Language/Tamil/Grammar/Adverbs

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Introduction

Welcome to the lesson on adverbs in Tamil! Adverbs are an essential part of any language, including Tamil. They add depth and nuance to our sentences, allowing us to express time, place, manner, and degree. In this lesson, we will explore the world of adverbs in Tamil, learning how to use them effectively in our everyday conversations. By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid understanding of adverbs and be able to incorporate them into your Tamil sentences with confidence.

What are Adverbs?

Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They provide additional information about how an action is performed, where it takes place, when it happens, or to what extent. Adverbs can be used to describe actions, describe qualities, or modify other parts of speech, adding more information and context to our sentences. In Tamil, adverbs play a crucial role in expressing various aspects of time, place, manner, and degree.

Types of Adverbs

In Tamil, adverbs can be classified into several categories based on their function. Let's explore some of the most common types of adverbs:

Adverbs of Time

Adverbs of time indicate when an action takes place. They answer questions like "when?" or "how often?". Here are some examples:

Tamil	Pronunciation	English Translation
இப்போது	Ippōtu	now
இரவு	Iravu	tonight
நேரம்	Nēram	time
நாள்	Nāḷ	day

Example sentences:

• நான் இப்போது வீட்டில் உள்ளேன். (Nān ippōtu vīṭṭil uḷḷēn.) - I am at home now.
• அவர்கள் இரவு மனிதர்களைப் பார்க்கின்றனர். (Avarkaḷ iravu maṉitarkaḷaip pārkiṉṟaṉar.) - They watch people at night.

Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of place indicate where an action takes place. They answer questions like "where?". Here are some examples:

Tamil	Pronunciation	English Translation
இங்கு	Iṅku	here
அங்கு	Aṅku	there
வீட்டில்	Vīṭṭil	at home
நகரத்தில்	Nakarattil	in the city

Example sentences:

• நீ இங்கு வருகிறாயா? (Nī iṅku varukiṟāyā?) - Are you coming here?
• அவர்கள் வீட்டில் இருக்கின்றனர். (Avarkaḷ vīṭṭil irukkiṉṟar.) - They are at home.

Adverbs of Manner

Adverbs of manner describe how an action is performed. They answer questions like "how?". Here are some examples:

Tamil	Pronunciation	English Translation
அழகாக	Aḻagā	beautifully
அரசாங்கமாக	Arasāṅgamāka	royally
உச்சமாக	Uccamāka	loudly
தீவிரமாக	Tīviramāka	fiercely

Example sentences:

• அவர்கள் அழகாக பாடுகின்றனர். (Avarkaḷ aḻagā pāṭukiṉṟaṉar.) - They sing beautifully.
• அவர்கள் அரசாங்கமாக நடிக்கின்றனர். (Avarkaḷ arasāṅgamāka naṭikkiṉṟaṉar.) - They act royally.

Adverbs of Degree

Adverbs of degree indicate the extent or intensity of an action. They answer questions like "to what extent?". Here are some examples:

Tamil	Pronunciation	English Translation
மிகவும்	Mikavum	very
மிகுந்த	Mikuntha	much
குறைவாக	Kuṟaivāka	less
பெரியதாக	Periyatāka	big

Example sentences:

• அவர்கள் மிகவும் அற்புதமான ஆடையில் வந்தனர். (Avarkaḷ mikavum aṟputamāṉa āṭaiyil vantaṉar.) - They came in a very beautiful attire.
• அவர்கள் மிகுந்த வேலை செய்யும். (Avarkaḷ mikuntha vēlai seyyum.) - They work a lot.

Formation of Adverbs

Adverbs can be formed from adjectives, nouns, and verbs in Tamil. Let's explore each of these formations in detail.

Formation from Adjectives

To form an adverb from an adjective, the suffix "-ஆக" (-āka) is added to the adjective stem. Here are some examples:

Tamil	Pronunciation	English Translation
மிகவும் மகிழ்ச்சியாக	Mikavum makilcchiyāka	very happily
மிகுந்த மெதுவாக	Mikuntha metuvāka	very slowly
குறைவாக பெருமையாக	Kuṟaivāka perumaiyāka	less proudly

Example sentences:

• அவர்கள் மிகவும் மகிழ்ச்சியாக பாடுகின்றனர். (Avarkaḷ mikavum makilcchiyāka pāṭukiṉṟaṉar.) - They sing very happily.
• அவர்கள் மிகுந்த மெதுவாக நடிக்கின்றனர். (Avarkaḷ mikuntha metuvāka naṭikkiṉṟaṉar.) - They walk very slowly.

