భోజనం చేశారా?
bhōjanaṁ cēśārā?
In Telugu, "had your dinner" is expressed as భోజనం చేశారా? (bhōjanaṁ cēśārā?)
This phrase is a question used to ask if someone has already eaten their evening meal. Another way to ask "Have you had your food?" is to use the formal phrase ఆహారం తిన్నారా?
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase భోజనం చేశారా? is composed of bhōjanaṁ, which means meal or food and cēśārā, which means did you do or have.
How does it change in a sentence?
The -ārā ending in cēśārā indicates a respectful or plural form used when addressing elders or strangers. In Telugu, the word మీరు is the respectful form of "you".
How do you pronounce it?
bhōjanaṁ cēśārā?
When do people say it?
In Telugu culture, asking if someone has eaten is a standard way to show care or to initiate a conversation. A common way to respond with "No, not yet" is lēdu, iṅkā lēdu.
Did you know?
- The verb చేయడం (cēyaḍaṁ), which means 'to do', is used here to mean 'to have' or 'to consume' a meal. In English, we 'have' dinner, but in Telugu, you 'do' a meal.
- The word భోజనం is a loanword from Sanskrit, but it has become so integrated into Telugu that it is used in daily casual speech across all social classes.
- In many Telugu-speaking households, asking భోజనం చేశారా? is often used as a substitute for 'Hello' or 'How are you?' It functions more as a social greeting than a literal inquiry into one's nutritional status.
Examples in context
- అవును, తిన్నాను.Yes, I had my meal.
- పిల్లలు, మీరు భోజనం చేశారా?pillalu, mīru bhōjanam chēśārā?Children, have you had your dinner?
Example conversation
Venkate (Venkate) calls Shravani (Shravani) on the phone in the evening.
- వెంకట్ Venkatశ్రావణి, మీరు భోజనం చేశారా?śrāvani, mīru bhōjanam chēśārā?Shravani, have you had your dinner?
- శ్రావణి Sravaniలేదు వెంకట్, ఇంకా తినలేదు.lēdu venkaṭ, iṅkā tinālēdu.No Venkat, I haven't eaten yet.
- వెంకట్ Venkatసరే, ఇప్పుడే తినండి.sarē, ippuḍē tinaṇḍi.Okay, eat now.
- శ్రావణి Sravaniఅవును, నేను ఇప్పుడే తింటాను.avunu, nēnu ippuḍē tiṇṭānu.Yes, I will eat right now.
