LingoflyPeople and family in Tamil
199 words in Tamil on the topic “people and family”: நண்பன் (naṇbaṉ) — friend, குடும்பம் (kuḍumbam) — family, அம்மா (ammā) — mom, அப்பா (appā) — dad. 199 words can be played from recordings.
199 words on the topic
- நண்பன்naṇbaṉfriendA male friend; a female one is thoḻi or naṇbi. About an older friend one says the respectful form with -r
- குடும்பம்kuḍumbamfamilyFamily in the wide sense — with grandparents, aunts and cousins. From it also 'family man'
- அம்மாammāmomThe way to address any woman older than yourself — a shopkeeper, an official too. It is polite address, not baby talk
- அப்பாappādadThe partner of 'mom', with the same rule for addressing elders. Also a cry of surprise: 'appa!'
- குழந்தைkuḻandaichildA small child, before school age. Son and daughter as kin are separate words; a boy and a girl a bit older get two more
- கடைக்காரர்kaḍaikkārarvendorThe suffix means 'the one at the trade': shop gives shopkeeper. The form with -r is already polite
- வாங்குறவர்vāṅguṟavarbuyerLiterally 'the buying one': the ending turns a verb into a person. 'To buy' becomes 'the buying one'
- பக்கத்து வீட்டுக்காரர்pakkattu vīṭṭukkārarneighbourLiterally 'the person of the neighbouring house': 'side' plus 'house' plus the trade suffix
- வீட்டு உரிமையாளர்vīṭṭu urimaiyāḷarlandlord'Right' plus 'holder'. In speech it shortens to 'the house person' — but that same word means 'husband', hence the muddles
- ஓய்வு பெற்றவர்ōyvu peṟṟavarretireeLiterally 'the one who has received rest': 'rest, repose' is the first word
- முதலாளிmudalāḷibossmu-da-laa-li; the l is retroflex, the tongue curled back
- சக ஊழியர்saga ūḻiyarcolleaguesa-ga u-li-yar; the curled-back zh again in the second word
- ஆள்āḷpersonThe spoken word for any human — 'someone, a certain one'. The bookish 'human being' lives in the paper; in the plural one says 'folk'
- ஆம்பிளைāmbiḷaiman'Male' and 'child' fused together. Spelled as said, so āmbaḷai also occurs. On forms and toilet doors stands the short form
- பொம்பிளைpombiḷaiwomanThe partner of 'man', assembled the same way: 'female' plus 'child'. The bookish and form-filling word is the short 'female'; also spelled pombaḷai
- பொடியன்poḍiyaṉyoung manAn island word: in Sri Lanka a fellow is poḍiyaṉ, in Tamil Nadu paiyaṉ. The bookish 'youth' stays in the paper
- பொடிச்சிpoḍicciyoung womanThe partner of 'young man', island-born too. A little girl is 'girlie'; the bookish 'maiden' is 'young female'
- கிழவர்kiḻavarold manki-la-var; the la carries the curled-back zh of Tamil
- தெரியாத ஆள்teriyāda āḷstrangerLiterally 'an unknown person': the negation is assembled by the ending -āda. The bookish word leans to 'outsider, alien'
- கூட்டம்kūṭṭamcrowdThe very word that meant 'a gathering': one word for the people in a hall and the people on a square. The place tells them apart, not the form
- மகன்magaṉsonma-gan; in the pair 'daughter' the final sound is an l with the tongue curled back
- வெளிநாட்டவர்veḷināṭṭavarforeigner'Outer' plus 'country' plus 'person'. The person form is already respectful
- வரவேற்பாளர்varavēṟpāḷarreceptionistLiterally 'the greeter': the suffix turns the deed into the person
- மீனவர்mīṉavarfisherman'Fish' plus the person tail. On the northern coast this is one of the main trades
- முடிmuḍihairThe hair of the head. Spelled like the verb 'to be able, to end', but they are different words
- உயரம்uyaramtallAlso 'height, stature': 'he is tall' is said through the noun
- குள்ளம்kuḷḷamlowkul-lam; the ll is a long retroflex l
