నేను
nēnu/neːnu/
The English phrase 'i' is translated into Telugu as నేను (nēnu).
నేను is a personal pronoun.
Meaning: personal pronoun (pron)
How does it change in a sentence?
In Telugu, the form of the word changes depending on its role in a sentence. Use నేను (nēnu) as the subject of a sentence, equivalent to the English 'I'. For the possessive meaning 'my', use నా (nā). When the meaning is 'to me' or 'for me', use the form నాకు (nāku).
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is nēnu and the IPA is /neːnu/.
Did you know?
- In highly formal or respectful contexts, a speaker might avoid నేను and use a humble phrasing or a third-person reference to avoid appearing arrogant.
- The word నేను is a cognate with the Kannada ನಾನು, Tamil நான், and Malayalam ഞാൻ, all descending from a single ancestral root.
- In Telugu, it is common to drop the word నేను entirely if the verb ending already makes it clear that the speaker is the subject.
Examples in context
- నేను ఇంకేం కోల్పోతాను?What else can I lose?This sentence is useful for expressing a sense of loss with నేను.Tatoeba #7217022 by bharath, translation #3822938 by CK
- నేను ఒక ఫోన్ చేసుకోవచ్చా?Can I make a phone call?This sentence is useful for asking permission to make a phone call with నేను.Tatoeba #7216930 by bharath, translation #434374 by lukaszpp
- నేను అతన్ని ఎప్పుడూ చూడలేదుI never actually saw him.This sentence is useful for stating that you have never seen someone with నేను.Tatoeba #7207700 by bharath, translation #3910662 by CH
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kiran and Kavya are discussing their weekend plans.
- కిరణ్ Kiranనేను రేపు వస్తాను.Nēnu rēpu vastānu.I will come tomorrow.
- కావ్య Kavyaనేను కూడా వస్తాను.Nēnu kūḍā vastānu.I will also come.
- కిరణ్ Kiranమనం ఎప్పుడు కలుద్దాం?Manam eppuḍu kaluddāṃ?When shall we meet?
- కావ్య Kavyaనేను సిద్ధంగా ఉంటాను.Nēnu siddhaṅgā uṇṭānu.I will be ready.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i” translations and entries నేను, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries నేను, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
