How to type in Kannada using Lipikaar

Lipikaar is a simple method for typing in Kannada on an ordinary keyboard. It requires only some familiarity with the regular English keyboard and encourages the user to think in his/her regional language. It works on all Windows Applications which support Unicode - MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Internet Explorer and others.

Rule 1:

Repeatedly type the closest sounding key till you see the correct script character.

Type s once for ಸ, twice for ಶand thrice for ಷ
Also, to attach ర, ಋ or ೠ to an alphabet as in ಕ್ರ, ಕೃ, ಕೄ type r repeatedly after the alphabet.
For ಕ್ರ, type krr, for ಕೃ, type krrr.

Rule 2:

Type x after the character to get its half-character.

For ರಕ್ತ, type rkxt ; For ಚಕ್ರ type ckxr ; For ನಾಟ್ಯ type natttxy

Rule 3:

Type z to add a special symbol of the script.

For example ಂ ಃ ಼ ಽ ೕ

English to Kannada Mapping Guide

Refer to the following table to understand the mapping for the different characters in the script.

a	ಾ ಅ ಆ
b	ಬ ಭ
c	ಚ ಛ
d	ದ ಧ ಡ ಢ ದ್ಧ ದ್ವ ದ್ಯ ದ್ದ ದ್ನ ದ್ಮ
e	ೆ ೇ ೈ ಎ ಏ ಐ ೖ
f	ಫ ೞ
g	ಗ ಘ ಙ ಜ್ಞ
h	ಹ ಹ್ಮ ಹ್ಯ ಹ್ಲ ಹ್ನ ಹ್ವ
i	ಿ ೀ ಇ ಈ
j	ಜ ಝ ಞ ಜ್ಞ
k	ಕ ಖ ಕ್ತ ಕ್ಷ
l	ಲ ಳ   ೢ   ೣ ಌ ೡ
m	ಮ
n	ನ ಣ
o	ೊ ೋ ೌ ಒ ಓ ಔ
p	ಪ ಫ
q	zwj zwnj
r	ರ ್ರ ೃ ರ್ ೄ ಱ್ ಱ ಋ ೠ
s	ಸ ಶ ಷ ಶ್ರ
t	ತ ಥ ಟ ಠ ತ್ರ
u	ು ೂ ಉ ಊ
v,w	ವ
x	್
y	ಯ ಞ
z	ಂ ಃ ಼ ಽ ೕ

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

Tips for Faster Typing:

• Use capital case (Left SHIFT + key) to type some commonly used characters faster.
• Use Ctrl+Alt+L to switch between English and your language.

A	ಅ ಆ
B	ಭ
C	ಛ
D	ಡ ಢ
E	ಎ ಏ ಐ
F	ೞ
G	ಘ ಜ್ಞ
I	ಇ ಈ
J	ಝ ಞ
K	ಖ
L	ಳ ಌ ೡ
N	ಣ
O	ಒ ಓ ಔ
R	ಱ ಋ ೠ
S	ಶ ಷ ಶ್ರ
T	ಟ ಠ ತ್ರ
U	ಉ ಊ
Y	ಞ
Z	ಽ ೕ

Examples:

The following table shows how to type some commonly used conjunct consonants.

ಕ k	+	್ x	+	ಕ k	=	ಕ್ಕ
ತ t	+	್ x	+	ತ t	=	ತ್ತ
ನ n	+	್ x	+	ನ n	=	ನ್ನ
ಮ m	+	್ x	+	ಮ m	=	ಮ್ಮ
ರ r	+	್ x	+	ತ t	=	ರ್ತ
ಲ l	+	್ x	+	ಲ l	=	ಲ್ಲ