Have you ever attempted to assemble a puzzle without the necessary connecting pieces? Isn’t it almost unfeasible? That’s similar to trying to speak a language without being familiar with its conjunctions. They serve as the cohesive element that keeps our speech flowing naturally and our ideas making sense.
Understanding Telugu conjunctions is essential to learning Telugu comprehensively as it helps you speak better, compose Telugu texts better and impress people around better with your Telugu skills. This blog will be a fun and easy tour of Telugu conjunctions. Simple explanations, valuable examples, and a few laughs replace dull language rules.
Table Of Contents
How Do You Say Conjunction In Telugu?
In Telugu, conjunctions are called Sanyogam (సంయోగం) or Sandhulu (సంధులు).
What Are Conjunctions?
In a sentence, conjunctions connect words, phrases, and clauses. Consider them grammar’s friendly matchmakers. They soften concept transitions, making sentences and communication more natural.
In English, we use conjunctions like “and,” “but,” “or,” and “because.” They help us write and discuss by combining ideas. For example, the conjunction “and” combines two concepts in this sentence: I want to learn Telugu and travel to Hyderabad.
Similarly, in Telugu, conjunctions play a crucial role and help just how they do in English. Just like in English, there are various types of conjunctions in Telugu, and each one has a specific function when joining words, phrases, or clauses. Let’s examine the primary categories of conjunctions in Telugu that you may come across:
1. Coordinating Conjunctions – Samana-adhikara Sandhulu (సమానాధికార సంధులు)
They serve as a link between two equally important words, phrases, or clauses. They are the “and,” “but,” and “or” of Telugu language.
And – Mariyu (మరియు)
English: I like tea “and” coffee.
Telugu: Naku tea mariyu coffee ante ishtam (నాకు టీ మరియు కాఫీ అంటే ఇష్టం)
But – Kani (కానీ)
English: She is smart “but” lazy.
Telugu: Ame telivainadi kani baddakam (ఆమె తెలివైనది కానీ బద్ధకం)
Or – Leda (లేదా)
English: Do you want tea or coffee?
Telugu: Miku tea kavala leda kafi kavala? (మీకు టీ కావాలా లేదా కాఫీ కావాలా?)
Nor – Alage kadu (అలాగే కాదు)
English: He didn’t eat, nor did he drink.
Telugu: Atanu tinaledu, alage tagaledu (అతను తినలేదు, అలాగే తాగలేదు)
Because – Endukante (ఎందుకంటే)
English: She is happy because she got a new job.
Telugu: Ame santoṣanga undi endukante ameki kottha udyogaṃ vaccindi (ఆమె సంతోషంగా ఉంది, ఎందుకంటే ఆమెకి కొత్త ఉద్యోగం వచ్చింది)
Yet – Ayinappatiki (అయినప్పటికీ)
English: He is rich, yet he is unhappy.
Telugu: Atanu dhanavantuḍu, ayinappatiki santoṣanga ledu (అతను ధనవంతుడు, అయినప్పటికీ సంతోషంగా లేడు)
So – Kabaṭṭi (కాబట్టి)
English: It was raining, so we stayed home.
Telugu: Varṣaṃ paḍindi, kabatti memu iṇṭlone unnamu (వర్షం పడింది, కాబట్టి మేము ఇంట్లోనే ఉన్నాము)
2. Subordinating Conjunctions – Adhina Sandhulu (ఆధీన సంధులు)
These conjunctions are used to join a dependent clause to an independent clause, much like “because,” “although,” or “when” in English. Here are the examples.
After – Taruvata (తరువాత)
English: We went out after it stopped raining.
Telugu: Varṣaṃ agina taruvata memu bayaṭaku vellamu (వర్షం ఆగిన తరువాత మేము బయటకు వెళ్ళాము)
Although – Unnappatiki (ఉన్నప్పటికీ)
English: Although it was cold, we went swimming.
Telugu: Chali unnappatiki, memu ita koṭṭamu (చలి ఉన్నప్పటికీ, మేము ఈత కొట్టాము)
As – Nattu (నట్టు)
English: Do as I say.
