Tamil Unicode Key assignment [You can create Tamil text by clicking buttons below]
Vowels/Grantha
Vowel Signs
Roman eq. a aa/A i ii/I u uu/U e ee/E ai o oo/O au q ja sha sa ha ksha sri
Consonants
Roman eq. ka nga cha nya ta na tha Na pa ma ya ra la va zha La Ra nna
Numbers/symbols
Roman eq. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 100 1000 day month year debit credit as above Rs number

THAMIZH or Tamil Language தமிழ் மொழி

Tamil . Tamil evolved from proto-Dravidian, is a Dravidian language of India. It is one of the longest-surviving classical languages of the world, with a rich literature spanning over 2000 years. The earliest epigraphic records found on rock edicts and hero stones date from around the 3rd century BC. Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions from 500 BC have also been found. The earliest period of Tamil literature, Sangam literature, is dated from ca. 300 BC – AD 300. Oldest Tamil literature called Agasthiam around 1500 B.C. or Tholkappiam around 500 B.C. Tamil is also believed to be developed by Siddhars. Exact time when Tamil was born is still unknown.

Tamil is spoken by 62 million in Tamil Nadu state, union territory of Puducherry (Pondicherry) and neighboring states. It is stated as 20th in the Ethnologue list of most-spoken languages worldwide. Also spoken in Bahrain, Fiji, Germany, Malaysia (Peninsular), Mauritius, Netherlands, Qatar, Reunion, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, UAE, United Kingdom. Total number of speakers is estimated to be 74 million including second language users (1999 WA).

Dialects: ADI DRAVIDA, AIYAR, AIYANGAR, ARAVA, BURGANDI, KASUVA, KONGAR, KORAVA, KORCHI, MADRASI, PARIKALA, PATTAPU BHASHA, TAMIL, SRI LANKA TAMIL, MALAYA TAMIL, BURMA TAMIL, SOUTH AFRICA TAMIL, TIGALU, HARIJAN, SANKETI, HEBBAR, MANDYAM BRAHMIN, SECUNDERABAD BRAHMIN.

The oldest documented Dravidian Indian language is Tamil, with a substantial body of literature, particularly the Cankam poetry, going back to the first century A.D. Kannada and Telugu developed extensive bodies of literature after the sixth century, while Malayalam split from Tamil as a literary language by the twelfth century. In spite of the profound influence of the Sanskrit language and Sanskritic culture on the Dravidian languages, a strong consciousness of the distinctness of Dravidian languages from Sanskrit remained. All four major Dravidian languages had consciously differentiated styles varying in the amount of Sanskrit they contained.

Tamil Language Scripts

The Tamil script is sometimes called Vattezhuthu, literally "round writing". This characterstic has partly to do with the fact that in ancient times, the script was carved with a sharp point on palm leaves (olaichuvadi) and it was apparently easier to produce curves than straight lines by this method.

There are some lexical rules for formation of words. Some examples: a word cannot end in a consonant, and cannot begin with the consonant 'r'; there are two consonants for the dental 'n', which one should be used depends on whether the 'n' occurs at the start of the word. The overdot, as in the image, notes that the trailing a is to be combined with the next consonant - that is it is a pure consonant.

This is a syllabic alphabet in which all consonants have an inherent vowel. Diacritics, which can appear above, below, before or after the consonant they belong to, are used to change the inherent vowel .

Tamil alphabet

Tamil alphabet has 12 vowels and 18 consonants. These combine to form 216 compound characters. There is one special character (Aaytha ezutthu), giving a total of 247 characters. These combine to form 216 compound characters. There is one special character (Aaytha ezutthu), giving a total of 247 characters.

There are some lexical rules for formation of words. Some examples: a word cannot end in certain consonants, and cannot begin with some consonants including 'r' 'l' and 'll'; there are two consonants for the dental 'n' - which one should be used depends on whether the 'n' occurs at the start of the word and on the letters around it.

If you use only Tamil words to speak Tamil there is no need of the extra sounds in other languages like sanskrit. There are letters in Tamil Grantham for the extra sounds. Tamil Grantham was developed to write the Sanskrit words in olden days for which there is no equivalent letters in ancient Tamil. Sound “Zha” - ழ was only present in Tamil till 6th Centure and later added in Malayalam only.

