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Telugu tutor

Beginner: Introduce yourself

Saying hello, your name, your age with the Telugu numbers up to thirty and where you live, with respectful మీరు, ending in a three-line self-introduction. Topics: Say hello and give your name, Say how old you are, Say where you live, Introduce yourself: full role-play.

Beginner: Getting to know someone

Asking someone to say it again or slow down, saying where you are from, what you do and what you like, and saying goodbye, with the person ending on nouns (విద్యార్థిని), కాదు, కూడా and the to-me pattern for likes. Topics: Ask someone to say it again, Say where you are from, Say what you do, Find something you both like, Say goodbye and see you tomorrow, Getting to know someone: full role-play.

Beginner: Numbers and counting

Swapping phone numbers digit by digit, ordering a number of teas and snacks with the short forms before a noun and the plural -లు, and asking prices in rupees. Topics: Swap phone numbers, Order a number of teas and snacks, Ask the price, Numbers and counting: full role-play.

Beginner: Time, days and dates

Asking and telling the time with గంటలు and half hours, naming the days of the week, and arranging a time to meet with -కి and -దామా?. Topics: Ask what time it is, Ask what day it is, Set a time to meet, Time, days and dates: full role-play.

Beginner: Family and describing people

Saying who is in your family with elder and younger siblings, మా for my family and ఉన్నాడు / ఉంది, saying who someone in a photo is with the respectful ఈయన and ఈవిడ, and describing what they are like and what they do. Topics: Say who is in your family, Say who someone in a photo is, Say what someone is like and what they do, Family and describing people: full role-play.

Beginner: At the tea stall and café

Ordering chai and filter coffee with నాకు … కావాలి and ఇవ్వండి, asking for less sugar, answering here or parcel, and paying in cash or by UPI. Topics: Order a drink, Say for here or parcel, Pay for your order, At the tea stall and café: full role-play.

Beginner: Food and restaurants

Getting a table for your group, asking what is good, ordering around spice and meat with తినను, saying how the food is, and asking for the bill. Topics: Get a table and the menu, Ask what's good and order, Say how it is and ask for the bill, Ask for the toilet, Food and restaurants: full role-play.

Beginner: Shopping

Pointing with ఇది, అది and ఆ, asking prices in hundreds, asking for another colour or size, bargaining politely with తగ్గించండి, and buying. Topics: Ask to see it and ask the price, Ask for another colour or size, Bargain a little and buy it, Buy groceries at a kirana shop, Shopping: full role-play.

Beginner: Getting around

Asking where a place is and whether it is near or far, following directions with left, right, straight and landmarks, and taking an auto with -కి. Topics: Ask where the station is, Follow directions, Take an auto, Take the bus and top up a metro card, Say you are lost and ask for help, Getting around: full role-play.

Beginner: Daily routine

Saying when you get up and go to bed, what you do every morning, and what you do in your free time, with the habitual -తాను form and its person endings. Topics: Say when you get up and go to bed, Say what you do every morning, Say what you do in your free time, Daily routine: full role-play.

Beginner: Plans and invitations

Saying what you have to do with -ాలి and want to do with -ాలని ఉంది, inviting with -దామా?, accepting, declining with a reason, and fixing a time and place. Topics: Say what you'll do this weekend, Invite someone out, Turn down a day and fix a time and place, Plans and invitations: full role-play.

Beginner: Health, weather and small talk

Small talk about the weather with -గా ఉంది, saying you are unwell with the to-me pattern (నాకు జ్వరం ఉంది), and buying medicine at a pharmacy. Topics: Make small talk about the weather, Say you're not feeling well, Buy medicine at a pharmacy, Health, weather and small talk: full role-play.

Beginner: Talking about the past

Telling a friend about your weekend with the past -ాను form: where you went and what you ate and saw, who with and how it was, and what you didn't do with -లేదు, linking events with the -ి form. Topics: Say what you did last weekend, Say who you went with and how it was, Say what you didn't do and what you did instead, Talking about the past: full role-play.

Beginner: Help and emergencies

Calling for help at an accident, telling the 112 emergency line what happened and where you are, and reporting a lost phone, wallet or passport. Topics: Call for help at an accident, Tell the emergency line where you are, Report a lost phone or passport, Help and emergencies: full role-play.

Beginner: Hotel, SIM card and wifi

Checking in at a hotel with a booking, buying a SIM card and data with a passport and visa copy, and asking for wifi and a place to charge your phone. Topics: Check in at a hotel, Buy a SIM card and data, Ask for wifi and charge your phone, Hotel, SIM card and wifi: full role-play.

Intermediate: Getting around Hyderabad

Asking the way by landmarks and finding a washroom, fixing an auto fare, using the Metro and the common bus-metro pass, meeting a cab or bike-taxi driver, and catching the right city bus. Topics: Ask the way and find a washroom, Fix an auto fare, Use the Metro and the bus-metro pass, Meet your cab or bike-taxi driver, Catch the right city bus, Getting around Hyderabad: full role-play.

