Chapter 1.1 Vowels

Introduction to Alphabets

Tamil has 12 vowels and 18 consonants and one special alphabet. The rest of the letters are made out of the combination of the 12 vowels and the 18 consonants.

So the total number of alphabets is 12+18+216+1=247

Vowels:

The vowels are called Uyir ezhuthukaL (Ezhuththu is singular, EzhuthukaL is plural)

The Tamil vowels are :

அ, ஆ, இ, ஈ, உ, ஊ, எ, ஈ, ஐ, ஒ, ஓ, ஔ, ஃ

Learn to pronounce the vowels by listening to this audio file

அ, இ, உ, எ, ஒ are called short vowels (Kuril)

ஆ, ஈ, ஊ, ஏ, ஐ, ஓ, ஔ are called long vowels (Nedil)

ஃ is the special letter. It is called the Ayutha ezhuthu. It is neither a consonant nor a vowel. However, it is listed at the end of the vowel set.

Learn the Vowels with These Activities:

Tamil Vowels Worksheet (PDF)

Put the Vowels in Order Activity

Short and Long Vowel Identification Activity

Vowel Identification Activity