Language/Telugu/Grammar/Negative-and-Interrogative-Sentences

Telugu → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Negative and Interrogative Sentences

Welcome to our lesson on Negative and Interrogative Sentences in Telugu! Understanding how to create negative and interrogative sentences is essential for effective communication in any language, and Telugu is no exception. These structures will allow you to express disagreement, denial, and ask questions, which are crucial parts of daily conversation.

In this lesson, we will explore:

• The importance of negative and interrogative sentences in Telugu.

• How to construct negative sentences using simple examples.

• How to form interrogative sentences, including yes/no questions and WH-questions.

• Practical exercises to reinforce your learning.

By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid grasp of how to use negative and interrogative forms in Telugu. Let's dive right in!

Importance of Negative and Interrogative Sentences

Negative and interrogative sentences play a vital role in any language. They help us to:

• Negate statements: Expressing what is not true or what we don't agree with.

• Ask questions: Finding out information, clarifying doubts, and engaging in conversations.

In Telugu, the structure for negative and interrogative sentences differs from English, making it important for learners to familiarize themselves with these patterns.

Negative Sentences in Telugu

Negative sentences in Telugu are typically formed by using the word "కాదు" (kādu), which means "no" or "not." The placement of this word can vary based on the sentence structure.

Basic Structure

The basic structure of a negative sentence in Telugu is:

• Subject + Verb + "కాదు"

For example:

• "I am a teacher." becomes "I am not a teacher."

Let's look at some examples:

Telugu	Pronunciation	English
నేను ఉపాధ్యాయుడు కాదు	nēnu upādhyāyuḍu kādu	I am not a teacher
ఇది మంచి కాదు	idi man̄ci kādu	This is not good
వారు ఇక్కడ కాదు	vāru ikkaḍa kādu	They are not here
అది నీది కాదు	adi nīdi kādu	That is not yours
ఆమె చదువుకోడం లేదు	āme chaduvukōḍaṁ lēdu	She is not studying
మీరు సంతోషంగా లేరా	mīru santōṣaṅgā lērā	You are not happy
అతను రాండి కాదు	atanu rāṇḍi kādu	He is not Ram
పిల్లలు బాగా behaved కాదు	pillalu bāgā behaved kādu	The children are not behaving well
మనం వెళ్లడం లేదు	manaṁ veḷḷaḍaṁ lēdu	We are not going
ఈ రోజు పని లేదు	ī rōju pani lēdu	There is no work today

Additional Notes

• The verb can change based on the subject and tense.

• In spoken Telugu, you might also hear the word "లేదు" (lēdu) used for negation, especially with present continuous actions.

Interrogative Sentences in Telugu

Interrogative sentences are used to ask questions. They can be broadly classified into two categories: Yes/No questions and WH-questions.

Yes/No Questions

To form yes/no questions in Telugu, you usually add the word "నా" (nā) or "నా?" (nā?) at the end of the sentence.

For example:

• "Are you a teacher?" translates to "Are you a teacher?"

Examples:

Telugu	Pronunciation	English
మీరు ఉపాధ్యాయుడు吗	mīru upādhyāyuḍu nā	Are you a teacher?
ఇది మంచి吗	idi man̄ci nā	Is this good?
వారు ఇక్కడ吗	vāru ikkaḍa nā	Are they here?
ఆమె చదువుకోడం吗	āme chaduvukōḍaṁ nā	Is she studying?
మేము ఇక్కడ吗	mēmu ikkaḍa nā	Are we here?
అతను రాండి吗	atanu rāṇḍi nā	Is he Ram?
మీరు సంతోషంగా吗	mīru santōṣaṅgā nā	Are you happy?
ఈ రోజు పని吗	ī rōju pani nā	Is there work today?
ఇది నీది吗	idi nīdi nā	Is this yours?
మీరు వస్తారా吗	mīru vastārā nā	Will you come?

WH-Questions

WH-questions are questions that begin with words like "what," "where," "who," "when," and "why." In Telugu, these interrogative words are used at the beginning of the question.

Here are some common WH-questions in Telugu:

• ఏది (ēdi) - What

• ఎక్కడ (ekkaḍa) - Where

• ఎవరు (ēvaru) - Who

• ఎప్పుడు (eppudu) - When

• ఎందుకు (enduku) - Why

Examples:

Telugu	Pronunciation	English
మీరు ఏది తీసుకుంటారు?	mīru ēdi tīsuṅṭāru?	What do you take?
మీరు ఎక్కడ ఉన్నారు?	mīru ekkaḍa unnāru?	Where are you?
ఎవరు వస్తారు?	ēvaru vastāru?	Who will come?
మీరు ఎప్పుడు వస్తారు?	mīru eppudu vastāru?	When will you come?
మీరు ఎందుకు వచ్చారు?	mīru enduku vaccāru?	Why did you come?
ఇది ఏది?	idi ēdi?	What is this?
మాకు ఎక్కడ పోవాలి?	māku ekkaḍa pōvāli?	Where should we go?
మీరు ఎవరిని పరిశీలిస్తున్నారు?	mīru ēvarini pariśīlistunnāru?	Who are you observing?
మీకు ఇది నచ్చుతుందా?	mīku idi nacchutundā?	Do you like this?
ఎందుకు మీరు ఇక్కడ ఉన్నారు?	enduku mīru ikkaḍa unnāru?	Why are you here?

