Uyirmei: How Tamil Consonants and Vowels Combine

Tamil is an alphasyllabary. A consonant joins with a vowel to make a combined letter, called உயிர்மெய் (uyirmei), "soul-and-body".

The pattern with க

Take the consonant க (ka). With the twelve vowels, it forms:

Combination	Sound
க	ka
கா	kaa
கி	ki
கீ	kee
கு	ku
கூ	koo
கெ	ke
கே	kae
கை	kai
கொ	ko
கோ	koa
கௌ	kau

Vowel signs

Each vowel (except அ) has a sign that attaches to the consonant:

• ா (for ஆ)
• ி (for இ)
• ீ (for ஈ)
• ு (for உ)
• ூ (for ஊ)
• ெ (for எ)
• ே (for ஏ)
• ை (for ஐ)
• ொ (for ஒ), made of ெ and ா
• ோ (for ஓ), made of ே and ா
• ௌ (for ஔ)

Signs that go before

The signs ெ, ே and ை are written on the left of the consonant but pronounced after it. In கெ, you see the sign first but say ke.

The count

Eighteen consonants times twelve vowels gives 216 combined letters. Add the 12 vowels, the 18 pure consonants and the ஃ, and Tamil has 247 characters in its traditional alphabet.

Examples

• கடல் (kadal), sea
• மாலை (maalai), evening
• தமிழ் (thamizh), Tamil
• பூ (poo), flower

Learning tip

Learn the table for one consonant, then apply the same signs to others. The pattern is regular.

Tips

1. Memorise the vowel signs.
2. Practise with simple words.
3. Use the dictionary to check combinations.

Look up any Tamil word with English Tamil Dictionary →