theworldofworlds

[theworldofworlds]

telugu verb conjugations (updated. again.)

remember that the endings of verbs change depending on two things: tense (i.e.: past, present, future) and the gender of the subject. “female” endings are used for objects.

to conjugate verbs, remove the ending of the infinitive (usu. -dam, -adam, or -kovadam) and replace with either -utaanu (future), -unnanu (present), or -aanu (past), or any alternatives (i.e.: -unnavu, -unnaru, etc. based on the gender of the subject.)

these may vary depending on the verb (syllables may have to be added/removed, etc.); see: chart above for example

notes

the verb used above is చెప్పడం [cheppadam], meaning “to tell;” past tense being “x has/have told,” present tense being “[x] is/am telling,” future tense being “[x] will tell.”

the “a” sound in the past tense for cheppadam (and most other verbs) is pronounced like the “a” sound in “bank”. the “a” sound in the present and future tense forms of cheppadam (and most other verbs) is pronounced like the “a” sound in “are.”

the pronunciation of most verbs changes with dialect, the most common changes being substitutions in consonant sounds, combining syllables/sounds, or using diff. verb endings. (ex: adi vs. gadi, etu vs. yetu, chepputanu vs. cheputanu vs. cheptanu, cheppanu vs. cheppina; in some areas, the “p” is pronounced similarly to a “b”)