Standard Odia is the prestige form of the Odia language, associated with the coastal region around Cuttack, Puri, and Bhubaneswar but not limited to speakers from those cities — it is generally spoken and understood by literate Odia speakers across the state, and is the form used in literature, newspapers, education, and formal speech. It is treated as distinct from regional dialects such as the southern (Ganjam, Koraput), western (Sambalpuri), and northern (Baleswar) dialects.Neukom, Lukas; Patnaik, Manideepa (2003). A Grammar of Oriya. Zürich: University of Zurich. §1.2.
Differences from dialectal forms
Sentence order Standard Odia places the negative particle nahi after the verb, not before it, and places interrogative (question) words at the end of the clause rather than at the beginning.Neukom & Patnaik (2003), §6.4.1.
Negation placement Standard (Odia script) Standard (Roman) Dialectal (Roman) Meaning ମୁଁ ଡାକେ ନାହିଁ mu dake nahi mu nai dake I do not call
Interrogation at the end Standard (Odia script) Standard (Roman) Dialectal (Roman) Meaning ତୁମେ ଯିବ କି tume jiba ki tume ki jiba Will you go? ତମ ଜୀବାର କୁଆଡ଼େ tama jibara kuaade tama kuaade jiba Where will you go? ତୁମ ନାମ କଣ tama naama kana tama kana naama What is your name? ତୁମ ଘର କେଉଁଠି tama ghara keunthi keunthi tama ghara Where is your house?
Schwa retention Standard Odia retains the inherent short vowel (schwa) at the middle and end of words, following the spelling closely, whereas many dialectal speakers drop it. This word-final vowel deletion (apocope) is a documented characteristic of dialects such as Sambalpuri:Neukom & Patnaik (2003), §2.7; Sambalpuri Odia (Wikipedia), "Phonology."
Standard Odia Sambalpuri Meaning ଭଲ (bhala) ଭଲ୍ (bhal) good ବାଘ (bāgha) ବାଘ୍ (bāgh) tiger କୁକୁର (kukura) କୁକୁର୍ (kukur) dog ଲୋକ (loka) ଲୋକ୍ (lok) people ଗଛ (gacha) ଗଛ୍ (gach) tree ଫୁଲ (phula) ଫୁଲ୍ (phul) flower ଭାତ (bhāta) ଭାତ୍ (bhāt) rice ଘର (ghara) ଘର୍ (ghar) house
Retroflex sound Standard Odia retains retroflex consonants (e.g. ଣ, ଡ଼, ଢ଼) that are merged with their dental/alveolar counterparts in some southern and western dialects — for example, pani (ପାଣି, "water") with the retroflex ଣ in standard usage.Neukom & Patnaik (2003), §2.3.
Plural and singular marking Sentence and word construction for singular/plural reference varies across Odisha, with regional forms sometimes influenced by neighbouring languages such as Hindi.
Singular marking Suffix Example (Odia script) Example (Roman) Meaning -ti କଲମତି kalamati pen -tiye ମନୁଷତିଏ manusatiye man
Plural marking Suffix Example (Odia script) Example (Roman) Meaning -mane ଲୋକମାନେ lokamāne people -gura/guri ଭାତଗୁଡ଼ା, ଫୁଲଗୁଡ଼ିଏ bhātaguḍā, phulaguḍie rice / flowers Abstract and mass/uncountable nouns generally take no plural marker (e.g. cini "sugar").Neukom & Patnaik (2003), §3.1.3; Odia grammar (Wikipedia), "Number".
Vowel dropping In fast or dialectal speech, the middle vowel -i- in verb suffixes is often dropped, while standard usage retains it. Some dialects (western and northern) also drop the final -nti plural verb ending down to -n.Universal Dependency Treebank for Odia (2022); mossyrune, "Odia Grammar, Step by Step."
Verb tense paradigm In Odia main verb never changes which makes this agglutinative structure. Just use root word and add suffix accordingly. Present tense Tense Form I We You He/She/It Plural Simple Present verb + e verb + u verb + a verb + e verb + anti Present Perfect verb + ichhi verb + ichhu verb + ichha verb + ichhi verb + ichhanti Present Continuous verb + uchhi verb + uchhu verb + uchha verb + uchhi verb + uchhanti
Past tense Tense Form I We You He/She/It Plural Simple Past verb + ili verb + ilu verb + ila verb + ilaa verb + ile Past Perfect verb + ithili verb + ithilu verb + ithila verb + ithilaa verb + ithile Past Continuous verb + uthili verb + uthilu verb + uthila verb + uthilaa verb + uthile
Future tense Tense Form I We You He/She/It Plural Simple Future ibi ibu iba ibaa ibe Future Perfect ithibi ithibu ithiba ithibaa ithibe Future Continuous uthibi uthibu uthiba uthibaa uthibe
Examples
(Roman transliteration, Odia script, and IPA, drawn from the sentence order, schwa retention, and vowel-dropping points above.)
