Personal pronouns
I, you, two kinds of we, and respectful forms.
Telugu pronouns show politeness and, for "we", whether the listener is included. "He" and "she" each have a plain and a respectful form.
| Pronoun | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|
| నేను nēnu | I | |
| మేము mēmu | we | not including the listener |
| మనం manaṁ | we | including the listener |
| నువ్వు nuvvu | you | one person you know well |
| మీరు mīru | you | more than one person, or one person politely |
| అతను atanu, అతడు ataḍu | he | |
| ఆయన āyana | he | respectful |
| వాడు vāḍu | he | familiar: boys and close friends |
| ఆమె āme | she | |
| ఆవిడ āviḍa | she | respectful |
| అది adi | it | things and animals |
| వాళ్ళు vāḷḷu | they | people |
| వారు vāru | they | people, formal or respectful |
| అవి avi | they | things and animals |
The two kinds of we
మేము mēmu leaves the listener out, and మనం manaṁ takes them in. Said to a friend, the first sentence below means the friend is not coming; the second means they are. Both take the same verb endings.
- mēmu sinimāku veḷtunnāmu.We (not you) are going to the cinema.
- manaṁ sinimāku veḷtunnāmu.We (you and I) are going to the cinema.
Polite you
Use మీరు mīru with anyone older than you, with strangers and in formal settings, even for one person. నువ్వు nuvvu is for friends, children and younger relatives. The verb follows the pronoun: మీరు takes the ending -రు -ru (Polite speech and greetings).
Respectful he and she
ఆయన āyana and ఆవిడ āviḍa are for older people and anyone you respect, and they take the plural ending -రు, like మీరు: ఆయన వచ్చారు āyana vaccāru "he came". వాడు vāḍu is for boys and close friends, and is rude for most adults. అది adi said of a woman is just as familiar.
This one and that one
The pronouns that start with అ- or ఆ- point to someone farther away or out of sight. Each has a form with ఇ- or ఈ- for someone nearby: ఇతను itanu "this man", ఈమె īme "this woman", ఇది idi "this", వీళ్ళు vīḷḷu "these people", ఇవి ivi "these things" (This and that).
With endings
Pronouns change before endings. The "of" form also means "my, your" (Having and possessing), and other endings join it: నాతో nātō "with me", మీ కోసం mī kōsaṁ "for you".
| Pronoun | Object | To, for | Of |
|---|---|---|---|
| నేను nēnu | నన్ను nannu | నాకు nāku | నా nā |
| నువ్వు nuvvu | నిన్ను ninnu | నీకు nīku | నీ nī |
| మేము mēmu | మమ్మల్ని mammalni | మాకు māku | మా mā |
| మనం manaṁ | మనల్ని manalni | మనకు manaku | మన mana |
| మీరు mīru | మిమ్మల్ని mimmalni | మీకు mīku | మీ mī |
| అతను atanu | అతన్ని atanni | అతనికి ataniki | అతని atani |
| ఆయన āyana | ఆయన్ని āyanni | ఆయనకు āyanaku | ఆయన āyana |
| ఆమె āme | ఆమెను āmenu | ఆమెకు āmeku | ఆమె āme |
| అది adi | దాన్ని dānni | దానికి dāniki | దాని dāni |
| వాళ్ళు vāḷḷu | వాళ్ళను vāḷḷanu | వాళ్ళకు vāḷḷaku | వాళ్ళ vāḷḷa |
| అవి avi | వాటిని vāṭini | వాటికి vāṭiki | వాటి vāṭi |
- nannu kṣamiṁcaṁḍi.I'm sorry.me forgive (please)
- mītō māṭlāḍāli.I need to talk to you.with you (I) must talk
- āyana mā nānna.He is my father.
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.
మేము or మనం: which 'we' includes the person you're talking to?
మనం (manaṁ).
నువ్వు or మీరు: which 'you' do you use with an older stranger?
మీరు (mīru).
What's the respectful word for 'he', used for older men?
ఆయన (āyana).
What's the respectful word for 'she', used for older women?
ఆవిడ (āviḍa).
What verb ending do the respectful ఆయన (he) and ఆవిడ (she) take, even for one person?
The plural -రు: ఆయన వచ్చారు.
Who is the familiar 'he', వాడు (vāḍu), used for?
Boys and close friends.
వాళ్ళు or అవి: which 'they' is for things and animals?
అవి (avi).
What's the object form of నేను (I), meaning 'me'?
నన్ను (nannu).
How do you say 'to me' or 'for me' in one word?
నాకు (nāku).
What's the nearby form of అతను (he), meaning 'this man'?
ఇతను (itanu).