Language/Tamil/Grammar/Tamil-Finite-Verbs-Conjugation
Finite Verbs
Overview
Finite verb forms show tense, person and number (e.g. I go, she goes, we went, etc.).
In Tamil, Finite Verbs generally have a 3 part structure:
- the "Verb Stem"
- the "Tense Suffix" (to indicate past, present or future tense)
- anda "Subject Marker" (to indicate Person, Number and Gender – i.e. I, We, He, She etc).
- Example: The verb "varuven" means "I will come".
In this example:
- Varu is the Verb Stem
- v is used to indicate it is for future tense
- en is used when referring to "I" (that is, the first person)
Types of Finite Verbs and Tense Suffixes
The Tamil language has 7 main types of finite verbs. These are classified according to their conjugation (i.e. according to the TENSE suffix used).
- The tense suffix for the past and present tense also depends on the language register (high or colloquial)
- The future time suffix is the same regardless of the register
- The tables below show the time suffixes for each type of finite verb for each register
NB: Those rules are different for other kinds of verbs.
Tense Suffixes for High Tamil with the Tamil Script
Past | Present | Future | Example | Other Examples | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type 1 | த் | dh | கிற் | giR | வ் | v | sei (do) - செய் | nei (weave) |
Type 2 | ந்த் | ndh | கிற் | giR | வ் | v | aRi (know) - அறி | vizhu (fall),
ezhu (rise), sari (roll or tumble down) |
Type 3 | இன் | in | கிற் | giR | வ் | v | vaangu (buy/get) - வாங்கு | thoongu (sleep),
ezhuthu (write), anuppu (send) |
Type 4 | End consonant doubling | கிற் | giR | வ் | v | vidu (leave) - விடு | PiDi (Catch/hold),
KeDu (spoil), peru (get) |
Type 5 | ட் | t/d | கிற் | kiR/ giR | ப் | p/b | uN (eat) – உண் | kaaN (see),
keL (listen) |
Type 6 | த்த் | tth | க்கிற் | kkiR | ப்ப் | pp | paDi (read/study) - படி | koDu (give),
eDu (take), paar (see) |
Type 7 | ந்த் | ndh | க்கிற் | kkiR | ப்ப் | pp | naDa (walk) - நட | para (fly),
kala (mix), marA (forget) |
Verb Stem | Past | Present | Future (same as for Colloquial Tamil) |
---|---|---|---|
Type 1 – Sei (do) | Seidhen (dh+en=dhen) | SeigiRyen (giR+en= giRean) | Seivean (Iv +en=vean) |
Type 2 – Ari (know) | Arindhean (ndh+en=dhean) | ArigiRean (giR+en=giRean) | Arivean (Iv +en=vean) |
Type 3 – Vaangu (buy/get) | Vaanginean (in+en=inean) | VaangugiRean (giR+en=GiRean) | Vaanguvean (Iv +en=vean) |
Type 4 – Vidu (leave) | Vittean (t+t+en) | VidugiRean (giR+en=giRean) | Viduvean (Iv +en=vean) |
Type 5 – Un (eat) | Undean (d+en) | UngiRean (giR+en=giRean) | Unbean (b+en=bean) |
Type 6 – Padi (read/study) | Paditthean (tth+en=tthean) | Padikkirean (kkiR+en=kkirean) | Padippean (pp+en=ppean) |
Type 7 – Nada (walk) | Nadandhean (ndh+ean=ndhean) | NadakkiRean (kkir+en=kkirean) | Nadappean (pp+en=ppean) |
Tense Suffixes for Colloquial Tamil with the Tamil Script
Past | Present | Future | Example | Other Examples | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type 1 | ஞ்ச் | nj | ற் | R | வ் | v | sei (do) - செய் | nei (weave) |
Type 2 | ந்த் | ndh / ஞ்ச் | nj | ற் | R | வ் | v | aRi (know) - அறி | vizhu (fall), ezhu (rise),
sari (roll or tumble down) |
Type 3 | உன் | u | ற் | R | வ் | v | vaangu (buy/get) - வாங்கு | thoongu (sleep), ezhuthu (write), anuppu (send) |
