The first words
🎯 Greet, thank, and ask after someone.
🗣️ Say these out loud
- నమస్కారం — namaskaaram 🔊 na-mas-KAA-ram Greetings Hello and goodbye, to anyone, at any hour.
- ఎలా ఉన్నారు? — elaa unnaaru? 🔊 e-LAA oon-NAA-roo How are you? (respectful) To a friend: ఎలా ఉన్నావ్? elaa unnaav.
- బాగున్నాను — baagunnaanu 🔊 baa-goon-NAA-noo I am well. బాగు baagu = good, well.
- ధన్యవాదాలు — dhanyavaadaalu 🔊 dhan-ya-vaa-DAA-loo Thank you Formal; in everyday speech, thanks often shows in tone.
- మీ పేరు ఏమిటి? — mee peru emiti? 🔊 mee PAY-roo E-mi-ti What is your name? మీ = your (respectful), నీ = your (familiar). ఏమిటి = what.
- నా పేరు రాము — naa peru Raamu 🔊 naa PAY-roo RAA-moo My name is Ramu. No word for 'is' is needed between two nouns.
Read every line aloud twice before moving on. The mouth learns a language, not the eye.
🔍 Respect lives in the ending -రు
Telugu marks respect by the verb ending, as Tamil does with -ங்க. -రు is the respectful ending, -వు the familiar one.
- ఉన్నారు unnaaru = you are (respectful) · ఉన్నావు unnaavu = you are (familiar)
- చెప్పండి cheppandi = please tell · చెప్పు cheppu = tell (to a friend)
- రండి randi = please come · రా raa = come
- Use the -ండి / -రు forms with everyone until you are told not to.
🌍 Among the people
Telugu speakers commonly add గారు (gaaru) after a person's name as a mark of respect: రాము గారు. Using it with an elder or a colleague is expected and costs nothing.
🔁 Practise today
- Say నమస్కారం and ఎలా ఉన్నారు aloud ten times.
- Add గారు to five names you know.
- Practise the respectful command: రండి, చెప్పండి, కూర్చోండి.
