Tamil Words and their Pronunciation
The number of syllables in a typical Tamil word may range from single syllable
to five or six syllables. Vowels in each syllable can be either short or long. Consonants can be either single or strung together (a 'cluster'). Learning to distinguish between
short and long vowels and consonant clusters in Tamil words require careful attention and long practice. There are a large number of words
in Tamil that make minimal pairs due to length of vowels and consonant clusters (i.e., differ only in having a short/long vowel or a single or doubled consonant). So, unless one learns to distinguish between short and long vowels and simple and clustered consonants, one is very likely to produce ambiguous and improper pronunciation of words as well as misunderstand other people's Tamil. In this chapter, such minimal pairs are discussed in detail. Unlike in pronouncing written English, Tamil pronunciation is straight forward in the sense that what you see will be what you would say, and only in restricted number of contexts like in clusters, e.g., stop consonants occurring intervocalically etc., will the pronunciation be different than from their typical pronunciation.
Single syllable words: Single syllable words can be just
a single long vowel; or a consonant with a long vowel; or two consonants with
a short or long vowel as noted below.
Written | Spoken | English |
ஈ | ஈ (ii) | 'fly' |
பூ | பூ (puu) | 'flower' |
தீ | தீ (tii) | 'fire' |
நீ | நீ (nii) | 'you - singular' |
நான் | நான் (naan) | 'I' |
கண் | கண்ணு (kaNNu) | 'Eye' |
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Two syllable words: Two syllable words occur with both short and long vowels, and the middle consonant in such words can be either single or doubled.
பல | பல (pala) | 'many' |
பலா | பலா (palaa) | 'jack fruit' |
கிளை | கெளெ (kelee) | 'branch' |
பிள்ளை | பிள்ளெ(pillee) | 'child' |
தொல்லை | தொல்லெ(tolle) | 'trouble' |
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The vowel உ that occurs at the end of two syllable words is pronounced as half u.
படு | படு(padu) | 'lie down' |
பாடு | பாடு(paadu) | 'sing' |
பாட்டு | பாட்டு(paaddu) | 'song' |
கத்து | கத்து(kattu) | 'scream' |
காது | காது(kaadu) | 'ear' |
Following are some of the example words that contain more than two
syllables.
கடவுள் (kadavuL) | 'god' (3 syllables) |
கணவன் (kaNavan) | 'husband' (3 syllables) |
கல்யாணம் (kalyaaNam) | 'marriage' (3 syllables) |
பலகாரம் (palahaaram) | 'snacks' (4 syllables) |
சுப்பிரமணியன் (cuppiramaNiyan) | 'proper name' (6 syllables)
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There are words with three to five syllables due to combination of multiple number of suffixes.
வந்துகொண்டிருக்கிறீர்களா (spoken, வந்துகிட்டிருக்கிங்களா, vandukiTTirukkiingaLaa)
root verb வ, present progressive form, 2nd person plural
suffix and interrogative suffix.
'Have you been coming?'
This word can also be written in two separate words like வந்து
கொண்டிருகிறீர்களா, but is pronounced as a single word.
Pronunciation of nasal consonants
The nasal consonants ந, ன, ண, ங and ம are pronounced
variously based on the environment in which they occur. The consonants
with which these nasals cooccur include த, ப ட and க. Following are the examples of some of the frequently occurring nasal clusters in Tamil.
பந்து | 'pandu' | 'ball' |
அன்பு | 'anbu' | 'love' |
தொண்மை | 'toNmai ~ toNme' | 'ancient' |
வன்மை | 'vanmai ~ vanme' | 'skillful' |
தம்பி | 'tambi' | 'younger brother' |
தங்கை | 'tangai ~ tange' | 'younger sister' |
The nasal consonants that occur at the end of words are usually nasalized by
the preceding vowels.
