పురుషుడు
puruṣuḍu
The English word 'man' is translated into Telugu as పురుషుడు (puruṣuḍu). Wiktionary also lists మగవాడు (magavāḍu).
Meaning: adult male human (noun)
Ways to say it
| Telugu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| పురుషుడు | puruṣuḍu | |
| మగవాడు | magavāḍu | /maɡaʋaːɖu/ |
In Telugu, words for 'man' vary depending on whether you are referring to an adult male in a formal context or describing biological sex in casual speech.
Which one should you use?
పురుషుడు is the formal or literary term used to denote a man or a male. In contrast, మగవాడు is a more common and colloquial way to refer to a man or a male person.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term మగవాడు is often used in spoken Telugu to distinguish biological sex rather than just social status.
How do you pronounce it?
puruṣuḍu
Did you know?
- The word పురుషుడు is derived from the Sanskrit word puruṣa, which in ancient Vedic philosophy refers to the cosmic man or the universal spirit from which all creation emerged.
- In Telugu, the word మగ used in మగవాడు is frequently used as an adjective to describe bravery or strength, regardless of whether the person is literally a 'man'.
- Using the suffix వాడు in the colloquial term మగవాడు can actually be perceived as a sign of disrespect if directed toward a social superior or an elder.
Examples in context
- ఆ పురుషుడు చాలా తెలివైనవాడు.ā puruṣuḍu chālā telivainavāḍu.That man is very intelligent.
- ఒక పురుషుడు అక్కడ నిలబడి ఉన్నాడు.oka puruṣuḍu akkaḍa nilaḍabi unṇāḍu.A man is standing there.
Example conversation
Shravani and Ravi are talking about a stranger.
- శ్రావణి Sravaniరవి, ఆ పురుషుడు ఎవరో తెలుసా?Ravi, aa purushudu evaro telusa?Ravi, do you know who that man is?
- రవి Raviలేదు, నాకు తెలియదు.ledu, naaku teliyadu.No, I don't know.
- శ్రావణి Sravaniఅతను మన కోసం వేచి చూస్తున్నాడు.atanu mana kosam vechi chustunnadu.He is waiting for us.
- రవి Raviనేను వెళ్లి అడుగుతాను.nenu velli adugutanu.I will go and ask.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “man” translations and entries పురుషుడు, మగవాడు, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries పురుషుడు, మగవాడు, CC BY-SA 4.0.
