Introduction
Telugu is one of the languages of the southern Indian states Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and a Union Territory Yanam. It stands third in the number of native speakers in India. Telugu is a Dravidian language which is very expressive and one of the regular languages of the world. Well over 75 million people in the world speak Telugu. Learning Telugu Alphabets is the basic foundation for learning Telugu script.
History
Telugu in olden days was usually known by different names like Telengu, Tenungu, Telings. Telugu is famous mainly for its vowel ending sounds which helped it gain dominance in Karnatic music. Rajeswara Sarma stated about the historicity and content of Kanva’s grammar in Sanskrit. During the 16th century in the reign of Vijayanagara Emperor- Sri Krishnadevaraya was considered as the Golden Age of Telugu. Telugu was declared as the official language of the State of Andhra Pradesh by The Andhra Pradesh Official Language Act in 1966.
Alphabets in Telugu
Telugu Alphabets are known as “Varnamala” which are broadly characterized as ‘Acchulu’ and ‘Hallulu’.
Telugu alphabets can be made into sets by considering the shape of them.
There are 9 such sets:
- Set 1 : అ, ఆ,ట, త, ల, ఱ: These depict human face with close observation
- Set 2: గ, న, స : These depict letter N of English Alphabets
- Set 3: ఇ, ఞ, ణ : These depict the heart symbol
- Set 4: అం, ఈ, ఝ, ఠ, య, ర : In all these alphabets we have letter ‘O’
- Set 5: ఉ , ఊ, డ, ఢ, థ, ద, ధ : These are similar to spades in playing cards
- Set 6: ఎ, ఏ, ఐ, ఘ, ప, ఫ, మ, వ, ష, హ : These depict a squirrel
- Set 7: ఒ, ఓ, ఔ, ఙ, చ, ఛ, జ, బ, భ : These depict the number 2 and Neck of the Crane
- Set 8: క, క్షThese are similar to letter S in English Alphabet
- ఖ- This is formed by combining 2 and 1
- శ- This is similar to number 8
- ళ- This is similar to symbol of Infinity
The Varnamala can be listed as below:
| Varnamala |
Hindi Examples |
Pronounced as |
Phonetic Examples |
| అ |
అమ్మ |
a |
Up |
| ఆ |
ఆవు |
aa |
Arm |
| ఇ |
ఇల్లు |
i |
Is |
| ఈ |
ఈగ |
ee |
Eat |
| ఉ |
ఉడుత |
u |
Uber |
| ఊ |
ఊయల |
oo |
Oops |
| ఎ |
ఎలుక |
e |
Ate |
| ఏ |
ఏనుగు |
ae |
Aerobics |
| ఐ |
ఐదు |
ai |
Ant |
| ఒ |
ఒంటె |
o |
Open |
| ఓ |
ఓడ |
oa |
Old |
| ఔ |
ఔషదము |
au |
Outside |
| అం |
అంబారీ |
aM |
Number |
| ఆః |
నమః |
AH |
|
| క |
కలము |
ka |
King |
| ఖ |
ఖడ్గము |
kha |
Khaki |
| గ |
గద |
ga |
Gun |
| ఘ |
ఘంట |
gha |
Ghastly |
| ఙ |
|
gna |
|
| చ |
చరఖా |
cha |
Chair |
| ఛ |
ఛత్రము |
chha |
Chhatisgarh |
| జ |
జడ |
ja |
Jam |
| ఝ |
ఝషము |
jha |
Jhalem |
| ఞ |
|
ini |
|
| ట |
టమాట |
ta |
Take |
| ఠ |
కంఠము |
tha |
Thane |
| డ |
దమరు |
Da |
Danger |
| ఢ |
ఢంకా |
Dha |
Disk |
| ణ |
వీణ |
ana |
|
| త |
తల |
ta |
Tank |
| థ |
రథము |
tha |
Thick |
| ద |
దండ |
da |
The |
| ధ |
ధనుస్సు |
dha |
Buddha |
| న |
నగ |
na |
Name |
| ప |
పలక |
pa |
Parent |
| ఫ |
ఫలము |
pha |
Fuse |
| బ |
బస్సు |
ba |
Bank |
| భ |
భవనము |
bha |
Bhavan |
| మ |
మంచము |
ma |
Made |
| య |
యంత్రము |
ya |
Yacht |
| ర |
రవి |
ra |
Rain |
| ల |
లత |
la |
Lawyer |
| వ |
వల |
va |
Vase |
| శ |
శంఖము |
sa |
Shine |
| ష |
షరాయి |
Sa |
Share |
| స |
సబ్బు |
sha |
Sale |
| హ |
హంస |
ha |
Hat |
| ళ |
తాళము |
La |
Lamb |
| క్ష |
క్షత్రియుడు |
ksha |
Rickshaw |
| ఱ |
ఱమ్పము |
Ra |
|
Vowels
Out of the 50 letters in the Telugu Alphabets, there are a total of 14 Acchulu (Vowels) in Telugu.
