Amchigale Gyadi (Konkani Proverbs/Sayings) 
The following were sent in by Dr. K.P.S. Kamath (Bob Kamath) Khellelek asha chadi, nahllalek chiccol chadu 
(The more you have the more you want) 
Goo khatthalek meeshi dhartalo 
(An accomplice in an evil act) 
Goo nai, bhattu haaggilo 
(The same thing said in a different way) 
Muttha gala ghalche 
(Indulging in fruitless activity) 
Duddu deevnu nainthu pouncha vocche 
(Paying for something which should have been free anyway) 
Valleka phala jud way? 
(He is not heavy father, he is my brother) 
God thukkoche 
(Feeling sleepy) 
Raathri palaile banyenthu divasache podche she 
(Getting into trouble knowingly) 
Vatteri watthale vaga makka yevnu khaga 
(Inviting unnecessary trouble) 
Maattheri booth basla 
(Obsessed) 
Kimsa maasa khavnu jathi bhadche 
(Losing respect by indulging in some minor vice) 
Ghoder baisunu sooru pilleri matthe laggana 
(You can't get drunk if you are riding a horse!) 
Thonda theelu thimbana 
(Can't keep a secret) 
Haaggu jatthana gaddo sodduche 
(Waiting till the last minute) 
Kansena kurdeka vaata dakkoche she 
(Like a half witted person guiding an idiot.) 
Katt katta visha 
(Poisonous character.) 
Toppi dovorche 
(Deceiving.) 
Kappani kalle 
(Ripped off) 


The following were sent in by Anuradha Shenoy Bhaanshira zari aayla 
(The rag has suddenly got a strand of silk) 
Colloquial Meaning: A person who becomes arrogant when he suddenly achieves something from nothing. 
Betaala baayl melna, Kalkadevi baamonu melna 
Colloquial Meaning: Two unattractive people who cant find any one else and hence team up. I guess it means people who are mismatched. 
Kushila zhalkaka furngelel narla maasolu 
(To add Rotten coconut masala to fish which is spoiled anyway.) 
I'm not sure whether it is used to mean derogatorily : an ugly couple, or whether it means to make bad things worse. 

The following were sent in by Rajarama Shenoy Karte Kanthuche 
(Wasting time and energy) 
Madrathri palayile baaynthu disache podche 
(knowingly making a mistake) 
Madratriche satte dhoroche 
(abusing power) 
Payya mula kuvvale kusta, gawna sasama soddita 
(throwing stones from glass house) 
Pharkada kappadashe ullaitha 
(talkative) 
Lonyanthulyana aggolu kalla manke uttara 
(sweet talker) 
Paropakari, Gharaka maari 
(two faced-nice to others & devil at home) 

The following were sent in by Dr. K.P.S. Kamath (Bob Kamath) Pittali bhair palli 
(One's true nature became evident) 
Vaasru ghalle 
(Broke down) 
Thappil budle 
(Things didn't go well) 
Ghoodu ghallo 
(Broke down, died) 
Nanka Kappusu dovornu vairi pallo 
(Barely made it) 
Dhar pakdo kelle 
(Cheated) 
Divali jalle 
(Went bankrupt) 
Dhendo ghallo 
(Moved in, generally against the hosts wish) 
Patlam ghevnu ailo 
(Came with a lot of unwanted guests) 
Chano khavnu haathu dhulle vari 
(Did a neat job, no mess) 
Sukkhale sungata she 
(Very thin, shriveled up) 
Kaddi paihlvan 
(Thin but strong fellow) 
Kuvvale katthorche 
(Boasting) 
Kotwal khanu she karta 
(Behaves haughtily) 
Rayyana appalali chedu rambhe jattha 
(A woman's status in life depends upon who notices her) 
O mahleri tow gothna 
(Does'nt know a damn thing) 
Thonda kodu kelle 
(Expressed disgust) 
Jibbe ka lagamu na 
(Talks incessantly) 
Thote marche 
(Looking at women hungrily) 


