It broke by itself and I broke it: verb pairs
A Tamil verb usually has a twin. One says the thing did it by itself, the other that somebody did it to the thing. உடையுது 'it breaks', உடைக்கிறேன் 'I break it'. ஆறுது 'it cools', ஆறவிடுறேன் 'I let it cool'. For example: “போன் தானா ஹேங் ஆகுது, நான் ஒண்ணும் பண்ணலை” — The phone freezes by itself, I did nothing. A rule from the Tamil course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
A Tamil verb usually has a twin. One says the thing did it by itself, the other that somebody did it to the thing. உடையுது (uḍaiyuda) 'it breaks', உடைக்கிறேன் (uḍaikkiṟēṉ) 'I break it'. ஆறுது 'it cools', ஆறவிடுறேன் (āṟaviḍuṟēṉ) 'I let it cool'.
The difference sits in the consonant, and the ear learns it. Where the first has -கு-, -யு-, -து-, the second has -க்கு- or -த்து-. அமுங்குது 'it dents' beside அமுக்குறேன் (amukkuṟēṉ) 'I press'.
Why this matters: in a workshop you nearly always want the first verb. திரை உடைஞ்சிட்டுது (tirai uḍaiñciṭṭudu) is 'the screen broke', with nobody blamed. Say நான் திரையை உடைச்சேன் and you have owned up to dropping it.
A third twin names no doer at all: உடைஞ்சிருக்கு (uḍaiñcirukku) 'it is broken'. Handy when the culprit is known but naming him would be awkward.
Table
| By itself | Translation | I do it | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| உடையுது | it breaks | உடைக்கிறேன் | I break it |
| ஆறுது | it cools | ஆறவிடுறேன் | I let it cool |
| கொதிக்குது | it boils | கொதிக்க வைக்கிறேன் | I bring it to a boil |
| சூடாகுது | it heats up | சூடு பண்ணுறேன் | I heat it |
| அமுங்குது | it dents | அமுக்குறேன் | I press it |
| ஒட்டியிருக்கு | it is stuck on | ஒட்டுறேன் | I glue it |
By example
- போன் தானா ஹேங் ஆகுது, நான் ஒண்ணும் பண்ணலைpōṉ tāṉā hēṅg āgudu, nāṉ oṇṇum paṇṇalaiThe phone freezes by itself, I did nothing
- கீழே விழுந்து திரை உடைஞ்சிட்டுதுkīḻē viḻundu tirai uḍaiñciṭṭuduIt fell, and the screen broke
- தண்ணி கொதிச்சதும் நெருப்பை அணைச்சு ஆறவிடுங்கtaṇṇi kodiccadum neruppai aṇaiccu āṟaviḍuṅgaWhen the water boils, turn off the fire and let it cool
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
It broke by itself and I broke it: how does it work in Tamil?
A Tamil verb usually has a twin. One says the thing did it by itself, the other that somebody did it to the thing. உடையுது 'it breaks', உடைக்கிறேன் 'I break it'. ஆறுது 'it cools', ஆறவிடுறேன் 'I let it cool'.
What does it look like in an example sentence Tamil?
“போன் தானா ஹேங் ஆகுது, நான் ஒண்ணும் பண்ணலை” (pōṉ tāṉā hēṅg āgudu, nāṉ oṇṇum paṇṇalai) — The phone freezes by itself, I did nothing. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.