Grantha Letters in Tamil: ஜ, ஷ, ஸ and ஹ
The extra letters Tamil borrows to write Sanskrit and foreign sounds, and where you will see them.
Tamil has 18 native consonants. To write Sanskrit and foreign words, it also uses the Grantha letters.
The Grantha letters
| Letter | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ஜ | j | ஜன்னல் (jannal), window |
| ஷ | sh | ஷர்ட் (shart), shirt |
| ஸ | s | ஸ்கூல் (skool), school |
| ஹ | h | ஹோட்டல் (hotel) |
| க்ஷ | ksha | க்ஷேமம் (kshemam), welfare |
Why they exist
Native Tamil has no separate letters for these sounds. Old Tamil words use only the native letters. As Tamil borrowed words from Sanskrit and later from English and other languages, writers added the Grantha letters.
Where you will see them
- Names: ஜெயா, ஹரி, ஸ்ரீ
- Loanwords: ஜூஸ் (juice), ஹோட்டல் (hotel)
- Religious and formal texts
Native alternatives
In speech, some words are pronounced a little differently from how they are spelled, as sounds adapt to Tamil habits. Such variation is normal.
The purist view
Some writers prefer pure Tamil words and avoid Grantha letters. For example, they might use பேருந்து (perundhu) for "bus". Both styles are used today.
Tips
- Learn the five letters.
- Notice loanwords when you see them.
- Use the dictionary to check spellings.
English Tamil Dictionary
Offline English–Tamil dictionary with meanings in proper Tamil script
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