- இளம்iḷamyoungStands before the word: 'a young fellow'. An elderly person is 'aged'
- தாடிtāḍibeardtaa-di; the t between vowels sounds like d
- மீசைmīsaimoustacheOne word for the pair of them: no 'moustache — a single one' pair here
- ஒல்லிolliskinnyAbout a person. About a thin thing one says the other word
- குண்டுkuṇḍuplumpkun-du; the nd sounds as 'nd' with the tongue at the palate
- அழகானaḻagāṉagood-lookinga-la-ga-na; the l is the curled-back sound, the g between vowels sounds like g
- தோற்றம்tōṟṟamappearancetoot-ram; the ṟṟ is 'tr' in the literary norm and 'tt' in colloquial speech
- அன்பானaṉbāṉakindThe root is 'love, affection'. The -āṉa form stands before the noun
- ஜாலியாjāliyācheerfulFrom the English jolly, but living as a word of its own. The bookish word sounds festive in speech
- புத்திசாலிputtisāliclever'Mind' plus the suffix 'endowed with'. The word serves equally as praise and as a label
- கெட்டkeṭṭawickedBad, poor, wicked — about a person and about a deed alike
- அமைதியாamaidiyācalmAbout a person and about a place alike: 'a calm little town'
- மரியாதையாmariyādaiyāpoliteThe root is 'respect' — the very thing for which an elder is spoken of with the plural you
- சோம்பேறிsōmbēṟilazysom-bay-ri; the p after m sounds like b, the r is rolled
- துணிச்சலாtuṇiccalāboldThe root is 'daring'. A relative of it means both 'cloth' and 'to dare'
- நேர்மையாnērmaiyāhonestFrom 'straight': honesty in Tamil is about straightness too
- குணம்kuṇamcharacterku-nam; the n is retroflex
- பரிமாறுபவர்parimāṟubavarwaiterpa-ri-maa-ru-ba-var; the r is rolled, the p between vowels sounds like b
- மணப்பெண்maṇappeṇbridema-nap-pen; both n's are retroflex, tongue curled back
- மணமகன்maṇamagaṉgroommanam 'marriage' + magan 'son'. The male partner of the bride word
- கல்யாணம் செய்யிறன்kalyāṇam seyyiṟaṉto get marriedLiterally 'I do a wedding'. Said the same way of a man and of a woman
- விவாகரத்துvivāgarattudivorceAn official word of the paperwork; in speech people say 'they have parted ways'
- பெற்றோர்peṟṟōrparentspet-roor; the ṟṟ is 'tr' in the literary norm and 'tt' in colloquial speech
- அண்ணாaṇṇābig brotheran-naa; the nn is a long retroflex n, tongue curled back
- அக்காakkābig sisterThe elder sister; the younger one is thangachchi. Also the polite way to address an older woman
- பாட்டிpāṭṭigrandmapaat-ti; the tt is a long retroflex tt with the tongue curled back
- தாத்தாtāttāgrandpaThe partner of the grandma word; also how any very old man is addressed
- மாமாmāmāuncleThe mother's brother — and the father-in-law too. The father's brother takes other words
- அத்தைattaiauntThe father's sister — and the mother-in-law as well. The mother's sister takes other words
- பேரன்pēraṉgrandsonA granddaughter is the peththi word; both come from per, 'name and offspring'
- உறவினர்uṟaviṉarrelativeu-ra-vi-nar; the r is rolled
- ஒன்றுவிட்ட சகோதரன்oṉṟuviṭṭa sagōdaraṉmale cousinon-ru-vit-ta sa-goo-da-ran; the ndr sounds as written
- பிள்ளைகள்piḷḷaigaḷchildrenpil-lai-gal; the double l is a long retroflex l, and so is the final one
- பையன்paiyaṉboyA boy and a young fellow. Do not mix up with pai, 'a bag'
- சிறுமிsiṟumigirlsi-ru-mi; the r is rolled
- மகள்magaḷdaughterma-gal; the final l is retroflex, tongue curled back
- உங்களுக்கு எத்தனை வயசு?uṅgaḷukku ettaṉai vayasu?how old are you?Literally 'to you how much age': age is something one 'has', hence the 'to whom' ending
- பெரியவர்periyavaradultLiterally 'a big person': an adult, a senior, or an elder spoken of with respect
