Tamil (தமிழ் tamiḻ) is a classical language and one of the major languages of the Dravidian language family. Spoken predominantly by Tamils in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore, it has smaller communities of speakers in many other countries. As of 1996, it was the eighteenth most spoken language, with over 74 million speakers worldwide. It is one of the official languages of India, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

Pronunciation guide

This is where you put a full list -- if possible -- of the alphabet or symbol set of the language. For languages that use pictograms -- like Chinese or Japanese -- you can simply give a pronunciation of the most common Romanized script. It will be a good start, at least.

Here follows an (inexpert) guide to the English alphabet; note that it doesn't make a lot of sense, since it's describing many English letters in terms of themselves. This is just an example. Note also that it's split up into vowels, consonants, and diphthongs; these may be appropriate for most European languages, but might not work for others. Split the alphabet up in accordance with the language you're describing.

Vowels

a 

like 'a' in "apple", 'a' in "cake", "a" in "amen"

e 

like 'i' in "magazine", 'e' in "bed" (often silent at the end of a word)

i 

like 'i' in "pine", 'i' in "fin"

o 

like 'ow' in "low", like 'o' in "top"

u 

like 'oo' in "hoop", like 'u' in "cup"

Consonants

b 

like 'b' in "bed"

c 

like 's' in "supper", 'k' in "kid"

d 

like 'd' in "dog"

f 

like 'ph' in "phone"

g 

like 'g' in "go", 'j' in "jello"

h 

like 'h' in "help" (often silent in the UK and other Commonwealth countries)

j 

like 'dg' in "edge"

k 

like 'c' in "cat"

l 

like 'l' in "love"

m 

like 'm' in "mother"

n 

like 'n' in "nice"

p 

like 'p' in "pig"

q 

like 'q' in "quest" (with "u", almost always)

r 

like 'r' in "row", like 'r' in "feather" (often silent in the UK and other Commonwealth countries at end of word)

s 

like 'ss' in "hiss", like 'z' in "haze"

t 

like 't' in "top"

v 

like 'v' in "victory"

w 

like 'w' in "weight"

x 

like 'cks' in "kicks", like 'z' in "haze" (at beginning of a word)

y 

like 'y' in "yes", like 'ie' in "pie", like 'ee' in "flee"

z 

like 'z' in "haze"

Common diphthongs

ay 

like 'ay' in "say"

ai 

like 'ay' in "say"

au 

like 'awe'

ee 

like 'ee' in "see"

ei 

like 'ay' in "say"

ey 

like 'ay' in "say", like 'ee' in "see"

ie 

like 'ee' in "see"

oi 

like 'oy' in "boy"

oo 

like 'oo' in "food", like 'oo' in "good"

ou 

like 'ow' in "cow", like 'oo' in "food", like 'o' in "cot"

ow 

like 'ow' in "cow"

oy 

like 'oy' in "boy"

ch 

like 'ch' in "touch"

sh 

like 'sh' in "sheep"

th 

like 'th' in "this", like 'th' in "those"

gh 

like 'f' in "fish"

ph 

like 'f' in "fish"

Phrase list

An overview of phrases can go here. Note that the phrases sections listed below are in a general order of how important they are, and how a traveler would need them. Thus, transportation comes before hotels, which in turn come before restaurants. This ordering is arbitrary but may be helpful. See also Wikitravel:Phrasebook Expedition for more details on choosing different phrases.

The following is a phrase guide from English to English; in a real phrase guide, the second part of each entry would be in the target language, and the third part would be an English-like pronunciation suggestion.

Basics

Hello. 

Vanakkam

Hello. (informal) 

Hi

How are you? 

eppadi irukeenga?

Fine, thank you. 

nallaa irukkEn.

What is your name? 

ungGa pEru enna?

My name is ______ . 

en pEru ______

Nice to meet you. 

ungGala paatthadhu romba santhOsham

Please. 

thayavu seithu

Thank you. 

nandri.

You're welcome. 

Vaanga.

Yes. 

Aamam.

No. 

Illai.

Excuse me. (getting attention) 

mannikkaNum

Excuse me. (begging pardon) 

I'm sorry. 

Enna maniichudunga.

Goodbye 

pOyittu varEn

Goodbye (informal) 

varEn

I can't speak name of language [well]. 

ennaala name of language pEsa mudiyaathu

Do you speak English? 

english pEsuveengala?

Is there someone {here/around-here} who speaks English? 

ingGa yaaravathu English pEsuveengGala/pEsuvaangGalaa?

Help! 

uthavi!

Look out! 

paathu!

Good morning. 

kaalai vaNakkam

Good evening. 

maalai vaNakkam

Good night. 

Good night (to sleep) 

nalliravu

I don't understand. explain clearly / again 

Puriyala. thelivaa / thirumbavum chollungGa

Where is the toilet? 

