ಅಣ್ಣನ ಹಾಸ್ಪಿಟಲ್ ಜೋಕ್ ಮತ್ತು ಫೋನ್ ಕತೆ

What does “aaraam” mean in Kannada?

In this family comedy a relative frets that «ಅಣ್ಣಾಗ ಆರಾಮಿಲ್ಲ» (“[my] brother isn’t well”) and proposes a trip to the hospital. ಆರಾಮ್ (aaraam) means comfort, rest, or well-being, so ಆರಾಮಿಲ್ಲ (aaraam illa) is “not well, out of sorts.”

Kannada borrowed it from Persian via Urdu, the same aaram behind Hindi-Urdu “aaram se” (“take it easy”). Ask a Kannadiga “ಆರಾಮ್ ಇದ್ದೀರಾ?” (aaraam iddeera?) and you’re asking “are you keeping well?”. One loanword does the work of “comfortable,” “relaxed,” and “in good health” all at once.