Basic Telugu Words with Meanings: Greetings, Verbs, and Numbers
Whether you’re planning a trip to Hyderabad, connecting with Telugu-speaking friends, or simply expanding your linguistic horizons, mastering fundamental Telugu vocabulary is your gateway to meaningful communication. This guide will walk you through essential Telugu greetings, everyday nouns, common verbs, and numbers to build your confidence in this beautiful language.
Basic words in Telugu
Telugu is one of the major Dravidian languages spoken primarily in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Learning basic Telugu words provides a foundation for communication with over 81 million native speakers. These fundamental vocabulary elements allow beginners to express simple needs and understand basic responses.
The Telugu alphabet consists of 56 letters, but beginners can start with spoken words using transliteration – the representation of Telugu sounds using the Roman alphabet. This approach makes the language more accessible while gradually becoming familiar with the script.
- Cultural gateway: Mastering basic Telugu vocabulary opens doors to a rich cultural heritage of literature, cinema, and cuisine
- Communication tool: Even a small vocabulary of 100-200 words enables simple conversations with native speakers
- Mental exercise: Learning Telugu engages different parts of your brain than Indo-European languages
Greetings and polite expressions
నమస్తే (namastē) is the universal greeting in Telugu, equivalent to “hello” or “greetings.” This word works in both formal and informal situations and can be used at any time of day. When speaking namastē, a slight bow or joining hands adds cultural authenticity.
మీరు ఎలా ఉన్నారు? (mīru elā unnāru?) means “How are you?” and is the standard way to inquire about someone’s wellbeing in formal situations. For informal settings with friends or younger people, use నువ్వు ఎలా ఉన్నావు? (nuvvu elā unnāvu?) instead.
ధన్యవాదాలు (dhanyavādālu) translates to “thank you” and is essential for expressing gratitude. Telugu speakers often respond with పర్వాలేదు (parvālēdu), meaning “it’s alright” or “you’re welcome.”
Common daily greetings include:
- శుభోదయం (śubhōdayaṁ) – “good morning”
- శుభమధ్యాహ్నం (śubhamadhyāhnaṁ) – “good afternoon”
- శుభసాయంత్రం (śubhasāyantraṁ) – “good evening”
- శుభరాత్రి (śubharātri) – “good night”
Everyday nouns
People and relationships
- అమ్మ (amma) means “mother”
- నాన్న (nānna) means “father.”
- అక్క (akka) for “elder sister”
- అన్న (anna) for “elder brother.”
For referring to friends, use:
- స్నేహితుడు (snēhituḍu) for a male friend
- స్నేహితురాలు (snēhiturālu) for a female friend.
These terms demonstrate the gender distinctions common in Telugu vocabulary.
Food and drink
- అన్నం (annaṁ) refers to “rice”
- నీళ్లు (nīḷlu) for “water”
- పాలు (pālu) for “milk”
- పండు (paṇḍu) for “fruit”
- కూర (kūra) means “vegetable” or “curry”
- చెంచా (cencā) meaning “spoon”
- ప్లేటు (plēṭu) meaning “plate”
Places and directions
- ఇల్లు (illu) means “house” or “home”
- బడి (baḍi) refers to “school”
These locations are central to daily conversations. For navigating, knowing directional terms is crucial.
Basic directional words include:
- ఎడమ (eḍama) – “left”
- కుడి (kuḍi) – “right”
- ముందు (mundu) – “front”
- వెనుక (venuka) – “back”
Common verbs
Basic actions
- తిను (tinu) means “to eat”
- తాగు (tāgu) means “to drink”
Other important action verbs include:
- చూడు (cūḍu) for “to see” “to look”
- విను (vinu) for “to listen” or “to hear.”
- మాట్లాడు (māṭlāḍu) means “to speak” or “to talk”
When you don’t understand something, you can say:
- అర్థం కాలేదు (arthaṁ kālēdu) meaning “I don’t understand.”