- வாலிபன்vālibaṉteenagerRather 'a young man of fifteen to twenty'; speech keeps no exact word for a teenager
- பாப்பாpāppābabyAn affectionate word for the very small. The bookish term is sisu
- வயசுvayasuageThe spoken form of the bookish vayadu. 'He is old' comes out as 'his age is much'
- எனக்கு முப்பது வயசுeṉakku muppadu vayasuI am thirty years oldThe 'to whom' form again: age is not 'I am', but 'to me it is'. The phrase has no verb at all
- சுருட்டைsuruṭṭaicurlyAlmost always with the hair word: 'curly hair'. Straight hair is 'straight hair'
- வழுக்கைத் தலைvaḻukkait talaibaldva-lukkai ta-lai; the zh is that same tongue-curled-back sound of the word Tamil
- நரைச்சnaraiccagrey-hairedFrom narai, 'grey hair': 'grey-haired hair'. The bookish form is a participle
- உடல் உயரம்uḍal uyarama person's heightuyaram on its own means 'height' and 'high' — of a house, of a tree. About a person the body word is added
- ஒடிசலானoḍisalāṉaslimA compliment: slender and well-made. The 'thin' word is simply about little weight and sounds more like a reproach
- நடுத்தர உயரம்naḍuttara uyaramof medium heightnaduththara, 'middle', also stands in naduththara varkkam, 'the middle class'
- தாராளமானtārāḷamāṉagenerousFrom thaaraalam, 'generosity, abundance'. As an adverb: 'he gives generously'
- பொறுமையானpoṟumaiyāṉapatientFrom porumai, 'patience'. 'Wait a little' is said with the same stem
- உழைப்பாளிuḻaippāḷihard-workingu-laip-paa-li; first zh, then l — two different 'l' sounds in one word
- நம்பகமானnambagamāṉareliableFrom 'to believe': one you can lean on. About a person, a machine and a piece of news alike
- அடக்கமானaḍakkamāṉamodestFrom adakkam, 'restraint'. On the island it is a noticeable compliment, especially about the young
- கலந்து பழகுறkalandu paḻaguṟasociableTamil does not say it in one word: 'mixing and socialising'. The -ra form is that very participle instead of 'who'
- அக்கறையானakkaṟaiyāṉacaringFrom akkarai, 'care, concern'. 'He takes care of me' is said with this word
- தீவிரமானtīviramāṉaseriousAbout a person — 'serious, not frivolous'; about an illness and a matter — 'grave'. In live speech the borrowed English word is heard too
- பண்பானpaṇbāṉawell-manneredFrom panbu, 'character, culture'. A compliment to one who knows how to carry himself; about a child they say 'good upbringing'
- நகைச்சுவை உணர்வுnagaiccuvai uṇarvusense of humournagaiccuvai, 'humour', is literally 'the taste of laughter', unarvu 'a feeling'. In speech people more often say 'he cracks jokes'
- கஞ்சன்kañcaṉstingyIn Tamil this is a noun for a person — 'a miser'. The trait on its own takes another word
- பிடிவாதமானpiḍivādamāṉastubbornpidi, 'to hold', plus vaadam, 'an argument': he holds on to his own. 'He clings to his stubbornness' is how they put it
- முரட்டுத்தனமானmuraṭṭuttaṉamāṉarudeAbout a person and about speech. The boor himself has his own noun; about rough cloth they say it differently
- திமிர் பிடிச்சtimir piḍiccabrazenthimir, 'arrogance', plus 'caught by it'. A strong word: to the face it is said only in a quarrel
- தந்திரமானtandiramāṉacunningFrom thandhiram, 'cunning, a trick'. Not always a reproach: a fox and a good move in a game are called so too
- வாயாடிvāyāḍichattyvaa-yaa-di; the d is retroflex, tip of the tongue at the palate
- கவனம் இல்லாதkavaṉam illādaabsent-mindedThe ordinary word for 'attention'; illaadha means 'which is not'. Half of the Tamil 'un-' attributes are built exactly so
- முன்கோபக்காரன்muṉgōbakkāraṉhot-temperedmun 'ahead' + the anger word: the anger arrives before the thought. About a woman there is a feminine form
