Numbers

1. ఒకటి, రెండు, మూడు

   Okaṭi, reṇḍu, mūḍu

   One, two, three

   Usage

   Basic counting in Telugu

   Grammar Note

   Telugu numerals are native Dravidian. 1-10: okati, rendu, moodu, naalugu, ayidu, aaru, edu, enimidi, tommidi, padi.

2. నాలుగు, అయిదు, ఆరు

   Nālugu, ayidu, āru

   Four, five, six

   Usage

   Counting from four to six

   Grammar Note

   "Ayidu" (5) is also spelled "aidu". Telugu numerals can change form before nouns ("oka" = one before nouns).

3. పది, ఇరవై, వంద

   Padi, iravai, vanda

   Ten, twenty, one hundred

   Usage

   Tens and hundreds in Telugu

   Grammar Note

   "Iravai" (20) is native Dravidian. Both "nooru" and "vanda" mean hundred; "vanda" is more colloquial in Telugu.

4. రెండు కిలోలు

   Reṇḍu kilōlu

   Two kilograms

   Usage

   Specifying quantity at a market

   Grammar Note

   "Kilolu" is plural of "kilo" (from English) with "-lu" suffix. Telugu plural suffix "-lu" attaches to nouns for countable items.

5. ఏడు, ఎనిమిది, తొమ్మిది

   Ēḍu, enimidi, tommidi

   Seven, eight, nine

   Usage

   Counting from seven to nine in Telugu

   Grammar Note

   Telugu 1–9 numerals are native Dravidian: "ēḍu" = 7, "enimidi" = 8, "tommidi" = 9.

6. వెయ్యి, పది వేలు, లక్ష

   Veyyi, padi vēlu, lakṣa

   Thousand, ten thousand, one lakh (100,000)

   Usage

   Expressing large numbers using the Indian system

   Grammar Note

   India uses unique number units: "lakh" (100,000) and "crore" (10,000,000). "Laksha" from Sanskrit. Essential for prices in Indian markets.

7. సగం ఇవ్వండి

   Sagam ivvaṇḍi

   Please give me half

   Usage

   Asking for half a quantity at a market

   Grammar Note

   "Sagam" is the native Telugu word for "half". Related fraction words: "paavu" (quarter), "muppāvu" (three-quarters). Common in markets.

8. ఒంటిగంట అవుతుంది

   Oṇṭigaṇṭa avutundi

   It is becoming one o'clock (it is 1 o'clock)

   Usage

   Telling or asking the time

   Grammar Note

   Telugu time: "ontiganta" (1 o'clock, using "onti" for single), then "rendu ghantalu" (2 o'clock) etc. "Ghanta" means bell/hour from Sanskrit.

9. మూడు రోజులు

   Mūḍu rōjulu

   Three days

   Usage

   Stating the number of days of a stay

   Grammar Note

   "Rojulu" is plural of "roju" (day) with "-lu" suffix. Telugu regular plural "-lu". Numerals precede nouns in Telugu noun phrases.

10. మొత్తం ఎంత?

    Mottam enta?

    What is the total?

    Usage

    Asking for the total amount

    Grammar Note

    "Mottam" means total/altogether, used as both noun and adverb. "Mottam meeda" (altogether) is a common adverbial usage.

11. నా వయస్సు ఇరవై ఏడు సంవత్సరాలు

    Nā vayassu iravai ēḍu samvatsarālu

    I'm 27 years old

    Usage

    How to answer when asked your age; the reply to "mī vayassu enta?"

    Grammar Note

    A verbless nominal sentence, like the question. Telugu 21-29 are transparent: "iravai" (20) plus the unit, here "iravai" with "ēḍu". After a numeral, "samvatsaram" takes the plural "samvatsarālu".

12. ఈ సంవత్సరం నా వయస్సు ఇరవై ఎనిమిది అవుతుంది

    Ī samvatsaram nā vayassu iravai enimidi avutundi

    I turn 28 this year

    Usage

    Saying what age you will reach this year

    Grammar Note

    "Avutundi" is the non-past of "avu" (to become), used exactly as in "oṇṭigaṇṭa avutundi" (it will be one o'clock).

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