THIS, THAT & WHAT

Idhu, Adhu & Enna

இது, அது & என்ன

QUESTIONS: HOW TO ASK – IS THIS / THAT?

Kaelvigal: Idhuvaa / Adhuvaa – Kaelviyaaga Kaetpadhu Eppadi?

கேள்விகள்: இதுவா / அதுவா – கேள்வியாக கேட்பது எப்படி?

PARTS OF THE BODY

Udal Uruppugal

உடல் உறுப்புகள்

INTRODUCING YOURSELF

Ungalai Neengalae Arimugappaduththi Kollungal

உங்களை  நீங்களே அறிமுகப்படுத்திக் கொள்ளுங்கள்

NEW WORDS

Pudhu Vaarththaigal

புது வார்த்தைகள்

EXERCISES

Payirchigal

பயிற்சிகள்

As in many foreign languages, in Tamil too, there are letters which have sounds that are not available in the English language. One of them is – ழ – which is often denoted by “Zh”. It is pronounced like the letter “L” but with the rolling of the tongue. For example, the word “Tamil” is transliterated as Thamizh (starting with a “Th” sound and ending with a tongue rolling of the letter “L”). Mind you, there are 2 other letters in Tamil – ல and ள – which are pronounced very much like the normal “L” in English.

Another letter you are likely to come across is – ஞ – which is often denoted by “Gnya” and pronounced more like “nj”. For example, this letter is used in Aaranju, which is the Tamil translation of the word “Orange” and sounds similar too. The “nj” part of Aaranju is what you will need when you see words beginning with “Gn”. It may be difficult initially, but with some practice, you will surely master it!

Spoken Tamil is often different from Formal/ Written Tamil, and in order to differentiate the two, we have used the purple color to indicate Spoken Tamil Transliteration (Tamil words written using the English alphabet) and Spoken Tamil Script.

Throughout the lesson plan, the following sequencing has been used:

1. Word/ Phrase/ Sentence in English
2. Spoken Tamil Transliteration in English
3. Spoken Tamil Script
4. Formal Tamil Transliteration in English
5. Formal Tamil Script

1. THIS, THAT & WHAT
Idhu, Adhu & Enna
இது, அது & என்ன

The words This, That and What? are important words in any language. Let’s see how to say and use these words in Tamil.

When we talk about a thing that is near to us, we use This. When we refer to something that is away from us, we use That and when we want to ask a question about something we say What. In Tamil, the word for This is Idhu இது, the word for That is Adhu அது and the word for What is Enna என்ன.

Examples:

THIS – Idhu – இது

Paenaa	What is this? Idhu enna? இது என்ன?	This is a pen. Idhu oru paenaa. இது ஒரு பேனா.
Puththagam	What is this? Idhu enna? இது என்ன?	This is a book. Idhu oru puththagam. இது ஒரு புத்தகம்.
Pattam	What is this? Idhu enna? இது என்ன?	This is a kite. Idhu oru pattam. இது ஒரு பட்டம்.

Palli	What is this? Idhu enna? இது என்ன?	This is a School. Idhu oru palli. இது ஒரு பள்ளி.
Maesai	What is this? Idhu enna? இது என்ன?	This is a table. Idhu oru maesai. இது ஒரு மேசை.
Saavi	What is this? Idhu enna? இது என்ன?	This is a key. Idhu oru saavi. இது ஒரு சாவி.

THAT – Adhu – அது

Veedu	What is that? Adhu enna? அது என்ன?	That is a house. Adhu oru veedu. அது ஒரு வீடு.
Maram	What is that? Adhu enna? அது என்ன?	That is a tree. Adhu oru maram. அது ஒரு மரம்.
Yaanai	What is that? Adhu enna? அது என்ன?	That is an elephant. Adhu oru yaanai. அது ஒரு யானை.
One on One Tamil lessons online Pandhu	What is that? Adhu enna? அது என்ன?	That is a ball. Adhu oru pandhu. அது ஒரு பந்து.
Malai	What is that? Adhu enna? அது என்ன?	That is a mountain. Adhu oru malai அது ஒரு மலை.
Singam	What is that? Adhu enna? அது என்ன?	That is a lion. Adhu oru singam. அது ஒரு சிங்கம்.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

Ninaivil Kolga

நினைவில் கொள்க

HELPFUL HINTS

Uthavum Kurippu

உதவும் குறிப்பு

When learning a new language, it is helpful to know some rules or handy ways to remember new words. One way to help remember these and other words you will learn in the coming classes is that if a word is referring to something that is Here the corresponding Tamil word starts with the letter I.

If the word is referring to something that is There or away from you, it starts with the letter A and if it is a Question it starts with the letter E.

For example, the Tamil words for This and Here start with the letter I (Idhu, Inga). The Tamil words for That and There start with the letter A (Adhu, Anga) and the Tamil words for What and Where start with the letter E (Enna, Enga).

