Tamil alphabets consists of 12 vowels and 18 consonants.
Vowels
Apart from 12 vowels we have an additional character ஃ (ak).This character is not a vowel but we use for the sake of our convenience and so we use them among vowels. Vowels are further classified into Short Vowels ( Kuril ) and Long Vowels ( Nedil ).
அ |
a |
Short Vowel |
ஆ |
aa |
Long Vowel |
இ |
i |
Short Vowel |
ஈ |
ii |
Long Vowel |
உ |
u |
Short Vowel |
ஊ |
uu |
Long Vowel |
எ |
e |
Short Vowel |
ஏ |
ee |
Long Vowel |
ஐ |
ai |
Long Vowel |
ஒ |
o |
Short Vowel |
ஓ |
oo |
Long Vowel |
ஔ |
au |
Long Vowel |
ஃ |
ak |
Special Character |
Consonants
There are 18 pure consonants in Tamil.
Tamil Consonants |
Pronounciation |
Example |
க் |
k |
kite |
ங் |
ng |
mango |
ச் |
ch |
batch |
ஞ் |
eng |
messenger |
ட் |
it |
cat |
ண் |
inn |
sandal |
த் |
th |
strength |
ந் |
inth |
Not found in English,but as in Tamil ‘Panthu’ |
ப் |
ip |
flap |
ம் |
im |
time |
ய் |
iy |
yolk |
ர் |
ir |
roll |
ல் |
ll |
bell |
வ் |
iv |
van |
ழ் |
izh |
Not found in English,but as in Tamil ‘Vazhga’ |
ள் |
il |
pull |
ற் |
iR |
partner |
ன் |
in |
sin |
These 18 consonants are of three kinds. Every letters in pure consonants has a dot on top of it.If the dot is removed it is pronounced with ‘a’ sound
வல்லினம் – Vallinam / Hard
க |
ka |
ச |
sa |
ட |
da |
த |
tha |
ப |
pa |
ற |
Ra |
இடையினம் – Idaiyinam / Middle
ய |
ya |
ர |
ra |
ல |
lla |
வ |
va |
ழ |
zha |
ள |
la |
மெல்லினம் – Mellinam / Soft
ங |
nga |
ஞ |
nya |
ண |
Na |
ந |
nna |
ம |
ma |
ன |
na |
- A word will never begin with the letters like ங , ண , ழ , ள , ற and ன.
- ஸ்ரீ is a Symbolic character.
- There is no equivalent for consonant ழ in any other non Dravidian Languages.