Verbs Singular I — ମୁଁ Tense Aspect Positive (Odia / Transliteration) Negative (Odia / Transliteration) English Meaning Present Tense (ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନ କାଳ) Simple ମୁଁ କାମ କରେMu kama kare ମୁଁ କାମ କରେ ନାହିଁMu kama kare nahĩ I do work / I do not do work Continuous ମୁଁ କାମ କରୁଛିMu kama karuchhi ମୁଁ କାମ କରୁନାହିଁMu kama karunahĩ I am doing work / I am not doing work Perfect ମୁଁ କାମ କରିଛିMu kama karichhi ମୁଁ କାମ କରିନାହିଁMu kama karinahĩ I have done work / I have not done work Past Tense (ଅତୀତ କାଳ) Simple ମୁଁ କାମ କଲିMu kama kali ମୁଁ କାମ କଲି ନାହିଁMu kama kali nahĩ I did work / I did not do work Continuous ମୁଁ କାମ କରୁଥିଲିMu kama karuthili ମୁଁ କାମ କରୁନଥିଲିMu kama karunathili I was doing work / I was not doing work Perfect ମୁଁ କାମ କରିଥିଲିMu kama karithili ମୁଁ କାମ କରି ନ ଥିଲିMu kama kari na thili I had done work / I had not done work Future Tense (ଭବିଷ୍ୟତ କାଳ) Simple ମୁଁ କାମ କରିବିMu kama karibi ମୁଁ କାମ କରିବି ନାହିଁMu kama karibi nahĩ I will do work / I will not do work Continuous ମୁଁ କାମ କରୁଥିବିMu kama karuthibi ମୁଁ କାମ କରୁନଥିବିMu kama karunathibi I will be doing work / I will not be doing work Perfect ମୁଁ କାମ କରିଥିବିMu kama karithibi ମୁଁ କାମ କରି ନ ଥିବିMu kama kari na thibi I will have done work / I will not have done work
You — ତୁମେ Tense Aspect Positive (Odia / Transliteration) Negative (Odia / Transliteration) English Meaning Present Tense (ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନ କାଳ) Simple ତୁମେ କାମ କରTume kama kara ତୁମେ କାମ କର ନାହିଁTume kama kara nahĩ You do work / You do not do work Continuous ତୁମେ କାମ କରୁଛTume kama karucha ତୁମେ କାମ କରୁନାହଁTume kama karunaha You are doing work / You are not doing work Perfect ତୁମେ କାମ କରିଛTume kama karichha ତୁମେ କାମ କରିନାହଁTume kama karinaha You have done work / You have not done work Past Tense (ଅତୀତ କାଳ) Simple ତୁମେ କାମ କଲTume kama kala ତୁମେ କାମ କଲ ନାହିଁTume kama kala nahĩ You did work / You did not do work Continuous ତୁମେ କାମ କରୁଥିଲTume kama karuthila ତୁମେ କାମ କରୁନଥିଲTume kama karunathila You were doing work / You were not doing work Perfect ତୁମେ କାମ କରିଥିଲTume kama karithila ତୁମେ କାମ କରି ନ ଥିଲTume kama kari na thila You had done work / You had not done work Future Tense (ଭବିଷ୍ୟତ କାଳ) Simple ତୁମେ କାମ କରିବTume kama kariba ତୁମେ କାମ କରିବ ନାହିଁTume kama kariba nahĩ You will do work / You will not do work Continuous ତୁମେ କାମ କରୁଥିବTume kama karuthiba ତୁମେ କାମ କରୁନଥିବTume kama karunathiba You will be doing work / You will not be doing work Perfect ତୁମେ କାମ କରିଥିବTume kama karithiba ତୁମେ କାମ କରି ନ ଥିବTume kama kari na thiba You will have done work / You will not have done work
He / She / It — ସେ / ଏହା Tense Aspect Positive (Odia / Transliteration) Negative (Odia / Transliteration) English Meaning Present Tense (ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନ କାଳ) Simple ସେ କାମ କରେSe kama kare ସେ କାମ କରେ ନାହିଁSe kama kare nahĩ He/She does work / He/She does not do work Continuous ସେ କାମ କରୁଛିSe kama karuchhi ସେ କାମ କରୁନାହିଁSe kama karunahĩ He/She is doing work / He/She is not doing work Perfect ସେ କାମ କରିଛିSe kama karichhi ସେ କାମ କରିନାହିଁSe kama karinahĩ He/She has done work / He/She has not done work Past Tense (ଅତୀତ କାଳ) Simple ସେ କାମ କଲାSe kama kala ସେ କାମ କଲା ନାହିଁSe kama kala nahĩ He/She did work / He/She did not do work Continuous ସେ କାମ କରୁଥିଲାSe kama karuthila ସେ କାମ କରୁନଥିଲାSe kama karunathila He/She was doing work / He/She was