Table of Contents
Finite Verbs
Overview
Finite verb forms show tense, person and number (eg; I go, she goes, we went, etc.)
In Tamil, Finite Verbs generally have a 3 part structure:the ‘Verb Stem’the ‘Tense Suffix’ (to indicate past, present or future tense) ; anda ‘Subject Marker’ (to indicate Person, Number and Gender – ie I, We, He, She etc).Eg, The verb varuven means I will come. [varu- verb stem, v- marks future tense, en marks “I” (first person)]In this example, Varu is the Verb Stem, ‘v’ is used to indicate it is for future tense and ‘en’ is used when referring to ‘I’ (that is, the first person)
Types of Finite Verbs and Tense Suffixes
There are 7 main types of Finite verbs. These are purely classified on how they get conjugated (ie, based on which TENSE suffix is used).
The tense suffix for past and present tense also depends on whether you are talking in High Tamil or Colloquial Tamil
The tense suffix for future tense is the same in both High and Colloquial Tamil
The charts below show the Tense suffixes for each Type of Finite Verb for both High and Colloquial Tamil.
Rules are different for other kind of verbs
Tense Suffixes for High Tamil with Tamil Script
| Past | Present | Future | Example | Other Examples | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | த் | dh | கிற் | giR | வ் | v | sei (do)- செய் | nei (weave) |
| Type 2 | ந்த் | ndh | கிற் | giR | வ் | v | aRi (know)- அறி | vizhu (fall), ezhu (rise), sari (roll or tumble down) |
| Type 3 | இன் | in | கிற் | giR | வ் | v | vaangu (buy/get)- வாங்கு | thoongu (sleep), ezhuthu (write), anuppu (send) |
| Type 4 | End consonant doubling | கிற் | giR | வ் | v | vidu ( leave)- விடு | PiDi (Catch/hold), KeDu (spoil), peru (get) |
| Type 5 | ட் | t/d | கிற் | kiR/ giR | ப் | p/b | uN (eat) – உண் | kaaN (see), keL (listen) |
| Type 6 | த்த் | tth | க்கிற் | kkiR | ப்ப் | pp | paDi(read/study)-படி | koDu (give), eDu (take), paar (see) |
| Type 7 | ந்த் | ndh | க்கிற் | kkiR | ப்ப் | pp | naDa(walk)-நட | para (fly), kala (mix), marA (forget) |
| Verb Stem | Past | Present | Future (same as for Colloquial Tamil) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1- Sei (do) | Seidhen (dh+en=dhen) | SeigiRyen (giR+en= giRean) | Seivean (Iv +en=vean) |
| Type 2- Ari (know) | Arindhean (ndh+en=dhean) | ArigiRean (giR+en=giRean) | Arivean (Iv +en=vean) |
| Type 3 – Vaangu (buy/get) | Vaanginean (in+en=inean) | VaangugiRean (giR+en=GiRean) | Vaanguvean (Iv +en=vean) |
| Type 4 – Vidu (leave) | Vittean (t+t+en) | VidugiRean (giR+en=giRean) | Viduvean (Iv +en=vean) |
| Type 5 – Un (eat) | Undean(d+en) | UngiRean (giR+en=giRean) | Unbean(b+en=bean) |
| Type 6 – Padi (read/study) | Paditthean (tth+en=tthean) | Padikkirean(kkiR+en=kkirean) | Padippean(pp+en=ppean) |
| Type 7 – Nada (walk) | Nadandhean(ndh+ean=ndhean) | NadakkiRean (kkir+en=kkirean) | Nadappean(pp+en=ppean) |
Tense Suffixes for Colloquial Tamil with Tamil Script
| Past | Present | Future | Example | Other Examples | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | ஞ்ச் | nj | ற் | R | வ் | v | sei (do)- செய் | nei (weave) |
| Type 2 | ந்த் | ndh / ஞ்ச் | nj | ற் | R | வ் | v | aRi (know)- அறி | vizhu (fall), ezhu (rise), sari (roll or tumble down) |
| Type 3 | உன் | u | ற் | R | வ் | v | vaangu (buy/get)- வாங்கு | thoongu (sleep), ezhuthu (write), anuppu (send) |
| Type 4 | End consonant doubling | ற் | R | வ் | v | vidu ( leave)- விடு | PiDi (Catch/hold), KeDu (spoil), peru (get) |
| Type 5 | ட் | t/d | ற் | R | ப் | p/b | uN (eat) – உண் | kaaN (see), keL (listen) |
| Type 6 | த்த் | tth | க்கிற் | kkiR | ப்ப் | pp | paDi(read/study)-படி | koDu (give), eDu (take), paar (see) |
