Master the Beautiful Telugu Alphabet

Discover the elegance of Telugu script with our comprehensive guide. Learn all 16 vowels (అచ్చులు) and 36 consonants (హల్లులు) with clear pronunciation guides, writing tips, and practical examples.

Perfect for beginners, children, and language enthusiasts. All content is original, educational, and completely free.

Telugu Vowels (అచ్చులు)

Vowels in Telugu are called "Achulu" (అచ్చులు). They form the foundation of the script and can be written independently or combined with consonants using vowel signs. Master these 16 vowels first.

A
/a/ as in "about"
అమ్మ (mother)
Ā
/aː/ as in "father"
ఆకాశం (sky)
I
/i/ as in "sit"
ఇల్లు (house)
Ī
/iː/ as in "see"
ఈత (swimming)
U
/u/ as in "put"
ఉప్పు (salt)
Ū
/uː/ as in "food"
ఊయల (swing)
Ṛ
/ru/ as in "prism"
ఋషి (sage)
Ṝ
/ruː/ prolonged sound
(Classical usage)
E
/e/ as in "bed"
ఎలుక (rat)
Ē
/eː/ as in "they"
ఏనుగు (elephant)
Ai
/ai/ as in "high"
ఐదు (five)
O
/o/ as in "hot"
ఒంటె (camel)
Ō
/oː/ as in "go"
ఓడ (ship)
Au
/au/ as in "cow"
ఔషధం (medicine)

Telugu Consonants (హల్లులు)

Consonants in Telugu are called "Hallulu" (హల్లులు). They are systematically organized into phonetic groups based on where and how they are pronounced in the mouth.

Velar Consonants (క వర్గం)

Ka
/ka/ as in "kite"
కప్ప (frog)
Kha
/kʰa/ aspirated
ఖడ్గం (sword)
Ga
/ga/ as in "go"
గడ్డి (grass)
Gha
/gʰa/ aspirated
ఘంట (bell)
ṅa
/ŋa/ as in "sing"
(Nasal sound)

Palatal Consonants (చ వర్గం)

Ca
/tʃa/ as in "chalk"
చేప (fish)
Cha
/tʃʰa/ aspirated
ఛత్రం (umbrella)
Ja
/dʒa/ as in "jug"
జడ (hair)
Jha
/dʒʰa/ aspirated
ఝరి (waterfall)
Ña
/ɲa/ palatal nasal
(Nasal sound)

More Essential Consonants

Ṭa
/ʈa/ retroflex
టమాటా (tomato)
Ḍa
/ɖa/ retroflex
డబ్బు (money)
Ta
/t̪a/ dental
తల (head)
Da
/d̪a/ dental
దీపం (lamp)
Pa
/pa/ as in "pan"
పక్షి (bird)
Ba
/ba/ as in "bat"
బతుకు (life)
Ma
/ma/ as in "man"
మనిషి (person)
Ya
/ja/ as in "yard"
యానం (vehicle)

The complete Telugu alphabet includes 36 consonants organized into systematic groups. Practice these essential ones first, then explore the full set.

Your Learning Journey

Master the Vowels First

Begin with the 16 vowels (Achulu). Practice writing each one and learn their sounds. Pay special attention to the distinction between short and long vowel pairs.

Learn Consonants in Groups

Telugu consonants are organized phonetically. Learn them group by group - velar, palatal, retroflex, dental, and labial. Notice the patterns within each group.

Practice Letter Combinations

Once you know consonants and vowels, practice combining them. Telugu uses vowel signs (matras) that attach to consonants to form syllables.

Use Memory Techniques

Create visual associations for letter shapes. Use the example words provided to remember each letter's sound and context.

Consistent Daily Practice

Short, daily practice sessions work better than occasional long ones. Even 15 minutes a day will help you progress steadily.

Practice Writing

Telugu script has beautiful, flowing characters. Practice writing letters slowly at first, focusing on stroke order and direction.