Script 3: vowel signs

Warm-up

• 🐟

  மீன்

  mīṉ

  fish

• 🌸

  பூ

  pū

  flower

• ✋

  கை

  kai

  hand

Signs written after the letter

When a vowel follows a consonant it is not written as a full letter. It becomes a small sign attached to the consonant. The signs for ā, i and ī sit to the right or on top.

• க
• கா
• கி
• கீ

• பாடம்

  pāṭam

  lesson

• கிளி

  kiḷi

  parrot

• மீன்

  mīṉ

  fish

Signs written before or around the letter

The signs for e, ē and ai are written before the consonant, but you still say the consonant first. The signs for o, ō and au wrap around it, with one part before and one part after.

• கெ
• கே
• கை
• கொ
• கோ
• கௌ

• தேன்

  tēṉ

  honey

• கை

  kai

  hand

• பொம்மை

  pommai

  doll

• மேகம்

  mēkam

  cloud

u and ū change shape

The signs for u and ū join each consonant in their own way: a hook, a loop or a tail. Do not try to learn a rule. Learn each one as a whole shape.

• கு
• கூ
• பு
• பூ
• மு
• மூ
• து
• தூ

• பூ

  pū

  flower

• குடை

  kuṭai

  umbrella

• முகம்

  mukam

  face

• தூண்

  tūṇ

  pillar

Use it

Take the letter ம and write it with all eleven signs: மா மி மீ மு மூ மெ மே மை மொ மோ மௌ. Say each one aloud as you write.

Culture note

பூ, flower, is one of the shortest words in Tamil and one of the most loved. Strings of jasmine (மல்லிகை) are sold outside temples and markets across Tamil Nadu, and are worn in the hair on ordinary days as well as at festivals.

Recap

Key words

• மீன் · fish
• பூ · flower
• கை · hand

Rules

• A vowel after a consonant is written as a sign, not as a full letter.
• The signs ெ ே ை are written before the consonant but spoken after it.
• The u and ū signs join each consonant differently. Learn them as whole shapes.