కొడుకు
koḍuku/koɖuku/
The English word 'son' is translated into Telugu as కొడుకు (koḍuku). Wiktionary also lists పుత్రుడు (putruḍu).
Meaning: a male person in relation to his parents (noun)
Ways to say it
| Telugu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| కొడుకు | koḍuku | /koɖuku/ | |
| పుత్రుడు | putruḍu | literary |
The term refers to a male person in relation to his parents.
Which one should you use?
కొడుకు is the standard, everyday word for 'son' used in conversation. In contrast, పుత్రుడు is a formal or literary term for 'son' often found in classical texts or formal speeches.
How do you pronounce it?
/koɖuku/
Did you know?
- The formal word పుత్రుడు is derived from the Sanskrit 'putra', which historically suggests a child who has the power to save their parents from the underworld.
- In certain regional dialects of Telugu, calling someone a కొడుకు in a specific tone can be used as a mild insult or a way to express frustration with someone's behavior.
- The term కొడుకు shares an ancestral root with the word for 'daughter-in-law', reflecting ancient family-centric linguistic structures.
Examples in context
- ఆయన కొడుకు చాలా తెలివైనవాడు.Aayana koduku chala telivainavadu.His son is very intelligent.
- మా కొడుకు రేపు వస్తాడు.Ma koduku repu vastadu.My son will come tomorrow.
Example conversation
Lakshmi is asking Sai about his family.
- లక్ష్మి Lakshmiసాయి, నీకు కొడుకు ఉన్నాడా?Sāyī, nīku koḍuku unnāḍā?Sai, do you have a son?
- సాయి Saiఅవును, నాకు ఒక కొడుకు ఉన్నాడు.Avunu, nāku oka koḍuku unnāḍu.Yes, I have a son.
- లక్ష్మి Lakshmiఅతనికి ఎన్ని సంవత్సరాలు?Ataniki enni samvatsarālu?How old is he?
- సాయి Saiఅతనికి ఐదు సంవత్సరాలు.Ataniki aidu samvatsarālu.He is five years old.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “son” translations and entries కొడుకు, పుత్రుడు, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
