This and that
The ఇ, అ and ఎ words.
Telugu builds "this", "that" and the matching question words on one pattern: words that start with ఇ- or ఈ- point to something near, అ- or ఆ- to something farther away, and ఎ- or ఏ- ask a question.
| Near | Far | Question | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thing | ఇది idi this | అది adi that | ఏది ēdi which one |
| Before a noun | ఈ ī this | ఆ ā that | ఏ ē which |
| Place | ఇక్కడ ikkaḍa here | అక్కడ akkaḍa there | ఎక్కడ ekkaḍa where |
| Direction | ఇటు iṭu this way | అటు aṭu that way | ఎటు eṭu which way |
| Time | ఇప్పుడు ippuḍu now | అప్పుడు appuḍu then | ఎప్పుడు eppuḍu when |
| Manner | ఇలా ilā like this | అలా alā like that | ఎలా elā how |
| Kind | ఇలాంటి ilāṁṭi this kind of | అలాంటి alāṁṭi that kind of | ఎలాంటి elāṁṭi what kind of |
| Amount | ఇంత iṁta this much | అంత aṁta that much | ఎంత eṁta how much |
| Number | ఇన్ని inni this many | అన్ని anni that many | ఎన్ని enni how many |
| Things | ఇవి ivi these | అవి avi those | ఏవి ēvi which ones |
| People | వీళ్ళు vīḷḷu these people | వాళ్ళు vāḷḷu those people | ఎవరు evaru who |
ఇది idi and అది adi stand alone. Before a noun, use ఈ ī and ఆ ā: ఇది నా పుస్తకం idi nā pustakaṁ "this is my book", but ఈ పుస్తకం నాది ī pustakaṁ nādi "this book is mine". For a man or a woman nearby, use ఇతను itanu and ఈమె īme (Personal pronouns).
- ā abbāyi evaru?Who is that boy?
- akkaḍa evaru unnāru?Who is there?
- ilā ceyyaṁḍi.Do it like this.
- alāṁṭi pustakālu nāku iṣṭaṁ.I like books like that.
Right here, right now
-ఏ added to a word picks it out: ఇక్కడే ikkaḍē "right here", ఇప్పుడే ippuḍē "right now", నేనే nēnē "I myself".
- ippuḍē vastānu.I'll be right back.right now (I) will come
More endings like this are in Just, too, some and any.
Cards from this guide
8 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 Nouns and endings cards.
In Telugu's 'this, that, which' words, what do the starting sounds ఇ-, అ- and ఎ- signal?
ఇ- near, అ- farther away, ఎ- a question.
ఇది or ఈ: which 'this' goes right before a noun?
ఈ (ī)
How do you say 'now'?
ఇప్పుడు (ippuḍu)
What does అలా (alā) mean?
Like that, that way.
How do you say 'this much', as in 'this much rice is enough'?
ఇంత (iṁta)
How do you say 'these people', as in 'these are my friends'?
వీళ్ళు (vīḷḷu)
What's the plain word for 'he' or 'this man', for a man nearby?
ఇతను (itanu)
What does the ending -ఏ do when added to a word like ఇక్కడ (here) or ఇప్పుడు (now)?
It picks the word out: ఇక్కడే 'right here', ఇప్పుడే 'right now'.