“I love you!” These three magical words have been used from time immemorial to express our love for someone. These words were responsible for kingdoms flourishing or even perishing; they would make our hearts run a thousand miles, irrespective of language.
If you want to say I love you in Telugu, you can say Nenu Ninnu Premistunnanu. But even Google Translate can show that. That’s why I’m going to teach you to express your love in Telugu in all possible ways.
Table Of Contents
How Do You Say I Love You In Telugu?
As mentioned before, I love you in Telugu is Nenu Ninnu Premistunnanu. Let’s learn to say the phrase by breaking it down.
- I – Nenu (నేను)
- You – Ninnu (నిన్ను)
- am Loving – Premistunnanu (ప్రేమిస్తున్నాను)
These are the literal translations of each word in “I love you” in English: Nenu ninnu premistunnanu (నేను నిన్ను ప్రేమిస్తున్నాను)
This is the standard, formal, and poetic way of expressing love. But here’s the thing: Anyone can go online and find this translation, so saying this is special but not too special. Let’s see how to make your proposal truly special. Be aware that the following phrases can make the other person madly fall in love with you.
Alternatives To I Love You In Telugu
Love is truly expressed when done informally, right? It creates a sense of closeness and familiarity, and our words deeply affect the other person. This is how you do it:
I Really Like You – Nuvvu Naku Chalaa Ishtam (నువ్వు నాకు చాలా ఇష్టం)
Seems generic, but it’s not. Some words can change the meaning of an entire phrase. In the phrase above, the word chalaa (చాలా – really) takes the phrase from simply admiring someone to loving them.
This is a more casual, friendlier way of expressing your love. Important, too, because with it you can test the waters before you dive in completely. If the other person shares the feeling, it will become apparent, and you can proceed with “I love you.”
I Want You – Nuvvu Naku Kavali (నువ్వు నాకు కావాలి)
What better way to get something than to ask for it? Be it a thing you need or a person you want. Unlike some languages where the phrase “I want you” would mean a physical relationship, in Telugu, Nuvvu Naku Kavali communicates that you want the person in your life as a partner.
But keep in mind that this is a more blunt and rough way of expressing your love toward someone, so you may catch them off guard if you haven’t given them any sort of indication of your love. Use this phrase wisely.
I Want To Be With You – Naku Neetho Undalani Undi (నాకు నీతో ఉండాలని ఉంది)
When you say you want someone in your life, it’s like telling them you want to share it with them. It goes further than saying you love them, since you can love someone and still not want them.
And since “I love you” is somewhat overused and is one of the most popular phrases a beginner learns, it may not necessarily communicate your intention properly, and the other person might dismiss it as casual banter.
This is why telling someone you want to be with them is a much better way to express that you love them and want to spend time with them. What do you say?
Romantic Compliments In Telugu
Love can be expressed in many ways. You can tell them you love them, show them you love them, and compliment and subtly convey that you love them. Let’s see how you can do that in Telugu.
Your Laugh Is Very Beautiful – Nee Navvu Chalaa Andamga Undi (నీ నవ్వు చాలా అందంగా ఉంది)
Ask yourself this question. Would anyone tell the other person their laugh is beautiful if they don’t like them to some extent? No, right? This is exactly why telling them you like their laugh is a great way to show your feelings. And on top of that, this phrase will surely put a laugh on their face.
You Are Very Beautiful – Nuvvu Chalaa Andamga Unnavu (నువ్వు చాలా అందంగా ఉన్నావు)
It doesn’t get any clearer than this. Why else would someone tell you that you look beautiful? I can understand; you may think it’s just a compliment. But consider the cultural aspect here. If you tell someone they are beautiful in Western culture, it’s a compliment. But generally, in India, telling someone they are beautiful or handsome goes beyond being a compliment.
I Want To See You – Naku Ninnu Chudalani Undi (నాకు నిన్ను చూడాలని ఉంది)
Just like saying you are beautiful is not just a compliment, telling someone you want to see them is not just a casual remark. It shows the other person your affection and love, no matter the language, but the cultural aspect adds a romantic undertone in Telugu. It shows them that you are thinking about them.
There you have it. Instead of using the same old I love you, use these phrases to express your feelings. These are more intimate and convey a sense of familiarity while communicating your love. And if you want help when having a conversation, read our blog on conversational phrases in Telugu. It’ll help you have deeper conversations with your loved one.
Endearing Words In Telugu
When you love someone, you want to address them endearingly. After all, how many couples would fight if one of them starts calling the other by their formal name? The same is true in Telugu.