நான் | 'na~ | ' 'I'
| அவன் | 'avan ~ ava~' | 'he'
| மரம் | 'maram ~ mara~' | 'tree'
| பழம் | 'pazham ~ pazha~' | 'fruit'
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However, the consonant ண that occurs at the end of words is doubled and an enunciative vowel உ is added in spoken Tamil.
கண் | 'kaN ~ kaNNu' | 'eye' |
மண் | 'maN ~ maNNu' | 'soil/sand' |
Pronunciation of Stop Consonants
க is pronounced g after nasal consonants:
அங்கே | (angee ~ ange) | 'there' |
இங்கே | (ingee ~ inge) | 'here' |
எங்கே | (engee ~ enge) | 'where' |
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க is pronounced 'h' (cf. 'x') between vowels and after ர் and ய்:
பகல் | (paxal) | 'day' |
மகன் | (maxan ~ maxa~) | 'son' |
மகள் | (maxaL ~ maxa) | 'daughter' |
ஊர்கள் | (uurxaL) | 'towns' |
நாய்கள் | (naayxaL) | 'dogs' |
க is pronounced 'k' in word initial position and in
clusters:
கப்பல் | (kappal) | 'ship' |
கடல் | (kaDal) | 'ocean' |
பக்கம் | (pakkam ~ pakka~) | 'side' |
தூக்கம் | (tuukkam ~ tuukka~) | 'sleep' |
ச is pronounced 'j' after nasal consonants:
பஞ்சு | (anjcu) | 'cotton' |
நஞ்சு | (nanjcu) | 'poison' |
அஞ்சு | (anjcu) | 'proper name' |
ச is pronounced 's' between vowels and optionally in word initial position
தோசை | (toosai ~ doose) | 'dosa' |
ஆசை | (aasai ~ aase) | 'desire' |
மாசம் | (maasam ~ maasa~) | 'month' |
சக்கரம் | (cakkaram ~ cakkara~) | 'wheel' |
சனி | (cani or sani) | 'Saturday' |
செவ்வாய் | (cevvaay or sevvaay) | 'Tuesday' |
ச is pronounced 'ch' in word initial position and in clusters:
சக்கரம் (cakkaram ~ cakkara~) 'wheel' |
சனி (cani) 'Saturday' |
செவ்வாய் (cevvaay ~ ceevvaa) 'Tuesday' |
பச்சை (paccai ~ pacce) 'green' |
எச்சில் (eccil) 'salaiva' |
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ட is pronounced D after nasal consonants and between vowels:
துண்டு (tuNdu) 'towel' |
கரண்டி (karaNDi) 'spoon' |
நண்டு (naDu) 'crab' |
படம் (paDam ~ paDa~) 'picture' |
ஓடம் (ooDam ~ ooDa~) 'boat' |
நாடு (naaDu) 'country' |
ட is pronounced t in word initial position and in clusters
டமாரம் (Tamaaram ~ Tamaara~) 'a drum' |
டீ (Tii) 'tea' |
டைம் (Taim) 'time' |
பட்டு (paTTu) 'silk' |
பூட்டு (puuTTu) 'lock' |
காட்டு (kaaTTu) 'show' |
த is pronounced dh after nasal consonants and between vowels:
பந்து (pandu) 'ball' |
இந்த (inda) 'this - adjective' |
அந்த (anda) 'that-adjective' |
அது (adu) 'that (thing)' |
பாதை (paadai ~ paade) 'route/way' |
மோது (moodu) 'dash/strike' |
த is pronounced th in word initial position and in clusters
தமிழ் (tamizh) 'Tamil' |
தண்ணீர் (taNNiir ~ taNNi) 'water' |
திங்கள் (tingaL ~ tinga) 'Monday' |
பத்து (pattu) 'ten' |
கத்து (kattu) 'scream' |
எழுத்து (ezhuttu) 'letter/script' |
ப is pronounced b after nasal consonants and between vowels:
தம்பி (tambi) 'younger brother' |
திரும்பு (tirumbu) 'turn' |
எண்பது (eNbadu) 'eighty' |
கோபம் (kooba~) 'anger' |
அபாயம் (abaaya~) 'danger' |
சாபம் (caaba~) 'curse' |
ப is pronounced p in word initial position and in clusters
படி (paDi) 'study' |
பழம் (pazha~) 'fruit' |
பணம் (paNa~) 'money' |
அப்பா (appaa) 'father' |
தப்பு (tappu) 'mistake' |
துப்பு (tuppu) 'spit' |
On Orthography
With respect to orthography, vowels occur in their isolated character only in the beginning position of words. In all the other
positions, such as medial and final positions, they are realized in the form of
a secondary symbol.
