చాలు
chalu
The Telugu word for "enough" is చాలు (chalu).
చాలు is used to indicate that a quantity or amount is sufficient. It is also commonly used as a standalone command to tell someone to stop a particular action.
Meaning: sufficient (det)
How do you pronounce it?
chalu
Did you know?
- Surprisingly, the linguistic ancestor of చాలు is the Proto-Dravidian word for a 'ploughed furrow'.
- In a social setting, repeatedly saying చాలు when offered more food is often seen as a polite way to decline, even if the guest actually wants more.
- Telugu speakers may use చాలు as a standalone reaction to a joke or a story to signal that the point has been made and no further explanation is needed.
Examples in context
- నాకు ఇది చాలు.nāku idi chālu.This is enough for me.
- అంతే చాలు, ఇంకా వద్దు.antē chālu, iṅkā vaddu.That is enough, no more please.
- ఈ డబ్బు చాలునా?ī ḍabbu chālunā?Is this money enough?
Example conversation
A woman is serving food to a man at a dining table.
- లక్ష్మి Lakshmiమరింత అన్నం కావాలా?marinta annaṁ kāvālā?Do you want more rice?
- రవి Raviవద్దు, నాకు ఇది చాలు.vaddu, nāku idi chālu.No, this is enough for me.
- లక్ష్మి Lakshmiసరే, రవి గారు.sarē, ravi gāru.Okay, Ravi.
- రవి Raviధన్యవాదాలు, లక్ష్మి గారు.dhanyavādalu, lakṣmi gāru.Thank you, Lakshmi.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries చాలు, CC BY-SA 4.0.
