నీరు
nīru/niːɾu/
To say water in Telugu, use నీరు (nīru). A more literary word is జలము (jalamu). If unsure, use నీరు.
Meaning: inorganic compound H₂O (noun)
Ways to say it
| Telugu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| నీరు | nīru | /niːɾu/ |
| జలము | jalamu |
నీరు is the general word for water. In everyday speech people often say నీళ్లు (nīḷḷu) for drinking water or water in general.
Which one should you use?
జలము is a more formal or literary version, found in classical literature, religious contexts and formal names. జలం is a formal form of the same word. నీళ్లు is the colloquial choice.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
నీరు is pronounced /niːɾu/, with a long ee sound and a tapped r.
Did you know?
- The word నీరు shares a common ancient ancestor with the word for water in the Brahui language, which is spoken primarily in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
- In certain traditional contexts, the word for water can change depending on whether it is being used for drinking, bathing or ritual purification.
Examples in context
- నీరే ప్రాణాధారముWater is the source of life.Here నీరే adds an emphatic ending, so the sentence means water is the source of life.
- నీరు చల్లగా ఉంది.neeru challaga undi.The water is cold.
- నాకు కొంచెం నీరు కావాలి.naaku konchem neeru kaavaali.I want some water.
Example conversation
Pallavi and Sai are talking in the kitchen.
- పల్లవి Pallaviసాయి, నీరు ఎక్కడ ఉంది?Sāyi, nīru ekkaḍa undi?Sai, where is the water?
- సాయి Saiఅది ఆ బాటిల్లో ఉంది పల్లవి.Adi ā bāṭil-lō undi Pallavi.It is in that bottle, Pallavi.
- పల్లవి Pallaviనాకు గ్లాసు నీరు పోయిస్తావా?Nāku glāsu nīru pōyistāvā?Will you pour me a glass of water?
- సాయి Saiసరే, ఇదిగో తీసుకో.Sare, idigō tīsukō.Okay, here you go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “water” translations and entries నీరు, జలము, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries జలము, నీరు, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