The following were sent in by Rajesh Nayak 
Bhattu baiyantu pallari, dakshina visarna 
(Unwavering lust for money) 
Yedara mashi nagdi monu, makshi mashi hasta ashili kayi 
(Pot calling the kettle black) 
Hantlari ashileka sonu, vatteri vathallike appoche 
(Grass is always greener on the other side) 
Bammonu kapad hadta monu, ashille kapad ranni galle 
(Counting the chickens before they are hatched) 
Tugele ghodeka teen paayu 
(Whatever you say is right) 
Changa gellari anga goo 
(Getting into trouble, while trying to help) 
Nanka bot gallari, chabbu kalna 
(Pretending innocence) 
Hoddana padu marlari vedu, sannani marlari ghaani 
(Judging a person's action based on their status) 
Sooru pillale mankad 
(Behaving crazy) 
Jeevu vare galche 
(Hedonostic lifestyle) 
Vallale daayina Vadche 
(Fruit of your actions) 
Gotak zallo 
(Kicked the bucket) 
Viman solle 
(Kicked the bucket) 
Rukaka patturu marnu hasche 
(Laughing unnecessarily) 


The following were sent in by Vinod Pai 
"Negarmula kanto ve toon ? Kasshi uddayileri vairi padta" or some such thing which my grandma used to say all the time. Basically its the same as "tugele ghodeka teen paayu" 
"Dhoroche" is one more which I think is a variation of a kappani kalli or a rip off. 
"Venku panamburaka chamkalo" is one of my all time favourites. Doing whatever you are told blindly without thinking ... 
Another one is "Valle madla choodi ghevnu sodle mhanke". u know what that means .. 
"Aarti dakayleri ushna, teertha pilleri thandi" for someone who is a delicate darling. 
"Shenoy Shenoy, Gandi Manai" 
"Hejja vairi hejje dovorche" for walking very slowly 
"Ragu tanduche" or "Nenene ulloche" for talking very sweetly to the point of irritation 
"Gandi vairi kornu niddoche" for a late sleeper 
"Shile phathoru so assa polochaka" for a very dark looking person 
"Ghummatu so rabla pale to" for kinds standing naked I guess 
"Devale mhanke badantu javunu chanda kornu baisa" 
"Nitran Singh" for the perennial weakling ! 
"Hhoonu utka ghotu" 


The following were sent in by Amita Pai 
"Sheeta asshile pyaja jalle" 
For something similar to "from the frying pan into the fire".This was used in a peculiar context in my uncle's film-"Jana-Mana".When the heroine becomes pregnant from her boy-friend, 
this is what her mother utters,when she realises the situation only on seeing her daughter's growing tummy. 
"Amgele gavncho choru vai, pelle gavncho rayu nai" 
To say' don't marry your daughter to a stranger.' This was my grandmom's favourite,when my parents where hunting for grooms abroad (Vilyati Vhoratu). 
"Phannah ghalche" 
To sprinkle salt on one's wounds;the supposed job of a 'nanand' who aims to worsen relations between her mother and 'vanni'. 
"Kaanu bhorche" is another variant. 
"Gandi vare riggile vari" 
a sudden bout of enthusiasm,rarely seen in that person. 
"Taggeli puski takka pormbolu" 
which seems to be true literally. 
"Taggeli hasti meggele sassma mola" 
Used commonly by the person who feels he is the greatest. 