These are the independent alphabets which have vowel sounds like a, u, o. These are produced by comparatively open configuration of the vocal tract, with the vibration of the vocal cords but without audible friction.
Except for ‘అం’, All other Telugu Alphabets are produced by the free flow of air through the mouth without being blocked by the teeth, tongue and lips.
|
Acchulu
|
Telugu Examples
|
Pronounced as
|
Phonetic Examples
|
|
అ
|
అమ్మ
|
a
|
up
|
|
ఆ
|
ఆవు
|
aa
|
Arm
|
|
ఇ
|
ఇల్లు
|
i
|
Is
|
|
ఈ
|
ఈగ
|
ee
|
Eat
|
|
ఉ
|
ఉడుత
|
u
|
Uber
|
|
ఊ
|
ఊయల
|
oo
|
Oops
|
|
ఎ
|
ఎలుక
|
e
|
Ate
|
|
ఏ
|
ఏనుగు
|
ae
|
Aerobics
|
|
ఐ
|
ఐదు
|
ai
|
Ant
|
|
ఒ
|
ఒంటె
|
o
|
Open
|
|
ఓ
|
ఓడ
|
oa
|
Old
|
|
ఔ
|
ఔషదము
|
au
|
Outside
|
|
అం
|
అంబారీ
|
aM
|
Number
|
|
ఆః
|
నమః
|
AH
|
|
Acchulu are basically of four types Hraswamulu, Dheergamulu, Vakramulu, Vakrathamulu
- Hraswamulu : These alphabets don’t require any stress to speak.
|
Hraswamulu
|
Telugu Examples
|
Pronunced As
|
Phonetic Examples
|
|
అ
|
అమ్మ
|
a
|
Up
|
|
ఇ
|
ఇల్లు
|
i
|
Is
|
|
ఉ
|
ఉడుత
|
u
|
Uber
|
|
ఎ
|
ఎలుక
|
e
|
Ate
|
|
ఒ
|
ఒంటె
|
o
|
Open
|
- Dheergamulu: These alphabets require some stress to speak.
|
Dheergamulu
|
Telugu Examples
|
Pronounced As
|
Phonetic Examples
|
|
ఆ
|
ఆవు
|
aa
|
Arm
|
|
ఈ
|
ఈగ
|
ee
|
Eat
|
|
ఊ
|
ఊయల
|
oo
|
Oops
|
|
ఏ
|
ఏనుగు
|
ae
|
Aerobics
|
|
ఓ
|
ఓడ
|
oa
|
Old
|
- Vakramulu
|
Vakramulu
|
Telugu Examples
|
Pronounced as
|
Phonetic Examples
|
|
ఎ
|
ఎలుక
|
e
|
Ate
|
|
ఏ
|
ఏనుగు
|
ae
|
Aerobics
|
|
ఒ
|
ఒంటె
|
o
|
Open
|
|
ఓ
|
ఓడ
|
oa
|
Old
|
- Vakrathamulu
|
Vakrathumulu
|
Telugu Examples
|
Pronounced as
|
Phonetic Examples
|
|
ఐ
|
ఐదు
|
ai
|
Ant
|
|
ఔ
|
ఔషదము
|
au
|
Outside
|
Consonants
Hallulu, which are Consonants. These are produced by the partial or complete obstruction of the air stream by a constriction of the speech organs.Consonants of Telugu can be listed below:
|
Hallulu
|
Telugu Examples
|
Pronounced as
|
Phonetic Examples
|
|
క
|
కలము
|
ka
|
King
|
|
ఖ
|
ఖడ్గము
|
kha
|
Khaki
|
|
గ
|
గద
|
ga
|
Gun
|
|
ఘ
|
ఘంట
|
gha
|
Ghastly
|
|
ఙ
|
|
gna
|
|
|
చ
|
చరఖా
|
cha
|
Chair
|
|
ఛ
|
ఛత్రము
|
chha
|
Chhatisgarh
|
|
జ
|
జడ
|
ja
|
Jam
|
|
ఝ
|
ఝషము
|
jha
|
Jhalem
|
|
ఞ
|
|
ini
|
|
|
ట
|
టమాట
|
ta
|
Take
|
|
ఠ
|
కంఠము
|
tha
|