- அக்கறை இல்லாதakkaṟai illādaindifferentExactly the opposite of the caring word: the care is not there. The pair is memorised together
- பழக்கம்paḻakkamhabitBoth a habit and an acquaintance: 'I have a pazhakkam with him' means 'I know him'. A bad habit takes the 'bad' word
- தோழிtōḻifemale friendtho-li; the zh is the curled-back sound, the tongue does not touch the palate
- பழக்கமானவர்paḻakkamāṉavaracquaintanceFrom the pazhakkam word, which here means 'acquaintance', not 'habit'. Literally — 'the one with whom there is acquaintance'
- திறமைtiṟamaitalentTalent, ability and capacity at once — Tamil does not split them. An inborn gift is underlined by the 'bestowal' word
- பிறந்தன்piṟandaṉto be bornGiven in the past form 'I was born': this verb has no present about oneself. A birthday is 'the day one was born'
- சின்ன வயசுsiṉṉa vayasuchildhoodLiterally 'small age'. The bookish 'the age of childhood' is written but never said
- இளமைiḷamaiyouthFrom ilam, 'young'. The word means both youth as a time and youthfulness as a quality: 'he is young in spirit'
- வயது வந்த வாழ்க்கைvayadu vanda vāḻkkaigrown-up life'The life of one who has come of age': Tamil keeps no separate word for 'an adult'
- தலைமுறைtalaimuṟaigenerationthalai 'a head' + murai 'a turn': the succession of heads in a line. 'The new generation' is said with the new word
- சொந்த ஊர்sonda ūrhome townoor is a city, a village and 'the place I am from' at once; size does not occupy Tamil. Hence the question 'which is your oor?'
- அஞ்சு வருஷம் இந்த நாட்டில இருக்கிறன்añcu varuṣam inda nāṭṭila irukkiṟaṉto have lived in the country for five yearsTamil puts the present here, not the past: 'I have been in the country five years' — for here I still am
- நினைவுniṉaivumemoryFrom ninai, 'to think'. The same word means 'memory' and 'consciousness': 'the memory has come back' means 'I came round'
- பழைய படம்paḻaiya paḍaman old photographThe picture word means a photograph, a drawing and a film: 'I am going to see the picture' means 'to the cinema'
- விதிvidifateThe same word means 'a rule': 'the house rules'. Fate for Tamil is simply a rule someone has laid down
- புது வாழ்க்கையை ஆரம்பிக்கிறன்pudu vāḻkkaiyai ārambikkiṟaṉto start a new lifeaarambikkiran, 'I begin', is a Sanskrit word but a native of everyday speech. The pure Tamil verb is a shade more bookish
- குடும்பம் நடத்துறன்kuḍumbam naḍattuṟaṉto start a familyTamil does not 'start' a family but 'conducts' it: nadaththuran, 'I lead, I maintain'. About the decision itself they say 'I tie the wedding'
- பணக்காரpaṇakkārawealthyPanam, 'money', plus the -kaara ending. About a person people say panakkaarar — the form with the final r is commoner
- ஏழைēḻaipoore-zhai; the zh is that very curled sound of the word Tamil itself
- அறை நண்பர்aṟai naṇbarroommateArai, 'room', plus nanbar, 'friend'. Young people just say the English 'roommate'
- சின்ன வயசு நண்பர்siṉṉa vayasu naṇbarchildhood friendLiterally 'a friend of small age'. Vayasu is the spoken form of the bookish 'age'
- தூரத்து உறவினர்tūrattu uṟaviṉardistant relativeThooram, 'distance', plus uravinar, 'kin'. A close relative is 'a near one'
- பிள்ளைகளை வளர்க்கிறன்piḷḷaigaḷai vaḷarkkiṟaṉraise childrenValar, 'to grow': the same verb grows a tree and hair. Upbringing as training in manners is its noun form
- பேர் போனpēr pōṉarenownedLiterally 'whose name has spread'. Pirabalamaana, 'popular', is about fashion and the present day; this one is about fame