Toilet/kakkoos engGa irukku

At this point, the fake phoneticizations of English are going to stop, and be replaced by ellipses.

Problems

Leave me alone. 

enna thaniyaa vidu

Don't touch me! 

enna thodaathE

I'll call the Police. 

Police-a kooppuduvEn

Police! 

Police!

Stop! Thief! 

pudeengGa thirudan.

I need your help. 

ungGa udhavi vEnum.

It's an emergency. 

romba avasaram / romba urgent

I'm lost. 

naan tholanJuttEn

I lost my bag. 

en bag tholanJu pOcchu

I lost my wallet. 

en paNa pai tholanJu pOcchu

I'm sick. 

enakku odambu seri-illai. or enakku sugamillai

I've been injured. 

enakku adi pattirukku.

I need a doctor. 

enakku oru doctor vEnum

Can I use your phone? 

unga phone-a naa ubayOkikalaamaa

Numbers

1 

one (onnu)

2 

two (rendu)

3 

three (moonu)

4 

four (naalu)

5 

five (anJu)

6 

six (aaru)

7 

seven (yElu)

8 

eight (yettu)

9 

nine (onbathu)

10 

ten (pathu)

11 

eleven (pathinonnu)

12 

twelve (pannirendu)

13 

thirteen (pathimoonu)

14 

fourteen (pathinaalu)

15 

fifteen (pathinanJu)

16 

sixteen (pathinaaru)

17 

seventeen (pathinElu)

18 

eighteen (pathinettu)

19 

nineteen (patthonbathu)

20 

twenty (irupathu)

21 

twenty one (irupatthu onnu)

22 

twenty two (irupatthu rendu)

23 

twenty three (irupatthu moonu)

30 

thirty (mup-ppathu)

40 

forty (naap-pathu)

50 

fifty (am-pathu)

60 

sixty (aru-pathu)

70 

seventy (elu-pathu)

80 

eighty (en-pathu)

90 

ninety (thonnooru)

100 

one hundred (nooru)

200 

two hundred (eru nooru)

300 

three hundred (mun nooru)

1000 

one thousand (aayiram)

2000 

two thousand (rendu aayiram)

100,000 

hundred thousand (oru latcham) {Indian system}

1,000,000 

one million (pathu latcham)

10,000,000 

ten million (oru kOdi) {Indian system}

1,000,000,000 

one thousand million in UK, one billion in USA (nooru kOdi)

1,000,000,000,000 

one billion in UK, one trillion in USA (latcham kOdi)

number _____ (train, bus, etc.) 

number _____ (...)

half 

half (arai / paathi)

less 

less (kammi)

more 

more (jaasthi / athigam)

Time

now 

ippO(...)

later 

appuram(...)

before 

munnaadi(...)

morning 

kaalai(...)

afternoon 

mathiyam / mathiyaanam(...)

evening 

malai / saayingkalam(...)

night 

iravu / raatthiri(...)

Clock time

one o'clock AM 

kaalai oru mani (...)

two o'clock AM 

kaalai rendu mani (...)

noon 

mathiyam / mathiyaanam (...)

one o'clock PM 

mathiyam / mathiyaanam oru mani (...)

two o'clock PM 

mathiyam / mathiyaanam rendu mani (...)

midnight 

nalliravu / nadu-raatthiri (...)

Duration

_____ minute(s) 

_____ nimisham (...)

_____ hour(s) 

_____ mani (...)

_____ day(s) 

_____ naal(...)

_____ week(s) 

_____ vaaram (...)

_____ month(s) 

_____ maasam (...)

_____ year(s) 

_____ varusham (...)

Days

today 

inru / innaikki

yesterday 

netru / nEtthaikki

tomorrow 

naalai / naalaikki

this week 

intha vaaram

last week 

pona vaaram

next week 

adutha vaaram

Sunday 

nyaayiru

Monday 

thingGal

Tuesday 

sevvaai

Wednesday 

puthan

Thursday 

vyaalan

Friday 

velli

Saturday 

sani

Months

If speakers of the language commonly use a calendar other than the Gregorian, explain it here and list its months. See Hebrew phrasebook for an example.

January 

January (Thai)

February 

February (Maasi)

March 

March (Panguni)

April 

April (Chiththirai)

May 

May (Vaikasi)

June 

June (Aani)

July 

July (Aadi)

August 

August (Aavani)

September 

September (Purattasi)

October 

October (Aippasi)

November 

November (Kaarthikai)

December 

December (Markali)

Writing time and date

Give some examples how to write clock times and dates if it differs from English.

Colors

black 

karuppu (...)

white 

vellai (...)

gray 

saambal (...)

red 

sivappu (...)

blue 

neelam (...)

yellow 

manJal (...)

green 

pachai (...)

orange 

orange (...)

purple 

purple (...)

brown 

kaappi-podi (...)