Practice Exercises

Now that we have covered the basics, it's time to put your knowledge to the test! Here are some exercises to help you practice forming negative and interrogative sentences.

Exercise 1: Form Negative Sentences

Transform the following affirmative sentences into negative sentences.

1. I am happy.

2. They are playing.

3. She is reading a book.

4. We are going to the market.

5. He is cooking dinner.

Solutions to Exercise 1

1. నేను సంతోషంగా లేను (nēnu santōṣaṅgā lēnu) - I am not happy.

2. వారు ఆడడం లేదు (vāru āḍaḍaṁ lēdu) - They are not playing.

3. ఆమె పుస్తకం చదవడం లేదు (āme pustakaṁ chaduvaḍaṁ lēdu) - She is not reading a book.

4. మనం మార్కెట్‌కు వెళ్లడం లేదు (manaṁ mārkeṭṭu veḷḷaḍaṁ lēdu) - We are not going to the market.

5. అతను భోజనం వండడం లేదు (atanu bhōjanam vaṇḍaḍaṁ lēdu) - He is not cooking dinner.

Exercise 2: Form Yes/No Questions

Convert the following statements into yes/no questions.

1. You are a student.

2. She is happy.

3. They will come.

4. I am here.

5. We are ready.

Solutions to Exercise 2

1. మిమ్మల్ని విద్యార్థి吗 (mim'malni vidyārthi nā) - Are you a student?

2. ఆమె సంతోషంగా吗 (āme santōṣaṅgā nā) - Is she happy?

3. వారు వస్తారా吗 (vāru vastārā nā) - Will they come?

4. నేను ఇక్కడ吗 (nēnu ikkaḍa nā) - Am I here?

5. మనం సిద్ధంగా吗 (manaṁ siddhaṅgā nā) - Are we ready?

Exercise 3: Form WH-Questions

Create WH-questions from the following statements.

1. You are reading a book.

2. They are playing cricket.

3. He is going to the store.

4. She is learning Telugu.

5. We are watching a movie.

Solutions to Exercise 3

1. మీరు ఏది చదువుతున్నారు? (mīru ēdi chaduvutunnāru?) - What are you reading?

2. వారు ఎక్కడ క్రికెట్ ఆడుతున్నారు? (vāru ekkaḍa krikeṭ āḍutunnāru?) - Where are they playing cricket?

3. అతను ఎక్కడ పోతున్నాడు? (atanu ekkaḍa pōtunnāḍu?) - Where is he going?

4. ఆమె తెలుగు నేర్చుకుంటోంది? (āme telugu nērcukuntōndi?) - What is she learning?

5. మనం ఏ చిత్రం చూస్తున్నాం? (manaṁ ē citraṁ cūstunnāṁ?) - Which movie are we watching?

Exercise 4: Combine Negative and Interrogative

Form sentences that are both negative and interrogative.

1. Is he not coming?

2. Are you not happy?

3. They are not playing cricket, are they?

4. Is she not studying?

5. We are not going, are we?

Solutions to Exercise 4

1. అతను రాండి కాదు吗? (atanu rāṇḍi kādu nā?) - Is he not coming?

2. మీరు సంతోషంగా లేరు吗? (mīru santōṣaṅgā lēru nā?) - Are you not happy?

3. వారు క్రికెట్ ఆడడం లేదు吗, కదా? (vāru krikeṭ āḍaḍaṁ lēdu nā, kadā?) - They are not playing cricket, are they?

4. ఆమె చదువుకోడం లేదు吗? (āme chaduvukōḍaṁ lēdu nā?) - Is she not studying?

5. మనం పోవడం లేదు吗, కదా? (manaṁ pōvaḍaṁ lēdu nā, kadā?) - We are not going, are we?

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have just learned how to construct negative and interrogative sentences in Telugu. By practicing these structures, you will be able to express disagreement, ask questions, and engage in meaningful conversations. Remember, the key to mastering any language is practice, so keep using these forms in your daily conversations.

As you continue your journey in learning Telugu, don't hesitate to revisit this lesson and practice more. Happy 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

Sources

• Negative and Negative Interrogative Sentences in Telugu | Spoken ...

Other Lessons

• How to Use Be
• Basic Sentence Structure
• Nouns
• How to Use Have
• Adverbs
• Pronouns
• Tenses
• Gender
• Adjectives