| Type 7 | ந்த் | ndh | க்கிற் | kkiR | ப்ப் | pp | naDa(walk)-நட | para (fly), kala (mix), marA (forget) |
Example of Tense Suffixes for Colloquial Tamil
| Verb Stem | Past | Present | Future (same as for High Tamil) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1- Sei (do) | Senjean (nj+ean=jean) | Seirean (R+ean=rean) | Seivean (Iv +ean=vean) |
| Type 2- Ari (know) | Arinjean(nj+ean=jean) | Arirean(R+ean=rean) | Arivean (Iv +ean=vean) |
| Type 3 – Vaangu (buy/get) | Vaangunean(un+ean=unean) | vaangurean(R+ean=iRean) | Vaanguvean (Iv +ean=vean) |
| Type 4 – Vidu (leave) | Vittean (t+t+ean=ttean) | Vidrean (R+ean=Rean) | Viduvean (Iv +ean=vean) |
| Type 5 – Un (eat) | Undean(d+ean=dean) | UngiRean (giR+ean=giRean) | Unbean(b+ean=bean) |
| Type 6 – Padi (read/study) | Padichchean(chch+ean=chen) | Padikkirean(kkiR+ean=kkirean) | Padippean(pp+ean=ppean) |
| Type 7 – Nada (walk) | Nadandhean(ndh+ean=ndhean) | NadakkiRean (kkiR+ean=kkirean) | Nadappean(pp+ean=ppean) |
Subject Markers
VSubject Markers indicate PERSON/NUMBER/GENDER (ie; I, We, He, She etc)
The subject markers are the same for all of the 7 types of Finite Verbs, only the Tense suffixes for each Type differs.
Following are the Subject Markers used for both High and Colloquial Tamil.
Subject Markers for High Tamil
| Singular | Plural | |||||
| First person | I ஏன் | En | We ஓம் | Om | ||||
| Second person | You(singular) ஆய் | aay | You ( plural/respect) ஈர்கள் | iirkal / ஈர் | irr | ||||
| Third Person | He ஆன் | aan | He /She (Polite) ஆர் | aar | She ஆள் | aal | They (Human) அனர்/ஆர்கள் anar */ aarkal | ||
| It # அது | adhu | They (non human) அன | ana#* | |||||
| *indicates that in future tense , nonhuman nouns take the ending “-um”(instead of -v/-p/-pp) . Eg athu varum (it’ll come) *indicates that in present tense, kiR/kiRR changes kinR/KKinRR Eg, SeikinRanar – They (human being) are doing. | ||||||
Subject Markers for Colloquial Tamil
| Singular | Plural | |||||
| First person | I Eñ | We O~m | ||||
| Second person | You dha | You (Polite) eenga | ||||
| Third Person | He dhaañ | She dhaa | He (Polite) aarù | She (Polite) aanga | ||
| It dhu/chu | They dhunga / chunga | |||||
EXAMPLE
| padi | read or study | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| padikka | to read | ||
| vaasi | read | ||
| High | colloquial | English meaning | |
| Past Tense | naan padiththaen | Naañ Padichæñ | I read (past) |
| Present Tense | Naan padikkiRaen | Naañ Padikiræñ | I am reading |
| Future Tense | naan padaippaen | Naañ padipæñ | I will read |
| Past Informal | nii padiththaai | Nii padichæ | you read (past) – informal |
| Past Formal | niingaL padiththiirgaL | Niinga padichiinga | you read (past) – formal |
| Present Informal | nii padikkiRaa | Nii padikiræ | you are reading – informal |
| Present Formal | niingaL padikkiRiirgaL | Niinga padikireenga | you are reading – formal |
| Future Informal | nii padippaai | Nii padipæ | you will read – informal |
| Future Formal | niingaL padippiirgaL | Niinga padipiinga | you are reading – formal |
| Imperative informal | nii padi | Nii padi | you read ……. (order statement) – informal |
| Imperative Formal | Niinga padinga | Niinga padipiinga | you read ……. (order statement) – formal |
| Past Informal | avan padiththaan | avañ Padichchaañ | he read – informal |
| Past Formal | avar padiththaar | avrù padichchaarù | he read – formal |
| Present Informal | avan padikkiRaan | avañ padikkiraañ | He is reading – informal |
| Present Formal | avar padikkiRaar | avrù padikiraar | he is reading – formal |
| Future Informal | avan padippaan | avañ padippaañ | he will read – informal |
| Future Formal | avar padippaar | avar padippaarù | he will read – formal |