Thane
|
|
డ
|
దమరు
|
Da
|
Danger
|
|
ఢ
|
ఢంకా
|
Dha
|
Disk
|
|
ణ
|
వీణ
|
ana
|
|
|
త
|
తల
|
ta
|
Tank
|
|
థ
|
రథము
|
tha
|
Thick
|
|
ద
|
దండ
|
da
|
The
|
|
ధ
|
ధనుస్సు
|
dha
|
Buddha
|
|
న
|
నగ
|
na
|
Name
|
|
ప
|
పలక
|
pa
|
Parent
|
|
ఫ
|
ఫలము
|
pha
|
Fuse
|
|
బ
|
బస్సు
|
ba
|
Bank
|
|
భ
|
భవనము
|
bha
|
Bhavan
|
|
మ
|
మంచము
|
ma
|
Made
|
|
య
|
యంత్రము
|
ya
|
Yacht
|
|
ర
|
రవి
|
ra
|
Rain
|
|
ల
|
లత
|
la
|
Lawyer
|
|
వ
|
వల
|
va
|
Vase
|
|
శ
|
శంఖము
|
sa
|
Shine
|
|
ష
|
షరాయి
|
Sa
|
Share
|
|
స
|
సబ్బు
|
sha
|
Sale
|
|
హ
|
హంస
|
ha
|
Hat
|
|
ళ
|
తాళము
|
La
|
Lamb
|
|
క్ష
|
క్షత్రియుడు
|
ksha
|
Rickshaw
|
|
ఱ
|
ఱమ్పము
|
Ra
|
|
Merging Vowels and Consonants
When we add the ‘Acchulu’ to ‘Hallulu’ we get a new word with a unique sound.
These are the rules to be followed for combinations of Acchulu and Hallulu:
ఆ is added to the consonant by adding ా
ఇ is added to the consonant by adding ి
ఈ is added to the consonant by adding ీ
ఉ is added to the consonant by adding ు
ఊ is added to the consonant by adding ూ
ఎ is added to the consonant by adding ె
ఏ is added to the consonant by adding ే
ఐ is added to the consonant by adding ై
ఒ is added to the consonant by adding ొ
ఓ is added to the consonant by adding ో
ఔ is added to the consonant by adding ౌ
అం is added to the consonant by adding ం
ఆః is added to the consonant by adding ః
|
Acchulu+Hallulu
|
Telugu Examples
|
Pronounced as
|
Phonetic Examples
|
|
క = క+అ
|
కన్ను
|
ka
|
Colour
|
|
కా = క+ఆ
|
కాకి
|
kaa
|
Carton
|
|
కి = క +ఇ
|
కింద
|
ki
|
King
|
|
కీ = క+ఈ
|
కీలకం
|
kee
|
Keep
|
|
కు = క+ఉ
|
కుంబకోణం
|
ku
|
Kung Fu
|
|
కూ=క+ఊ
|
క్రూరత్వం
|
koo
|
Cool
|
|
కె = క+ఎ
|
కెప్టెన్
|
ke
|
Case
|
|
కే= క +ఏ
|
కేరింత
|
kae
|
Camera
|
|
కై= క +ఐ
|
కైవసం
|
kai
|
Kite
|
|
కొ= క+ఒ
|
కొవొతు
|
ko
|
Cold
|
|
కో= క+ఓ
|
కోలాటం
|
koa
|
Corporation
|
|
కౌ= క+ఔ
|
కౌగిలి
|
kow
|
Cow
|
|
కం= క +అం
|
కంపు
|
kam
|
Kangaroo
|
|
కః= క+ఆః
|
|
kaha
|
|
Sample Text
To see how Telugu alphabets are used as building blocks to make complex sentences, please see the following
దయ అనెది ఒక భాష దానిని చెవిటివారు వినగలరు మరియు గుడ్డివారు చూడగలరు
“Kindness is the language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see”
– Mark Twain
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