Reflexive pronouns in Telugu – Telugu Meanings of Myself, Ourselves, Yourself, Yourselves, Himself, Herself, Itself, Themselves

 Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of the sentence. In other words, reflexive pronouns are used when both the object and subject are the same in the sentence. In English, self or selves is added to the possessive determiners.

In Telugu, they are as follows:

·        ‘Self’ means ‘Tananthata thaanu’ (తనంతట తాను) or ‘svayangaa’ (స్వయంగా) in Telugu.

·        Myself – Naa anthata naenu (నా అంతట నేను)

·        Ourselves – Maa anthata maemu (మా అంతట మేము) – excluding listener

·        Ourselves – Mana anthata manamu (మన అంతట మనము) – including listener

·        Yourself – Nee anthata neevu (నీ అంతట నువ్వు)

·        Yourselves -  Mee anthata meeru (మీ అంతట మీరు)

·        Himself – athananthata athanu or vaadanthata vaadu (అతనంతట అతను లేక వాడంతట వాడు)

·        Herself – aamenthata aame or dhaananthata adhi (ఆమెంతట ఆమె లేక దానంతట అది)

·        Itself - dhaananthata adi (దానంతట అది)

·        Themselves – Vaaranthata vaaru (వారంతట వారు) – Used for people

·        Themselves – Vaatanthata avi (వాటంతట అవి) – Used for things, animals, birds etc.

Observe the following example:

I prepared lunch myself.

It can be written in any of the following ways in Telugu.

·        Naa anthata naenu bhojanam thayaaru chaesaanu. (నా అంతట నేను భోజనం తయారుచేశాను.)

·        Svayangaa naenae bhojanam thayaaru chaesaanu.  (స్వయంగా నేనే భోజనం తయారుచేశాను.)

·        Naenae lunch thayaaru chaesaanu.  (నేనే భోజనం తయారుచేశాను.)

Instead of using ‘Tananthata thaanu’, we can add just ‘ae’ (ఏ) to the subject to give the same meaning.

·        Naenu  (నేను) + ae (ఏ) = Naenae (నేనే)

·        Nuvvu (నువ్వు) + ae (ఏ) =  Nuvvae (నువ్వే)

·        Maemu (మేము) + ae (ఏ) = Maemae (మేమే)

·        Manamu (మనము) + ae (ఏ) = Manamae (మనమే)

·        Meeru (మీరు) + ae (ఏ) = Meerae (మీరే)

·        Athadu (అతడు) + ae (ఏ) = Athadae (అతడే)

·        Aame (ఆమె) + ae (ఏ) = Aame (ఆమే) / Aamae (ఆమే)

·        Adhi (అది) + ae (ఏ) = Adhae (అదే)

·        Vaaru (వారు) + ae (ఏ) = Vaarae (వారే) – Used for people

·        Avi (అవి) + ae (ఏ) = Avae (అవే) - used for things, birds, animals.

Examples:

·        He drove car himself. = Athadae kaaru nadipaadu. (అతడే కారు నడిపాడు.)

·        She brought vegetables herself. = Aamae kooragaayalu thecchindhi. (ఆమే కూరగాయలు తెచ్చింది.)

However, in certain cases, ‘Thananthata thaanu’ can only be used in the sentences to convey the rightful meaning. Observe the following examples:

·        Ramana blamed himself. = Ramana thananu thaanu nindhinchukunnaadu. (రమణ తనను తాను నిందించుకున్నాడు.)

·        Sarala trained herself. = Sarala thananku thaanu shikshana pondhindhi. (సరళ తనకు తాను శిక్షణ పొందింది.)

Here we cannot add ‘ae’ to the subject as there is no direct object in the sentences. So, whenever there is no direct object, i.e., the action of the subject is purely the object itself, in such cases, we have to use ‘Thananthata thaanu’ (తనంతట తాను) or ‘Thananu thaanu’ (తనను తాను).

Some examples:

·        The dog bit itself. = Kukka dhaanini adhae korukkundhi. (కుక్క దానిని అదే కొరుక్కుంది.)

·        He spoke to himself. = Athadu thanalo thaanu matlaadukunnaadu. (అతను తనలో తాను మాట్లాడుకున్నాడు.)

·        She washed the clothes herself. = Aamae battalu vuthikindhi. (ఆమే బట్టలు ఉతికింది.)

·        They wrote the exam themselves. = Vaare pareeksha raasharu. (వారే పరీక్ష రాశారు.)