, thank you: ధన్యవాదాలు
- Malayalam, congratulations: അഭിനന്ദനങ്ങൾ!
- Kannada, thank you: ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು
Prompts to adapt
- “Wish my amma happy birthday in Tamil. Mention her filter coffee and the way she hums while cooking.”
- “Send Sankranti wishes in Telugu to my family. Mention the kites on the terrace and the sweets we made together.”
- “Wish my chechi happy birthday in Malayalam. Mention the Onam sadya we cooked together.”
Why not just translate?
A literal translation of an English greeting rarely sounds natural. Kinship terms, festival names and blessings carry meaning that does not translate word for word. Describing your greeting in your own words, and having it narrated in the language, gives a more natural result. Always review the script, and ask a family member to listen if you can.
Choosing the language for each relative
Tamil is the language of Tamil Nadu, Telugu of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Kannada of Karnataka and Malayalam of Kerala. Many families are bilingual, but the language an elder speaks with their own parents is usually the one that touches them most. If you are not sure, choose the language the person uses when they are relaxed at home.
Kinship words worth using
| Language | Mother / Father | Grandmother / Grandfather |
|---|---|---|
| Tamil | Amma / Appa | Paati / Thatha |
| Telugu | Amma / Nanna | Ammamma (maternal) / Thatha |
| Kannada | Amma / Appa | Ajji / Ajja |
| Malayalam | Amma / Achan | Ammamma / Appooppan |
Words differ between families and communities, so use whichever your family uses. Including it in your prompt helps the story sound like your home.
Festivals by language
- Tamil: Pongal in January, Puthandu (Tamil New Year) in April and Deepavali.
- Telugu: Sankranti in January and Ugadi, the Telugu New Year, in spring.
- Kannada: Ugadi and Dasara, which is celebrated grandly in Mysuru.
- Malayalam: Onam, with its sadya feast and flower carpets, and Vishu.
Mentioning the particular festival, the particular dish and the particular person is what turns a standard greeting into a story. See our Pongal and Sankranti guide for more.
For families that speak more than one language
If your family mixes languages, create separate greetings rather than trying to combine them. A story in Tamil for your grandmother and one in English for your cousins will each feel more natural than a hybrid.
Create it in your language
In ShareGreet, describe your greeting and select the narration language. The AI writes the script, illustrates it and narrates it, and you can edit the script first. For festivals, see Pongal and Sankranti greetings.
Frequently asked questions
Does ShareGreet support Kannada and Malayalam?
Yes. Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam are all supported for narration and text.
Can I mix languages?
You can write your prompt in one language and have it narrated in another.
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