In English, the most common words are baby, babe, boo, etc. Here are a few endearing words in Telugu to try with your loved ones.
- Golg – Bangaram (బంగారం): Supposedly, it conveys to the other person that they are a treasure to you—the most common nickname for a loved one in Telugu.
- Small/Close one – Bujji (బుజ్జి): It roughly translates to “small” or “close one”—another prominent nickname.
- Dear – Kanna (కన్నా): Women mainly use this term to call their boyfriends.
- Babe – Chitti (చిట్టి), Chinnu (చిన్ను), Potti (పొట్టి): These are various ways to call someone “babe” in Telugu.
So, for example, you can address your loved one as, “Hey, Bujji, how are you?” and they’ll quickly get the idea.
Common Phrases To Make Small Talk
You’ll need to speak to them to express your love, or even create a bond. And you’ll want to ask them questions that show you care about their well-being or steer your conversation toward the topic. So here are a few questions you can ask them.
- What are you doing? – Em Chestunnavu (ఎం చేస్తున్నావు?)
- Have you had your dinner? – Bhojanam Ainda? (భోజనం అయ్యిందా?)
- Do you like me? – Neeku Nenu Nacchutanaa? (నీకు నేను నచ్చుతానా?)
- What is your preference in a partner? – Nee Partner Ela Undali Anukuntavu? (నీ పార్టనర్ ఎలా ఉండాలి అనుకుంటావు?)
- Want to go on a date? – Date ki Veldama? (డేట్ కి వెళ్దామా?)
- Want to go to the movies if you’re free? – Free aite Cinema ki Veldama? (ఫ్రీ అయితే సినిమాకి వెళ్దామా?)
A Lovely Vocabulary Table
We’ve learned many phrases, so they’re easy to confuse. Here’s a table to help you. I’ll start with how to express your love and add a few more to help you compliment your significant other. Starting with how to express your love and a few more to help you compliment them.
| English | Romanized Telugu | Telugu Script | Meaning/Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| I love you | Nenu Ninnu Premistunnanu | నేను నిన్ను ప్రేమిస్తున్నాను | A formal, poetic way to express love. |
| I really like you | Nuvvu Naku Chalaa Ishtam | నువ్వు నాకు చాలా ఇష్టం | Casual, friendly expression of admiration. |
| I want you | Nuvvu Naku Kavali | నువ్వు నాకు కావాలి | Expresses desire for someone in life as a partner. |
| I want to be with you | Naku Neetho Undalani Undi | నాకు నీతో ఉండాలని ఉంది | Communicates a desire to share life with someone. |
| Your laugh is very beautiful | Nee Navvu Chalaa Andamga Undi | నీ నవ్వు చాలా అందంగా ఉంది | A romantic compliment for someone’s laughter. |
| You are very beautiful | Nuvvu Chalaa Andamga Unnavu | నువ్వు చాలా అందంగా ఉన్నావు | A culturally meaningful compliment. |
| I want to see you | Naku Ninnu Chudalani Undi | నాకు నిన్ను చూడాలని ఉంది | Expresses affection and longing to meet someone. |
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Love In Telugu
1. Is Saying “Nenu Ninnu Premistunnanu” Better Than Saying “I Love You” To A Telugu Person?
Not really. Many Telugu people are used to hearing English phrases in their daily lives, so hearing someone say Nenu ninnu premistunnanu may seem like a friend trying their newly learned Telugu vocabulary rather than expressing their love.
2. How Can I Say I Love You In Plural?
I love you in plural would be Nenu Mimmalni Premistunnanu. When referring to multiple people, the word for “You,” Nuvvu, becomes Meeru or Mimmalni. You can explore some more ways of making Telugu words plural to add to your language skills.
3. How Do I Say “Love” In Telugu?
Love in Telugu is Prema (ప్రేమ). It’s a word with Sanskrit origins that means affection or love. It’s also a widely used name for girls.
Let’s Summarize I Love You In Telugu
So that’s it. I’ve given you some hope in wooing the person you like with these phrases. We’ve learned various ways to say I love you in Telugu, such as Nenu Ninnu Premistunnanu (నేను నిన్ను ప్రేమిస్తున్నాను). We also learned some phrases to compliment someone or start a conversation and how to endearingly call them with words like Bujji (బుజ్జి) to build that lifelong bond you’re looking for.
And if you are already dreaming about that life together, here’s a great read on marriage in Telugu culture.
