Tamil Alphabet
Below is a table showing the Tamil alphabet and how it is pronounced in English, and finally examples of how those letters would sound if you place them in a word.
Tamil Alphabet | English Sound | Pronunciation Example |
Consonant | ||
க் | k | as in kit |
ங் | ṅ | as in noon |
ச் | c | as in cow |
ஞ் | ñ | as in Canyon |
ட் | ṭ | as in toy |
ண் | ṇ | as in news |
த் | t | as in time |
ந் | n | as in night |
ப் | p | as in pool |
ம் | m | as in man |
ய் | y | as in you |
ர் | r | as in rabbit |
ல் | l | as in lion |
வ் | v | as in very |
ழ் | ḻ | as in red |
ள் | ḷ | as in look |
ற் | ṟ | as in room |
ன் | ṉ | as in night |
ஶ் | ś | as in show |
ஜ் | j | as in joke |
ஷ் | ṣ | as in smile |
ஸ் | s | as in small |
ஹ் | h | as in high |
க்ஷ் | kṣ | as in racks |
Vowel | as in | |
அ | a | as in apple |
ஆ | ā | as in father |
இ | i | as in tip |
ஈ | ī | as in deep |
உ | u | as in ultimate |
ஊ | ū | as in moon |
எ | e | as in elephant |
ஏ | ē | as in weed |
ஐ | ai | as in Thai |
ஒ | o | as in opera |
ஓ | ō | as in moon |
ஔ | au | as in bowl |
Combined letters | as in | |
க (க் + அ) | ka | as in cat |
கா (க் + ஆ) | kā | as in cow |
கி (க் + இ) | ki | as in kit |
கீ (க் + ஈ) | kī | as in kiwi |
கு (க் + உ) | ku | as in Kung-fu |
கூ (க் + ஊ) | kū | as in cooler |
கெ (க் + எ) | ke | as in kept |
கே (க் + ஏ) | kē | as in keep |
கை (க் + ஐ) | kai | as in Cairo |
கொ (க் + ஒ) | ko | as in Congo |
கோ (க் + ஓ) | kō | as in cooler |
கௌ (க் + ஔ) | kau | as in coward |