There is, there is not, need: impersonal turns
Most everyday phrases in Tamil get by without a subject in the English sense. One does not say 'I have' but 'to me there is'; not 'I want' but 'to me it is needed'; not 'I like' but 'to me it is pleasing'. The owner of the phrase stands in the dative on -க்கு, and the verb does not change for person at all. For example: “எனக்கு ஒரு அட்டைப் பெட்டி வேணும்” — I need a box. A rule from the Tamil course: worked out on…
How it works
Most everyday phrases in Tamil get by without a subject in the English sense. One does not say 'I have' but 'to me there is'; not 'I want' but 'to me it is needed'; not 'I like' but 'to me it is pleasing'. The owner of the phrase stands in the dative on -க்கு, and the verb does not change for person at all.
The pair இருக்கு (irukku) / இல்லை (illai) means 'there is' and 'there is not'. கடையில பால் இருக்கு (kaḍaiyila pāl irukku) — 'there is milk at the shop', எனக்கு நேரம் இல்லை (eṉakku nēram illai) — 'I have no time'. Possession is built the same way: என்கிட்ட காசு இருக்கு (eṉkiṭṭa kāsu irukku) 'I have money' (literally 'with me'), while for relatives and body parts the dative is used: எனக்கு ரெண்டு பிள்ளைகள் (eṉakku reṇḍu piḷḷaigaḷ) 'I have two children'. There is no verb 'to have' in the language.
வேணும் (vēṇum) 'must, want' and its negation வேண்டாம் (vēṇḍām) 'no need' behave exactly the same: எனக்கு தண்ணி வேணும் (eṉakku taṇṇi vēṇum) — 'I need water'. Notice: the thing stands in its plain form, without the object ending. With another verb it becomes 'must do': எனக்கு போகணும் (eṉakku pōgaṇuma) 'I must go' — the ending -ணும் glues onto the stem.
The third important turn is எனக்கு பிடிக்கும் (eṉakku piḍikkum) 'I like it'. The one who likes is again in the dative, and what is liked is the subject: எனக்கு இந்த பாட்டு பிடிக்கும் (eṉakku inda pāṭṭu piḍikkum). The negation is பிடிக்கலை (piḍikkalai). Sensations are built on the same pattern, familiar from the wave about feelings: எனக்கு பசிக்குது (eṉakku pasikkudu), எனக்கு தலை வலிக்குது (eṉakku talai valikkudu), எனக்கு கவலையா இருக்கு (eṉakku kavalaiyā irukku). Memorize the pattern itself — half of spoken speech runs along it.
Table
| Turn | Word for word | English |
|---|---|---|
| எனக்கு நேரம் இல்லை | to me time is not | I have no time |
| என்கிட்ட காசு இருக்கு | with me money is | I have money |
| எனக்கு தண்ணி வேணும் | to me water is-needed | I need water |
| எனக்கு போகணும் | to me go-must | I must go |
| எனக்கு இது பிடிக்கும் | to me this pleases | I like this |
| எனக்கு அது பிடிக்கலை | to me that did not please | I do not like that |
By example
- எனக்கு ஒரு அட்டைப் பெட்டி வேணும்eṉakku oru aṭṭaip peṭṭi vēṇumI need a box
- இங்கே வை-ஃபை இல்லைiṅgē vai-fai illaiThere is no wi-fi here
- எனக்கு இந்த பாட்டு ரொம்ப பிடிக்கும்eṉakku inda pāṭṭu romba piḍikkumI like this song very much
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
There is, there is not, need: how does it work in Tamil?
Most everyday phrases in Tamil get by without a subject in the English sense. One does not say 'I have' but 'to me there is'; not 'I want' but 'to me it is needed'; not 'I like' but 'to me it is pleasing'. The owner of the phrase stands in the dative on -க்கு, and the verb does not change for…
What does it look like in an example sentence Tamil?
“எனக்கு ஒரு அட்டைப் பெட்டி வேணும்” (eṉakku oru aṭṭaip peṭṭi vēṇum) — I need a box. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.