not doing work Perfect ସେ କାମ କରିଥିଲାSe kama karithila ସେ କାମ କରି ନ ଥିଲାSe kama kari na thila He/She had done work / He/She had not done work Future Tense (ଭବିଷ୍ୟତ କାଳ) Simple ସେ କାମ କରିବSe kama kariba ସେ କାମ କରିବ ନାହିଁSe kama kariba nahĩ He/She will do work / He/She will not do work Continuous ସେ କାମ କରୁଥିବSe kama karuthiba ସେ କାମ କରୁନଥିବSe kama karunathiba He/She will be doing work / He/She will not be doing work Perfect ସେ କାମ କରିଥିବSe kama karithiba ସେ କାମ କରି ନ ଥିବSe kama kari na thiba He/She will have done work / He/She will not have done work
Plural
We — ଆମେ Tense Aspect Positive (Odia / Transliteration) Negative (Odia / Transliteration) English Meaning Present Tense (ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନ କାଳ) Simple ଆମେ କାମ କରୁAme kama karu ଆମେ କାମ କରୁ ନାହିଁAme kama karu nahĩ We do work / We do not do work Continuous ଆମେ କାମ କରୁଛୁAme kama karuchhu ଆମେ କାମ କରୁନାହୁଁAme kama karunahũ We are doing work / We are not doing work Perfect ଆମେ କାମ କରିଛୁAme kama karichhu ଆମେ କାମ କରିନାହୁଁAme kama karinahũ We have done work / We have not done work Past Tense (ଅତୀତ କାଳ) Simple ଆମେ କାମ କଲୁAme kama kalu ଆମେ କାମ କଲୁ ନାହିଁAme kama kalu nahĩ We did work / We did not do work Continuous ଆମେ କାମ କରୁଥିଲୁAme kama karuthilu ଆମେ କାମ କରୁନଥିଲୁAme kama karunathilu We were doing work / We were not doing work Perfect ଆମେ କାମ କରିଥିଲୁAme kama karithilu ଆମେ କାମ କରି ନ ଥିଲୁAme kama kari na thilu We had done work / We had not done work Future Tense (ଭବିଷ୍ୟତ କାଳ) Simple ଆମେ କାମ କରିବୁAme kama karibu ଆମେ କାମ କରିବୁ ନାହିଁAme kama karibu nahĩ We will do work / We will not do work Continuous ଆମେ କାମ କରୁଥିବୁAme kama karuthibu ଆମେ କାମ କରୁନଥିବୁAme kama karunathibu We will be doing work / We will not be doing work Perfect ଆମେ କାମ କରିଥିବୁAme kama karithibu ଆମେ କାମ କରି ନ ଥିବୁAme kama kari na thibu We will have done work / We will not have done work
They — ସେମାନେ Tense Aspect Positive (Odia / Transliteration) Negative (Odia / Transliteration) English Meaning Present Tense (ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନ କାଳ) Simple ସେମାନେ କାମ କରନ୍ତିSemane kama karanti ସେମାନେ କାମ କରନ୍ତି ନାହିଁSemane kama karanti nahĩ They do work / They do not do work Continuous ସେମାନେ କାମ କରୁଛନ୍ତିSemane kama karuchhanti ସେମାନେ କାମ କରୁନାହାନ୍ତିSemane kama karunahanti They are doing work / They are not doing work Perfect ସେମାନେ କାମ କରିଛନ୍ତିSemane kama karichhanti ସେମାନେ କାମ କରିନାହାନ୍ତିSemane kama karinahaanti They have done work / They have not done work Past Tense (ଅତୀତ କାଳ) Simple ସେମାନେ କାମ କଲେSemane kama kale ସେମାନେ କାମ କଲେ ନାହିଁSemane kama kale nahĩ They did work / They did not do work Continuous ସେମାନେ କାମ କରୁଥିଲେSemane kama karuthile ସେମାନେ କାମ କରୁନଥିଲେSemane kama karunathile They were doing work / They were not doing work Perfect ସେମାନେ କାମ କରିଥିଲେSemane kama karithile ସେମାନେ କାମ କରି ନ ଥିଲେSemane kama kari na thile They had done work / They had not done work Future Tense (ଭବିଷ୍ୟତ କାଳ) Simple ସେମାନେ କାମ କରିବେSemane kama karibe ସେମାନେ କାମ କରିବେ ନାହିଁSemane kama karibe nahĩ They will do work / They will not do work Continuous ସେମାନେ କାମ କରୁଥିବେSemane kama karuthibe ସେମାନେ କାମ କରୁନଥିବେSemane kama karunathibe They will be doing work / They will not be doing work Perfect ସେମାନେ କାମ କରିଥିବେSemane kama karithibe ସେମାନେ କାମ କରି ନ ଥିବେSemane kama kari na thibe They will have done work / They will not have done work
See also Odia language Odia grammar
References