- பலமானbalamāṉapowerfulBalam, 'strength', plus -aana. A strong wind and strong tea are said differently — with kadum
- நிச்சயதார்த்தம்niccayatārttamengagementA rite with trays exchanged and a date announced. The word shares its root with 'certainly': an engagement is 'a sure bargain'
- நிச்சய மோதிரம்niccaya mōdiramengagement ringModhiram is 'ring', plus 'certain'. For Tamils the great wedding sign is not a ring but the thali, the cord on the neck
- கல்யாணச் சேலைkalyāṇac sēlaiwedding sariLiterally 'the wedding sari': a Tamil bride marries in a sari, not a gown. The white European dress is called by the English 'gown'
- புதுமணத் தம்பதிகள்pudumaṇat tambadigaḷnewlywedsThambadhi is a married couple as one whole; 'new marriage' turns it into newlyweds
- தேனிலவுtēṉilavuhoneymoonLiterally 'the honey moon' — a calque from English that took root completely. People go to Kandy or Nuwara Eliya most of all
- புதுமனை புகுவிழாpudumaṉai puguviḻāhousewarmingLiterally 'the feast of entering the new house'. Milk is boiled till it boils over the rim — that is the main rite
- துக்கம்tukkammourningBoth grief and the mourning period in a house. On those days no festive food is cooked and no lamp is lit
- விவேகமானvivēgamāṉasensibleAbout a person and a decision. Clever as quick-witted is another word; vivegam is level-headedness
- நல்ல மனசுnalla maṉasukindnessLiterally 'a good heart'. The bookish spelling is written, but aloud people say 'the mind'
- சகிப்புத்தன்மைsagipputtaṉmaifortitude'Tolerating' plus the quality ending. Patience of waiting is another word; fortitude is the art of enduring
- பொறுமைpoṟumaipatiencepo-ru-mai; the r is the rolled kind, and the word is one syllable away from 'envy'
- சுயநலம்suyanalamself-interest'One's own' plus 'welfare': 'care for one's own'. A harsh word, rarely said to the face
- சோம்பேறித்தனம்sōmbēṟittaṉamlaziness'A lazybones' plus the ending that turns a person into a trait. Built the same way as 'stupidity' and 'stubbornness'
- பிடிவாதம்piḍivādamstubbornness'Grip' plus vaadham, 'argument'. The adverb 'doggedly' is its kind twin
- ஆர்வம்ārvamcuriosityIt means 'interest' and 'curiosity' in one: Tamil does not split them. The blaming shade is added with the 'empty' word: 'idle curiosity'
- நேர்மைnērmaiintegrityFrom ner, 'straight'. The adjective 'honest' is a separate word — this is its noun
- சாதுரியம்sāduriyamresourcefulnessThe skill of getting out by word and by deed. The sly 'trick' thandhiram is its dark side
- அசட்டைasaṭṭaicarelessnessLiterally 'not giving it importance'. About work the same word means 'negligence', and that is already a reproach
- துணிச்சலானtuṇiccalāṉaresoluteFrom 'boldness': one who resolves. The adjective 'firm' is a separate word — about a person it means 'steadfast', not this
- வெட்கப்படுறveṭkappaḍuṟashyA participle of 'to feel bashful'. There is no adjective: Tamil describes through the verb
- சட்டெண்டு மனசு நோகிறsaṭṭeṇḍu maṉasu nōgiṟaquick to take offenseLiterally 'whose heart aches in a flash'. There is no word of its own; the offense itself is named by a separate word
- இணங்கிப் போறiṇaṅgip pōṟaeasygoingLiterally 'going toward agreement'. Near to 'to adapt', but that one is about circumstances, this one about people
- நுணுக்கமா பாக்கிறnuṇukkamā pākkiṟameticulousLiterally 'looking into the small things'. The adverb 'thoroughly' nunukkamaa is its base
- தன்முனைப்பானtaṉmuṉaippāṉavain'One's own' plus 'thrusting forward'. Self-interest is about gain; this is about self-regard
- உதவுற மனசுள்ளudavuṟa maṉasuḷḷahelpfulLiterally 'with a mind that helps'. Kindness is assembled from the same word for the heart
