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 |
Consonents
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.
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