Intermediate: Train and bus trouble

Following station announcements about a late train, sorting out a missed train, reporting a bag left on a train, and changing a long-distance bus booking in the festival rush. Topics: A late train and a platform change, Sort out a missed train, Report a bag left on a train, Change a bus ticket in the festival rush, Train and bus trouble: full role-play.

Intermediate: Hotels and PG hostels

Checking in to a hotel with ID, reporting room problems and asking for a fix, finding out the rules of a paying-guest hostel, and querying a wrong charge at check-out. Topics: Check in to a hotel, Get a room problem fixed, Find out the rules of a PG hostel, Query a charge at check-out, Hotels and PG hostels: full role-play.

Intermediate: Renting a flat

Calling about a To-Let board, viewing a flat and asking about water, power and parking, agreeing the rent, deposit and agreement, getting the owner to fix a leak, and moving out with the deposit back. Topics: Call about a To-Let board, View the flat, Agree the rent and the deposit, Get the owner to fix a leak, Move out and get the deposit back, Renting a flat: full role-play.

Intermediate: Setting up in a new city

Getting a SIM card with the right documents, opening a bank account and linking UPI, chasing an LPG cylinder that has not come, and getting broadband installed and fixed. Topics: Get a SIM card, Open a bank account, Chase a gas cylinder, Get broadband installed and fixed, Setting up in a new city: full role-play.

Intermediate: The doctor, the pharmacy and emergencies

Describing symptoms and how long they have lasted, following a doctor's tests and instructions, asking a pharmacist how to take a medicine, and calling 108 for an ambulance. Topics: Tell the doctor what's wrong, Follow the doctor's instructions, Get medicines at the pharmacy, Call an ambulance, The doctor, the pharmacy and emergencies: full role-play.

Intermediate: Phone calls, apps and customer care

Asking for someone on the phone and leaving a message with అని, getting a failed UPI payment sorted, complaining about a wrong food delivery, and booking a table by phone. Topics: Leave a message, Sort out a failed UPI payment, Complain about a wrong delivery, Book a table by phone, Phone calls, apps and customer care: full role-play.

Intermediate: Bargaining, tailors and returns

Bargaining for bangles in Laad Bazaar, getting a kurta stitched before the festival, exchanging clothes that do not fit, and pushing a phone repair under warranty up to the manager. Topics: Bargain in Laad Bazaar, Get a kurta stitched, Exchange clothes that don't fit, Get a phone fixed under warranty, Bargaining, tailors and returns: full role-play.

Intermediate: At work in a Hyderabad office

Introducing yourself to a new team with గారు for seniors, giving a stand-up update and asking for help with -ి పెట్టగలరా?, asking for leave to go home for a family function, and small talk over chai. Topics: Introduce yourself to the team, Give a stand-up update, Ask for leave, Small talk over chai, At work in a Hyderabad office: full role-play.

Intermediate: Neighbours and the apartment block

Meeting the neighbours with sweets, agreeing work, pay and days off with a house help, making a polite noise complaint, and speaking up at the residents' association meeting. Topics: Meet the neighbours, Agree terms with a house help, Make a polite noise complaint, Speak up at the association meeting, Neighbours and the apartment block: full role-play.

Intermediate: Telling what happened

Telling a story in order with -తుండగా and sequence words, describing childhood with the used-to past (-ేవాడిని or -ేదాన్ని), telling a near miss with కొంచెంలో, and passing on news with అంట and అన్నారు. Topics: Tell a friend what happened last night, Talk about your childhood, Tell a near miss, Pass on some news, Telling what happened: full role-play.

Intermediate: Police, theft and the road

Reporting a stolen phone at the police station, handling a minor road accident calmly and swapping details, and dealing with a traffic police stop and an e-challan. Topics: Report a stolen phone, Handle a minor accident, Deal with a traffic police stop, Police, theft and the road: full role-play.

Intermediate: Films, opinions and arguments

Talking about a Telugu film with నచ్చింది and reasons, recommending a series with -ఇతే and కంటే, disagreeing politely with a friend, and giving and defending a view on a Hyderabad issue. Topics: Talk about a new film, Recommend a series, Disagree politely, Argue about a city problem, Films, opinions and arguments: full role-play.

Intermediate: Casual Telugu with friends

When and with whom to move to నువ్వు, making weekend plans with informal verb forms, quick voice notes and romanised texts, and switching back to మీరు and -అండి when a friend's father joins in. Topics: Move to నువ్వు with a friend, Make weekend plans, Voice notes and texts, Switch register at a friend's home, Casual Telugu with friends: full role-play.

Intermediate: Festivals, weddings and hospitality

Sankranti at home in the Godavari villages, Ugadi wishes and the six-taste pachadi, joining Bathukamma and hearing about Bonalu, being invited to and attending a wedding, and refusing a third helping at a family meal. Topics: Talk about Sankranti, Celebrate Ugadi with the neighbours, Join Bathukamma and hear about Bonalu, A wedding invitation and the wedding, Eat at a family home, Festivals, weddings and hospitality: full role-play.

