Polite speech and greetings
మీరు, గారు, అండి and everyday phrases.
Telugu shows respect mostly with plural forms: మీరు mīru "you" and verbs in -రు for one person (Personal pronouns). Two small words do the rest.
గారు after names and titles
గారు gāru after a name, a title or a family word shows respect, a little like "Mr." or "Mrs.", and the verb takes -రు: రావు గారు rāvu gāru "Mr. Rao", డాక్టర్ గారు ḍākṭar gāru "doctor", నాన్నగారు nānnagāru "father", అమ్మగారు ammagāru "madam".
అండి in answers
అండి aṁḍi added to a word makes it polite: అవునండి avunaṁḍi "yes", లేదండి lēdaṁḍi "no", ఏమండీ ēmaṁḍī "excuse me", said to get someone's attention. Polite commands end in a similar -ండి: రండి raṁḍi "please come" (Commands and requests).
Calling to someone
Family words are used for strangers: అన్నా annā for a man about your age or older, అక్కా akkā for a woman, అమ్మా ammā for an older woman, బాబూ bābū for a boy. The last vowel is lengthened when calling to someone: అన్న anna becomes అన్నా annā.
Everyday phrases
| Telugu | Meaning |
|---|---|
| నమస్కారం namaskāraṁ, నమస్తే namastē | hello (formal) |
| బాగున్నారా? bāgunnārā? | how are you? |
| బాగున్నాను bāgunnānu | I'm fine |
| ధన్యవాదాలు dhanyavādālu | thank you |
| క్షమించండి kṣamiṁcaṁḍi | sorry, excuse me |
| పర్వాలేదు parvālēdu | it's all right, never mind |
| సరే sarē | OK |
| మీ పేరు ఏమిటి? mī pēru ēmiṭi? | what is your name? |
| మీది ఏ ఊరు? mīdi ē ūru? | where are you from? |
| వెళ్ళొస్తాను veḷḷostānu | goodbye (literally "I'll go and come back") |
| మళ్ళీ కలుద్దాం maḷḷī kaluddāṁ | see you again |
ధన్యవాదాలు is formal; in everyday speech many people say థాంక్స్ thāṁks.
- namaskāraṁ, bāgunnārā?Hello, how are you?
- bāgunnānaṁḍi, mīru?I'm fine, and you?
- rāvu gāru iṁṭlō unnārā?Is Mr. Rao at home?
- annā, idi eṁta?How much is this?to a man at a shop
- bhōjanaṁ cēśārā?Have you eaten?a common greeting
The words for relatives, and how to call them, are in Family and respect.
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 Getting started cards.
How does Telugu mainly show respect to one person?
With plural forms: మీరు (you) and verbs ending in -రు.
What does గారు (gāru) after a name or title do?
Shows respect, a little like 'Mr.' or 'Mrs.'; the verb then takes -రు.
What does adding అండి (aṁḍi) to a word like అవును (yes) do?
Makes it polite: అవునండి (avunaṁḍi), 'yes'.
Which polite word built on అండి do you call out to get someone's attention?
ఏమండీ (ēmaṁḍī), 'excuse me!'
Which family word do you call out to a man about your age or older, such as a shopkeeper?
అన్నా (annā), 'brother'.
How do you ask someone politely 'how are you?' in one word?
బాగున్నారా? (bāgunnārā)
How do you say 'thank you' formally?
ధన్యవాదాలు (dhanyavādālu)
How do you say 'sorry' when apologizing?
క్షమించండి (kṣamiṁcaṁḍi), also used for 'excuse me'.
How do you say 'goodbye' when you leave?
వెళ్ళొస్తాను (veḷḷostānu)