Vowels

Vowels are also called the 'life' or 'soul' letters. Together with the consonants (which are called 'body' letters, they form compond, syllabic (abugida) letters that are called 'living' letters (ie. letters that have both 'body' and 'soul').
அ | ஆ | இ | ஈ | உ | ஊ | எ | ஏ | ஐ | ஒ | ஓ | ஔ

Vowel Name Sound Phonetic
அகரம்Short aʌ
ஆகாரம்Long Aɑː
இகரம்Short ii
ஈகாரம் Long I
உகரம் Short u u
ஊகாரம் Long U
எகரம் Short e e
ஏகாரம் Long E
ஐகாரம் Dipthong AI ʌj
ஒகரம் Short o o
ஓகாரம் Long O
ஒளகாரம் Dipthong AUʌʋ
அஃகேனம் h

Note: The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is designed to represent only those qualities of speech that are part of oral language: phones, phonemes, intonation and the separation of words and syllables.

Special letter ஃ (pronounced 'akh') is rarely used by itself - normally serves purely grammatical function as independent vowel form of the dot on consonants that suppresses the inherent 'a' sound in plain consonants.

The long ('nedil') vowels are about twice as long as the short ('kuRil') vowels. The dipthongs are usually pronounced about 1.5 times as long as the short vowels, though some grammatical texts place them with the long ('nedil') vowels.

Consonants

Consonants are also called the 'body' letters are 18 given below along with phonetic equivalents:
க் | ங் | ச் | ஞ் | ட் | ண் | த் | ந் | ப் | ம் | ய் | ர் | ல் | வ் | ழ் | ள் | ற் | ன்
k | ŋ | s | ɲ | ʈ | ɳ | t̪ | n | p | m | j | ɾ | l | ʋ | ɻ | ɭ | r | n

த -வல்லினம்
மி -மெல்லினம்
ழ் - இடையினம்
வல்லினம் க ச ட த ப ற வெனவாறே
மெல்லினம் ங ஞ ண ந ம ன வெனவாறே
இடையினம் ய ர ல வ ழ ள வெனவாறே
[தொல்காப்பியம், எழுத்ததிகாரம்.]

(1) க ச ட த ப ற - 6 letters Vallinam
(2) ங ஞ ண ந ம ன - 6 letters mellinam
(3) ய ர ல வ ழ ள - 6 letters idayinam

Borrowed consonants

Also called "Grantha" letters, these letters are used almost exclusively for writing words that are borrowed from Sanskrit (or sometimes other languages such as English). Seeing one of these letters in a word is a good indication that the word is probably borrowed from Sanskrit (or Hindi) though of course not all such words include these letters.
ஶ் | ஜ் | ஷ் | ஸ் | ஹ் | க்ஷ் | ஶ்ரீ
ɕ, | ʃ | ʤ | ʂ | s | ɦ | kʂ

ஜ ja; ஷ sha; ஸ sa; ஹ ha; க்ஷ ksha; ஶ்ரீ Sri

தமிழ் எழுத்துக்கள்

ஒள
க் கா கி கீ கு கூ கெ கே கை கொ கோ கௌ
ங் ஙா ஙி ஙீ ஙு ஙூ ஙெ ஙே ஙை ஙொ ஙோ ஙௌ
ச் சா சி சீ சு சூ செ சே சை சொ சோ சௌ
ஞ் ஞா ஞி ஞீ ஞு ஞூ ஞெ ஞே ஞை ஞொ ஞோ ஞௌ
ட் டா டி டீ டு டூ டெ டே டை டொ டோ டௌ
ண் ணா ணி ணீ ணு ணூ ணெ ணே ணை ணொ ணோ ணௌ
த் தா தி தீ து தூ தெ தே தை தொ தோ தௌ
ந் நா நி நீ நு நூ நெ நே நை நொ நோ நை
ப் பா பி பீ பு பூ பெ பே பை பொ போ பௌ
ம் மா மி மீ மு மூ மெ மே மை மொ மோ மௌ
ய் யா யி யீ யு யூ யெ யே யை யொ யோ யௌ
ர் ரா ரி ரீ ரு ரூ ரெ ரே ரை ரொ ரோ ரௌ
ல் லா லி லீ லு லூ லெ லே லை லொ லோ லௌ
வ் வா வி வீ வு வூ வெ வே வை வொ வோ வௌ
ழ் ழா ழி ழீ ழு ழூ ழெ ழே ழை ழொ ழோ ழௌ
ள் ளா ளி ளீ ளு ளூ ளெ ளே ளை ளொ ளோ ளௌ
ற் றா றி றீ று றூ றெ றே றை றொ றோ றௌ
ன் னா னி னீ னு னூ னெ னே னை னொ னோ னௌ

Interesting Facts on Tamil

25% of the letters in Tamil have a standalone meaning. For example:
ஈ; கை; கோ ; சௌ; டூ; தா; தீ; தை; நீ; பூ; பை; போ; வா; வை; மா; மை

All of the uyir letters can be mapped to one or other animal/bird sound.
Tamil is one of those languages in which is written phonetically.
Tamil has a term to denote from 1/165580800 (Anu) to denote 10 to the power of 21 (Aambal).
There are a lot of error correction mechanisms to ensure that the data/information is not lost or corrupt when orally transmitted. Ethugai-Monai is one such.