| Past Informal | avaL padiththaaL | ava(L) padichchaa(L) | she read – informal |
| Past Formal | avargaaL padiththaargaL | avanga padichchaanga | she read – formal |
| Past Formal | avargaaL padiththaargaL | avanga padichchaanga | she read – formal |
| Present Informal | avaL padikkiraaL | ava(L) padikkiraa(L) | she is reading – informal |
| Present Formal | avargaL padikkiraargaL | avanga padikkiraanga | she is reading – formal |
| Future Informal | avaL padippaaL | ava(L) padippaa(L) | she will read – informal |
| Future Formal | avargaL padippaargaL | avanga padippaanga | she will read – formal |
| Past Informal | naam padiththoam | naama padichcho~m | we read – listener included |
| Past formal | naangaL padiththoam | naanga padichcho~m | we read – listener excluded |
| Present Informal | naam padikiroam | naama padikiroa~m | we are reading – listener included |
| Present Formal | naangaL paddikkiroam | naanga padikkiroa~m | we are reading – listener excluded |
| Future Informal | naam paddippoam | naama paddippoa~m | we will read – listener included |
| Future Formal | naangaL paddippoam | naanga paddippoa~m | we will read – listener excluded |
Tense Suffixes for High Tamil without Tamil Script
| Past | Present | Future | Example | Other Examples | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | dh | giR | v | sei (do)- செய் | nei (weave) |
| Type 2 | ndh | giR | v | aRi (know) | vizhu (fall), ezhu (rise), sari (roll or tumble down) |
| Type 3 | in | giR | v | vaangu (buy/get) | thoongu (sleep), ezhuthu (write), anuppu (send) |
| Type 4 | End consonant doubling | giR | v | vidu ( leave) | PiDi (Catch/hold), KeDu (spoil), peru (get) |
| Type 5 | t/d | kiR/ giR | p/b | uN (eat) | kaaN (see), keL (listen) |
| Type 6 | tth | kkiR | pp | paDi(read/study) | koDu (give), eDu (take), paar (see) |
| Type 7 | ndh | kkiR | pp | naDa(walk) | para (fly), kala (mix), marA (forget) |
Tense Suffixes for Colloquial Tamil without Tamil Script
| Past | Present | Future | Example | Other Examples | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | nj | R | v | sei (do)- செய் | nei (weave) |
| Type 2 | ndh / nj | R | v | aRi (know) | vizhu (fall), ezhu (rise), sari (roll or tumble down) |
| Type 3 | un | R | v | vaangu (buy/get) | thoongu (sleep), ezhuthu (write), anuppu (send) |
| Type 4 | End consonant doubling | R | v | vidu ( leave) | PiDi (Catch/hold), KeDu (spoil), peru (get) |
| Type 5 | t/d | R | p/b | uN (eat) | kaaN (see), keL (listen) |
| Type 6 | chch / tth | kkiR | pp | paDi(read/study) | koDu (give), eDu (take), paar (see) |
| Type 7 | ndh | kkiR | pp | naDa(walk) | para (fly), kala (mix), marA (forget) |
Transliteration
| VOWELS | CONSONANTS |
|---|
| Tamil script | Transliteration | Tamil script | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|---|
| அ | A | க | ka ga |
| ஆ | Aa | ங | nga |
| இ | I | ச | cha sa |
| ஈ | Ii | ||
| உ | U | ஞ | nja |
| ஊ | Uu E | ட | ta da |
| எ | E/ae | ண | Na |
| ஏ | Ai | த | tha dha |
| ஐ | O | ந | na |
| ஒ | O/oa | ப | pa ba |
| ஔ | Au | ம | ma |
| ய | ya | ||
| ர | ra | ||
| ல | la | ||
| வ | va | ||
| ள | Au | ||
| ழ | Azha | ||
| ள | La | ||
| ற | Ra | ||
| ன | na |
VOWELS FOUND IN SPOKEN TAMIL
| æ ŭ | ù ñ / ~m | The vowel sound ‘E’ at end of words is often realised as ‘æ’ in spoken Tamil. half-u nasalisation of vowel | æ is sound of ‘a’ in the english word b’a’t. |
|---|
GRANTHA LETTERS
| ஹ | ha |
| ஜ | ja |
| ஸ | sa |
| ஷ | sha |
| ஶ | ś |
| க்ஷ | ksha |
| ஸ்ரீ\ | Sri |
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There are a lot of mistakes found in sandhi.But good you have done.Please avoid to cite examples from English and cite good Tamil sentences with good English translations.