- தனிமையா இருக்கிறtaṉimaiyā irukkiṟawithdrawnLiterally 'keeping to loneliness'. The noun 'loneliness' is a separate word
- நேரா கதைக்கிறnērā kadaikkiṟabluntLiterally 'speaking straight'. Whether it is praise or blame, the intonation decides
- யூகிக்க ஏலாதyūgikka ēlādaunpredictableLiterally 'which cannot be guessed'. Elaadu is the island negative participle — the same one as in 'irreversible changes'
- சொல் கேக்கிறன்sol kēkkiṟaṉobeyLiterally 'I hear the word'. Plain 'I hear' is a separate word; obedience is built with 'word'
- பெருமை பேசுறன்perumai pēsuṟaṉbragLiterally 'I speak greatness'. To be proud in the good sense is the other verb — only the helper word differs
- புறணி பேசுறன்puṟaṇi pēsuṟaṉspread gossipPurani is 'talk behind the back'. A word with blame: one cannot say it about oneself
- நடிக்கிறன்naḍikkiṟaṉpretendLiterally 'I play a role': the actor's verb. The ready 'to put on an act' is a separate phrase, nearer to showing off
- அடக்கிக் கொள்ளுறன்aḍakkik koḷḷuṟaṉhold back'To suppress' plus 'for oneself'. The helper returns the action to the doer, as in 'to get ahead'
- கிண்டல் செய்யிறன்kiṇḍal seyyiṟaṉteaseKindal is a good-natured jab. A mean mockery is the other word, and the difference is heard at once
- பொய் சொல்லுறன்poy solluṟaṉtell a lieLiterally 'I say a lie'. The noun poy, 'a lie'; there is no single verb 'to lie'
- ஒட்டுக் கேக்கிறன்oṭṭuk kēkkiṟaṉeavesdropLiterally 'I listen stuck on': the 'stick' verb ottu. To peek is built on the same model
- வலிய வந்து ஒட்டுறன்valiya vandu oṭṭuṟaṉimpose oneselfLiterally 'I come by force and stick on'. Valiya is 'beyond one's strength', and in this phrase it is the key
- சொன்ன சொல்லைக் காப்பாத்துறன்soṉṉa sollaik kāppāttuṟaṉkeep one's wordLiterally 'I guard the word I said'. The guarding verb is a separate word — here it means 'not let it perish'
- தகுதியா பெறுறன்tagudiyā peṟuṟaṉdeserveLiterally 'I receive by worth'. To earn money is sambaadhikkiran, and it does not fit here
- குத்திக் காட்டுறன்kuttik kāṭṭuṟaṉreproachLiterally 'I stab and show'. To accuse outright is the other phrase; a reproach is finer and hurts more
- புகழுறன்pugaḻuṟaṉpraisePaaraatturen, 'to praise', is about merit; this one is admiration aloud
- குற்றம் சொல்லுறன்kuṟṟam solluṟaṉdenounceLiterally 'I call it a fault'. The condemn verb is a separate word, and the court has its own phrase
- நம்பிக்கையைக் கெடுக்கிறன்nambikkaiyaik keḍukkiṟaṉlet downLiterally 'I spoil the trust'. To deceive is one verb; to let down is not to live up to hope, and it is milder
- தெரிஞ்சேteriñcēon purposeLiterally 'knowing': the participle of 'to know' with the booster -e. The neighbor 'specially' is a separate word
- முட்டாள்தனமாmuṭṭāḷtaṉamāout of foolishness'A fool' plus the quality ending plus the adverb tail. Assembled the same way as 'laziness'
- நல்ல எண்ணத்தோடnalla eṇṇattōḍawith the best of intentionsThe sociative -oda with 'intention'. Literally 'with a good intention'
- அது நல்லா இல்லைadu nallā illaithat is not niceLiterally 'that is not good'. About an act Tamil says 'not good', not 'not pretty': beauty has nothing to do with it
- அவர் வேணும் எண்டு செய்யேல்லைavar vēṇum eṇḍu seyyēllaihe meant no harmLiterally 'he did not do it on purpose'. Tamil lets no word for 'evil' in here — it speaks of intent
- நம்பிக்கைnambikkaitrustThe same word as 'faith' and as inside 'to trust': the object tells them apart — faith in god, trust in a person
- பொறாமைpoṟāmaienvypo-raa-mai; next to it stands 'patience' — the same consonants, different vowels
