To count and shop in Telugu, you need three things: cardinal numbers (okaTi to veyyi, one to a thousand), the question word entha (ఎంత, how much), and a couple of polite haggling phrases like konchem takkuva (కొంచెం తక్కువ, a bit less). Learn those and you can walk into a market, ask the price, and push back without sounding rude.
I once stood in a fruit stall trying to ask "how much" and instead asked the vendor "how are you" on a loop, three times, getting more confused each time he laughed. Entha and ela unnaru sound nothing alike once you know them. They sound identical when you're panicking.
How do you count to 10 in Telugu?
Telugu numbers 1-10 don't follow a simple pattern like English "teen" words do, so each one is worth learning on its own. Say them out loud a few times, since the stress lands differently than you'd guess from the spelling.
| Transliteration | Telugu script | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| okaTi | ఒకటి | one | counting, ordering "one of these" |
| renDu | రెండు | two | quantities, "two rupees" |
| muuDu | మూడు | three | quantities |
| naalugu | నాలుగు | four | quantities |
| ayidu | అయిదు | five | quantities |
| aaru | ఆరు | six | quantities |
| EDu | ఏడు | seven | quantities |
| enimidi | ఎనిమిది | eight | quantities |
| tommidi | తొమ్మిది | nine | quantities |
| padi | పది | ten | quantities, round numbers |
Mayu's take: eight and nine (enimidi, tommidi) are the two everyone drops mid-sentence. Say them five times before you need them, not while a shopkeeper is waiting.
What are the Telugu numbers from 11 to 20?
Telugu numbers 11 to 20 build off the 1-10 set but aren't simply "ten plus one" the way some languages do it, so treat this range as its own small vocabulary list too.
| Transliteration | Telugu script | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| padakonDu | పదకొండు | eleven | counting past ten |
| pannenDu | పన్నెండు | twelve | counting, "a dozen" |
| padamuuDu | పదమూడు | thirteen | counting |
| padihEnu | పదిహేను | fifteen | counting |
| iravai | ఇరవై | twenty | round numbers, prices |
How do you say bigger numbers like hundred and thousand in Telugu?
For tens, hundreds, and thousands, Telugu uses a set of multiplier words (like vanda for hundred and veyyi for thousand) that you combine with the smaller numbers you already know. This is the range that actually matters at a market, since most prices land somewhere between thirty and a few thousand rupees.
| Transliteration | Telugu script | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| muppai | ముప్పై | thirty | prices, quantities |
| nalabhai | నలభై | forty | prices, quantities |
| yaabhai | యాభై | fifty | prices, quantities |
| vanda | వంద | hundred | prices |
| veyyi | వెయ్యి | thousand | prices |
Once you have vanda (hundred) and veyyi (thousand), you can build almost any market price by pairing them with the numbers above, the same way you'd say "three hundred" in English.
How do you talk about money in Telugu?
The core money words in Telugu are ruupaayi (రూపాయి, rupee) for one rupee, ruupaayalu (రూపాయలు, rupees) for the plural, and Dabbu (డబ్బు, money) for money in general. These three cover almost every money conversation you'll have while shopping.
| Transliteration | Telugu script | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ruupaayi | రూపాయి | rupee | one rupee, singular amounts |
| ruupaayalu | రూపాయలు | rupees | plural amounts |
| Dabbu | డబ్బు | money | money in general |
| chillara | చిల్లర | change (coins) | asking for or giving change |
| vanda ruupaayalu | వంద రూపాయలు | a hundred rupees | a common exact price |
Chillara (change) is the word you'll reach for constantly, since exact change runs short in every market on earth, not just ones in Andhra Pradesh or Telangana.
What do you say to ask the price and haggle in Telugu?
To ask a price in Telugu, say entha (ఎంత, how much) on its own, or idi entha (ఇది ఎంత, how much is this) pointing at the item. To push back on a price, chaalaa ekkuva (చాలా ఎక్కువ, that's too expensive) and konchem takkuva (కొంచెం తక్కువ, a bit less?) are your two main tools.
| Transliteration | Telugu script | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| entha? | ఎంత? | how much? | asking price on its own |
| idi entha? | ఇది ఎంత? | how much is this? | pointing at a specific item |
| chaalaa ekkuva | చాలా ఎక్కువ | that's too expensive | first pushback on a price |
| konchem takkuva? | కొంచెం తక్కువ? | a bit less? | asking for a lower price |
| tiisukunTaanu | తీసుకుంటాను | I'll take it | agreeing to a price |
| ... undaa? | ... ఉందా? | do you have...? | asking if an item is in stock |
| idi ivvanDi | ఇది ఇవ్వండి | give me this | asking a vendor to hand you an item |
Mayu's take: chaalaa ekkuva then konchem takkuva is basically the national two-step of Indian markets. Say them in that order and nobody blinks.
Try it
- Count out loud from okaTi to padi (one to ten) three times before you leave the house today.
- Practice asking idi entha? (how much is this?) pointing at five random objects around your room.
- Say chaalaa ekkuva, then konchem takkuva, back to back, until the rhythm feels natural.
- Add vanda ruupaayalu (a hundred rupees) and veyyi (thousand) as cards and quiz yourself on combining them with smaller numbers.
- Next time you're near an Indian grocery store, actually ask entha? out loud, even quietly to yourself while reading price tags.
FAQ
How do you say "how much" in Telugu? Entha (ఎంత) means "how much" on its own. Add idi in front for "how much is this": idi entha (ఇది ఎంత).
What is the Telugu word for money? Dabbu (డబ్బు) means money in general, while ruupaayi (రూపాయి) and ruupaayalu (రూపాయలు) refer specifically to rupees, singular and plural.
Is there a polite way to haggle in Telugu? Yes. Chaalaa ekkuva (చాలా ఎక్కువ, that's too expensive) followed by konchem takkuva? (కొంచెం తక్కువ, a bit less?) is a common, polite way to ask for a lower price.
How do you count past twenty in Telugu? Combine multiplier words like muppai (thirty), vanda (hundred), and veyyi (thousand) with the numbers one through ten, similar to how English builds "thirty-four" or "two hundred."
Do Telugu numbers change between regions like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh? The cardinal numbers here are stable across regions. Some shopping phrases shift slightly by register or region, so treat those as a starting point, not the only correct version.
Try Mayu
Save these numbers, money words, and haggling phrases as cards in Mayu and let spaced repetition do the memorizing before your next trip to the market.
