Having and possessing
My and your, mine, and how to say "I have".
The "of" form of a pronoun is its possessive. It comes before the noun and never changes.
| Pronoun | Possessive | Example |
|---|---|---|
| నేను nēnu I | నా nā my | నా పేరు nā pēru my name |
| నువ్వు nuvvu you | నీ nī your | నీ పుస్తకం nī pustakaṁ your book |
| మేము mēmu we | మా mā our | మా ఊరు mā ūru our town |
| మనం manaṁ we | మన mana our | మన దేశం mana dēśaṁ our country |
| మీరు mīru you | మీ mī your | మీ ఇల్లు mī illu your house |
| అతను atanu he | అతని atani his | అతని కారు atani kāru his car |
| ఆమె āme she | ఆమె āme her | ఆమె అన్న āme anna her older brother |
| అది adi it | దాని dāni its | దాని పేరు dāni pēru its name |
| వాళ్ళు vāḷḷu they | వాళ్ళ vāḷḷa their | వాళ్ళ ఇల్లు vāḷḷa illu their house |
Nouns use their "of" form the same way: అమ్మ పేరు amma pēru "mother's name", ఇంటి తలుపు iṁṭi talupu "the house's door" (Case endings).
Mine, yours
Adding -ది makes "mine, yours": నాది nādi, నీది nīdi, మాది mādi, మీది mīdi, అతనిది atanidi, ఆమెది āmedi, వాళ్ళది vāḷḷadi. ఎవరిది evaridi asks "whose is it?".
- ī pustakaṁ nādi.This book is mine.
- ī byāgu evaridi?Whose bag is this?
His own: తన
తన tana "his own, her own" refers back to the subject, where అతని atani would mean another man's.
- rāmu tana iṁṭiki veḷḷāḍu.Ramu went to his own house.
- rāmu atani iṁṭiki veḷḷāḍu.Ramu went to his (another man's) house.
I have
Telugu has no verb "have". For things you have with you or own, say "near me there is": నా దగ్గర nā daggara, the thing, then ఉంది uṁdi. For relatives, time and other things that are not objects, use నాకు nāku "to me". The verb agrees with what is had: ఉంది uṁdi for one thing or one woman, ఉన్నాడు unnāḍu for one man, ఉన్నాయి unnāyi for several things and ఉన్నారు unnāru for several people.
- nā daggara pennu uṁdi.I have a pen.near me a pen is
- nā daggara ḍabbu lēdu.I don't have any money.
- nāku iddaru pillalu unnāru.I have two children.to me two children are
- nāku samayaṁ lēdu.I don't have time.
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 Sentences cards.
What's the possessive 'my', from నేను (nēnu, I)?
నా (nā)
నీ or మీ: which 'your' goes with someone you address politely?
మీ (mī)
మా or మన: which 'our' includes the person you are talking to?
మన (mana)
What's the possessive 'his', from అతను (atanu, he)?
అతని (atani)
How do Telugu speakers usually say 'my mother' or 'my home'?
With మా (our): మా అమ్మ, మా ఇల్లు.
How do you say 'mine', as in 'this book is mine'?
నాది (nādi)
How do you ask 'whose is it?', with no noun after 'whose'?
ఎవరిది? (evaridi)
తన or అతని: which means 'his own' or 'her own', pointing back to the subject?
తన (tana)
How do you say 'I have' something you own or carry, like a pen?
నా దగ్గర + the thing + ఉంది: నా దగ్గర పెన్ను ఉంది.
How do you say 'I have' for relatives or time, as in 'I have two children'?
With నాకు (to me): నాకు ఇద్దరు పిల్లలు ఉన్నారు.