Tamil (தமிழ் tamiḻ) is the language closest to Proto-Dravidian among the Dravidian language family. Spoken predominantly by Tamils in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore, it has smaller communities of speakers in many other countries. As of 1996, it was the eighteenth most spoken language, with over 74 million speakers worldwide. It is one of the official languages of India, Singapore and Sri Lanka.
Tamil is one of the longest surviving classical languages in the world. It has been described as "the only language of contemporary India which is recognizably continuous with a classical past" and having "one of the richest literatures in the world". Tamil literature has existed for over 2000 years. The earliest epigraphic records found on rock edicts and hero stones date from around the 3rd century BCE. The earliest period of Tamil literature, Sangam literature, is dated from ca. 300 BCE – 300 CE. Tamil language inscriptions written c. 1st century BCE and 2nd century CE have been discovered in Egypt, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The two earliest manuscripts from India, to be acknowledged and registered by UNESCO Memory of the World register in 1997 and 2005 were in Tamil. More than 55% of the epigraphical inscriptions (about 55,000) found by the Archaeological Survey of India are in the Tamil language. According to a 2001 survey, there were 1,863 newspapers published in Tamil, of which 353 were dailies. It has the oldest extant literature amongst other Dravidian languages. The variety and quality of classical Tamil literature has led to its being described as "one of the great classical traditions and literatures of the world."
Tamil is closely related to Malayalam, and more distantly related to Kannada and Telugu. It is not related to the languages spoken in northern India, though it does contain a large number of loan words from Sanskrit.
a
like 'a' in "apple", 'a' in "cake", "a" in "amen"
e
like 'e' in "magazine", 'e' in "bed" (often silent at the end of a word)
i
like 'i' in "pine", 'i' in "fin"
o
like 'ow' in "low", like 'o' in "top"
u
like 'oo' in "hoop", like 'u' in "cup"
b
like 'b' in "bed"
c
like 's' in "supper", 'k' in "kid"
d
like 'd' in "dog"
f
like 'ph' in "phone"
g
like 'g' in "go", 'j' in "jello"
h
like 'h' in "help" (often silent in the UK and other Commonwealth countries)
j
like 'dg' in "edge"
k
like 'c' in "cat"
l
like 'l' in "love"
m
like 'm' in "mother"
n
like 'n' in "nice"
p
like 'p' in "pig"
q
like 'q' in "quest" (with "u", almost always)
r
like 'r' in "row", like 'r' in "feather" (often silent in the UK and other Commonwealth countries at end of word)
s
like 'ss' in "hiss", like 'z' in "haze"
t
like 't' in "top"
v
like 'v' in "victory"
w
like 'w' in "weight"
x
like 'cks' in "kicks", like 'z' in "haze" (at beginning of a word)
y
like 'y' in "yes", like 'ie' in "pie", like 'ee' in "flee"
z
like 'z' in "haze"
ay
like 'ay' in "say"
ai
like 'ay' in "say"
au
like 'awe'
ee
like 'ee' in "see"
ei
like 'ay' in "say"
ey
like 'ay' in "say", like 'ee' in "see"
ie
like 'ee' in "see"
oi
like 'oy' in "boy"
oo
like 'oo' in "food", like 'oo' in "good"
ou
like 'ow' in "cow", like 'oo' in "food", like 'o' in "cot"
ow
like 'ow' in "cow"
oy
like 'oy' in "boy"
ch
like 'ch' in "touch"
sh
like 'sh' in "sheep"
th
like 'th' in "this", like 'th' in "those"
gh
like 'f' in "fish"
ph
like 'f' in "fish"
Hello.
வணக்கம்
Vaṇakkam
Hello. (informal)
ஹாய் (hāy) (Hi) (as used in English)
How are you?
எப்படி இருக்கீங்க?
Eppaṭi irukkīṅka?
Fine, thank you.
நல்லா இருக்கின்றேன்
Nallā irukkinṟēn
What is your name?