- பரிதாபம்paridābampityThe nearest word means both 'sin' and 'poor thing'; this one is exactly the feeling of pity
- செல்வாக்குselvākkuinfluenceInfluence among people. An impact on nature is thaakkam — different things
- மதிப்புmadippuauthorityLiterally 'worth': in a person it is the respect of those around. The judgment word madhippeedu shares the root
- பரஸ்பரமாparasparamāmutualA Sanskrit word; in speech you hear it shorter: 'from both sides'
- சம நிலையிலsama nilaiyilaas equalsLiterally 'on an equal level'. The 'evenly matched' adverb is about strength; this is about relations
- ஒத்துப் போறன்ottup pōṟaṉget alongThe same phrase as 'conform': there a thing fits a norm, here a person fits a person
- ஒதுங்கி இருக்கிறன்oduṅgi irukkiṟaṉkeep out of itThe 'scoot over' verb: there about room on a bench, here about one's place among people
- கணவர்kaṇavarhusbandThe polite form with the respectful tail -ar. In speech puruṣan is more common but plainer
- மனைவிmaṉaiviwifeFrom manai, 'house': literally 'the one of the house'. The counterpart of kaṇavar
- மக்கள்makkaḷpeopleThe plural of magan, 'son'. Also 'the folk, the nation' — it shows up in party names
- மாமியார்māmiyārmother-in-lawThe husband's mother and the wife's mother are the same word. It leans to the husband's side: his family comes first
- மனைவியின்ர அம்மாmaṉaiviyiṉra ammāwife's motherThere is no separate word: both mothers-in-law are maamiyaar. To tell them apart people say 'the wife's mother'
- மாமனார்māmaṉārfather-in-lawThe partner of maamiyaar, the same root as the uncle word: by custom a girl married her uncle, so uncle and father-in-law are kin in the language
- மருமகன்marumagaṉson-in-lawmaru- means 'by marriage'. In Jaffna speech the same word serves for a nephew, so people specify: 'the daughter's husband'
- மருமகள்marumagaḷdaughter-in-lawThe female partner of the son-in-law word. To her face she is called by name; in the third person, 'my marumagal'
- அண்ணன் மகன்aṇṇaṉ magaṉnephewNo single word exists: Tamil says whose son it is — the elder brother's, the younger brother's, the sister's. There is no bare 'my nephew'
- அக்கா மகள்akkā magaḷnieceThe same line-drawing: the elder sister's daughter, or the brother's. The father's line and the mother's line are kept apart
- பேத்திpēttigranddaughterThe partner of the grandson word; both from per, 'the one who comes after, a generation later'
- இரட்டைப் பிள்ளைகள்iraṭṭaip piḷḷaigaḷtwinsirattai means 'double, paired' — of things too: a double bed is the same phrase
- சொந்தக்காரர்sondakkārarextended familysondham is 'one's own, of one's blood'. The relative word names one person; this one means the whole crowd of kin
- மூத்த சகோதரன்mūtta sagōdaraṉelder brotherIn speech annaa is enough: Tamil keeps no ageless 'brother', a younger one is tambi. The long form is written on forms
- தங்கச்சிtaṅgaccilittle sisterThe elder one is akkaa, the younger one thangachchi, and you cannot choose: age sits inside the word. The bookish form is thangai
- ஒரே பிள்ளைorē piḷḷaionly childore means 'the single one', not the same as oru, 'one of'. If the sex matters, they say 'the only son' or 'the only daughter'
- ஒன்றுவிட்ட சகோதரிoṉṟuviṭṭa sagōdarifemale cousinonruvitta means 'skipping a knee', the female partner of the male cousin phrase. In speech such a sister is just called akkaa
- மாற்றாந்தாய்māṟṟāndāystepmothermaarru 'a replacement' + thaay 'mother'. Nobody says it to her face: she is addressed as amma or by the aunt word