அது (adu) 'that (thing)' |
ஆமாம் (aamaam) 'yes' |
இது (idu) 'this (thing)' |
ஈ (ii) 'fly' |
உலகம் (ulaxa~) 'world' |
ஊர் (uur) 'town/village' |
எது (edu) 'which (thing)' |
ஏழு (eezhu) 'seven' |
ஐயோ (aiyoo) 'alas' - interjection |
ஒரு (oru) 'one (adjective)' |
ஓடு (ooDu) 'run' |
Consonants can occur either as a 'pure' consonant with a dot on it or as part of a syllable represented by a secondary symbol. The dotted consonants, otherwise called 'pure' consonants, occur only in clusters at medial positions.
Clusters with identical consonants:
அக்கா (akkaa) 'elder sister' |
பச்சை (paccai ~ pacca) 'green' |
பத்து (paTTu) 'silk' |
எண்ணை (eNNai ~ eNNe) 'oil' (எண்ணெஇ) |
பத்து (pattu) 'ten' |
முன்னூறு (munnuuRu) 'three hundred' |
அப்பா (appaa) 'father' |
அம்மா (ammaa) 'mother' |
கொய்யா (koyyaa) 'kovva fruit' |
பல்லி (palli) 'lizard' |
செவ்வாய் (cevvaay ~ sevvaa) 'Tuesday' |
தள்ளு (taLLu) 'push' |
முன்னால் (munnaal ~ munnaale) 'in front of' |
The consonants ங், ஞ், ர் and ழ் do not occur successively as a
cluster.
Section Clusters with non-indentical consonants
Nasal + Stop |
அங்கே (angee ~ anga) 'there' |
பஞ்சு (panjcu) 'cottorn' |
துண்டு (tuNDu) 'towel' |
பந்து (pandu) 'ball' |
தம்பி (tambi) 'younger brother' |
எண்பது (eNbadu ~ embLadu) 'eighty' |
அன்பு (anbu) 'love' |
Others:
கல்கத்தா (kalkattaa) 'Calcutta' |
கர்னாடகம் (karnaaDaha~) 'Karnataka' |
இட்லி (iDli) 'Idly' |
மின்சாரம் (minsaara~) 'electricity' |
இன்றைக்கு (inRaikku ~ iNNekki) 'today' |
எதற்கு (eda\d rku ~ edukku) 'for what' |
கல்வி (kalvi) 'education' |
கஷ்டம் (kashTa~) 'difficulty' |
புஸ்தகம் (pustaha~) 'book' |
Minimal pairs
Contrasts between short and long vowels; single and clusterd consonants;
retroflex and non retroflex consonants; flapped and trilled r etc., cause a
large number of minimal pairs in Tamil. Difference in pronunciation in such
words is usually subtle, and special attention is needed when one attempts to say those words.
Minimal pairs due to length of vowels
Each of the following pairs represents a minimal form due to short and long
form of vowels.
