Language/Telugu/Grammar/Subject,-Object,-and-Verb

Telugu → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Basic Sentence Structure → Subject, Object, and Verb

As a Telugu language teacher with 20 years of experience, I am excited to share with you the basics of Telugu sentence structure. In this lesson, you will learn how to create simple sentences in Telugu by understanding the order of subjects, objects, and verbs.

Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Adjectives & Past Tense.

Understanding Telugu Word Order

Understanding word order in Telugu is essential to sentence construction. Telugu follows a subject-object-verb (SOV) word order, which means that the subject comes first, followed by the object, and then the verb.

For example:

• Suresh దేశం సీమలో ఉండేది. (Suresh deśaṁ sīmalo uṁḍēdi.) -> Suresh lives in the country.
• ఆకాశం నీలం ఉంది. (Ākāśaṁ nīlaṁ uṁdi.) -> The sky is blue.

As you can see from the above examples, the subject (Suresh, ఆకాశం) comes first, followed by the object (దేశం సీమలో ఉండేది, నీలం), and then the verb (ఉండేది, ఉంది).

However, Telugu also has a flexible word order. You can rearrange subject, object, and verb for emphasis, and the sentence will still be grammatically correct.

Pronouns in Telugu

In Telugu, pronouns are used to replace nouns in sentences. They refer to a person, place, or thing without using its name. Here are some common Telugu pronouns:

Telugu	Pronunciation	English
నేను (nēnu)	nay-nu	I/me
నీవు (nīvu)	nee-vu	you
అతను (atanu)	a-ta-nu	he/him
అవను (avanu)	a-va-nu	she/her
అది (adi)	a-di	it
మనం (manaṁ)	ma-nam	we/us
వారు (vāru)	vaa-ru	they/them

For example:

• నేను చదవగలను. (Nēnu caḍavagalnu.) -> I cannot read.
• వారు హస్తంలో పానీయం ఉన్నారు. (Vāru hasthaṁlō pānīyaṁ unnāru.) -> They have water in their hand.

Adding Objects to Sentences

Adding objects to Telugu sentences is straightforward. Objects are added after the subject and before the verb. Consider the following examples:

• నా అమ్మ రైతులకు రెక్కలు అందిస్తుంది. (Nā amma raitulaku rekkalu andistuṁdi.) -> My mother gives seeds to farmers.
• నేను ఆహారం తింటాను. (Nēnu āhāraṁ tiṁtānu.) -> I eat food.

As you can see, objects are added immediately after the subject (అమ్మ, ఆహారం) and before the verb (అందిస్తుంది, తింటాను).

Creating Questions in Telugu

Questions in Telugu follow a simple formula. The word order is the same as declarative sentences,s but you simply add an interrogative marker at the end of the sentence. Here are some common interrogative markers:

• ఏమి? (Emi?) -> What?
• ఎవరు? (Evaru?) -> Who?
• ఎక్కడ? (Ekkada?) -> Where?
• ఎలా? (Elā?) -> How?
• ఎందుకు? (Enduku?) -> Why?

For example:

• కొంత కాలం ఢీకొట్టినావ్? (Kontha kālaṁ ḍhīkotṭināv?) -> Have you been traveling for a long time?
• నువ్వు ఎక్కడ ఉన్నావ్? (Nuvvu ekkada unnāv?) -> Where are you?

Summary

Understanding the basic sentence structure in Telugu is essential for beginners. Remember that Telugu follows a subject-object-verb (SOV) word order, and pronouns are used to replace nouns in sentences. Objects come after the subject and before the verb, while questions use an interrogative marker at the end of the sentence.

With practice, you will soon be able to create simple sentences in Telugu with ease. Keep in mind that Telugu has a wealth of vocabulary and grammatical structures, so always keep learning!

Table of Contents - Telugu Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Telugu Script

• Telugu Alphabet
• Vowel Signs

  ---

Basic Vocabulary

• Greetings and Introductions
• Numbers and Colors
• Days of the Week and Months

  ---

Basic Sentence Structure

• Subject, Object, and Verb
• Question Formation

  ---

Everyday Vocabulary

• Family and Relationships
• Food and Drink
• Travel and Transportation

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Noun Gender and Number
• Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Hobbies and Activities

• Sports and Exercise
• Entertainment and Media
• Arts and Crafts

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense

  ---

Telugu Culture and Traditions

• Festivals and Celebrations
• Food and Cuisine
• Arts and Entertainment

Other Lessons

• Give your Opinion
• Adverbs
• Prepositions
• Adjectives
• Gender
• Possessive Pronouns
• Questions
• Future Tense
• Nouns and Pronouns

Sources

• An Introduction to Telugu
• Telugu grammar - Wikipedia