- மாற்றாந்தகப்பன்māṟṟān-tagappaṉstepfatherThe partner of the stepmother word, from the father word. He is still addressed as appa or by the uncle word
- அனாதைaṉādaiorphanFrom Sanskrit: 'without support'. Hence also the orphanage, literally 'the house of the anaadhai'
- விதவைvidavaiwidowA Sanskrit word. Living speech keeps no male partner: a widower is 'the one whose wife died'
- துணைவர்tuṇaivarlawful husbandthunai is 'a support, a companion': a word of forms and polite speech. At home people say the plain husband word
- துணைவிtuṇaivilawful wifeThe female partner of thunaivar. A newspaper writes it of a minister's wife; in conversation, the plain wife word
- ரெண்டு பேராreṇḍu pērāthe two of usThe partner of 'together' and 'alone'. 'Person' is the counting word for people, and 'by two people' means 'the two of us'; three of a kind follows the same pattern
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How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
What is worth knowing about these words
நண்பன் (naṇbaṉ) — friend. A male friend; a female one is thoḻi or naṇbi. About an older friend one says the respectful form with -r.
குடும்பம் (kuḍumbam) — family. Family in the wide sense — with grandparents, aunts and cousins. From it also 'family man'.
அம்மா (ammā) — mom. The way to address any woman older than yourself — a shopkeeper, an official too. It is polite address, not baby talk.
அப்பா (appā) — dad. The partner of 'mom', with the same rule for addressing elders. Also a cry of surprise: 'appa!'
Test yourself
First by ear — the way you will meet the word in conversation. Click the speaker and pick the translation.
- What is this word?
It is நண்பன் (naṇbaṉ) — friend.
- What is this word?
It is பக்கத்து வீட்டுக்காரர் (pakkattu vīṭṭukkārar) — neighbour.
- What is this word?
It is பொம்பிளை (pombiḷai) — woman.
- What is this word?
It is வெளிநாட்டவர் (veḷināṭṭavar) — foreigner.
- What is this word?
It is தாடி (tāḍi) — beard.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “friend” in Tamil?
A male friend; a female one is thoḻi or naṇbi. About an older friend one says the respectful form with -r
- How do you say “neighbour” in Tamil?
Literally 'the person of the neighbouring house': 'side' plus 'house' plus the trade suffix
- How do you say “woman” in Tamil?
The partner of 'man', assembled the same way: 'female' plus 'child'. The bookish and form-filling word is the short 'female'; also spelled pombaḷai
- How do you say “foreigner” in Tamil?
'Outer' plus 'country' plus 'person'. The person form is already respectful
- How do you say “beard” in Tamil?
Careful: the near word means 'a staff', and another one 'a jaw'. Length and the place of the tongue tell them apart
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
Mum, friend, child, neighbour. The first thing people ask you about, and the first thing you tell about yourself.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- Study spread over days wins not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “friend” in Tamil?
«நண்பன்» (naṇbaṉ), read “naṇbaṉ”. A male friend; a female one is thoḻi or naṇbi. About an older friend one says the respectful form with -r. It is one of 199 words in the set “people and family” — the rest are in the table above.
How many family words do you need to start?
The whole set on this page is 199 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.
Is there audio?
Yes, 199 words on this page can be played — click the speaker next to the word. The sound works on any phone, and nothing needs to be installed.