Conjuncts
Two consonants together (వత్తులు).
When two consonants meet with no vowel between them, Telugu writes them as one unit, a conjunct. The first consonant is written in full and the second as a small form, its వత్తు vattu, below or beside it. In typed text, a conjunct is the first letter, pollu and the second letter: క, ్ and క make క్క. The font draws the small form.
Doubled consonants (ద్విత్వం)
A consonant written over its own small form is doubled, and it is held for longer: అక్క akka "older sister" is said ak-ka. Doubled consonants are common in native Telugu words.
| Conjunct | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| క్క kka | అక్క akka | older sister |
| చ్చ cca | వచ్చు vaccu | come |
| ట్ట ṭṭa | చెట్టు ceṭṭu | tree |
| త్త tta | కొత్త kotta | new |
| ద్ద dda | పెద్ద pedda | big |
| న్న nna | అన్న anna | older brother |
| ప్ప ppa | చెప్పు ceppu | tell |
| మ్మ mma | అమ్మ amma | mother |
| ల్ల lla | ఇల్లు illu | house |
| వ్వ vva | నువ్వు nuvvu | you |
Two different consonants (సంయుక్తం)
Many clusters of two different consonants come from Sanskrit and English; the common native ones are in verb endings like -స్తా- in వస్తాను vastānu "I will come".
| Conjunct | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ప్ర pra | ప్రతి prati | every |
| త్ర tra | రాత్రి rātri | night |
| స్త sta | పుస్తకం pustakaṁ | book |
| క్య kya | వాక్యం vākyaṁ | sentence |
| వ్య vya | వ్యాపారం vyāpāraṁ | business |
| స్థ stha | స్థలం sthalaṁ | place |
| ష్ట ṣṭa | కష్టం kaṣṭaṁ | difficulty |
Most small forms look like their full letters without the tick, but some look quite different, such as those of ర and య in క్ర kra and క్య kya.
ర in a cluster
As the second consonant, ర is a small hook below: క్రమం kramaṁ "order", ప్రతి prati "every". As the first, ర is written in full and the next consonant goes under it: ధర్మం dharmaṁ "duty", పార్టీ pārṭī "party".
Shapes of their own
Two clusters have shapes of their own: క్ష kṣa, as in పరీక్ష parīkṣa "exam", and జ్ఞ jña, as in జ్ఞానం jñānaṁ "knowledge", which Telugu speakers say "gnya": gnyānaṁ.
The vowel goes on the whole cluster
A vowel sign is drawn on the full letter, but it is said after the whole cluster: క్రి is kri, and in ఇస్తాను istānu "I give", స్తా is stā. Three consonants stack two small forms: స్త్రీ strī "woman", రాష్ట్రం rāṣṭraṁ "state".
- akka iṁṭlō uṁdi.My older sister is at home.
- idi kotta pustakaṁ.This is a new book.
- prati rātrievery night
Cards from this guide
10 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 Getting started cards.
In a conjunct such as క్క, how are the two consonants written?
The first in full, the second as a small form, its వత్తు (vattu).
How is a consonant written over its own small form, like క్క in అక్క, pronounced?
Doubled, held longer: అక్క is ak-ka.
How is ర written when it is the second consonant of a cluster, as in ప్ర?
As a small hook below the first letter.
How is ర written when it comes first in a cluster, as in ధర్మం (duty)?
In full, with the next consonant's small form under it.
What cluster does the special shape క్ష stand for?
kṣa (k and ṣ).
What cluster does the special shape జ్ఞ stand for?
jña (j and ñ).
How is క్రి read, given that the i sign is drawn on the full letter క?
kri: the vowel is said after the whole cluster.
How is a cluster of three consonants written, as in స్త్రీ (strī, woman)?
The first letter in full, with two small forms stacked under it.
How is a nasal before another consonant usually written, as in అందరు (aṁdaru)?
With sunna ం, not as a conjunct.
How else is the doubled ళ of వాళ్ళు (they) written?
వాళ్లు, with the small form of ల.