Type 4 | End consonant doubling | ற் | R | வ் | v | vidu ( leave) - விடு | PiDi (Catch/hold), KeDu (spoil), peru (get) |
Type 5 | ட் | t/d | ற் | R | ப் | p/b | uN (eat) – உண் | kaaN (see), keL (listen) |
Type 6 | த்த் | tth | க்கிற் | kkiR | ப்ப் | pp | paDi (read/study) -படி | koDu (give), eDu (take), paar (see) |
Type 7 | ந்த் | ndh | க்கிற் | kkiR | ப்ப் | pp | naDa (walk) -நட | para (fly), kala (mix), marA (forget) |
Example of Tense Suffixes for the Colloquial Tamil
Verb Stem | Past | Present | Future (same as for High Tamil) |
---|---|---|---|
Type 1 – Sei (do) | Senjean (nj+ean=jean) | Seirean (R+ean=rean) | Seivean (Iv +ean=vean) |
Type 2 – Ari (know) | Arinjean (nj+ean=jean) | Arirean(R+ean=rean) | Arivean (Iv +ean=vean) |
Type 3 – Vaangu (buy/get) | Vaangunean (un+ean=unean) | vaangurean(R+ean=iRean) | Vaanguvean (Iv +ean=vean) |
Type 4 – Vidu (leave) | Vittean (t+t+ean=ttean) | Vidrean (R+ean=Rean) | Viduvean (Iv +ean=vean) |
Type 5 – Un (eat) | Undean (d+ean=dean) | UngiRean (giR+ean=giRean) | Unbean(b+ean=bean) |
Type 6 – Padi (read/study) | Padichchean (chch+ean=chen) | Padikkirean (kkiR+ean=kkirean) | Padippean(pp+ean=ppean) |
Type 7 – Nada (walk) | Nadandhean (ndh+ean=ndhean) | NadakkiRean (kkiR+ean=kkirean) | Nadappean(pp+ean=ppean) |
Subject Markers
Subject Markers indicate PERSON / NUMBER / GENDER (i.e. I, We, He, She etc.).
The subject markers are the same for all of the 7 types of Finite Verbs, only the Tense suffixes for each Type differs.
Following are the Subject Markers used for both High and Colloquial Tamil.
Subject Markers for High Tamil
Singular | Plural | |||||
First person | I
ஏன் | En |
We
ஓம் | Om | ||||
Second person | You (singular)
ஆய் | aay |
You (plural/respect)
ஈர்கள் | iirkal / ஈர் | irr | ||||
Third Person | He
ஆன் | aan |
He /She (Polite)
ஆர் | aar |
She
ஆள் | aal |
They (Human)
அனர்/ஆர்கள் anar*/ aarkal | ||
It
அது | adhu |
They (non human)
அன | ana#* | |||||
*indicates that in future tense , nonhuman nouns take the ending "-um" (instead of -v/-p/-pp) . E.g. athu varum (it"ll come)
*indicates that in present tense, kiR/kiRR changes kinR/KKinRR E.g. SeikinRanar – They (human being) are doing. |
Subject Markers for Colloquial Tamil
Singular | Plural | |||||
First person | I Eñ | We O~m | ||||
Second person | You dha | You (Polite) eenga | ||||
Third Person | He dhaañ | She dhaa | He (Polite) aarù | She (Polite) aanga | ||
It dhu/chu | They dhunga / chunga |
EXAMPLE
padi | read or study | ||
---|---|---|---|
padikka | to read | ||
vaasi | read | ||
High | colloquial | English meaning | |
Past Tense | naan padiththaen | Naañ Padichæñ | I read (past) |
Present Tense | Naan padikkiRaen | Naañ Padikiræñ | I am reading |
Future Tense | naan padaippaen | Naañ padipæñ | I will read |
Past Informal | nii padiththaai | Nii padichæ | you read (past) – informal |
Past Formal | niingaL padiththiirgaL | Niinga padichiinga | you read (past) – formal |
Present Informal | nii padikkiRaa | Nii padikiræ | you are reading – informal |
Present Formal | niingaL padikkiRiirgaL | Niinga padikireenga | you are reading – formal |
Future Informal | nii padippaai | Nii padipæ | you will read – informal |
Future Formal | niingaL padippiirgaL | Niinga padipiinga | you are reading – formal |
Imperative informal | nii padi | Nii padi | you read ... (order statement) – informal |
