If and when
-తే "if", -ఇనా "even if", -ఇనప్పుడు "when".
"If" is an ending on the verb, and the if-clause comes first. Take the future form, which ends in -తాను, and change the ending to -తే: చేస్తాను cēstānu → చేస్తే cēstē, వస్తాను vastānu → వస్తే vastē, ఉంటాను uṁṭānu → ఉంటే uṁṭē. Verbs whose future has a vowel before -తాను build it on the past stem instead: చదువుతాను caduvutānu → చదివితే cadivitē, అడుగుతాను aḍugutānu → అడిగితే aḍigitē, పడతాను paḍatānu → పడితే paḍitē. The form is the same for every person.
- varṣaṁ vastē nēnu rānu.If it rains, I won't come.
- nuvvu vastē nēnu kūḍā vastānu.If you come, I'll come too.
- ḍabbu uṁṭē koṁṭānu.If I have the money, I'll buy it.
"If not" is -కపోతే on the stem in -అ: చేయకపోతే cēyakapōtē, రాకపోతే rākapōtē. కావాలంటే kāvālaṁṭē "if you want" is a set phrase: కావాలంటే తీసుకో kāvālaṁṭē tīsukō "take it if you want".
- nuvvu rākapōtē nēnu veḷḷanu.If you don't come, I won't go.
Even if: -ఇనా
-ఇనా means "even if" or "although", and is made like the past form in -ఇన: చేసినా cēsinā, వచ్చినా vaccinā, తిన్నా tinnā. After a question word it means "no matter": ఎంత చెప్పినా eṁta ceppinā "however much (you) tell".
- varṣaṁ vaccinā nēnu veḷtānu.Even if it rains, I'll go.
- eṁta ceppinā atanu vinaḍu.However much you tell him, he won't listen.
When and while
-ఇనప్పుడు "when" is the past form in -ఇన with అప్పుడు appuḍu "then", and -ఏటప్పుడు "while" is made from the -ఏ form: వచ్చినప్పుడు vaccinappuḍu "when (someone) comes or came", తినేటప్పుడు tinēṭappuḍu "while eating". చిన్నప్పుడు cinnappuḍu "when (I was) small" is a set phrase.
- nuvvu iṁṭiki vaccinappuḍu phōn ceyyi.Call me when you get home.
Until
వరకు varaku "up to" after the -ఏ form means "until": నేను వచ్చే వరకు ఇక్కడే ఉండు nēnu vaccē varaku ikkaḍē uṁḍu "stay right here until I come".
Cards from this guide
9 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Joining and describing cards.
How do you make the 'if' form of a verb from its future, as with వస్తాను (vastānu, I'll come)?
Change -తాను to -తే: వస్తే (vastē).
What's the 'if' form of ఉండు (be), used for 'if there is' or 'if I have'?
ఉంటే (uṁṭē).
How do you say 'if (you) don't come' with వచ్చు (come)?
రాకపోతే (rākapōtē).
What does the set phrase కావాలంటే (kāvālaṁṭē) mean?
If you want.
What does the ending -ఇనా (-inā) mean, as in వచ్చినా (vaccinā)?
Even if, or although.
What does -ఇనా mean after a question word, as in ఎంత చెప్పినా (eṁta ceppinā)?
'No matter': however much (you) tell.
How do you say 'when (you) come' with వచ్చు (come)?
వచ్చినప్పుడు (vaccinappuḍu).
What does తినేటప్పుడు (tinēṭappuḍu) mean?
While eating, at the time of eating.
How do you say 'until I come'?
నేను వచ్చే వరకు (nēnu vaccē varaku).