Intermediate: Plans, invitations and family

Talking about plans with -ాలనుకుంటున్నాను and -ాలని ఉంది and conditions with -ఇతే, refusing an invitation warmly, giving sympathy and advice with -ఇతే మంచిది, and handling an aunt's questions about marriage on a family call. Topics: Talk about your plans, Turn down an invitation kindly, Give sympathy and advice, Handle an aunt's questions on a family call, Plans, invitations and family: full role-play.

Advanced: Job interviews

Introducing yourself formally to a panel, answering the strengths and weaknesses question with an example, handling a career gap and why you are leaving, and asking your own questions and stating a salary expectation. Topics: Introduce yourself to the panel, Answer the strengths and weaknesses question, Handle a career gap and why you are leaving, Ask your questions and state a salary, Job interviews: full role-play.

Advanced: Negotiating

Bargaining a flat price with a builder using market rates and conditional offers, renegotiating a supplier's terms with a soft no and a condition, and closing a deal by summarising it and putting it in writing. Topics: Negotiate a flat price with a builder, Renegotiate a supplier's price, Close the deal, Negotiating: full role-play.

Advanced: Meetings and presentations

Chairing a meeting and keeping it to time, presenting quarterly results with comparisons and a recommendation, handling questions you cannot fully answer, and disagreeing with a senior in a meeting without losing face. Topics: Chair a meeting, Present quarterly results, Handle questions, Disagree with a senior, Meetings and presentations: full role-play.

Advanced: Persuasion and debate

Stating and backing a position on Telugu-medium versus English-medium schooling, conceding and countering, holding the floor on a TV-style panel, and closing with a summary and an appeal. Topics: State and back a position, Concede and counter, Hold the floor on a panel, Sum up and appeal, Persuasion and debate: full role-play.

Advanced: Formal register and honorifics

Petitioning an official at a grievance day with అయ్యా, తమరు and మనవి, pressing a government office about a delayed certificate, composing a formal Telugu letter aloud, and referring to seniors with గారు, the respectful plural and honorific verbs. Topics: Petition an official, Chase a delayed certificate, Compose a formal letter aloud, Speak about seniors respectfully, Formal register and honorifics: full role-play.

Advanced: Indirect communication and refusals

Hearing the no behind చూద్దాం and కొంచెం కష్టమేనండి, giving criticism softly with -ఇతే … -ఏమో, refusing an elder relative without breaking the relationship, and asking a favour with an easy way out. Topics: Hear the no behind చూద్దాం, Give criticism softly, Refuse an elder relative, Ask a favour with an easy way out, Indirect communication and refusals: full role-play.

Advanced: Delicate conversations

Apologising formally to an angry client and taking responsibility, giving a team bad news with reassurance and honesty, offering condolences at a bereaved home, and calming a heated quarrel with a neighbour. Topics: Apologise to an angry client, Give the team bad news, Offer condolences, Calm a heated quarrel, Delicate conversations: full role-play.

Advanced: Humour, proverbs and idiom

Dropping a proverb into a family argument, using everyday idioms at work, quoting and reacting to famous film punch dialogues with friends, and taking and returning a tease without offence. Topics: Use a proverb in a family chat, Idioms at the office, Film punch dialogues, Take and return a tease, Humour, proverbs and idiom: full role-play.

Advanced: News, current affairs and literature

Following and retelling a TV news bulletin in the formal style, reading a newspaper report aloud, discussing a current issue such as city flooding with balance, and recognising and discussing a Vemana verse. Topics: Retell a TV news item, Read a newspaper report aloud, Discuss a current issue, Talk about a Vemana verse, News, current affairs and literature: full role-play.

Advanced: Speeches and toasts

Opening a formal function from the stage, wishing a couple at a wedding reception and an elder at a షష్టిపూర్తి, giving a farewell speech for a retiring colleague, and proposing a vote of thanks. Topics: Open a function from the stage, Wish a couple and an elder, Farewell for a retiring colleague, Propose a vote of thanks, Speeches and toasts: full role-play.

Advanced: Dialects and regional speech

Understanding and answering Telangana village speech, coastal Godavari speech and Rayalaseema speech, and Hyderabadi Dakhni street talk, mapping each to standard Telugu and adapting lightly without mimicking. Topics: A Telangana village visit, Coastal Godavari speech, Rayalaseema speech, Hyderabadi Dakhni on the street, Dialects and regional speech: full role-play.

Advanced: Professional calls and emails

Running a client call in Telugu-English office style, escalating a stuck issue with a vendor by phone, reading a formal email aloud and summarising it for the team, and leaving a clear voicemail. Topics: Run a client call, Escalate an issue by phone, Read and summarise an email, Leave a clear voicemail, Professional calls and emails: full role-play.

Advanced: Mediating between people

Interpreting between a foreign manager and a Telugu-speaking contractor, settling a deposit dispute between a landlord and a tenant, helping two colleagues past a clash, and helping siblings talk through their parents' care. Topics: Interpret for a colleague, A deposit dispute, Help two colleagues past a clash, Siblings and parents' care, Mediating between people: full role-play.