Already done and still doing: -இட்டேன் and -கிட்டு இரு
Tamil has three tenses but more shades than that. Whether a thing is over or still running is hung on a second verb after the first. The first carries the meaning, the second works like an ending. For example: “நான் ஒரு இரவு முழுக்க விமான நிலையத்தில மாட்டிக்கிட்டேன்” — I got stuck at the airport for the whole night. A rule from the Tamil course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Tamil has three tenses but more shades than that. Whether a thing is over or still running is hung on a second verb after the first. The first carries the meaning, the second works like an ending.
The commonest is -இட்டேன், from விடு 'to let go'. It says the matter is closed, with no taking it back: தொலைச்சிட்டேன் (tolaicciṭṭēṉ) — 'I lost it, and that is that'.
The opposite tail is -கிட்டு இரு: the action is running right now, or ran a long while. படிச்சுக்கிட்டு இருக்கேன் is 'I am studying this minute', against படிக்கிறேன் (paḍikkiṟēṉ) 'I study'. காத்துக்கிட்டு இருந்தேன் (kāttukkiṭṭu irundēṉ) — 'I kept on waiting'.
How long it lasts is measured by a noun with -ஆ (-ā), not by a verb: ரெண்டு நாளா (reṇḍu nāḷā) — 'for two days now'.
Table
| Tail | What it adds | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| -இட்டேன் | the deed is done, no way back | தொலைச்சிட்டேன் | lost (and that is final) |
| -இட்டுது | the same about a thing | மின்சாரம் போயிட்டுது | the electricity went out |
| -கிட்டு இருக்கேன் | going on right now | படிச்சுக்கிட்டு இருக்கேன் | I am studying right now |
| -கிட்டு இருந்தேன் | went on for long | காத்துக்கிட்டு இருந்தேன் | I kept waiting and waiting |
| -கிட்டேன் (past) | got in and stayed | மாட்டிக்கிட்டேன் | got stuck |
| நேரமா | how long already | ரெண்டு நாளா | already two days |
By example
- நான் ஒரு இரவு முழுக்க விமான நிலையத்தில மாட்டிக்கிட்டேன்nāṉ oru iravu muḻukka vimāṉa nilaiyattila māṭṭikkiṭṭēṉI got stuck at the airport for the whole night
- நாங்க இந்த ஓட்டலில மூணு நாளா தங்கிக்கிட்டு இருக்கிறோம்nāṅga inda ōṭṭalila mūṇu nāḷā taṅgikkiṭṭu irukkiṟōmWe have been living in this hotel for three days already
- காரை நான் ஏற்கனவே திருப்பிக் குடுத்திட்டேன்kārai nāṉ ēṟkaṉavē tiruppik kuḍuttiṭṭēṉI have already returned the car
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
Already done and still doing: how does it work in Tamil?
Tamil has three tenses but more shades than that. Whether a thing is over or still running is hung on a second verb after the first. The first carries the meaning, the second works like an ending.
What does it look like in an example sentence Tamil?
“நான் ஒரு இரவு முழுக்க விமான நிலையத்தில மாட்டிக்கிட்டேன்” (nāṉ oru iravu muḻukka vimāṉa nilaiyattila māṭṭikkiṭṭēṉ) — I got stuck at the airport for the whole night. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.