Greetings and Introduction Lesson1

lessons

Lesson 1

  1. How do I say ‘Hello’ ?
  2. Family Relationships
  3. Numbers 1 -100 ( Written form, speech form, ordinal numbers) 
  4. Conversation – Part 1
  5. Exercise

 

Lesson 1

GREETINGS- How do I say ‘Hello!’ in Tamil


‘Hello’ is the word that we often use when we meet a person.  Just the same way, the word used to greet a person in Tamil is

VA/NAK/KAM

 வணக்கம்

Usually a joining of hands is accompanied with the word Vanakkam, just like when you shake hands to say Hello.

Remember…

  • In English, the greeting depends on the time we meet a person, i.e., Good morning, good afternoon and so on, but a simple Vanakkam is all you need to say, be it any time of the day or night.
  • You can say Vanakkam even when you take leave of the person.
  • The word Vanakkam can be followed by the name of the person you have met. Example : Vanakkam Sir / Vanakkam Raj.

If you are greeting a relative, you can use the name of the relationship too. Eg. Vanakkam Uncle / Vanakkam Mama மாமா ( mama is Uncle in Tamil). Before we o learn how to introduce ourselves, let’s learn about the relationships in Tamil.

Relationships

Father  – Appa ( Ap-pa)  அப்பா

Mother  – Amma (Am-ma)    அம்மா

Son – Magan (Ma-gan) மகன் ( MA as in Mug / GAN as in gun)

Daughter – Magal (Ma-gal)   மகள்( MA as in Mug / GAL as in seagull.)

For Siblings -கூடப்பிறந்தவர்கள்

Elder Brother – Annan (An-nan)  அண்ணன்          Younger Brother – Thambi (Tham-bi)   தம்பி

Elder Sister– Akka (Ak-ka)    அக்கா                          Younger sister – Thangai (Thang-ai)   தங்கை

Family tree

ThathaGrandfather –  Thatha தாத்தா is a common way of addressing both the paternal and maternal grandfathers.
Paatti
Grandmother – Paati பாட்டி is the way in which both the paternal and the maternal grandmothers are addressed. Aaya, Aachi, Appatha, Ammamma, Ammayi… also refers to the word ‘Grandmother.’

Relatives

Mother’s

Father’s
Brother – Maama மாமா Younger Brother – Chithappa சித்தப்பா
Elder Sister – Peria amma/ Perimma பெரியம்மா Elder Brother – Peria Appa/ Perippa பெரியப்பா
Younger sister – Chithi / Chinnamma சித்தி /சின்னம்மா Sister – Athai அத்தை
Maama’s wife – Athai அத்தை
 Athai’s husband – Maama
Periyappa’a wife – Periyamma பெரியம்மா Chithappa’s wife – Chithi சித்தி /சின்னம்மா

 

Conversation 1  How do I say….?

  1. Mozhi  மொழி (Language)
  2. Vaarthai வார்த்தை  (Word)
  3. Uchcharippu உச்சரிப்பு (Pronunciation)
  4. Enakku Tamil theriyaadhu. எனக்கு தமிழ் தெரியாது (I don’t know Tamil.)
  5. Enakku எனக்கு ___________theriyum தெரியும். (I know _______.)
  6. Naan Tamil kathittu irruken. நான் தமிழ் கத்திட்டுஇருக்கேன் (I am learning Tamil.)
  7. Naan Tamil padikiren. நான் தமிழ் படிக்கிறேன் (I am studying/ learning/ reading Tamil.)
  8. Enakku konjam Tamil pesa theriyum. எனக்கு கொஞ்சம் தமிழ் பேச தெரியும் (I know to talk some Tamil.)
  9. Naan idha sariya solrenna? நான் இத சரியா சொல்றேனா? (Am I saying this right?)
  10. Adhai Tamil-la eppadi solveenga?அதை எப்படி சொல்வீங்க?. (How do you say this in Tamil?)
  11. Idhukku enna artham? இதுக்கு என்ன அர்த்தம்? (What does it mean?)
  12. Neenga adha marubadi/ thirumba sollunga நீங்க அத மறுபடி / திரும்ப சொல்லுங்க (Please say it again.)
  13. Ungalukku purinjadha? உங்களுக்கு புரிஞ்சதா? (Do you understand?)
  14. Enakku purinjadhu. ஆமா எனக்கு புரிஞ்சது  (Yes, I understood.)
  15. Illa. Enakku puriyala. இல்ல எனக்கு புரியல (No. I don’t understand.)

