It broke by itself and I broke it: verb pairs
The unit about breakdowns rests on one distinction English almost lacks. A Tamil verb usually has two twins: one says the thing did it itself, the other — that someone did it to it. உடையுது 'it breaks', உடைக்கிறேன் 'I break it'. ஆறுது 'it cools', ஆறவிடுறேன் 'I let it cool'. The difference is heard in the consonant: in the 'by itself' verb it is soft and single, in the 'done by me' verb — doubled and hard. For…
How it works
The unit about breakdowns rests on one distinction English almost lacks. A Tamil verb usually has two twins: one says the thing did it itself, the other — that someone did it to it. உடையுது (uḍaiyuda) 'it breaks', உடைக்கிறேன் (uḍaikkiṟēṉ) 'I break it'. ஆறுது 'it cools', ஆறவிடுறேன் (āṟaviḍuṟēṉ) 'I let it cool'. The difference is heard in the consonant: in the 'by itself' verb it is soft and single, in the 'done by me' verb — doubled and hard.
The rule is memorized by ear, not by a table: where the first verb has -கு-, -யு-, -து-, the second will have -க்கு-, -ய்க்கு-, -த்து-. திரும்புது 'it turns' — திருப்புறேன் (tiruppuṟēṉ) 'I turn it'; சூடாகுது (sūḍāgudu) 'it heats up' — சூடு பண்ணுறேன் (sūḍu paṇṇuṟēṉ) 'I heat it'; அமுங்குது 'it dents' — அமுக்குறேன் (amukkuṟēṉ) 'I press it'.
Why this is needed at B1: in the workshop you almost always speak the first verb. திரை உடைஞ்சிட்டுது (tirai uḍaiñciṭṭudu) — 'the screen broke', without saying who is to blame. Say நான் திரையை உடைச்சேன் — and that is a confession that you dropped it, and in a conversation about a warranty that changes everything. Tamil is precise here where English gets by with 'it got broken'.
A third member of the pair is polite and impersonal: உடைஞ்சிருக்கு (uḍaiñcirukku) 'it is broken', செய்யப்பட்டிருக்கு 'it has been done'. It also fits when the culprit is known but naming him is awkward. And memorize the ready-made பழுது (paḻudu) 'breakdown': பழுது பாக்கிறேன் (paḻudu pākkiṟēṉ) — to repair, பழுதாகிட்டுது — it broke down.
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?
The unit about breakdowns rests on one distinction English almost lacks. A Tamil verb usually has two twins: one says the thing did it itself, the other — that someone did it to it. உடையுது 'it breaks', உடைக்கிறேன் 'I break it'. ஆறுது 'it cools', ஆறவிடுறேன் 'I let it cool'. The difference is heard…
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.