Grafle

Script guide › Brahmic / Indic

Kannada vs Telugu

Kannada and Telugu sit in the same corner of the writing-system map — Grafle's Brahmic / Indic group — and players mix them up constantly. Here's the fastest way to tell them apart.

The tell

Near-twins. Telugu letters wear a little check-mark (✓) tick; Kannada letters wear a flat bar or crescent.

Side by side

Kannada

ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಮಾನವರು ಸ್ವತಂತ್ರರಾಗಿ ಮತ್ತು ಸಮಾನರಾಗಿ ಜನಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ.

ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ, ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಿ?

ಕನ್ನಡ ಒಂದು ಸುಂದರ ಭಾಷೆ.

Kannada's own tells

  • Telugu's twin — round letters topped with a flat little bar or crescent instead of Telugu's check-mark.

On signs in:

  • India

Full guide to recognizing Kannada →

Telugu

ప్రతి మానవుడు స్వేచ్ఛగా, గౌరవంలో సమానంగా జన్మిస్తాడు.

నమస్కారం, ఎలా ఉన్నారు?

తెలుగు ఒక అందమైన భాష.

Telugu's own tells

  • Round letters with a little check-mark (✓) tick on top of many of them — Kannada's twin, but with ticks instead of bars.

On signs in:

  • India

Full guide to recognizing Telugu →

More lookalike pairs