 

Questioning in Tamil:

1.   Enna? என்ன?  ( What?) 2.   Eppo? எப்போ? ( When?)
3.   Yen? ஏன்? ( Why?) 4.   Edhu? எது? ( Which?)
5.   Eppadi? எப்படி? ( How?) 6.   Edhukku? எதுக்கு? ( Why?)
7.   Yaar?/ Yaaru? யார் / யாரு? ( Who?) 8.   Enga? எங்க? ( Where?)

 

Numbers in Tamil:

  Written form Speech Form Ordinal number Form
1 Ondru Onnu Ondraavadhu – First
2 Irandu Rendu Irandaavadhu
3 Moondru Moonu Moondraavadhu
4 Naangu Naalu Naangaavadhu
5 Aindhu Anji/anju Aindhaavadhu
6 Aaru Aaru Aaraavadhu
7 Ezhu Ezhu Ezhaavadhu
8 Ettu Ettu Ettaavadhu
9 Onbadhu Ombodhu Onbadhaavadhu
10 Paththu Paththu Paththaavadhu
11 Pathinonndru Pathinonnu Pathinonaavadhu
12 Panirandu Panirendu Panirendaavadhu
13 Padhimoondru Padhimoonu …..
14 Padhinaalu Padhinaalu …..
15 Padhinaindhu Padhinanju …..
16 Padhinaaru Padhinaaru …..
17 Padhinezhu Padhinezhu …..
18 Padhinettu Padhinettu ….
19 Pathonbadhu Pathombadhu ….
20 Irubadhu Iruvadhu ….
21 Irubathi Ondru Iruvathi onnu ….
22 Irubathi Irandu Iruvathi rendu ….
23 Irubathi Moondru Iruvathi moonu ….
24 Irubathi Naangu Iruvathi naalu ….
25 Irubath Aindhu Iruvathi anji ….
26 Irubath Aaru Iruvathi aaru ….
27 Irubath Ezhu …. ….
28 Irubath Ettu …. ….
29 Irubath Onbadhu …. ….
30 Muppadhu Muppadhu ….
40 Naarpadhu Naapadhu ….
50 Aimbadhu Ambadhu ….
60 Arubadhu Aruvadhu ….
70 Ezhubadhu Ezhuvadhu ….
80 Ennbadhu Ennbadhu ….
90 Thonnooru Thonnooru ….
100 Nooru Nooru ….

 We will learn more about numbers in the coming classes.

Exercise 1:

In Tamil, the word ‘aachu’  ஆச்சு means ‘happened’. Now put thefollowing question words in the right sentences:

( Yen / Enna / Edhukku / Eppo / Eppadi / Enge )

(ஏன் / என்ன / எதுக்கு / எப்போ / எப்படி / எங்கே)

  1. ______________ aachu? ( What happened?)
  2. ______________ aachu? ( Where did it happen?)
  3. ______________ aachu? (How did it happen?)
  4. ______________ aachu? (Why did it happen?)
  5. ______________ aachu? ( For what did it happen?)

How do you say these in Tamil:

1 5 9 3 6 2 10
8 12 17 11 18 13 19
20 28 23 25 27 30 22
34 38 33 30 39 33 35
41 44 48 42 50 49 46
52 58 51 50 53 59 55
67 61 60 63 69 64 68
71 77 75 79 73 72 78

 

What comes after:-

What comes before:-

  • 28, _____

  • 45, _____

  • 77, _____

  • 98, _____

  • 79, _____

  • 29, _____

  • _____, 75

  • _____, 13

  • _____, 21

  • _____, 49

  • _____, 83

  • _____, 100

 

Amma’s side

Amma

  1. Amma’s Dad is my ___________.
  2. Amma’s Mom is my ___________.
  3. Amma’s Brother is my ____________.
  4. Amma’s elder sister is my __________ .
  5. Amma’s younger sister is my _________.

Appa’s side

Appa

  1. Appa’s Dad is my ___________.
  2. Appa’s Mom is my ___________.
  3. Appa’s sister is my ____________.
  4. Appa’s elder brother is my __________ .
  5. Appa’s younger brother is my _________.

25 Comments

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