LingoflyA complex sentence in full: the link hangs on the verb
An English complex sentence holds together on a link word in front: 'because', 'in order to', 'when'. The Tamil one holds on an ending on the verb that closes the first half. For example: “நேரம் (nēram) இல்லாததால (illādadāla) நான் (nāṉ) கூட்டத்துக்கு (kūṭṭattukku) போகேல்லை” (pōgēllai) — Because there was no time, I did not go to the meeting. A rule from the Tamil course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
An English complex sentence holds together on a link word in front: 'because', 'in order to', 'when'. The Tamil one holds on an ending on the verb that closes the first half.
Cause is the ending -ஆல (-āla) (--āla): மழை (maḻai) வந்ததால போகேல்லை (pōgēllai) — 'the rain came, so we did not go'. Purpose is -றதுக்கு (-ṟadukku) (--ṟadukku): படிக்கிறதுக்கு போறன் (pōṟaṉ) — 'I go in order to study'.
Time is -றபோது 'when': நான் (nāṉ) வாறபோது (nāṉ vāṟapōdu). Concession is -ஆலும்: மழை (maḻai) வந்தாலும் (vandālum) வருவன் (varuvaṉ) (maḻai vandālum varuvaṉ) — 'even if it rains, I will come'. All of them hang on the verb and stand before the main half.
The rule is short: side half left, main half right, the link on its last word. English says 'I did not go because it rained'. Tamil says 'rain-came-because I did-not-go'.
Table
| Relation | Ending or word | Where it stands | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| cause | -ஆல (-āla) on the verb | end of the subordinate clause | மழை (maḻai) வந்ததால போகேல்லை (pōgēllai) |
| after-the-fact cause | ஏனெண்டா (ēṉeṇḍā) | start of the second part | போகேல்லை (pōgēllai), ஏனெண்டா (ēṉeṇḍā) மழை (maḻai) |
| consequence | அதனால (adaṉāla) | start of the second part | மழை (maḻai) வந்தது (vandadu), அதனால (adaṉāla) போகேல்லை (pōgēllai) |
| purpose | -றதுக்கு (-ṟadukku) | end of the subordinate clause | படிக்கிறதுக்கு போறன் (pōṟaṉ) |
| time 'when' | -றபோது | end of the subordinate clause | நான் (nāṉ) வாறபோது |
| time 'after' | participle + பிறகு (piṟagu) | end of the subordinate clause | சாப்பிட்ட பிறகு (sāppiṭṭa piṟagu) |
| time 'before' | -றதுக்கு (-ṟadukku) முன்னம் (muṉṉam) | end of the subordinate clause | போறதுக்கு முன்னம் (muṉṉam) |
| concession | -ஆலும் / எண்டாலும் (eṇḍālum) | end of the subordinate clause | மழை (maḻai) வந்தாலும் (vandālum) வருவன் (varuvaṉ) |
By example
- vilai adigam eṇḍālum nāṉ adai vāṅguṟaṉThough the price is high, I will buy it
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
A complex sentence in full: how does it work in Tamil?
An English complex sentence holds together on a link word in front: 'because', 'in order to', 'when'. The Tamil one holds on an ending on the verb that closes the first half.
What does it look like in a Tamil example sentence?
“நேரம் (nēram) இல்லாததால (illādadāla) நான் (nāṉ) கூட்டத்துக்கு (kūṭṭattukku) போகேல்லை” (pōgēllai) (nēram illādadāla nāṉ kūṭṭattukku pōgēllai) — Because there was no time, I did not go to the meeting. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.