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Telugu for free
Why learn Telugu?
Telugu is one of the 67 languages you can learn on Lingocard with frequency-ranked flashcards, spaced repetition, and live speaking partners. Build vocabulary and pronunciation at your own pace, on web and mobile.
In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Telugu is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Telugu belongs to the Dravidian family - if you enjoy it, a natural next step is Kannada or Tamil.
50 essential Telugu words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Telugu sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | నేను | NEH-noo | I |
| 2 | నువ్వు | NOOV-voo | you |
| 3 | అతను | AH-tah-noo | he |
| 4 | ఆమె | AH-meh | she |
| 5 | మేము | MEH-moo | we |
| 6 | వారు | VAH-roo | they |
| 7 | ఇది | EE-dee | this |
| 8 | అది | AH-dee | that |
| 9 | ఏమి | EH-mee | what |
| 10 | ఎవరు | EH-vah-roo | who |
| 11 | లేదు | LEH-doo | no |
| 12 | మరియు | MAH-ree-yoo | and |
| 13 | లేదా | leh-DAH | or |
| 14 | కానీ | KAH-nee | but |
| 15 | లోపల | LOH-pah-lah | in |
| 16 | తో | toh | with |
| 17 | ఒకటి | OH-kah-tee | one |
| 18 | రెండు | REN-doo | two |
| 19 | పెద్ద | PED-dah | big |
| 20 | చిన్న | CHIN-nah | small |
| 21 | మంచి | MAHN-chee | good |
| 22 | కొత్త | KOHT-tah | new |
| 23 | మనిషి | mah-NEE-shee | person |
| 24 | నీరు | NEE-roo | water |
| 25 | రోజు | ROH-joo | day |
| 26 | సంవత్సరం | sahm-VAHT-sah-rahm | year |
| 27 | సమయం | SAH-mah-yahm | time |
| 28 | ఇల్లు | IL-loo | house |
| 29 | పని | PAH-nee | work |
| 30 | జీవితం | JEE-vee-tahm | life |
| 31 | మాట | MAH-tah | word |
| 32 | ఉండు | OON-doo | be |
| 33 | చేయు | CHEH-yoo | do |
| 34 | చెప్పు | CHEP-poo | say |
| 35 | తెలియు | TEH-lee-yoo | know |
| 36 | చూడు | CHOO-doo | see |
| 37 | వెళ్ళు | VEL-loo | go |
| 38 | రా | rah | come |
| 39 | ఇవ్వు | IV-voo | give |
| 40 | తీసుకో | TEE-soo-koh | take |
| 41 | కోరు | KOH-roo | want |
| 42 | తిను | TEE-noo | eat |
| 43 | తాగు | TAH-goo | to drink |
| 44 | ఇప్పుడు | IP-poo-doo | now |
| 45 | ఇక్కడ | IK-kah-dah | here |
| 46 | అక్కడ | AHK-kah-dah | there |
| 47 | ఎక్కడ | EK-kah-dah | where |
| 48 | ఎందుకు | EN-doo-koo | why |
| 49 | అన్నీ | AHN-nee | all |
| 50 | చాలా | CHAH-lah | very |
Useful phrases in Telugu
- నమస్కారం · na-mas-KA-ram · Hello / Good day
- ఎలా ఉన్నారు? · e-LA un-NA-ru · How are you?
- ధన్యవాదాలు · dhan-ya-va-DA-lu · Thank you
- దయచేసి · da-ya-CHE-si · Please
- నా పేరు... · naa PE-ru · My name is...
- ... ఎక్కడ ఉంది? · EK-ka-da un-di · Where is...?
- వెళ్ళొస్తాను · vel-los-TAH-nu · Goodbye
- క్షమించండి · ksha-min-CHAN-di · Excuse me
- నాకు అర్థం కాలేదు · NAH-ku AR-tham KAH-le-du · I don't understand
- మీరు నాకు సహాయం చేయగలరా? · MEE-ru NAH-ku sa-HAH-yam CHEY-ga-la-rah · Can you help me?
- ఇది ఎంత? · i-di EN-ta · How much is it?
- రేపు కలుద్దాం! · REH-pu ka-lud-DAHM · See you tomorrow!
Learn Telugu with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Telugu, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global Telugu learning community
Collaborate with native Telugu speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
Are you an educator? Teach Telugu online · Create an online Telugu school · Build a Telugu curriculum
Frequently asked questions about learning Telugu
How difficult is it to learn Telugu?
How difficult Telugu is depends on your background, but every language becomes manageable with consistent daily practice. Focusing on the most frequent words first means you can understand and say a lot early on. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Telugu is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Telugu?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Telugu?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level in Telugu within 8-18 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 96 million people across 1 countries speak Telugu, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Telugu vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Telugu pronunciation hard?
Every language has a few sounds that take practice, but Telugu pronunciation becomes consistent with regular listening and speaking. Hearing the language often matters more than memorising rules.
How do I get Free Telugu speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Telugu alphabet first?
If Telugu uses a different script, learning it early unlocks reading - and it's usually faster than people expect. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.