Movement verbs
- వెళ్ళు (veḷḷu) means “to go”
- రా (rā) means “to come”
- నడుచు (naḍucu) for “to walk”
- కూర్చో (kūrcō) for “to sit”
- నిలబడు (nilabaḍu) means “to stand”
- చదువు (caduvu) meaning “to read”
- వ్రాయు (vrāyu) meaning “to write”
State of being
- ఉండు (uṇḍu) functions similarly to “to be” (and expresses states or conditions)
The verb changes form based on the subject and tense – for example:
- నేను ఉన్నాను (nēnu unnānu) means “I am”
- అతను ఉన్నాడు (atanu unnāḍu) means “he is”
Common expressions with this verb include:
- నాకు ఆకలిగా ఉంది (nāku ākaligā undi) meaning “I am hungry”
- నాకు దాహంగా ఉంది (nāku dāhaṁgā undi) meaning “I am thirsty”
Numbers in Telugu
Counting from 1 to 10
Learning to count from one to ten provides a foundation for shopping, telling time, and other everyday activities:
- ఒకటి (okaṭi) – “one”
- రెండు (reṇḍu) – “two”
- మూడు (mūḍu) – “three”
- నాలుగు (nālugu) – “four”
- ఐదు (aidu) – “five”
- ఆరు (āru) – “six”
- ఏడు (ēḍu) – “seven”
- ఎనిమిది (enimidi) – “eight”
- తొమ్మిది (tommidi) – “nine”
- పది (padi) – “ten”
Tens and hundreds
After learning one through ten, explore larger numbers:
- ఇరవై (iravai) – “twenty”
- ముప్పై (muppai) – “thirty”
- నలభై (nalabhai) – “forty”
- యాభై (yābhai) – “fifty”
- వంద (vanda) – “hundred”
- వెయ్యి (veyyi) – “thousand”
- Practice tip: Try counting objects around you in Telugu or setting your phone to display numbers in the Telugu script to reinforce your learning
Practice basic Telugu with exercises
Fill in the blank
Test your knowledge by completing these sentences with the appropriate Telugu words:
- To say “hello” in Telugu, use _
- The word for “water” is _
- “To eat” in Telugu is _
- The number “five” is _
- To ask “How are you?” formally, say _
2. Multiple choice
Select the correct meaning for each Telugu word:
- పుస్తకం (pustakaṁ)
a) Book
b) Pen
c) Paper
- వెళ్ళు (veḷḷu)
a) To come
b) To go
c) To stay
- ధన్యవాదాలు (dhanyavādālu)
a) Sorry
b) Please
c) Thank you
Learning strategy: Create flashcards with Telugu words on one side and their meanings on the other. Review them daily for 10-15 minutes to build vocabulary efficiently
Common mistakes with basic words in Telugu
Pronunciation challenges
Telugu contains several sounds not found in English, including retroflex consonants (ట, ఠ, డ, ఢ, ణ) produced by curling the tongue back against the roof of the mouth. Many beginners struggle with these distinctive sounds. Practice by listening to native speakers and imitating their mouth positions.
Gender distinctions
Unlike English, Telugu nouns and pronouns have gender distinctions that affect how verbs and adjectives are formed. For example, అతను (atanu) means “he” while ఆమె (āme) means “she,” and verbs change accordingly.
Formal vs. informal address
Using the wrong level of formality can cause social awkwardness. Telugu distinguishes between formal address మీరు (mīru) and informal address నువ్వు (nuvvu). Use the formal form with elders, teachers, and strangers to show respect.
- Key insight: When in doubt about formality level, defaulting to the formal మీరు (mīru) is safer than using the informal form inappropriately
Find a tutor and start learning today.
Grow your skills with Preply
Now that you’ve learned essential Telugu vocabulary including greetings, everyday nouns, common verbs, and numbers, you have the building blocks to start simple conversations. These foundational words will help you navigate basic interactions and build confidence in your language skills.
To advance beyond the basics and receive personalized guidance, consider working with a professional online Telugu tutor who can provide structured lessons, pronunciation feedback, and conversation practice tailored to your learning style and goals.
Answers to the exercises
Answers to fill in the blank
- నమస్తే (namastē)
- నీళ్లు (nīḷlu)
- తిను (tinu)
- ఐదు (aidu)
- మీరు ఎలా ఉన్నారు? (mīru elā unnāru?)
Answers to multiple choice
- a) Book
- b) To go
- c) Thank you
