Telugu alphabet
తెలుగు
The Telugu alphabet has 52 letters — 16 vowels and 36 consonants. It evolved from the ancient Brahmi script and is used to write Telugu, spoken by over 80 million people in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
All 52 Letters
About
The Telugu alphabet consists of 52 letters — 16 vowels and 36 consonants — making it one of the few languages with such an extensive alphabet system. This script evolved from the ancient Brahmi script and is used to write the Telugu language, primarily spoken in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana by over 80 million people.
In Telugu, vowels are called acchulu (vowels) and consonants are known as hallulu (consonants). The script is classified as an abugida, meaning consonants have an inherent vowel sound that can be changed with diacritical marks.
History
Telugu evolved from the ancient Brahmi script, one of the oldest writing systems in South Asia. Like other Indic scripts (Devanagari, Bengali, Kannada), Telugu developed its distinctive rounded letter forms over centuries.
The script has been used for centuries to write Telugu literature, with the earliest inscriptions dating back to the 6th century CE. Today it is the official script of the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Things You Might Not Know
- •52 letters total — 16 vowels and 36 consonants
- •Telugu is one of the classical languages of India
- •The script evolved from Brahmi, ancestor of most South Asian scripts
- •Over 80 million Telugu speakers use this alphabet
Frequently Asked Questions
How many letters are in the Telugu alphabet?
Is Telugu difficult to learn?
What is the difference between short and long vowels?
What are aspirated consonants?
Want to type in Telugu alphabet?
Use our on-screen keyboard to type Telugu alphabet