Telugu: Nēnu cheppinattu cheyyi (నేను చెప్పినట్టు చెయ్యి)
Before – Muṃdu (ముందు)
English: Complete your homework before you go out.
Telugu: Bayaṭaku veḷḷē muṃdu ni hom’vark purti cheyi (బయటకు వెళ్ళే ముందు నీ హోమ్‌వర్క్ పూర్తి చేయి)
Even if – Ayina (ఒకవేళ అయినా)
English: Even if it rains, we will go out.
Telugu: Varṣaṃ paḍina (padi+ayina), mēmu bayaṭaku veḷtamu (ఒకవేళ వర్షం పడినా (పడి+అయినా), మేము బయటకు వెళ్తాము)
If – Uṇṭe (ఉంటే)
English: If you have it with you, we will go together.
Telugu: Adi nee daggara unte, manaṃ kalisi veḷdāṃ (అది నీ దగ్గర ఉంటే, మనం కలిసి వెళ్దాం)
Since – Naṭi nunci (నాటి నుంచి)
English: We have been friends since childhood.
Telugu: Manaṃ chinnanati nunci snēhitulaṃ (మనం చిన్ననాటి నుంచి స్నేహితులం)
Though – Ayinappatiki (అయినప్పటికీ)
English: Though he tried hard, he failed.
Telugu: Atanu bāgā (prayatnam +chesina+ appatiki), viphalamaayāḍu (అతను బాగా ప్రయత్నించినప్పటికీ (ప్రయత్నం + చేసిన + అయినప్పటికీ), విఫలమయ్యాడు)
Let me dissect the word that we tried here: Prayatnam +Chesina+ Appatiki = Try + Did + Still
Unless – Lēkuṇṭē (లేకుంటే)
English: You won’t succeed unless you try.
Telugu: Miru prayatninchali, lekunte vijayaṃ sadhincharu (మీరు ప్రయత్నించాలి, లేకుంటే విజయం సాధించరు)
Until – Varaku (వరకు)
English: Wait until I come.
Telugu: Nenu vacchevaraku agu (నేను వచ్చేవరకు ఆగు)
When – Eppuḍu (ఎప్పుడు)
English: Call me when you are free.
Telugu: Nuvvu khaliga unnappuḍu nannu piluvu (నువ్వు ఖాళీగా ఉన్నప్పుడు నన్ను పిలువు)
Where – Ekkaḍa (ఎక్కడ)
English: It’s still in the place where I kept it.
Telugu: Adi inka nenu ekkada pettaano akkade undi (అది ఇంకా నేను ఎక్కడ పెట్టానో అక్కడే ఉంది)
While – Samayaniki (సమయానికి)
English: They came while I was eating.
Telugu: Nenu tintunna samayaniki vaallu vaccharu (నేను తింటున్నసమయానికి వాళ్ళు వచ్చారు)
3. Correlative Conjunctions – Sambandhi Sandhulu (సంబంధి సంధులు)
Similar to English, these conjunctions function in pairs to combine words, phrases, or clauses; examples include “either…or,” “neither…nor,” and “both…and.” Here are a few examples.
Both… and – reṇḍu/iddaroo (రెండూ/ఇద్దరూ)… mariyu (మరియు)
English: Both John and Mary are coming.
Telugu: Jān mariyu meru iddaru vastunnaru (జాన్ మరియు మేరు ఇద్దరూ వస్తున్నారు)
Either… or – Ayina (అయినా)… Lēka (లేక)
English: You can have either tea or coffee.
Telugu: Meeru Tea ayina tagocchu leka kafi tagocchu (మీరు టీ అయినా తాగొచ్చు లేక కాఫీ తాగొచ్చు)
Neither… nor – Kadu (కాదు)… alage kadu (అలాగే కాదు)
English: Neither that or this.
Telugu: Adi kadualage idi kuda kadu (అది కాదు అలాగే ఇది కూడా కాదు)
Not only… but also – matrame kadu (మాత్రమే కాదు)… kani (కూడా)
English: She is not only smart but also hardworking.