In straight sentences, the meaning will remain intact even if we change the order of the words.
நான் அடித்தேன் அவனை - I beat him
அவனை நான் அடித்தேன் - him I beat
அடித்தேன் அவனை நான் - beat him I
அவனை அடித்தேன் நான் - Him beat I
நான் அவனை அடித்தேன் - I him beat
அடித்தேன் நான் அவனை - beat I him
All combinations give us the same meaning in Tamil, but not in English.

Carnatic Music

Tamil letters are also used to indicate the notes of Carnatic music. The notes are: Note Sound Full Name Pronounciation Value and Comments
sa ஷட்ஜம் Shadjam First note, only one possible value. Sometimes referred to as the 'mother' note - all Ragas have this note.
ரி ri ரிஷபம் Rishabam Second note, three possible values.
ga காந்தாரம் Gāndhāram Third note, three possible values (one of which coindices with the third ri).
ma மத்யமம் Madhyamam Fourth note, two possible values.
pa பஞ்சபம் Panchamam Fifth note, only one possible value. Sometimes referred to as the 'father', though not all ragas have this note.
dha தைவதம் Dhaivatham Sixth note, three possible values.
நி ni நிஷாதம் Nishādam Seventh note, three possible values (one of which coincides with the third dha).

The 'values' of the note here can be taken to mean semitones. There is some overlap between the possible values - this eventually leads to the octave containing 12 semitones, as in Western music. One can see from the names of the notes that they are borrowed from Sanskrit.

Tamil Unicode Table

DecimalHexName
29460B82Tamil Sign ANUSVARA
29470B83Tamil Sign VISARGA
29490B85Tamil Letter A
29500B86Tamil Letter AA
29510B87Tamil Letter I
29520B88Tamil Letter II
29530B89Tamil Letter U
29540B8ATamil Letter UU
29580B8ETamil Letter E
29590B8FTamil Letter EE
29600B90Tamil Letter AI
29620B92Tamil Letter O
29630B93Tamil Letter OO
29640B94Tamil Letter AU
29650B95Tamil Letter KA
29690B99Tamil Letter NGA
29700B9ATamil Letter CA
29720B9CTamil Letter JA
29740B9ETamil Letter NYA
29750B9FTamil Letter TTA
29790BA3Tamil Letter NNA
29800BA4Tamil Letter TA
29840BA8Tamil Letter NA
29850BA9Tamil Letter NNNA
29860BAATamil Letter PA
29900BAETamil Letter MA
29910BAFTamil Letter YA
29920BB0Tamil Letter RA
29930BB1Tamil Letter RRA
29940BB2Tamil Letter LA
29950BB3Tamil Letter LLA
29960BB4Tamil Letter LLLA
29970BB5Tamil Letter VA
29990BB7Tamil Letter SSA
30000BB8Tamil Letter SA
30010BB9Tamil Letter HA
30060BBETamil Vowel Sign AA
ி30070BBFTamil Vowel Sign I
30080BC0Tamil Vowel Sign II
30090BC1Tamil Vowel Sign U
30100BC2Tamil Vowel Sign UU
30140BC6Tamil Vowel Sign E
30150BC7Tamil Vowel Sign EE
30160BC8Tamil Vowel Sign AI
30180BCATamil Vowel Sign O
30190BCBTamil Vowel Sign OO
30200BCCTamil Vowel Sign AU
30210BCDTamil Sign VIRAMA
30310BD7Tamil AU LENGTH MARK
30470BE7Tamil Digit ONE
30480BE8Tamil Digit TWO
30490BE9Tamil Digit THREE
30500BEATamil Digit FOUR
30510BEBTamil Digit FIVE
30520BECTamil Digit SIX
30530BEDTamil Digit SEVEN
30540BEETamil Digit EIGHT
30550BEFTamil Digit NINE
30560BF0Tamil Number TEN
30570BF1Tamil Number ONE HUNDRED
30580BF2Tamil Number ONE THOUSAND
30590BF3Tamil DAY Sign
30600BF4Tamil MONTH Sign
30610BF5Tamil YEAR Sign
30620BF6Tamil DEBIT Sign
30630BF7Tamil CREDIT Sign
30640BF8Tamil AS ABOVE Sign
30650BF9Tamil Rupee Sign
30660BFATamil Number Sign

