Wondering how to ask “How are you?” in Telugu to kick off a conversation? Just say: Ela unnaru? (ఎలా ఉన్నారు?) Easy right? But wait, there’s more to it! Learning a language is certainly fun and rewarding, but understanding the meaning and cultural context behind the phrases and connecting with them is what makes the journey fruitful.
When it comes to Telugu, there are many ways to go about greetings. For example, people generally bring their hands together, say Namaste, and then follow up with Ela unnaru. In this post, we’ll discover different ways to ask people how they are in Telugu and how to use them correctly.
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Let’s Learn To Say How Are You In Telugu
Asking someone “How are you?” with a bright smile goes a long way in forming a great bond, don’t you think? And like any language, there are quite a few ways to ask this in Telugu. Let’s see what they are.
But first, you have to know that Telugu uses the suffix ru (రు) for formal/plural and vu (వు) for informal.
How Are You? – Ela Unnaru? (ఎలా ఉన్నారు?)
Let’s start by understanding the phrase. Ela (ఎలా) means “how,” and unnaru (ఉన్నారు) is a mix of ఉన్న+ రు, meaning “existence + a formality suffix.” The word for “you” is implied, so it’s omitted. Then, the literal meaning of the phrase is “How is your existence?”
In a group or formal setting, you should say Meeru Ela Unnaru (మీరు ఎలా ఉన్నారు?) which includes the word for “you.” This is a basic greeting for a first-time introduction or for meeting an elder or a group of people.
On the other hand, when you greet those you are close to, you can say Ela Unnavu? (ఎలా ఉన్నావు?). This phrase can even be used instead of saying hello in Telugu.
Are You Well? – Bagunnara? (బాగున్నారా?)
This is a casual, courteous greeting for someone you may know closely; it has a sense of warmth and closeness. And just like in the previous example, the word’s ending differentiates formal from informal.
- Formal: Baga + unnara (బాగా + ఉన్నారా) = Good + your existence + formality suffix.
- Plural: If you add the word andaru (అందరూ), which means “everyone,” at the beginning, this becomes a greeting for many at once. For example: Everyone good? – Andaru Bagunnara? (అందరూ బాగున్నారా?)
- Informal: Finally, the informal version would be bagunnava? (బాగున్నావా?)
What’s Up?/ What’s Going On? – Enti Sangati (ఏంటి సంగతి?)
This is a much more casual greeting to inquire about someone’s well-being. But be mindful while saying this in case someone’s a chatterbox, this sentence is like a key that opens others’ hearts out.
- Enti + sangati (ఏంటి + సంగతి?) = What’s the + matter/ going on.
Everything Good? – Antha Kusalama (అంతా కుశలమా?)
This is a more traditional way of greeting people, so it’s confined to books these days. In fact, many have stopped using this greeting. But as a new learner, you can certainly impress anyone with your language skills by greeting them with this.
- Antha + kusalama (అంతా + కుశలమా?) = Everything + good?
Responding To “How Are You” In Telugu
Now, let’s say you’re at the receiving end of these greetings, and someone asks you Ela unnaru, Ela unnavu, Bagunnara, or any of the others. This is how you should respond in Telugu.
Keep in mind that some of these responses can be given only to certain questions, and that the suffix ru makes the phrase formal, and vu makes it informal.
Responding To “How Are You” – Ela Unnaru? (ఎలా ఉన్నారు?)
- I am fine, how are you? – Nenu bagunnanu, meerela unnaru? (నేను బాగున్నాను, మీరెలా ఉన్నారు?)
- I am very happy. – Nenu chaala santoshamgaa unnanu (నేను చాలా సంతోషంగా ఉన్నాను)
- I’m good, what about you? – Bagunnanu, mi sangathi? (బాగున్నాను, మీ సంగతి?)
- We’re very good. – Chalaa bagunnam (చాలా బాగున్నాం)
Responding To “Are You Well?” – Bagunnara? (బాగున్నారా?)
- I’m very well. – Chala bagunnam/ Chala bagunna (చాలా బాగున్నాం/చాలా బాగున్నా)
- Everything’s fine. – Antha bagundi (అంతా బాగుంది)
Responding To “What’s Up?/ What’s Going On?” – Enti Sangati (ఏంటి సంగతి?)
When someone asks you this, you may answer by saying what you are up to. But when you just want to give a simple answer, you can say this:
- Nothing much – Em ledhu, antha mamule (ఏం లేదు, అంతా మామూలే)
Responding To “Everything Good?” – Antha Kusalama (అంతా కుశలమా?)
The chances of getting asked this are rare, but in case someone wants to pull your leg by using a difficult or unknown phrase like this, you can respond this way:
- Everything’s good. – Sarvam kusalame (సర్వం కుశలమే)
Summary Of Questions And Responses
Here’s a table to give you a quick summary of what we’ve learned.
| English Question | Telugu | Transliteration | English Answer | Telugu | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| How are you? | ఎలా ఉన్నారు? | Ela unnaru? | I’m good | నేను బాగున్నాను, మీరెలా ఉన్నారు? | Nenu bagunnanu, meerela unnaru |
| Are you well? | బాగున్నారా? | Bagunnara? | I’m very well | చాలా బాగున్నా | Chala bagunna |
| What’s up? | ఏంటి సంగతి? | Enti Sangati | Nothing much | ఏం లేదు, అంతా మామూలే | Em ledhu, antha mamule |
| Everything good? | అంతా కుశలమా? | Antha Kusalama | Everything’s fine | సర్వం కుశలమే | Sarvam kusalame |
Other Ways To Ask How Are You In Telugu
There are even more ways to ask how are you in Telugu! So, here’s a bit more vocabulary for you.
| English Question | Telugu | Transliteration | English Answer | Telugu | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| How’s your day | ఇవాళ ఎలా నడిచింది? | Ivala ela nadichindi? | It’s fine | బాగానే నడిచింది | Bagane nadichind |
| How are you feeling? | నీకు ఎలా ఉంది? | Niku ela undi? | I’m feeling good | నాకు బానే ఉంది | Naku bane undi |
| Are you good? | బానే ఉన్నావా? | Bane unnava? | I’ve been better | ఏదో అలా ఉన్నా. | Edo ala unna |
FAQs About How Are You In Telugu
1. How Do You Ask Someone “Is Everything Alright” In Telugu?
Let’s say you come across a friend who looks discouraged. In that case, you should ask them Antha baane undaa? (అంతా బానే ఉందా?). This shows your concern for the person and can make them open up to you. After all, who doesn’t respond when shown kindness?
2. How Long Will It Take To Learn The Telugu Language?
It will take about 6–12 months with daily practice of 30 minutes. But you must practice every day to get to understand it, and ideally have someone who can answer your questions.
3. Some Say Learning Telugu Is Hard Due To Its Many Dialects, Is It True?
Well, Telugu does have three major dialects which vary to a certain extent, and all three dialects are used widely in the regions they belong to. However, the major dialect, found in Andhra Pradesh, is understood across both Telugu states. On top of that, Telugu is well known for its assimilation of English words, which makes it even easier to learn. So, no, Telugu is not hard to learn.
Wrapping Up
So, that’s about it. We’ve covered all the ways you can ask someone “How are you?” in Telugu and respond as well. Why don’t you go ahead and show your Telugu folks that you too can speak Telugu like them? I’m sure they’re in for a surprise.
And, if you are looking for a helping hand, let me tell you about the Ling app! It’s crafted with care and excellence to bring the culture, tradition, and life of the Telugu language to your fingertips.
