Telugu
తెలుగు
Telugu is nicknamed the "Italian of the East" because every word ends in a vowel! The Tollywood film industry makes more films annually than any other Indian film industry.
Amy says:
Namaskaram! I'm Amy! Telugu is called the 'Italian of the East' because it is so musical and melodious — every word ends in a vowel sound, just like Italian! Telugu is the official language of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and the Tollywood film industry produces more films than Bollywood! Chala manchidi! (Very good!)
Quick Facts
Speakers
~85 million
Language Family
Dravidian
Writing
Telugu script (vowel-ending)
Film
Tollywood — India's biggest film industry by output
Discover Telugu
Telugu is nicknamed the "Italian of the East" because every word ends in a vowel! The Tollywood film industry makes more films annually than any other Indian film industry.
Writing System
Telugu script
Native Speakers
~85 million
Key Countries
For Educators
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Did You Know?
Telugu is the third most spoken Indian language and the second most widely spoken Dravidian language after Tamil.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) — which landed on the Moon's south pole in 2023, a world first — is headquartered in Bengaluru, in the Telugu and Kannada-speaking heartland.
Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, is known as "Cyberabad" — and is the Indian headquarters for Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple.
What Makes Telugu Special?
Italian of the East
Telugu was called the "Italian of the East" by Italian explorer Niccolò de' Conti in the 15th century — because every word ends in a vowel, giving it a musical flow.
Tollywood Powerhouse
Tollywood (Telugu cinema) produces the most films of any Indian film industry — and Telugu blockbusters like RRR and Baahubali have conquered global audiences.
Ancient Literature
Telugu has one of India's oldest literary traditions — the 11th-century poet Nannaya is considered the first poet of Telugu, beginning a 1,000-year literary heritage.
Keep Exploring the World!
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