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Chapter 3.1 Verb Classes and Verb Endings

Verbs in Tamil – வினைச்சொற்கள் (vinnai sorkkal)

All Tamil verbs exist in the command form. Suffixes of tense, gender and number are added to the end of them to change them. The rule is Verb + tense marker + pronoun/gender/number marker. How these are added are based on what class the verb belongs to depending on its ending letter. Adding “nga” to the end of a verb makes it a request. The plural marker is also used to denote “please”.

Pronoun, Number, and Gender Markers for Ending a Verb in Tamil:

Gender/Number Marker Pronoun/English
ஏன் நான்/1st person
ஓம் நாம்/நாங்கள் 1st person, plural (inclusive and exclusive)
ஈர்கள் நீங்கள் 2nd person, respectful
ஆய் நீ 2nd person, impolite
ஆன் அவன் 3rd person, singular, masculine
ஆர் அவர் 3rd person, singular, male, polite
ஆள் அவள் 3rd person, singular, female
ஆர்கள் அவர்கள் 3rd person, singular, female, respectful OR 3rd person, plural
அது அது/இது 3rd person, other than humans, including all animate and inanimate objects (Neuter)

Please use this activity to learn the verb endings for First, second, third and neuter endings. In this activity please concentrate on the ending letters of the verbs alone. The list of verbs are given further down in this chapter.

Tamil Verb Classes

The Tamil verbs are divided into seven classes depending on the ending letter of the word. The verbs in classes 1-4 are called weak verbs and 6 and 7 are called strong verbs. Class 5 verbs are divided individually.

Class General Pattern Example:

  1. One syllable, short vowel
    1. ends in ய் eg: செய்
    2. ends in ள் eg: ஆள்
    3. ends in ல் eg: செல்
  2. Two syllables, ends in -ய், -ர், -ழ், -இ, -ஐ eg: வளர்
  3. Ends in -உ (exception -டு, -று ) eg: பேசு
  4. Ends in -டு, -று eg:போடு
  5. Irregular verbs – see separate chart for this given below (tends to end in ல் or ள்)
  6. Combination of Class 2 and Class 4 patterns eg: கொடு
  7. Ends in -அ e.g.: நட

Types of Forms Taken on by Tamil Verbs:

The Tamil verb takes on many forms as it morphs to give the correct meaning to a word.

Tamil Verbs and its different forms flow diagram
Flow diagram of different forms of Tamil verbs, created by Vidya Mohan 2024, CC BY-NC 4.0

Given below is a PDF of the types of Tamil verbs and how they morph in detail. You may also reference the Appendix.

Tamil Verbs and its different forms (PDF)

List of 25 Verbs for Novice Tamil Learner 

Before we learn about how the verbs morph in Tamil for each tense, let us learn the following basic verbs that are essential for common conversations at a beginner level. The verbs are given with their English meaning, transliteration, and to which of the seven classes they belong to.

Number Tamil Verb Transliteration English Equivalent Type
1 வா/வரு Vaa come 2
2 சாப்பிடு Saapidu eat 4
3 போ Poh go NA
4 பண்ணு Pannu do 3
5 செய் Sei do 1
6 நட Nada walk 7
7 உட்கார் Utkaar sit down 2
8 திற Thira open 7
9 மூடு Moodu close 3
10 எழுது Ezhuthu write 3
11 வாங்கு Vaangu buy 3
12 பேசு Paesu speak 3
13 கேளு Kaelu listen 5
14 மன்னி Manni forgive 6
15 கொண்டாடு Kondadu celebrate 3
16 முடி Mudi complete 6
17 சொல் Sol say NA
18 ஆரம்பி Arambi start 6
19 காட்டு Kaattu show 3
20 பார் Paar see 6
21 ஓடு Odu run 3
22 கற்றுக்கொள் Katrukol learn NA
23 நில் Nil stand 5
24 படி Padi read/study 6
25 இரு Iru be 7

Activity for Learning the Verbs

 

 

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