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Tamil for free
Why learn Tamil?
Tamil is one of the 67 languages you can learn on Lingocard with frequency-ranked flashcards, spaced repetition, and live speaking partners. Build vocabulary and pronunciation at your own pace, on web and mobile.
In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Tamil is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Tamil belongs to the Dravidian family - if you enjoy it, a natural next step is Malayalam, Telugu or Kannada.
50 essential Tamil words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Tamil sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | நான் | nahn | I |
| 2 | நீ | nee | you |
| 3 | அவன் | AH-vahn | he |
| 4 | அவள் | AH-vahl | she |
| 5 | நாம் | nahm | we |
| 6 | அவர்கள் | AH-var-gahl | they |
| 7 | இது | EE-dhoo | this |
| 8 | அது | AH-dhoo | that |
| 9 | என்ன | EN-nah | what |
| 10 | யார் | yahr | who |
| 11 | இல்லை | IL-lahy | no |
| 12 | மற்றும் | MAHT-room | and |
| 13 | அல்லது | AHL-lah-dhoo | or |
| 14 | ஆனால் | AH-nahl | but |
| 15 | உள்ளே | OOL-leh | in |
| 16 | உடன் | OO-dahn | with |
| 17 | ஒன்று | ON-droo | one |
| 18 | இரண்டு | ee-RAHN-doo | two |
| 19 | பெரிய | PEH-ree-yah | big |
| 20 | சிறிய | SIH-ree-yah | small |
| 21 | நல்ல | NAHL-lah | good |
| 22 | புதிய | POO-dhee-yah | new |
| 23 | மனிதன் | MAH-nee-dhahn | person |
| 24 | தண்ணீர் | than-NEER | water |
| 25 | நாள் | nahl | day |
| 26 | வருடம் | VAH-roo-dahm | year |
| 27 | நேரம் | NEH-rahm | time |
| 28 | வீடு | VEE-doo | house |
| 29 | வேலை | VEH-lahy | work |
| 30 | வாழ்க்கை | VAHZH-kahy | life |
| 31 | சொல் | sohl | word |
| 32 | இரு | EE-roo | be |
| 33 | செய் | sey | do |
| 34 | கூறு | KOO-roo | say |
| 35 | அறி | AH-ree | know |
| 36 | பார் | pahr | see |
| 37 | போ | poh | go |
| 38 | வா | vah | come |
| 39 | கொடு | KOH-doo | give |
| 40 | எடு | EH-doo | take |
| 41 | விரும்பு | vee-ROOM-boo | want |
| 42 | சாப்பிடு | SAHP-pee-doo | eat |
| 43 | குடி | KOO-dee | to drink |
| 44 | இப்போது | ip-POH-dhoo | now |
| 45 | இங்கே | ING-geh | here |
| 46 | அங்கே | AHNG-geh | there |
| 47 | எங்கே | ENG-geh | where |
| 48 | ஏன் | yehn | why |
| 49 | எல்லாம் | el-LAHM | all |
| 50 | மிகவும் | MEE-gah-voom | very |
Useful phrases in Tamil
- வணக்கம் · va-NAK-kam · Hello / Good day
- எப்படி இருக்கிறீர்கள்? · EP-pa-di i-ruk-ki-REER-gal · How are you?
- நன்றி · NAN-dri · Thank you
- தயவு செய்து · DA-ya-vu sey-thu · Please
- என் பெயர்... · en PE-yar · My name is...
- ... எங்கே? · EN-ge · Where is...?
- போய் வருகிறேன் · poi va-ru-gee-REN · Goodbye
- மன்னிக்கவும் · man-nik-ka-VOOM · Excuse me
- எனக்கு புரியவில்லை · e-NAK-ku pu-ri-ya-VIL-lai · I don't understand
- நீங்கள் எனக்கு உதவ முடியுமா? · NEENG-gal e-NAK-ku u-DHA-va mu-di-yu-MAH · Can you help me?
- இது எவ்வளவு? · i-dhu ev-va-LA-vu · How much is it?
- நாளை சந்திப்போம்! · NAH-lai san-dhip-POHM · See you tomorrow!
Learn Tamil with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Tamil, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global Tamil learning community
Collaborate with native Tamil speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
Are you an educator? Teach Tamil online · Create an online Tamil school · Build a Tamil curriculum
Frequently asked questions about learning Tamil
How difficult is it to learn Tamil?
How difficult Tamil is depends on your background, but every language becomes manageable with consistent daily practice. Focusing on the most frequent words first means you can understand and say a lot early on. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Tamil is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Tamil?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Tamil?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level in Tamil within 8-18 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 86 million people across 3 countries speak Tamil, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Tamil vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Tamil pronunciation hard?
Every language has a few sounds that take practice, but Tamil pronunciation becomes consistent with regular listening and speaking. Hearing the language often matters more than memorising rules.
How do I get Free Tamil speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Tamil alphabet first?
If Tamil uses a different script, learning it early unlocks reading - and it's usually faster than people expect. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.