Language/Telugu/Grammar/Verbs

Telugu → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Verbs

Welcome to the lesson on Telugu Verbs! In this section of our journey through the Telugu language, we will explore the fascinating world of verbs. Understanding verbs is crucial because they are the backbone of any sentence, providing action and meaning. Just like in English, knowing how to use verbs correctly will help you express yourself clearly and confidently in Telugu.

In this lesson, we will cover the following topics:

Importance of Verbs in Telugu

Verbs in Telugu convey actions, states, and occurrences. They are essential for forming sentences and expressing ideas. Unlike English, Telugu verbs undergo various changes based on tense, aspect, mood, and the subject of the sentence. This complexity adds richness to the language but can be challenging for beginners. By mastering verbs, you will unlock the ability to communicate effectively in everyday conversations.

Overview of Telugu Verbs

Telugu verbs can be categorized into different types based on their usage. Here are the main categories we will explore:

• Transitive Verbs: These verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning.

• Intransitive Verbs: These verbs do not require a direct object.

• Ditransitive Verbs: These verbs take two objects, typically a direct and an indirect object.

We will also discuss the conjugation of verbs based on tense: present, past, and future.

Types of Telugu Verbs

Transitive Verbs

Transitive verbs are action verbs that require a direct object to receive the action. For example, the verb "to eat" requires an object like "food."

Examples of Transitive Verbs

Here are some examples of transitive verbs in Telugu:

Telugu	Pronunciation	English
తిను	tinu	to eat
చూడు	choodu	to see
పఠించు	paṭhin̄cu	to read
రాసు	rāsu	to write
కొను	konu	to buy

Intransitive Verbs

Intransitive verbs do not require a direct object. They can stand alone in a sentence. For instance, "to sleep" does not need an object.

Examples of Intransitive Verbs

Here are some examples of intransitive verbs in Telugu:

Telugu	Pronunciation	English
నిద్రపోతున్నా	nidrapōtunnā	to sleep
నవ్వు	navvu	to laugh
నడవు	naḍavu	to walk
పడి	paḍi	to fall
రావు	rāvu	to come

Ditransitive Verbs

Ditransitive verbs require two objects: a direct object and an indirect object. For example, in the sentence "I give her a book," "give" is the ditransitive verb, "book" is the direct object, and "her" is the indirect object.

Examples of Ditransitive Verbs

Here are some examples of ditransitive verbs in Telugu:

Telugu	Pronunciation	English
ఇవ్వు	ivvu	to give
చెప్తు	ceptu	to tell
చూపు	chūpu	to show
పంపు	pampu	to send
తీయు	tīyu	to take

Conjugation of Verbs

Once you understand the types of verbs, the next step is to learn how to conjugate them. In Telugu, verbs change based on the subject, tense, and formality.

Present Tense Conjugation

In the present tense, verbs often end with specific suffixes depending on the subject. Here’s how the present tense is formed:

• I (నేను): verb + తాను (for singular)

• You (నువ్వు): verb + సావు (for singular informal)

• He/She (అతను/ఆమె): verb + తాడు (for singular formal)

• We (మేము): verb + తాము (for plural)

• You (మీరు): verb + తారు (for plural formal)

• They (వారు): verb + తారు (for plural formal)

Present Tense Examples

Here are some examples of present tense conjugation:

Telugu	Pronunciation	English
నేను తినుతున్నాను	nēnu tinutunnānu	I am eating
నువ్వు చదువుతున్నావు	nuvvu chaduvutunnāvu	You are reading
అతను నడుస్తున్నాడు	atanu naḍustunnāḍu	He is walking
ఆమె నవ్వుతున్నది	āme navvutunnadi	She is laughing
మేము పాడుతున్నాము	mēmu pāḍutunnāmu	We are singing

Past Tense Conjugation

In the past tense, Telugu verbs also change their endings. The following suffixes are often used:

• I (నేను): verb + నాను

• You (నువ్వు): verb + నావు

• He/She (అతను/ఆమె): verb + నాడు/నాది

• We (మేము): verb + నాము

• You (మీరు): verb + నారు

• They (వారు): verb + నారు

Past Tense Examples

Here are some examples of past tense conjugation:

