Vowels | Consonants
This is an introduction to fundamental grammar aimed at our students studying Tamil.
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 |
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
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.
Introduction to Tamil Grammar
List 1
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Cardinal Numerals | Ordinals | Multiplicative Numerals | Frequentative Numerals | Aggregative Numerals
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Kinds Of Secondary Verbs | Adverbs | Intensfiers | Conjunction | Interjections
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Verb | Tense
1 -
Adjective
5 -
Definite Pronouns
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Pronoun
1 -
Clitics
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Cases | Post Position
2 -
Gender and Number
-
Parts of Speech
1 -
Grantha Letters
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Vowels | Consonants
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Numbers
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Voice
List 2
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Interrogative Sentence
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Negative Sentence
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Time | Let US Talk | Learning Language | Village Versus City | Learning Language | Conversation between Friends
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Money | Conversations
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The Villager and The Urbanite | The Doctor and The Patient | Self Introduction | Proverbs |
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Past Tense | Present Perfect Tense | Past Perfect Tense | Past Using Might | Past Imperfect | Past Conditional |
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Present Tense | Present Continuous Tense | Present Tense Using May | Future Tense | Contingent Future Tense |
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Words Often Mistaken | Useful Expressions | Imperative Sentences | Sentences Indicating Request | Sentences Indicating Advice
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Word Formation
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Conversation