Telugu Typing - A Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering the Keyboard PART 1: Understanding the Telugu Script and Keyboard Layouts

Overview of the Telugu Script

Telugu script is a syllabic writing system, meaning each character represents a syllable rather than a single letter. The script consists of:

1. Vowels (Achulu - అచ్చులు) [16]:

   • అ, ఆ, ఇ, ఈ, ఉ, ఊ, ఋ, ౠ, ఎ, ఏ, ఐ, ఒ, ఓ, ఔ, అం, అః

2. Consonants (Hallulu - హల్లులు) [36]:

   • క, ఖ, గ, ఘ, ఙ, చ, ఛ, జ, ఝ, ఞ, ట, ఠ, డ, ఢ, ణ, త, థ, ద, ధ, న, ప, ఫ, బ, భ, మ, య, ర, ల, వ, శ, ష, స, హ, ళ, క్ష, ఱ

3. Gunintalu (Vowel Modifiers):

   • Vowels can modify consonants to form different sounds (Ex: క + ా = కా).

4. Vattulu (Conjunct Consonants):

   • Some consonants combine to form complex characters (Ex: క + ్ + ష = క్ష).

Telugu Keyboard Layouts

There are multiple ways to type Telugu based on different keyboard layouts:

1. Inscript Keyboard – The standard keyboard for Telugu typing.
2. Phonetic Typing – Type "telugu" in English and get "తెలుగు".
3. Google Input Tools – A popular online Telugu typing tool.
4. Transliteration Keyboard – Type words in English, and they are converted to Telugu.

Understanding these layouts will help you choose the best typing method that suits your needs.