Chapter 2.2 Pronouns and  Question Words

Vidya Mohan; Rajiv Ranjan

Chapter 2.2 Pronouns and Question Words

Personal Pronouns

In this lesson, we will learn the Tamil pronouns and their oblique forms as well as the question words that are used.

First person plural pronouns in Tamil, distinguish between inclusive and exclusive “we”. In Tamil, the plural pronoun is used for honorific addressing. There are seven types of pronouns in Tamil. These are formed by adding the case suffixes to the oblique form of the personal pronoun.

Note on Inclusive Pronouns in Tamil:

The Idea of LGBTIQIA+ is not a new Idea to Tamil or the people of India. It was a accepted part of the society and in Sangam literature we see that trans people held many positions of power in the king’s court from head of armies to protector of the harem. Ancient Tamil in Tholkappyam also acknowledges the in-between genders and used specific pronouns for them. With the invasion of the European powers many western thoughts and beliefs from other religions were introduced into Indian culture and Homosexuality and Transgender were deemed wrong. People have to be addressed with their preferred pronouns. It is best to address people as நிங்கள்/ அவர்கள்/ அவர் /அவங்க/ அவரு with respect until you are sure how they want to addressed.

On Aug 20, 2022, the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette published a glossary of LGBTIQIA+ Tamil-English terms through G.O.(Ms).No.52, Social Welfare and Women Empowerment [SW3(1)] Department, dated 20.08.2022.

Pronoun

English Equivalent

Oblique Form

Class

Spoken Form

நான்/ Naan

I

என்

First person singular

நாம்/Naam

We

நம்

First person inclusive

நம்ம

நாங்கள்/Nangal

Us

எங்கள்

First person exclusive

எங்க

நீ/ Nee

You

உன்

Second person singular

நீங்கள்/Neengal

You

உங்கள்

Second person plural/respectful

நீங்க/உங்க

அவன்/Avan

He

அவன்

Third person singular (male)

அவே

அவள்/Aval

She

அவள்

Third person singular (female)

அவ

அவர்கள்/Avargal

They

அவர்கள்

Third person singular feminine/masculine plural/respectful

அவுங்க

அது/Athu

That

அதன்

Neutral

அதோட

இது/Ithu

This

இதன்

Neutral

இதோட

அவை/Avai

Those

Neutral

Prefixes Titles in Tamil Honorifics

English

Tamil

Mister/Mr.

Thiru திரு

Missus/Mrs.

Thirumathi திருமதி

Miss/Ms.

Selvi செல்வி

Master

Selvan செல்வன்

Honorable

Mānpumiku மாண்புமிகு

Suffixes in Tamil Honorifics and Speech When Referring to People of Different Levels

English Equivalent

Tamil Suffix

Sir

Ayya, ஐயா

Madam/Mam

(Honorific suffix to show respect to an elderly or middle-aged female of higher social order).

Amma, அம்மா

Respectful suffix for older people and people in high position in society

Avargal, அவர்கள்

“Lady” younger female

Amani, அம்மனி

Honorific suffix to refer to a single collective noun (male)

-Karar, காரர் (கடைக்காரர்/Shopkeeper பூக்காரர்/flowerseller,பால்காரர்/milk man)

Suffixes used to referring male and females of equal or lower (younger) social order

Da, Di, டா, டி

Dear

Kannu, கண்ணு

Child/Young one(usually female)

Kutti, குட்டி

Suffix colloquially between friends as an expression of familiarity or fraternity.

Machan, Machi, Bro, மச்சான், மச்சி, பொரோ

Endearing suffix in colloquial Tamil when referring to females and males,

Ma, Pa, ம, ப

Child/Young one (usually male)

Payan, Pillai பையன், பிள்ளை

It is normal to refer to men a little older to them as “Anna” (அண்ணா), older females as “Akka” (அக்கா), Younger females as “Thangachi” (தங்கச்சி), and younger males as “Thambi” (தம்பி). Even if they are strangers. It is always best to refer to anyone with respect and use the plural format when speaking.

Please read the PDF given below for more on Tamil pronouns. You may also reference the Appendix.

More about Tamil pronouns (PDF)

Activities to learn Tamil pronouns:

Question Words in Tamil

‘ஆ’,’எ’,’ஏ’,’ஓ’,’யா’ ,”வா”are called the “question letters: or Vinna ezhuthukaL.

Any noun can be made into a question by adding the letter “ஆ” to the end of the word.

When added to a word depending on the letter it is added to it will take on the sound of ஆ, யா, வா, மா, and other nedil ஆ alphabet sounds.

Example:

நீயா – Is it you?

அவனா – Is it him?

அது புத்தகமா? – Is that a book?

இ, அ, எ are called deictic sets. In English, demonstrative determiners also make a distinction between proximal and distal: “this” and “these’ refer to things that are closer to the speaker, and that and those refer to things that are farther away. The same is done in Tamil using these letters.

Example : We know the Pronouns அவன், அவள், அவர், அது, Let us see how these function in the table below.

Proximal

Distant

Question

இவன் (This man)

அவன் (that man)

எவன் (which man)

இவள் (this woman)

அவள் (that woman)

எவள் (which woman)

இவர் (This man respectful)

அவர் (that man respectful)