Telugu	Pronunciation	English
నేను తిన్నాను	nēnu tinnānu	I ate
నువ్వు చదివావు	nuvvu chadivāvu	You read
అతను నడిచాడు	atanu naḍichāḍu	He walked
ఆమె నవ్వింది	āme navvindi	She laughed
మేము పాడాము	mēmu pāḍāmu	We sang

Future Tense Conjugation

Future tense verbs are also conjugated differently. The common endings are:

• I (నేను): verb + నాను

• You (నువ్వు): verb + నావు

• He/She (అతను/ఆమె): verb + నాడు/నాది

• We (మేము): verb + నాము

• You (మీరు): verb + నారు

• They (వారు): verb + నారు

Future Tense Examples

Here are some examples of future tense conjugation:

Telugu	Pronunciation	English
నేను తినబోతున్నాను	nēnu tinabōtunnānu	I will eat
నువ్వు చదివేవు	nuvvu chadivēvu	You will read
అతను నడిచేవాడు	atanu naḍichēvāḍu	He will walk
ఆమె నవ్వుతుంది	āme navvutundi	She will laugh
మేము పాడుతాము	mēmu pāḍutāmu	We will sing

Practice Exercises

Now that we’ve covered the basics of verbs and their conjugation, let’s put your knowledge to the test! Below are some exercises that will help reinforce what you’ve learned.

Exercise 1: Identify the Verb Types

Identify whether the following verbs are transitive, intransitive, or ditransitive:

1. తిని (tini) - to eat

2. నడిపి (naḍipi) - to drive

3. నవ్వు (navvu) - to laugh

4. ఇవ్వు (ivvu) - to give

5. పాడు (pāḍu) - to sing

Exercise 2: Present Tense Conjugation

Conjugate the following verbs in the present tense for the subject "నేను" (nēnu - I):

1. చూడు (choodu) - to see

2. రాసు (rāsu) - to write

3. నడవు (naḍavu) - to walk

Exercise 3: Past Tense Conjugation

Conjugate the following verbs in the past tense for the subject "అతను" (atanu - He):

1. తిను (tinu) - to eat

2. చదువు (chaduvu) - to study

3. వచ్చు (vacchu) - to come

Exercise 4: Future Tense Sentence Creation

Create sentences using the following verbs in the future tense for the subject "మేము" (mēmu - We):

1. పాడు (pāḍu) - to sing

2. నడవు (naḍavu) - to walk

3. చదువు (chaduvu) - to study

Exercise 5: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses:

1. నేను __________ (తిను) ఆహారం. (I eat food)

2. నువ్వు __________ (రాసు) ఒక లేఖ. (You wrote a letter)

3. అతను __________ (వచ్చు) కాలం. (He is coming now)

Solution to Exercise 1

1. Transitive

2. Ditransitive

3. Intransitive

4. Ditransitive

5. Intransitive

Solution to Exercise 2

1. నేను చూస్తున్నాను (nēnu chūstunnānu) - I am seeing

2. నేను రాస్తున్నాను (nēnu rāstunnānu) - I am writing

3. నేను నడుస్తున్నాను (nēnu naḍustunnānu) - I am walking

Solution to Exercise 3

1. అతను తిన్నాడు (atanu tinnāḍu) - He ate

2. అతను చదివాడు (atanu chadivāḍu) - He studied

3. అతను వచ్చాడు (atanu vaccāḍu) - He came

Solution to Exercise 4

1. మేము పాడుతాము (mēmu pāḍutāmu) - We will sing

2. మేము నడవుతాము (mēmu naḍavutāmu) - We will walk

3. మేము చదువుతాము (mēmu chadavutāmu) - We will study

Solution to Exercise 5

1. నేను తింటున్నాను (nēnu tintunnānu) - I eat food.

2. నువ్వు రాసావు (nuvvu rāsāvu) - You wrote a letter.

3. అతను వచ్చాడు (atanu vaccāḍu) - He is coming now.

Congratulations! You have completed the lesson on Telugu verbs. Keep practicing, and soon you will become more confident in using verbs in your conversations. Remember, practice makes perfect!

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

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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

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Telugu Culture and Traditions

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

Sources

• Telugu grammar - Wikipedia
• Telugu
• Telugu Verbs

Other Lessons

• Prepositions
• Negation
• Questions
• Give your Opinion
• Nouns and Pronouns
• Pronouns
• Gender
• Adverbs
• Advanced Verbs