தமிழ் மொழி வரலாறு கண்டெடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ள தமிழ் ஆக்கங்கள் கி.மு 300-ம் ஆண்டைச் சேர்ந்த பிராமி எழுத்துக்களில் எழுதப்பெற்றவைகளாகும் (மகாதேவன், 2003). பனையோலைகளில் எழுதப்பட்டு (திரும்பத் திரும்பப் படியெடுப்பதன் (பிரதிபண்ணுவது) மூலம்) அல்லது வாய்மொழி மூலம் வழிவழியாக பாதுகாக்கப்பட்டுவந்ததால், மிகப் பழைய ஆக்கங்களின் காலங்களைக் கணிப்பது மிகவும் கடினமாக உள்ளது. இன்று கிடைக்கக்கூடிய மிகப் பழைய ஆக்கம் தொல்காப்பியம் ஆகும். இது பண்டைக்காலத் தமிழின் இலக்கணத்தை விளக்கும் ஒரு நூலாகும். பண்டைத் தமிழில் எழுதப்பட்ட குறிப்பிடத்தக்க காப்பியம், கி.பி 200 - 300 காலப்பகுதியைச் சேர்ந்த சிலப்பதிகாரம் ஆகும்.
சங்க காலம் (கிமு 300 - கிபி 300)
சங்கம் மருவிய காலம் (கிபி 300 - கிபி 700)
பக்தி இலக்கிய காலம் (கிபி 700 - கிபி 1200)
மத்திய காலம் (கிபி 1200 - கிபி 1800)
இக்காலம் (கிபி 1800 - இன்று வரை)

தமிழ் என்னும் சொல்லுக்குத் த்ரவிட என்பதே மூலம் என்ற கருத்தை முன் வைத்தவர்களுள் கால்டுவெல் முக்கியமானவர். இவர் த்ரவிட என்பது திரமிட என்றாகி அது பின்னர் த்ரமிள ஆகத் திரிந்து பின்னர் தமிள, தமிழ் என்று ஆனது என்கிறார்.

Tamil Nadu is exotic for its ancient history with its ancient monuments, temples and architecture, hill stations, waterfalls, national parks, local cuisine and wildlife combined with scenic panorama. It is known for Pongal or harvest festival with Jallikattu, Kanchipuram sari, the dolls and paintings in Thanjavur

It is the historical home of the famous Chera, Chola, Pandya and Pallava kingdoms. Vijaynagar empire also ruled parts of Tamilnadu after muslim rule. The ancient, literary rich, classical Tamil is the official language in Tamil Nadu. Sangam Period is the glorious pride and rich cultural heritage of ancient south India

People in Tamil Nadu have great taste for arts and culture. Carnatic music, Bharathanatyam dance form, folk music and rural dance forms (Kolattam, Karagam and Mayilattam) are colourful, vibrant and energetic with inspirational thoughts and about social issues.

The major rivers are Kaveri, Palar, Cheyyar, Ponnaiyar, Meyar, Bhavani, Amravati, Vaigal, Chittar and Tamaraparni.

Cities:
Chennai (Madras) — the capital of Tamil Nadu, known for beaches and landmarks like Fort St. George.
Kanchipuram - Kapaleshwarar, Kailasanthar, Ekambareshvarar, Kamakshi amman
Mamallapuram — Sea Shore Temples and modern stone carvers
Coimbatore — the textile capital of South India
Salem — Important Industrial center.
Erode — center of an agricultural area.
Tiruchirappalli — famous for temples Jambukeswarar, Rock Fort and Srirangam Renganathar Temple
Thanjavur — fine old architecture and exquisite handicrafts, big temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Madurai — Meenakshi Amman Temple, great historical and cultural importance
Tirunelveli — A Hub and Gateway Southernpart of Tamilnadu.
Tuticorin — - Known as a Pearl City and has a Harbour
Rameshwaram - Temples, link to Srilanka
Kanniyakumari — the southern most tip of the Indian mainland, Sunrise-set