We tracked down 3 of the best dictionaries for learning Kannada, including 2 you can use for free. Our top picks right now are Kittel's Kannada–English Dictionary (DSAL), Wiktionary and Forvo. Every entry below is hand-checked, and the ones that teach you come first — with free options ahead of paid ones wherever they are as good.
3 resources · 2 free
The standard Kannada–English dictionary, free and searchable.
About this tool →Ferdinand Kittel's 1894 dictionary, digitised by Chicago's Digital South Asia Library. The reference work for literary Kannada and for anything written before the twentieth century; sparse on modern usage.
Free multilingual dictionary with etymologies, IPA and full conjugation tables.
About this tool →Over 100 language editions; the English edition alone has millions of entries covering hundreds of languages, with IPA, declension and conjugation tables, etymologies and usage notes that commercial apps usually paywall. The etymology sections are quietly one of the best vocabulary-retention tools available. Being crowd-sourced, coverage is uneven and rare entries can be wrong — cross-check anything unusual against a native-language dictionary.
Crowd-sourced pronunciations of nearly any word by native speakers.
About this tool →Around 6 million words recorded by native speakers across 400+ languages, usually with several accents per word so you can hear regional variation. Free to search on the site; the paid tiers are aimed at API users and bulk audio downloads. Indispensable for names, place names and anything a TTS voice would mangle — many learners wire it directly into Anki for card audio.
Hi! Tell me what you want to learn and your situation — I'll suggest where to start.
AI advice — check details on the linked pages. Chats are stored anonymously to improve recommendations.