உங்க பெயர் என்ன ?
ungGa pEyaru enna?
My name is ______ .
என் பெயர் ______
en pEyaru ______
Nice to meet you.
தங்களை சந்தித்தது மிக்க மகிழ்ச்சி
ThanGala santhithadhu mikka magizhcchi
Please.
தயவு செய்து
thayavu Seithu
Thank you.
நன்றி.
nandri.
You're welcome.
Nalvaravu
நல்வரவு
Yes.
Āmām. ஆமாம்
No.
Illai. இல்லை
Excuse me. (getting attention)
mannikkavum. மன்னிக்கவும்
Excuse me. (begging pardon)
thayavu seithu. தயவு செய்து
I'm sorry.
Ennai mannikavum. என்னை மன்னிக்கவும்
Goodbye
pOi varukirEn. போய் வருகிறேன்
Goodbye (informal)
varEn. வரேன்
See you tomorrow
nalai parkalam. நாளை பார்க்கலாம்
I can't speak name of language [well].
ennaal name of language Uraiyada Iyalaadhu. (formal)
என்னால் name of language உரையாட இயலாது
enakku name of language pesa theriyaathu (informal)
எனக்கு name of language பேச தெரியாது
Do you speak English?
AangilathiL UraiyaaduveergaLa?
Is there someone {here/around-here} who speaks English?
ingGe evaravathu AangilathiL UraiyaaduveergaLa?
Help!
uthavi veNdum உதவி வேண்டும்.
Look out!
Sariyaaga paar. சரியாக பார்
Good morning.
kaalai vaNakkam. காலை வணக்கம்
Good evening.
maalai vaNakkam. மாலை வணக்கம்
Good night (to sleep)
nalliravu
Secret.
Ragasiyam ரகசியம்
I'm looking forward to...
Naan yethirparthu konde irukirEn நான் எதிர்பார்த்து கொண்டு இருக்கிறேன்
Have a pleasant journey.
Ungal payanam nandraaga amayattum. உங்கள் பயணம் நன்றாக அமையட்டும்
I wish you have a nice day
Intha Nal Iniyia Nalaga Malarum இந்த நாள் இனிய நாளாக மலரும்
I don't understand. explain clearly / again
Puriyalavillai. thelivaaga KuurungaL/ thirumbavum KuurungaL புரியவில்லை தெளிவாக கூறுங்கள்/திரும்பவும் கூறுங்கள்
Where is the toilet?
Toilet/Kazhivarai/othukkam engGe irruku டாய்லெட்/கழிவறை/ஒதுக்கம் எங்கே இர்ருக்கு
what to do now?
ippozhuthu enna seyya இப்போது என்ன செய்ய
Eagerly waiting for your arrival
Thangalin Varugaiyai Avaludan ethirparkirEn! தங்களின் வருகையை ஆவலுடன் எதிர்ப்பார்க்கிறேன்!
At this point, the fake phoneticizations of English are going to stop, and be replaced by ellipses.
Leave me alone.
ennai thaniyaaga vidungaL.
Don't touch me!
ennai thodaathe;(informal) ennai thodaatheergaL (Formal)
I'll call the Police.
Kavalthuraiyai azhaipEn
I need your help.
ungGaL udhavi vEndum. (formal) ; ungGaLudaiya Udhavi vEndum -(Informal)
It's an emergency.
migavum nerukadiyana nilai
I don't know where I am
naan engee erukiren endru theriyalavillai ( equal to I'm lost)
I lost my bag.
en paiyai ThulaithuvittEn
I missed my "Bag"
En pai Thulainthuvittathu.
I lost my wallet.
en Pana Paiyai ThulaithuvittEn.
I'm sick.
en odambu sariyaga illai.
I've been injured.
enakku kaayam ErpattuLLathu.
I need a doctor.
enakku oru Maruthuvar vEndum
Can I use your phone?
ungaL Kaipeesiyai naan PayanpaduthikoLLaLaama?
Eagerly waiting
Kaaththirukkiren