Because, if, when: the first complex sentence
An English complex sentence rests on conjunctions at the start of the subordinate clause. Tamil hangs almost everything on the end of the verb — and therefore the subordinate clause comes first, the main one after. Getting used to this order matters more than learning the endings themselves. For example: “நான் வரலை, ஏன்னா எனக்கு வேலை இருந்தது” — I did not come, because I had work. A rule from the Tamil course…
How it works
An English complex sentence rests on conjunctions at the start of the subordinate clause. Tamil hangs almost everything on the end of the verb — and therefore the subordinate clause comes first, the main one after. Getting used to this order matters more than learning the endings themselves.
'Because' — ஏன்னா (ēṉṉā). It, on the contrary, stands at the start of the second part, as in English: நான் வரலை (nāṉ varalai), ஏன்னா எனக்கு வேலை (ēṉṉā eṉakku vēlai) — 'I did not come, because I have work'. This is the simplest of the constructions, and it is the one to start with. The question 'why?' is the same word, shorter: ஏன் (ēṉ)?
'If' — the ending -னா right on the verb: மழை வந்தா நாங்க போகமாட்டோம் (maḻai vandā nāṅga pōgamāṭṭōm) — 'if it rains, we will not go'. 'When' — the word போது (in speech -ப்ப) after the participle: நான் வர்ற போது 'when I come', சின்ன வயசுல 'in childhood'. And others' words and thoughts are introduced by -ன்னு: அவர் வர்றேன்னு சொன்னார் — 'he said that he will come'. This is the very same -ன்னு you saw in இது என் தப்புன்னு சொன்னாங்க (idu eṉ tappuṉṉu soṉṉāṅga).
And the main device: where English puts 'and' between two actions, Tamil takes a converb — a form in -இ or -து. கடைக்கு போய் பால் வாங்கினேன் (kaḍaikku pōy pāl vāṅgiṉēṉ) — word for word 'having gone to the shop, I bought milk'. The familiar வந்து சேரும் (vandu sērum), எடுத்துக் குடுங்க (eḍuttuk kuḍuṅga), மாறி ஏறுறது (māṟi ēṟuṟadu), நடந்து போறேன் (naḍandu pōṟēṉ) are built this way. The chain can be long: the main verb is always one, the last one, and only it 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 — converb | 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 rests on conjunctions at the start of the subordinate clause. Tamil hangs almost everything on the end of the verb — and therefore the subordinate clause comes first, the main one after. Getting used to this order matters more than learning the endings themselves.
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.