2. QUESTIONS: HOW TO ASK – IS THIS / THAT?

Kaelvigal: Idhu / Adhu – Kaelviyaaga Kaetpadhu Eppadi?

கேள்விகள்: இது / அது – கேள்வியாக கேட்பது எப்படி?

To ask a question in Tamil, we add an ‘ah’ sound at the end of an object, denoted by aa.

For example: Idhu pattam இது பட்டம் means It is a kite, but to make it a question you ask Idhu pattamaa? இது பட்டமா? which means Is it a kite?

Adding the suffix aa to an object turns the statement into a question. You should always keep in mind that this suffix should not sound as a separate syllable – it should become one with the word. For example, pattam+aa = pattamaa (It should sound like pattamaa and not like pattam and an ‘ah’ sound after a pause).

The suffix that is added changes depending on the ending syllable of the object. Few examples are given below to understand this better.

* When a word ends in ‘m’,’l’,’n’,’r’, then the syllable ‘aa’ is added to it.

Maram – Maram+aa – Maramaa

Puththagam – Puththagam+aa – Puththagamaa

Manjal – Manjal+aa – Manjalaa

Maan – Maan+aa – Maanaa

Thaer – Thaer+aa – Thaeraa

* When a word ends in ‘ai’, ‘i’, then the syllable ‘yaa’ is added to it.

Yaanai – Yaanai + yaa – Yaanaiyaa

Puli – Puli + yaa – Puliyaa

* When a word ends in ‘u’, then the syllable ‘u’ is replaced with ‘aa’.

Veedu – Veedu+aa – Veedaa

Maadu – Maadu+aa – Maadaa

* When a word ends in ‘aa’ , then the syllable ‘vaa’ is added to it.

Thaaththaa – thaaththaa+vaa – thaaththaavaa

Paenaa – paenaa+vaa – paenaavaa

When we have questions like – Is this a pen? or Is that a kite?, the answer is usually a Yes or No. Let us now learn to say Yes and No in Tamil.

Examples:

Is this (it) a kite? Idhu oru pattamaa? இது ஒரு பட்டமா?	Yes, this (it) is a kite. Aamaam, idhu oru pattam. ஆமாம், இது ஒரு பட்டம்.
Is that a book? Adhu oru puththagamaa? அது ஒரு புத்தகமா?	No, that is a pen. Illa, adhu oru paenaa. இல்ல, அது ஒரு பேனா.
Is this (it) an elephant? Idhu oru yaanaiyaa? இது ஒரு யானையா?	No, this (it) is a tree. Illa, idhu oru maram. இல்ல, இது ஒரு மரம்.

3. PARTS OF THE BODY
Udal Uruppugal
உடல் உறுப்புகள்

See if you can answer the following questions:

Pinvarum padangalai paarththu bathil solluga:

பின்வரும் படங்களைப் பார்த்து பதில் சொல்லுக:

4.INTRODUCING YOURSELF

Ungalai Neengalae Arimugappaduththi Kollungal

உங்களை  நீங்களே அறிமுகப்படுத்திக் கொள்ளுங்கள்

Today you will learn how to introduce yourself in Tamil. The key words to know are:

**In the case of the Object pronoun, Me, there are many different ways of saying it in Tamil. When Me is used along with different prepositions, various forms of the pronoun arise, which will be dealt with in future lessons.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Ninaivil Kolga

நினைவில் கொள்க

Just as the words – I, Me, My and Mine refer to one’s self, but depend on the context in which they are used, in the same way, even in Tamil, the words Naan, En/Ennoada, Enakku depend on the context in which they are used.

For example, we use Enakku when we make statements such as ‘I like’, ‘I know’ and ‘I want’; whereas we use the word Naan also to talk about ourselves, but in statements beginning with ‘I am’ as in ‘I am a student’, ‘I am tired’ etc. To be more precise the pronoun Enakku is used when the subject is followed ny an ‘Non Motion Verb’ such as like, want, know etc.,

Now let’s learn some basic sentences to introduce ourselves:

5. NEW WORDS
Pudhu Vaarththaigal
புது வார்த்தைகள்

Learn the following words to help build your vocabulary:

6. EXERCISES
Payirchigal
பயிற்சிகள்

1. Answer the following questions in Tamil – say Yes / No:

Pinvarum kaelvigalukku Aamaam / Illa endru bathil solluga:

பின்வரும் கேள்விகளுக்கு ஆமாம்/இல்லை என்று பதில் சொல்லுக

1. Fill in the blanks and translate these into Tamil:

Koatitta idaththai nirappi, muzhu thodaraiyum Thamizhil mozhi peyarththu ezhudhuga solluga:

கோடிட்ட இடத்தை நிரப்பி, முழு தொடரையும் தமிழில் மொழி பெயர்த்து எழுதுக சொல்லுக:

Example – Udhaaranam – உதாரணம்:

I am studying Thamizh

Naan Thamizh padikkiraen.                                

Essential Phrases – 2