பல் (pal) 'tooth' vs. பால் (paal) 'milk' |
கல் (kal) 'stone' vs. கால் (kaal) 'leg' |
பல (pala) 'many' vs. பலா (palaa) 'jack fruit' |
விடு (viDu) 'leave' vs. வீடு (viiDu) 'house' |
விதி (vidi) 'fate' vs. வீதி (viidi) 'street' |
கொடு (koDu) 'give' vs. kootu (kooDu) 'line' |
தொடு (toDu) 'touch' vs. தோடு (tooDu) 'earring' |
சுடு (cuDu) 'shoot/fry' vs. சூடு (cuuDu) 'heat' |
முடி (muDi) 'hair/tie' vs. மூடி (muuDi) 'lid' |
Minimal pairs due to consonant clusters
பாகு (paaxu) 'sugar syrup' vs. பாக்கு (paakku) 'betal nut' |
பசை (pasai) 'crease' vs. பச்சை (paccai) 'green' |
குடை (kuDai) 'umbrellaa' vs. குட்டை (kuTTai) 'small pond' |
காது (kaadu) 'ear' vs. காட்டு (kaattu) 'wind' |
Minimal pairs due to difference of nature of consonants
Trilled r vs. flapped r
கறை (kaRai) 'stain' vs. கரை (karai) 'bank of a river' |
Frictionless continuent and alveolar lateral
மழை (mazhai) vs. மலை (malai) 'mountain' |
Retroflex lateral consonant vs. alveolar lateral
வளை (vaLai) vs. வலை 'net' |
Retroflex nasal vs. alveolar nasal
மணம் (maNa~) 'fragrance' vs. மனம் (mana~) 'mind' |
Write the following words in Tamil:
1) kaal | _____________ | 2) paal | _____________ |
3) pal | | 4) kal | |
5) ammaa | | 6) appaa | |
7) maram | | 8) pazham | |
9) paaTam | | 10) paaTTu | |
11) akkaa | | 12) kallaa? | |
13) pallaa? | | 14) paalaa? | |
15) viiTu | | 16) viTu | |
17) kiLi | | 18) koTu | |
19) kOTu | | 20) pOTu | |
21) naaTu | | 22) pETTai | |
23) vETTai | | 24) peTTi | |
25) vElai | | 26) piLLai | |
27) muzham | | 28) paLLikkUTam | |
29) paTam | | 30) col | |
31) maaTu | | 32) maaTTu | |
33) toTu | | 34) tOTu | |
35) tOTTam | | 36) kOTTam | |
List of Abbreviations
anim. abl. | Animate ablative case marker |
acc. | accusative case (object marker) |
adj. | adjective (adjectival) |
adv. | adverb(ial) |
AJP | adjectival participle |
AVP | adverbial participle |
bene. | benefactive, உக்காக case suffix, 'for' |
compl. | விடு, completive.htmlect, also unexpectedness |
cond. | conditional |
conj. | conjuction |
cont. | continuous.htmlect |
dat. | dative case ('to', 'from') |
emph. | emphasis/emphatic (e.g., தான், ஏ, கூட) |
excl. | exclusive (cf., 1st person plural) |
fem. | feminine (e.g., 3rd person feminine, அவள்) |
fut. | future tense |
gen. | genitive case |
imp. | imperative |
impol. | impolite/informal/familiar |
incl. | inclusive (cf. 1st person plural) |
inf. | infinitive (cf., to X) |
instr. | instrumental case ('by', 'because of') |
lit. | literally |
loc. | locative case ('in') |
masc. | masculine (e.g., 3rd pers. masc. அவர்) |
neg. | negative/negation |
neut. | neuter (e.g., இது இருக்கு 'it be-pres-neut') |
obl. | oblique (e.g., oblique form of நான் = என்) |
perf. | perfective.htmlect, இரு as auxiliary verb after AVP |
pers. | person (e.g., 1st person = 'I') |
pl. | plural |
PNG | person-number-gender (agreement marker on the verb) |
pol. | polite (honorific), also formal |
poss. | possessive ('my') |
pres. | present tense |
pst. | past tense |
sing. | singular |
vb. | verb |
wr. | written (Tamil) |
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