Sanjay Shenoy "Tondantu Moogu Timbana" 
Can't Keep a secret 


The following were sent in by Vinaya Kini 
Ganvunche choru puni jaytha, parganvunche subagu nai 
(Known devil is better than unknown angel) 
Budwanthaka theeni kadena 
(taunting the person who calls himself too intelligent) 
Alpaka aishwarya ailari channineka satte dorche 
(Newrich will show off more) 
Nisshe pilleli suna thori jalli, shitha kallel mayi bagli 
(evil thouhts finally fail) 
Mankdale hattha manikya dilla manke 
(diamond in the hands of monkey who doesn't know its value) 
Pikkale paan padthana tharne paan hasla manke 
(Laughing at others failure not knowing what will happen tonorrow) 
Thu mella manke kari Hava Ralla manke kartha 
(Ultimate in deceit) 
Duvelo bahmunu gello, puttali bayla gelli, he varsa marana bhabhairi jalle 
Majrana dolo muchwunu dhooda pillari gava kalnave 
(one cannot hide things by closing his eyes) 
Thagele payya mula kuvale kustana vingadathanche sasam venchita 
Gundyenthu galthanai leka kornu galka 
( One should take care of even small things) 
Sejjarale garkade shevai monu, rosu kanu dhavarla manke 
( Getting ready for things much before anything starts happening) 
Venka panambura gello 
(Doing things in a hurry without achieving the purpose) 
Narlu pallari rodche tela virkalari rodche 
(Cribbing for everything) 
Uthka haglari vairy yenathile asthave 
(Cannot hide things) 
Hatta thalvathi polochaka kanadi jayve 
(To see the faults in a person you know well you don't need any help) 
Ujjo gilnu ingalo hagla manke 
(Doing things smoothly without any hitch) 
Mukari gelleli doni makshi Yenatthile asthave 
(after some stage things are inevitable) 
Uttara vellele thasshi assa, Akshara thidvileli thasshi assa 
Hagele uttara nai, pavsa nichay nai 
(cautioning not to believe evberything) 
Matte vornu pathra marla manke 
(getting into problems knowingly) 
Alshyaka bikkanda baji malla manke 
(Asking for things which are not possible) 
Kompra movu lavche 
(Promising things to get some work done but not keeping up the promise) 
Thupa monu gilu nai huna monu thu koru nai 
(catch 22 stuation) 
Akashaka nisani dovorche 
(Aiming for the impossible) 
Kayleri thokunu ujja palla manke 
(matter changing from bad to worse) 
Hanthula asshile thithle payu sodka 
(To spend carefully) 
Niddaleleka jagoyetha, jagi asshileka kasshi jagoche 
( You cannot hstop aperson who does thiongs knowingly) 
Itte povu ani kele kalla manke ve 
(Saying it ia not an easy job) 
There are some sentences used for comparison, as adjectives. 
Some of them are 
Bona gallele vaagu she bonvtha 
( for a person who is moving restlesly) 
Majrana pilla bonvdaila manke kai vartha tu 
(for a person who keeps changing the position of anything) 
Bakasurali potta bhuka 
(for a glutton) 
Kumbhakarnale nida 
(for a person who sleeps more) 
suro pillale mankada she 
(for a person who is jumping too much) 
Mankda buddiyecho 
(for a person who does lot of mischief 
Girsal mirsanga she assa 
(For a person who acts very smart) 
Kasale ullaytha, sasama patpataila manke 
( for aperson who speaks too fast) 
Chikkata she lagtha 
Salere kambo she kenna palailari lagtha 
(Both for a person who pesters too much) 
Keedi ranne she 
(for a kid which dioesn't stop crying) 
Bantwala Khore -One sided decision 
Bhangra peskathi -Very cosly item 
Pattoli - a person who acts too smart 
Panchadike mallamma -One who gossips too much 
Gukari kama -dirty work 
Alshe bikkanda -lazy goose 
Vare, Dhigndi - flirt 
Pithle kannacho -One who believes others 
Gayi she manishu - An innocent chap 
Neeyalche -staring with bad intension 
Gadai galle - Panicking 
Panna galche ,Chalni galche -Adding fuel to fire 
Theeni nama galche - decieving 
Harderi basche - Sitting tight and making a demand 


The following were sent in by Ganesh Shenoy 
modyari kellele khodyari padta 
something done as a joke/mimic often becomes a habit /style. 

matiye kullyak karte cheep 
good match or made for each other 

lagam natillo ghodo 
someone beyond control 

hollo hastiye padoo 
something of little value exaggerated as something very big 

bhangra peskati 
someone charging exhorbitant for his services/product 

nancha kalnatilak angan vare 
blame the tools for ones failure 

kartti badii 
things of no value 
mukkala prayojan natilo 
a good for nothing 

baysoon khavyet 
very well off 

soone majjar 
......often referred to denote very common or something to compare with 
gandi bal na 
venture into something beyond ones means 
pattal gooan baddii ghanlnaka 
do not get involved into something which is already in a mess 
ambe tallo 
make ones presence known/felt everywhere 
someone who wants to be present everywhere