Formation from Nouns

To form an adverb from a noun, the suffix "-ஆக" (-āka) is added to the noun stem. Here are some examples:

Tamil	Pronunciation	English Translation
அரசாங்கமாக	Arasāṅgamāka	royally
மேற்கோள்நாட்டில்	Mēṟkōḷnāṭṭil	abroad
குறைவாக	Kuṟaivāka	less

Example sentences:

• அவர்கள் அரசாங்கமாக நடிக்கின்றனர். (Avarkaḷ arasāṅgamāka naṭikkiṉṟaṉar.) - They act royally.
• அவர்கள் மேற்கோள்நாட்டில் வசிக்கின்றனர். (Avarkaḷ mēṟkōḷnāṭṭil vascikkiṉṟaṉar.) - They live abroad.

Formation from Verbs

To form an adverb from a verb, the suffix "-க்கு" (-kku) is added to the verb stem. Here are some examples:

Tamil	Pronunciation	English Translation
வேலைக்கு	Vēlaikku	for work
ஓட்டுக்கு	Ōṭṭukku	for running
தேடல்க்கு	Tēṭalkku	for searching

Example sentences:

• நான் வேலைக்கு வந்தேன். (Nān vēlaikku vandhēn.) - I came for work.
• அவர்கள் ஓட்டுக்கு செல்லுகின்றனர். (Avarkaḷ ōṭṭukku cellukiṉṟaṉar.) - They are running.

Placement of Adverbs

In Tamil, adverbs are usually placed before the verb they modify. However, they can also be placed at the beginning or end of a sentence for emphasis. Let's look at some examples:

• அவர்கள் மிகவும் மகிழ்ச்சியாக பாடுகின்றனர். (Avarkaḷ mikavum makilcchiyāka pāṭukiṉṟaṉar.) - They sing very happily.
• மேல் மிகுந்த மெதுவாக நடிக்கவும். (Mēl mikuntha metuvāka naṭikka-vum.) - Walk very slowly.
• அவர்கள் வீட்டில் இருக்கின்றனர். மிகுந்த மகிழ்ச்சியாக. (Avarkaḷ vīṭṭil irukkiṉṟar. mikuntha makilcchiyāka.) - They are at home. Very happily.

Exercises

Now, let's put your knowledge of adverbs to the test with some exercises. Translate the following sentences from English to Tamil, using the appropriate adverbs:

1. She sings beautifully. 2. They are working hard. 3. I am coming now. 4. He speaks loudly. 5. We live here.

Solutions

1. அவள் அழகாக பாடுகின்றாள். (Avaḷ aḻagāka pāṭukiṉṟāḷ.) 2. அவர்கள் கடுமையாக வேலை செய்கின்றனர். (Avarkaḷ kaṭumaiyāka vēlaicaiykiṉṟaṉar.) 3. நான் இப்போது வருகிறேன். (Nān ippōtu varukiṟēṉ.) 4. அவன் உச்சமாக பேசுகின்றான். (Avaṉ uccamāka pēcukiṉṟāṉ.) 5. நாங்கள் இங்கு வசிக்கின்றோம். (Nāṅkaḷ iṅku vascikkiṉṟōm.)

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have now learned about adverbs in Tamil. Adverbs play a vital role in expressing time, place, manner, and degree in our sentences. By using adverbs effectively, you can add depth and nuance to your conversations in Tamil. Remember to practice using adverbs in your everyday speech to reinforce your learning. Keep up the great work, and soon you'll be mastering the art of adverbs in Tamil!

Table of Contents - Tamil Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Tamil Grammar

• Tamil Script and Pronunciation
• Nouns and Pronouns

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Daily Life Vocabulary

• Greetings and Introductions
• Numbers and Time
• Food and Drink
• Family and Relationships
• Travel and Transportation

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense

  ---

Profession and Work Vocabulary

• Jobs and Professions
• Office and Workplace
• Business Communication

  ---

Tamil Culture and Customs

• Festivals and Celebrations
• Art and Music
• Cuisine and Eating Habits
• Tamil Cinema

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjectives
• Adverbs

  ---

Health and Fitness Vocabulary

• Body Parts and Symptoms
• Physical Fitness and Exercise

  ---

Cases and Postpositions

• Nominative and Accusative Cases
• Postpositions

  ---

Nature, Environment and Wildlife Vocabulary

• Flora and Fauna
• Environment and Pollution

  ---

Tamil Literature and History

• Sangam Literature
• Chola Empire

  ---

Negation and Interrogation

• Negation
• Interrogation

Sources

• Adverbs | Learn English Grammar Through Tamil | Spoken English ...
• Tamil Grammar - Adjective and Adverb Relationships

Other Lessons

• Tamil Finite Verbs Conjugation
• Conditional Mood
• Future Tense
• Future Tense எதிர்காலம்
• 0 to A1 Course
• Postpositions
• Personal Pronouns
• Interrogation
• That, This, and Question Words
• How to Use Be

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