Tamil Language/Consonants

Introduction

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Here you can learn to write the Tamil consonants. It should be noted that the pure consonants all have a 'pulli' (dot) placed above them. When written without this 'pulli' the consonants are read with the vowel 'அ' (a) added after them, that is, 'க்'(k) is pronounced as 'க' (ka) (க்+அ). You may find it easier to pronounce the consonants with the vowel 'அ' added to them (that is, ka, nga, cha, nga, ta, na, etc.) We shall learn the other combinations of consonants and vowels in our next lesson.

Writing Consonants

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Consonant Group Pronounciation Help How to write
க் vallinam k + a as in kaite
 
ங் mellinam ng as in ring
 
ச் vallinam ch as in catch
 
ஞ் mellinam ng as in syringe
 
ட் vallinam t as in tap
 
ண் mellinam n as in Cinderella
 
த் vallinam th as in both
 
ந் mellinam n as in panther
 
ப் vallinam p as in pack
 
ம் mellinam m as in plum
 
ய் idaiyinam y as in yak
 
ர் idaiyinam r as in stir
 
ல் idaiyinam l as in lamp
 
வ் idaiyinam v as in victory
 
ழ் idaiyinam (tongue retracted)
 
ள் idaiyinam l as in marble
 
ற் vallinam tr as in citric
 
ன் mellinam n as in sin
 

Course: Tamil Letters
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