Imperative Formal | Niinga padinga | Niinga padipiinga | you read ... (order statement) – formal |
Past Informal | avan padiththaan | avañ Padichchaañ | he read – informal |
Past Formal | avar padiththaar | avrù padichchaarù | he read – formal |
Present Informal | avan padikkiRaan | avañ padikkiraañ | He is reading – informal |
Present Formal | avar padikkiRaar | avrù padikiraar | he is reading – formal |
Future Informal | avan padippaan | avañ padippaañ | he will read – informal |
Future Formal | avar padippaar | avar padippaarù | he will read – formal |
Past Informal | avaL padiththaaL | ava(L) padichchaa(L) | she read – informal |
Past Formal | avargaaL padiththaargaL | avanga padichchaanga | she read – formal |
Past Formal | avargaaL padiththaargaL | avanga padichchaanga | she read – formal |
Present Informal | avaL padikkiraaL | ava(L) padikkiraa(L) | she is reading – informal |
Present Formal | avargaL padikkiraargaL | avanga padikkiraanga | she is reading – formal |
Future Informal | avaL padippaaL | ava(L) padippaa(L) | she will read – informal |
Future Formal | avargaL padippaargaL | avanga padippaanga | she will read – formal |
Past Informal | naam padiththoam | naama padichcho~m | we read – listener included |
Past formal | naangaL padiththoam | naanga padichcho~m | we read – listener excluded |
Present Informal | naam padikiroam | naama padikiroa~m | we are reading – listener included |
Present Formal | naangaL paddikkiroam | naanga padikkiroa~m | we are reading – listener excluded |
Future Informal | naam paddippoam | naama paddippoa~m | we will read – listener included |
Future Formal | naangaL paddippoam | naanga paddippoa~m | we will read – listener excluded |
Tense Suffixes for High Tamil without the Tamil Script
Past | Present | Future | Example | Other Examples | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type 1 | dh | giR | v | sei (do)- செய் |
|
Type 2 | ndh | giR | v | aRi (know) |
|
Type 3 | in | giR | v | vaangu (buy/get) |
|
Type 4 | End consonant doubling | giR | v | vidu ( leave) |
|
Type 5 | t/d | kiR/ giR | p/b | uN (eat) |
|
Type 6 | tth | kkiR | pp | paDi(read/study) |
|
Type 7 | ndh | kkiR | pp | naDa(walk) |
|
Tense Suffixes for Colloquial Tamil without Tamil Script
Past | Present | Future | Example | Other Examples | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type 1 | nj | R | v | sei (do)- செய் |
|
Type 2 | ndh / nj | R | v | aRi (know) |
|
Type 3 | un | R | v | vaangu (buy/get) |
|
Type 4 | End consonant doubling | R | v | vidu ( leave) |
|
Type 5 | t/d | R | p/b | uN (eat) |
|
Type 6 | chch / tth | kkiR | pp | paDi(read/study) |
|
Type 7 | ndh | kkiR | pp | naDa(walk) |
|
Transliteration
VOWELS | CONSONANTS | ||
---|---|---|---|
Tamil script | Transliteration | Tamil script | Transliteration |
அ | A | க |
|
ஆ | Aa | ங |
|
இ | I | ச |
|
ஈ | Ii | ||
உ | U | ஞ |
|
ஊ | Uu
E |
ட |
|
எ | E/ae | ண |
|
ஏ | Ai | த |
|
ஐ | O | ந |
|
ஒ | O/oa | ப |
|
ஔ | Au | ம | ma |
ய | ya | ||
ர | ra | ||
ல | la | ||
வ | va | ||
ள | Au | ||
ழ | Azha | ||
ள | La | ||
ற | Ra | ||
ன | na |
Vowels in Spoken Tamil
|
The vowel sound "E" at end of words is often pronounced as "æ".
half-u nasalisation of vowel |
æ is sound of "a" in the english word "bat". |
---|
Grantha Letters
ஹ | ha |
ஜ | ja |
ஸ | sa |
ஷ | sha |
ஶ | ś |
க்ஷ | ksha |
ஸ்ரீ\ | Sri |