LingoflyMust, can, must not: வேணும், முடியும், கூடாது
These words do not bend for person. They are separate words after a verb stem in -அ, and four of them carry almost all daily talk. For example: “எனக்கு (eṉakku) ஒரு (oru) அறை (aṟai) வேணும்” (vēṇum) — I need a room. A rule from the Tamil course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
These words do not bend for person. They are separate words after a verb stem in -அ, and four of them carry almost all daily talk.
வேணும் (vēṇum) — 'must, want'. With a thing it wants the person in -க்கு: எனக்கு (eṉakku) தண்ணி (taṇṇi) வேணும் (vēṇum) (eṉakku taṇṇi vēṇum) 'I need water'. With a verb it becomes 'I have to': the infinitive plus வேணும் (vēṇum) — எனக்கு (eṉakku) போக (pōga) வேணும் (vēṇum) (eṉakku pōga vēṇum). In Tamil Nadu this fuses into -ணும்: போகணும். The negative is வேண்டாம் (vēṇḍām) 'no need'.
முடியும் (muḍiyum) — 'can, it works out': about skill and about strength. எனக்கு (eṉakku) நீந்த (nīnda) முடியும் (muḍiyum) (eṉakku nīnda muḍiyum) 'I can swim', என்னால திறக்க முடியேல்லை (eṉṉāla tiṟakka muḍiyēllai) 'I cannot get it open'. The one who can stands in -க்கு or as என்னால (eṉṉāla) 'by me'.
Permission is not முடியும் (muḍiyum) but the ending -லாம்: இங்கே (iṅgē) இருக்கலாம் (irukkalām) (iṅgē irukkalām) 'you may sit here'. A ban is கூடாது (kūḍādu): இங்கே (iṅgē) குளிக்கக் கூடாது (kūḍādu) (iṅgē kuḷikkak kūḍādu). முடியாது (muḍiyādu) is 'I cannot', கூடாது (kūḍādu) is 'not allowed'.
Table
| Meaning | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| must, want | வேணும் (vēṇum) | எனக்கு (eṉakku) ஒரு (oru) அறை (aṟai) வேணும் (vēṇum) |
| no need | வேண்டாம் (vēṇḍām) | எனக்கு (eṉakku) காரம் (kāram) வேண்டாம் (vēṇḍām) |
| can, know how | முடியும் (muḍiyum) | எனக்கு (eṉakku) நீந்த (nīnda) முடியும் (muḍiyum) |
| cannot | முடியாது (muḍiyādu) | எனக்கு (eṉakku) நீந்த (nīnda) முடியாது (muḍiyādu) |
| may, allowed | -லாம் | இங்கே (iṅgē) இருக்கலாம் (irukkalām) |
| must not, forbidden | கூடாது (kūḍādu) | இங்கே (iṅgē) குளிக்கக் கூடாது (kūḍādu) |
By example
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Must, can, must not: how does it work in Tamil?
These words do not bend for person. They are separate words after a verb stem in -அ, and four of them carry almost all daily talk.
What does it look like in a Tamil example sentence?
“எனக்கு (eṉakku) ஒரு (oru) அறை (aṟai) வேணும்” (vēṇum) (eṉakku oru aṟai vēṇum) — I need a room. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.