Grammar 2: asking questions
Goal: By the end you can ask yes-or-no questions and use eight question words.
Draft lesson: not yet reviewed by a fluent Tamil speaker.
Warm-up
என்ன
eṉṉa
what
யார்
yār
who
எங்கே
eṅkē
where
Yes or no? Add -ஆ
To turn a statement into a yes-or-no question, add -ஆ to the end of the last word. The word order does not change. Answer with ஆம் (yes) or இல்லை (no).
இது புத்தகமா?
itu puttakamā?
Is this a book?
நீங்கள் ஆசிரியரா?
nīṅkaḷ āciriyarā?
Are you a teacher?
ஆம்.
ām.
Yes.
Spokenāmā.
இல்லை.
illai.
No.
Spokenilla.
Question words
The question word usually sits where the answer would go, often just before the verb or at the end.
இது என்ன?
itu eṉṉa?
What is this?
அவர் யார்?
avar yār?
Who is he? / Who is she? (respectful)
உங்கள் வீடு எங்கே?
uṅkaḷ vīṭu eṅkē?
Where is your house?
More question words
எத்தனை asks for a number you can count. எவ்வளவு asks for an amount or a price.
எப்போது
eppōtu
when
Spokeneppō
ஏன்
ēṉ
why
எப்படி
eppaṭi
how
எத்தனை
ettaṉai
how many
எவ்வளவு
evvaḷavu
how much
Spokenevḷō
Try it
Question 1 of 7
Turn இது வீடு (This is a house) into a question.
Use it
Write five questions about a friend, using a different question word in each. Then turn one statement you know into a yes-or-no question with -ஆ.
Culture note
Tamil pointing words follow a neat pattern. Words starting with இ are near (இது this, இங்கே here), words starting with அ are far (அது that, அங்கே there), and words starting with எ ask a question (எது which, எங்கே where). Learn one set and you get the other two almost free.
Recap
Key words
- என்ன · what
- யார் · who
- எங்கே · where
Rules
- Add -ஆ to the last word for a yes-or-no question: இது புத்தகமா?
- ஆம் = yes, இல்லை = no.
- Question words start with எ or யா: என்ன, எங்கே, எப்போது, எப்படி, எத்தனை, எவ்வளவு, ஏன், யார்.