Spoken 1: greetings and introductions
Goal: By the end you can greet someone, say your name and ask how they are.
Draft lesson: not yet reviewed by a fluent Tamil speaker.
Warm-up
வணக்கம்
vaṇakkam
hello, greetings
பெயர்
peyar
name
நன்றி
naṉṟi
thank you
Hello, and your name
Each sentence is shown first as it is written, then as people actually say it. Written Tamil and spoken Tamil differ a little, and you will hear the spoken form in daily life.
வணக்கம்.
vaṇakkam.
Hello.
என் பெயர் மீனா.
eṉ peyar mīṉā.
My name is Meena.
Spokeneṉ pēru mīṉā.
உங்கள் பெயர் என்ன?
uṅkaḷ peyar eṉṉa?
What is your name?
Spokenuṅka pēru eṉṉa?
How are you?
நீங்கள் is the polite “you”. Use it with adults, strangers and anyone older. நீ is for close friends and children.
நீங்கள் எப்படி இருக்கிறீர்கள்?
nīṅkaḷ eppaṭi irukkiṟīrkaḷ?
How are you?
Spokennīṅka eppaṭi irukkīṅka?
நான் நன்றாக இருக்கிறேன்.
nāṉ naṉṟāka irukkiṟēṉ.
I am fine.
Spokennāṉ nallā irukkēṉ.
நன்றி.
naṉṟi.
Thank you.
Leaving
சரி means “okay” and you will hear it constantly. To say goodbye, Tamil speakers say “I will go and come back”.
சரி.
cari.
Okay.
போய் வருகிறேன்.
pōy varukiṟēṉ.
Goodbye. (I will go and come back.)
Spokenpōyiṭṭu varēṉ.
மீண்டும் சந்திப்போம்.
mīṇṭum cantippōm.
See you again.
Spokenmaṟupaṭiyum pākkalām.
Try it
Question 1 of 7
How do you politely ask “What is your name?”
Use it
Introduce yourself aloud: வணக்கம். என் பெயர் ___. Then ask the question back: உங்கள் பெயர் என்ன?
Culture note
Tamil speakers rarely say a flat “I'm going” when they leave. போய் வருகிறேன், “I will go and come back”, is the usual goodbye, because it carries the promise of returning. The person staying often answers போய் வாருங்கள், “go and come back”.
Recap
Key words
- வணக்கம் · hello, greetings
- பெயர் · name
- நன்றி · thank you
Rules
- நீங்கள் is the polite “you”; நீ is for close friends and children.
- Spoken Tamil shortens words: உங்கள் becomes உங்க, பெயர் becomes பேரு.
- Say goodbye with போய் வருகிறேன், “I will go and come back”.