Script 4: the remaining consonants
Goal: By the end you can read all eighteen consonants and tell the three l sounds and two r sounds apart.
Draft lesson: not yet reviewed by a fluent Tamil speaker.
Warm-up
யானை
yāṉai
elephant
வீடு
vīṭu
house
பள்ளி
paḷḷi
school
Four easy ones
ய, ர, ல and வ are close to the English sounds y, r, l and v. The Tamil ர is a quick tap of the tongue, not the English r.
- ய
- ர
- ல
- வ
யானை
yāṉai
elephant
இரவு
iravu
night
நிலா
nilā
moon
வீடு
vīṭu
house
Three l sounds
For ல the tip of the tongue touches just behind the upper teeth, like the English l. For ள the tongue curls back and touches the roof of the mouth. For ழ the tongue curls back but does not touch: the sound flows out around it. ழ is in the word தமிழ் itself.
- ல
- ள
- ழ
பால்
pāl
milk
பள்ளி
paḷḷi
school
தமிழ்
tamiḻ
Tamil
பழம்
paḻam
fruit
மழை
maḻai
rain
Two r sounds
ர is a light tap. ற is stronger, a short trill. When ற is doubled (ற்ற) it sounds like “tr”, and ன்ற sounds like “ndr”.
- ர
- ற
மரம்
maram
tree
பறவை
paṟavai
bird
காற்று
kāṟṟu
wind
நன்றி
naṉṟi
thank you
Try it
Question 1 of 7
Which letter is the special sound at the end of தமிழ்?
Use it
Say தமிழ், பழம் and மழை slowly, five times each, right after the audio. Feel where your tongue is for ழ.
Culture note
The letter ழ is often called the “special l” (சிறப்பு ழகரம்) and Tamil speakers are proud of it, since it sits in the name of the language. In everyday speech many people say it like ள, and everyone understands. Aim for the curled sound, but do not let it stop you speaking.
Recap
Key words
- யானை · elephant
- வீடு · house
- பள்ளி · school
Rules
- Medium consonants: ய ர ல வ ழ ள. With these, you know all eighteen.
- ல touches behind the teeth, ள curls back and touches, ழ curls back without touching.
- ர is a light tap; ற is a stronger trill. ற்ற sounds like “tr” and ன்ற like “ndr”.