నాకు నువ్వంటే ఇష్టం
naaku nuvvante ishtam
The phrase "I like you" in Telugu is నాకు నువ్వంటే ఇష్టం (naaku nuvvante ishtam).
This phrase is used to express that you like someone or something. While it can be used to make a romantic declaration, it is also commonly used for general liking, such as appreciating a person's character or a specific thing.
Meaning: I like you (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase నాకు నువ్వంటే ఇష్టం literally translates to "to me, you are liked" or "to me, you are a liking".
Which one should you use?
The form నాకు నువ్వంటే ఇష్టం uses the familiar pronoun for "you". If you wish to express liking someone else, you can substitute the middle part of the phrase: use ఆయన అంటే for "him" or ఆమె అంటే for "her".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is built around the informal pronoun నువ్వంటే (you). You can adapt the phrase to change the subject or the level of respect by replacing నువ్వంటే with other forms: use మీరు అంటే for a polite/formal "you", ఆయన అంటే for "him" or ఆమె అంటే for "her".
How do you pronounce it?
naaku nuvvante ishtam
Did you know?
- The word నాకు, meaning 'to me', is derived from an ancient Proto-Dravidian root meaning 'to lick'.
- Telugu speakers may use నాకు నువ్వంటే ఇష్టం to confess romantic feelings as a softer alternative to the word ప్రేమ, which carries a much heavier and more formal weight of 'love'.
- The word ఇష్టం does not just mean 'like' but also refers to a person's 'will' or 'wish'. For example, it can be used to ask what someone wants to happen in a given situation.
Examples in context
- నీ నవ్వు చూస్తుంటే నాకు నువ్వంటే ఇష్టం.nī navvu cūstuntē nāku nuvvantē iṣṭaṃ.I like you when I see your smile.
- నిజంగా చెప్పాలంటే నాకు నువ్వంటే ఇష్టం.nijangā ceppālantē nāku nuvvantē iṣṭaṃ.To tell you the truth, I like you.
Example conversation
Shravani tells Kiran her feelings while walking in a park.
- శ్రావణి Sravaniకిరణ్, నాకు నువ్వంటే ఇష్టం.Kiran, nāku nuvvante ishtam.Kiran, I like you.
- కిరణ్ Kiranనిజంగానా? నాకు కూడా నువ్వంటే ఇష్టం.Nijangānā? Nāku kūḍā nuvvante ishtam.Really? I like you too.
- శ్రావణి Sravaniమనం ఎప్పుడూ ఇలాగే ఉందాం.Manam eppuḍū ilāgē undām.Let's always be like this.
- కిరణ్ Kiranఅలాగే శ్రావణి.Alāgē Shravani.Sure, Shravani.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries నాకు, CC BY-SA 4.0.
