సరే
sarē/saɾeː/
The Telugu word for 'ok' is సరే (sarē).
సరే is used to express acknowledgement, acceptance or to say 'alright' in conversation.
Meaning: acknowledgement or acceptance (intj)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
సరే is used in casual conversation. To make the acknowledgement more polite or formal, you can add the honorific suffix అండి to get సరే అండి.
How do you pronounce it?
sarē
Did you know?
- While సరే means 'ok', the word సరి also means 'equal' or 'equivalent' in Telugu. This reveals a deeper linguistic connection between the idea of agreement and the idea of balance.
- Telugu speakers often accompany సరే with a slight head tilt or a side-to-side wobble. This gesture can signify 'ok' in a way that is more nuanced than a simple verbal agreement.
- The word సరే shares a common linguistic ancestor with the word 'sari' in Tamil and 'sari' in Kannada, making it part of a larger South Indian word family.
Examples in context
- సరే, నేను వస్తాను.sare, nēnu vastānu.Ok, I will come.
- సరే, రేపు కలుద్దాం.sare, rēpu kaluddām.Ok, let's meet tomorrow.
- సరే, ఇప్పుడే చేస్తాను.sare, ippuḍē chēstānu.Ok, I will do it right now.
Example conversation
Kiran and Pallavi are discussing their plans for the evening.
- కిరణ్ Kiranపల్లవి, సాయంత్రం సినిమాకి వెళ్దామా?Pallavi, sāyantram sinimāki veḷdāmā?Pallavi, shall we go to a movie this evening?
- పల్లవి Pallaviసరే, వెళ్దాం.sare, veḷdām.Ok, let's go.
- కిరణ్ Kiranనీకు ఏ టైమ్ వీలవుతుంది?nīku ē ṭaim vīlavutundi?What time works for you?
- పల్లవి Pallaviఏ టైమ్ అయినా సరే.ē ṭaim ainā sare.Any time is ok.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry సరే, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries సరే, CC BY-SA 4.0.
