⭐ Beginner⏱ ⏱️ 10 minutes📊 Lesson 121 of 123
Introduction
ఏం
ēṁ
what
ఎవరు
evaru
who
ఎక్కడ
ekkaḍa
where
ఎప్పుడు
eppuḍu
when
ఎందుకు
enduku
why
ఎలా
elā
how
Vocabulary & Usage
ఎంత
enta
how much
ఎన్ని
enni
how many
ఏది
ēdi
which
ఎవరిది
evaridi
whose
లేదు
lēdu
no/not/nothing
వద్దు
vaddu
don't want
రాను
rānu
won't come
చేయను
cēyanu
won't do
తినను
tinanu
won't eat
చేయలేదు
cēyalēdu
didn't do
రాలేదు
rālēdu
didn't come
చేయవద్దు
cēyavaddu
don't do
వెళ్ళవద్దు
veḷḷavaddu
don't go
పిల్లలు
pillalu
children
పుస్తకాలు
pustakālu
books
మనుషులు
manuṣulu
people
కళ్ళు
kaḷḷu
eyes
చేతులు
cētulu
hands
నీళ్ళు
nīḷḷu
water, already looks plural
The Seven Question Words
Telugu question words nearly all begin with the sound e-. Once you notice that pattern, the whole set becomes easy to recall — they rhyme with each other by design.
ఏమిటి
ēmiṭi
What
ఎవరు
evaru
Who
ఎక్కడ
ekkaḍa
Where
ఎప్పుడు
eppuḍu
When
ఎందుకు
enduku
Why
ఎలా
elā
How
ఎంత
enta
How much
Asking Yes/No Questions
This is where Telugu is genuinely easier than English. There is no “do/does” and no word reordering. You take the plain statement and add -ā to the end of the verb.
మీరు వస్తారు. Mīru vastāru. — You are coming.
మీరు వస్తారా? Mīru vastārā? — Are you coming?
That single vowel does all the work. Your voice rises on it, exactly as in English.
మీరు బాగున్నారా
mīru bāgunnārā
Are you well?
ఇది మీదా
idi mīdā
Is this yours?
మీకు తెలుసా
mīku telusā
Do you know?
ఇక్కడ ఉందా
ikkaḍa undā
Is it here?
💬 Pronunciation Tips
- The question marker -ā is long and carries a rising tone. Cutting it short makes your question sound like a statement.
- ఎక్కడ and ఎప్పుడు both have doubled consonants. Hold them properly or the words blur together.
- ఎందుకు has a nasal before the d. Let it resonate: en-du-ku.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- Adding an English-style “do” — there is no equivalent word in Telugu and it will confuse the listener.
- Confusing ఏమిటి (what) with ఎందుకు (why). They look similar written in Roman letters.
- Forgetting the -ā entirely, which turns your question into a flat statement.
- Using the informal -vā ending with elders. Use -rā with మీరు.
🌴 Culture Note
- Direct questions to elders are often softened with అండి at the end, which functions like a verbal bow.
- Asking భోజనం అయిందా? (“have you eaten?”) is a standard greeting, not a literal enquiry about food.
- A head tilt accompanies most questions in Telugu conversation and often replaces the question word entirely between close friends.
Practice
- Turn these into questions: mīru vastāru, idi bāgundi, atanu vaccāḍu.
- Ask where the bathroom is.
- Ask how much something costs.
- Ask someone why they are late, politely.
- Ask a shopkeeper if they have change.