Learn Telugu speaking online: start talking in weeks
Moved to Hyderabad for work? Marrying into a Telugu family? Or just tired of nodding along when friends switch to Telugu? Whatever your reason, the fastest way to speak Telugu is to start speaking it, a little every week.
Here are the everyday phrases and numbers, the one polite word that makes everything sound right, a four-week plan, and a way to practise: one-to-one video calls on Viaraa with hosts who speak Telugu.
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Why Telugu is easier to speak than it looks
The script looks round and complicated, but spoken Telugu is friendly to learners. Almost every word ends in a vowel, which makes it flow, and it's often called "the Italian of the East" for that reason. Word order is simple once you get used to it: the verb comes at the end. "I water want" rather than "I want water".
Telugu also borrows freely from English and Hindi, especially in cities. You'll hear "office", "bus", "phone" and "ticket" in the middle of Telugu sentences, so you already know more words than you think.
The magic word: andi
Add "andi" to the end of a word or sentence and it becomes polite. It's the single most useful thing a Telugu learner can know:
- Avunu (yes) becomes avunandi: "yes, sir" or "yes, madam".
- Ledu (no) becomes ledandi: a polite no.
- Cheppu (tell) becomes cheppandi: please tell me.
- On its own, "andi?" means "yes?" or "sorry, what was that?".
Use it with anyone older than you, anyone you don't know well, and on the phone. You can't overuse it.
Ten Telugu phrases for everyday life
- ఎంత?Entha?How much?
- ఇక్కడ ఆపండి.Ikkada aapandi.Stop here, please.
- చాలు.Chaalu.That's enough.
- నాకు తెలుగు కొంచెం వచ్చు.Naaku Telugu konchem vachchu.I know a little Telugu.
- అర్థం కాలేదు.Artham kaaledu.I didn't understand.
- మళ్ళీ చెప్పండి.Malli cheppandi.Please say that again.
- సరే.Sare.Okay.
- నీళ్ళు కావాలి.Neellu kaavaali.I need some water.
- ఎక్కడ ఉంది?Ekkada undi?Where is it?
- ధన్యవాదాలు!Dhanyavaadaalu!Thank you!
In everyday talk many people just say "thanks" in English, so don't worry if Dhanyavaadaalu feels like a mouthful.
Numbers one to ten
| Number | Telugu | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ఒకటి | okati |
| 2 | రెండు | rendu |
| 3 | మూడు | moodu |
| 4 | నాలుగు | naalugu |
| 5 | ఐదు | aidu |
| 6 | ఆరు | aaru |
| 7 | ఏడు | edu |
| 8 | ఎనిమిది | enimidi |
| 9 | తొమ్మిది | tommidi |
| 10 | పది | padi |
Prices are often said in English numbers in shops, but knowing these helps with everything from bus numbers to telling the time.
A four-week plan
- 1Week 1, greetings and introductions: namaskaaram, your name, where you're from, what you do, with andi everywhere.
- 2Week 2, numbers and money: entha?, chaalu, and the numbers one to ten. Practise at a fruit stall or with an auto driver.
- 3Week 3, directions and travel: left (edama), right (kudi), straight (neruga), stop (aapandi), near and far.
- 4Week 4, talk about your day: five minutes on what you did, in short sentences, verb at the end.
Short, regular practice works best: a ten-minute conversation three times a week beats one long session.
Practise speaking on Viaraa
On Viaraa you can video call hosts who speak Telugu, one to one: women aged 18 or over who chose to host, each checked by our team. Tell your host you're learning when the call starts. She can slow down, repeat, correct you gently, and let you fall back on English when you're stuck.
Viaraa isn't a course and hosts aren't teachers, but real conversation is what makes a language stick. Calls are paid per minute, from 3,000 coins a minute depending on the host, with no subscription, and everything runs in your browser. See also our Telugu video call page.
Common mistakes learners make
- Forgetting andi: without it, requests can sound abrupt. When in doubt, add it.
- Putting the verb in the middle: Telugu puts it at the end. "Nenu intiki veltunnaanu" is "I home am going".
- Mixing up "vachchu" (I know how to) and "telusu" (I know about): "Telugu vachchu" means you can speak it.
- Speaking too fast to sound fluent: clear and slow is easier to understand than fast and mixed up.
This page also comes in Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi, for learning Telugu through your own language. See all the languages you can learn.
Questions, answered
Can I learn Telugu speaking online for free?
You can start for free with the phrases, numbers and plan on this page. Practising on Viaraa video calls is paid per minute, and joining is free.
Is Telugu hard to learn?
Speaking basic Telugu is easier than the script suggests: words end in vowels, and many English words are used in everyday talk.
What does andi mean in Telugu?
It's a polite ending. Add it to words like avunu (yes) and ledu (no) to make them respectful: avunandi, ledandi.
Do I need to learn the Telugu script?
Not to start speaking. Learn the spoken phrases first; the script helps later for reading signs and menus.
Are Viaraa's hosts Telugu teachers?
No. They're people who speak Telugu and enjoy conversation, which makes calls good speaking practice. Viaraa isn't a course.
Keep reading
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