Telugu: Ame telivainadē matrame kadu, kaṣṭapaḍi panichestundi kuda (ఆమె తెలివైనది మాత్రమే కాదు, కాకుండా కష్టపడి పనిచేస్తుంది కూడా)
Knowing these conjunctions and their meanings can help you build complex Telugu phrases. Practice using them in different scenarios to learn and improve!
Differences Between English And Telugu Conjunctions
In Telugu and English, conjunctions link words, phrases, and sentences in various ways. It is necessary to understand these differences in order to become skilled in both languages.
1. Word Placement And Order
- English: Conjunctions usually appear between the words or clauses they connect.
- Example: “I like tea and coffee.”
- Telugu: Conjunctions often appear at the beginning of the clause or phrase they introduce.
- Example: నేను టీ మరియు కాఫీ ఇష్టపడతాను (Nēnu tea mariyu kafi iṣṭapaḍatanu) – “I like tea and coffee.”
2. Forms Of Conjunctions
English: Uses simple forms of conjunctions.
Example: “and,” “but,” “or”
Telugu: Conjunctions can take more complex forms and may change based on the context.
Example: And (mariyu/అలాగే), but (kani/ayinappatiki – కానీ/అయినప్పటికీ), or (leda/ledante – లేదా/లేదంటే)
3. Contextual Usage
English: Conjunctions have a straightforward usage and are mostly context-independent.
Example: “I will go if you come.”
Telugu: Conjunctions are often used contextually with additional suffixes or particles to convey specific meanings.
Example: Miru vaste nenu veḷtanu (మీరు వస్తే నేను వెళ్తాను) which means, “If you come, I will go.”
4. Compound Conjunctions
English: Compound conjunctions are relatively rare.
Example: “as well as,” “not only… but also”
Telugu: Compound conjunctions are more common and often involve combining multiple words or particles.
Example: Kadu kabaṭṭi (కాదు కాబట్టి) which means, “Because it is not.”
5. Subordination
English: Subordinating conjunctions introduce dependent clauses.
Example: “Although it was raining, we went out.”
Telugu: Subordinating conjunctions can be more complex and often include verbs.
Example: Varṣaṃ paḍutunnappatiki memu bayaṭikeḷḷamu (వర్షం పడుతున్నప్పటికీ మేము బయటికెళ్లాం), which means, “Although it was raining, we went out.”
6. Reduplication And Emphasis
English: Reduplication is not common in conjunctions.
Example: “and and” is incorrect.
Telugu: Reduplication is used for emphasis in conjunctions and other parts of speech.
Example: Ani ani (అని అని) – used to emphasize intensity.
FAQs About Telugu Conjunctions
1. How Long Does It Take To Learn Telugu Conjunctions?
Your level of practice and language background will determine how long it takes you to learn Telugu conjunctions. In a few weeks, with consistent practice, you can get comfortable with fundamental conjunctions.
2. Are Telugu Conjunctions Used The Same Way As English Conjunctions?
Even though conjunctions do similar things, they can be used in different ways. A lot of the time, Telugu conjunctions change depending on the sentence form and the meaning.
3. What Is The Easiest Way To Practice Telugu Conjunctions?
The best way to practice is to use them in everyday talks, read Telugu books, and use apps that help you learn languages for structured practice.
4. Can I Find Resources To Learn Telugu Conjunctions Online?
Yes, there are a lot of tools online that can help you learn a language. For example, apps like Ling offer interactive lessons and practice problems.
5. Do Conjunctions In Telugu Change Based On Gender Or Number?
This is not true in Telugu. Conjunctions do not change based on amount or gender. But their shape can change depending on the words and what it means.
To Wrap It Up
So, there you have it—your crash course on Telugu conjunctions! Whether you’re connecting ideas, showing contrast, or just trying to sound like a pro, knowing your conjunctions can make your Telugu conversations flow smoothly.
Remember, learning a new language is a journey, and every little bit helps. It’s like building a puzzle; each piece—like these conjunctions—makes the picture clearer. And hey, if you’re looking for more ways to practice and improve, there’s a handy Telugu learning app called the Ling app that could be your new best friend!
Keep practicing, stay curious, and most importantly, have fun with it! Happy learning!
