Because, if, when: the first complex sentence
An English complex sentence leans on a word at the front of the second half. Tamil hangs nearly everything on the end of the verb, so the side part comes first and the main part after it. For example: “நான் வரலை, ஏன்னா எனக்கு வேலை இருந்தது” — I did not come, because I had work. A rule from the Tamil course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
An English complex sentence leans on a word at the front of the second half. Tamil hangs nearly everything on the end of the verb, so the side part comes first and the main part after it.
'Because' is ஏன்னா (ēṉṉā), and it does open the second half, as in English. நான் வரலை (nāṉ varalai), ஏன்னா எனக்கு வேலை (ēṉṉā eṉakku vēlai) — 'I did not come, because I had work'. Start with this one.
'If' is the ending -னா on the verb: மழை வந்தா நாங்க போகமாட்டோம் (maḻai vandā nāṅga pōgamāṭṭōm). 'When' is the word போது (pōdu): நான் வர்ற போது. Reported words come in with -ன்னு: அவர் வர்றேன்னு சொன்னார்.
And the main move: where English puts 'and' between two actions, Tamil takes a form in -இ or -து. கடைக்கு போய் பால் வாங்கினேன் (kaḍaikku pōy pāl vāṅgiṉēṉ) — 'having gone to the shop, bought milk'. Only the last verb carries tense and person.
Table
| Link | Where it stands | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ஏன்னா — because | at the start of the second part | நான் வரலை, ஏன்னா மழை |
| -னா — if | on the end of the verb | நேரம் இருந்தா வாறேன் |
| போது — when | after the participle | நான் வர்ற போது கூப்பிடுங்க |
| -ன்னு — that (speech, thought) | on the end of others' words | அவர் வர்றேன்னு சொன்னார் |
| -இ / -து — and then | on the first action | கடைக்கு போய் வாங்கினேன் |
By example
- நான் வரலை, ஏன்னா எனக்கு வேலை இருந்ததுnāṉ varalai, ēṉṉā eṉakku vēlai irundaduI did not come, because I had work
- மழை வந்தா நாங்க வெளியில போகமாட்டோம்maḻai vandā nāṅga veḷiyila pōgamāṭṭōmIf it rains, we will not go out
- அவங்க நாளைக்கு வர்றாங்கன்னு சொன்னாங்கavaṅga nāḷaikku varṟāṅgaṉṉu soṉṉāṅgaThey said they would come tomorrow
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
Because, if, when: how does it work in Tamil?
An English complex sentence leans on a word at the front of the second half. Tamil hangs nearly everything on the end of the verb, so the side part comes first and the main part after it.
What does it look like in an example sentence Tamil?
“நான் வரலை, ஏன்னா எனக்கு வேலை இருந்தது” (nāṉ varalai, ēṉṉā eṉakku vēlai irundadu) — I did not come, because I had work. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.