Nouns, pronouns, and case (कारक / విభక్తి)

[source: https://archive.org/details/dli.language.2300]

We will look at different kinds of pronouns, and how to apply case / कारक / విభక్తి to nouns and pronouns. Prior knowledge of either grammatical case in English or कारक in हिंदी is useful.

The table below describes the कारकs we will consider.

General process

We describe the general process for applying कारक in Telugu. This process works for most nouns (called regular nouns) but some exceptions exist (called irregular nouns).

1. कर्ता कारक: no change.
2. संबंध कारक: If the word ends in డు, change the డు to డి. Otherwise, no change.
3. Other कारक: Convert the word to its संबंध कारक X and then apply the appropriate suffix (using संधि) from the table below, depending on whether X ends with ఇ.

Examples:

Irregular Nouns

Nouns that are irregular because of their संबंध कारक:

Nouns that are irregular because of other कारकs:

Personal Pronouns

We use different personal pronouns in Telugu depending on person (first, second, third), number (singular, plural), respect (informal, respectful), gender (male, female, neuter), and distance (near, far).

Only third person pronouns have gender associated with them. Verb conjugations and విభక్తి do not depend on distance. Telugu has two 'we's: see wikipedia:Clusivity.

Pronouns are irregular for संबंध कारक and कर्म कारक.

Reflexive pronouns

Telugu doesn't have reflexive pronouns.

Example: I looked at myself. = मैंने खुदको देखा। = నేను నన్ను చూసుకున్నాను.

Demonstrative Pronouns and Adjectives

The demonstrative adjectives are ఈ for near and ఆ for far.

Example: This book is mine. = यह पुस्तक मेरी है। = ఈ పుస్తకం నాది.

The demonstrative prounouns are the same as the neuter personal pronouns.

Example: This is my book. = यह मेरी पुस्तक है। = ఇది నా పుస్తకం.

Possessive Pronouns and Adjectives

Possessive adjectives are the same as the संबंध कारक.

Example: This is my book. = यह मेरी पुस्तक है। = ఇది నా పుస్తకం.

Posessive pronoun is obtained by संधिing together the possessor's संबंध कारक and the effective pronoun of the possessee.

Examples:

• Singular neuter: This book is Ravi's. = यह पुस्तक रवि की है। = ఈ పుస్తకం రవిది. (రవిది = రవి + అది)
• Plural neuter: These books are yours. = ये पुस्तकें तुम्हारी हैं। = ఈ పుస్తకాలు నీవి. (నీవి = నీ + అవి)
• Singular male: He is hers. = वह उसका है। = అతను ఆమెవాడు.
• Plural people: They are mine. = ये मेरे हैं। = వీళ్లు నావాళ్లు.

X कारक of the possessive pronoun is the संधि of the possessor's संबंध कारक and the possessee's effective pronoun's X कारक.

Example of applying अधिकरण कारक to possessive pronouns:

• Question: Whose car is he in? = वह किसकी car में है? = అతను ఎవరి carలో ఉన్నాడు?
• Answer: He is in mine. = वह मेरी में है। = అతను నాదానిలో ఉన్నాడు.

Noun Plurals

Generally, we pluralize a noun by adding లు. E.g., అబ్బాయి (लड़का) → అబ్బాయిలు (लड़के).

Exceptions:

• Xట్టు → Xట్లు. E.g., చెట్టు (tree) → చెట్లు (trees).
• Xఅం → Xఆలు. E.g., పుస్తకం (book) → పుస్తకాలు (books).