Transportation

Bus and train

How much is a ticket to _____? 

_____ ku ticket evlavu? (...)

One ticket to _____, please. 

_____ ku oru ticket kudunga, please. (...)

Where does this train/bus go? 

intha train/bus enga pOguthu? (...)

Where is the train/bus to _____? 

_____ ku train/bus enga? (...)

Does this train/bus stop in _____? 

intha train/bus _____ la nikkumaa? (...)

When does the train/bus for _____ leave? 

_____ ku train/bus eppO kelambum? (...)

When will this train/bus arrive in _____? 

eppO train/bus _____ vanthu sErum? (...)

Directions

How do I get to _____ ? 

_____ ku eppadi pOrathu? (...)

...the train station? 

...pugai vandi nelayam (...)

...the bus station? 

... perunthu nelayam (...)

...the airport? 

...the airport (...)

...downtown? 

...downtown (...)

...the youth hostel? 

...the youth hostel (...)

...the _____ hotel? 

...the _____ hotel (...)

...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? 

...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate (...)

Where are there a lot of... 

enga neraya... (...) irukkum?

...hotels? 

...hotels? (...)

...restaurants? 

...restaurants? (...)

...bars? 

...bars? (...)

...sites to see? 

...parkum idam? (...)

Can you show me on the map? 

Map la kaata mudiyumaa? (...)

street 

theru (...)

Turn left. 

idathu pakkam thirumbungGa. (...)

Turn right. 

valathu pakkam thirumbungGa. (...)

left 

idam (...)

right 

valam (...)

straight ahead 

nEraa (...)

towards the _____ 

_____ pakkam (...)

past the _____ 

_____ thaandi (...)

before the _____ 

_____ munnaadi (...)

Watch for the _____. 

_____ ku paarunga. (...)

intersection 

intersection (...)

north 

vadakku (...)

south 

therku (...)

east 

kilakku (...)

west 

mErku (...)

uphill 

mEdu (...)

downhill 

pallam (...)

Taxi

Taxi! 

Taxi! (...)

Take me to _____, please. 

_____ ku kooti ponga, please. (...)

How much does it cost to get to _____? 

_____ ku evalo aagum? (...)

Take me there, please. 

anga kooti ponga, please. (...)

Lodging

Do you have any rooms available? 

Rooms irukkaa? (...)

How much is a room for one person/two people? 

oru / rendu aalu room evlavu aagum? (...)

Does the room come with... 

... roomOda varumaa? (...)

...bedsheets? 

...pOrvai (...)

...a bathroom? 

...bathroom (...)

...a telephone? 

...telephone (...)

...a TV? 

...TV (...)

May I see the room first? 

muthalla rooma pakkalamaa? (...)

Do you have anything ....? 

itha vida ..... vEra irukkaa? (...)

...quieter? 

...amaithiyaa (...)

...bigger? 

...perusaa (...)

...cleaner? 

...sutthamaa (...)

...cheaper? 

...cheepaa (...)

OK, I'll take it. 

seri, eduthukarEn. (...)

I will stay for _____ night(s). 

_____ iravu(kal) thangGuvEn. (...)

Can you suggest another hotel? 

vEra hotel Ethaavathu sollunga? (...)

Do you have a safe? 

locker irukkaa? (...)

Is breakfast/supper included? 

kalai-tiffin/night-saapadu sEtthaa? (...)

What time is breakfast/supper? 

kalai-tiffin/night-saapadu etthanai manikku? (...)

Please clean my room. 

Room suttham pannunga. (...)

Can you wake me at _____? 

enna _____ maniku eluppi vda mudiyumaa? (...)

I want to check out. 

Check out panrEn. (...)

Money

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? 

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? (neengGa america/austhiralia/canadia naattu dollar-gala yEtrukkolveergalaa?)

Do you accept British pounds? 

Do you accept British pounds? (neengGa british pounds-a yEtrukolveergalaa?...)

Do you accept credit cards? 

Do you accept credit cards? (neengGa credit card-a yEtrukkolveergalaa?)

Can you change money for me? 

Can you change money for me? (ennOda paNatthukku chillarai maatthi thara mudiyumaa?)

Where can I get money changed? 

Where can I get money changed? (engGa enakku chillarai kadaikkum?)

Can you change a traveler's check for me? 

Can you change a traveler's check for me? (neengGa yenakkaaga payanigal check-a maatthi thara mudiyyumaa?)

Where can I get a traveler's check changed? 

Where can I get a traveler's check changed? (payanikal check-a ennala engGa maattha mudiyum)

What is the exchange rate? 

What is the exchange rate? (Exchange Rate yenna?)

Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM) (nearby)? 

Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? ((pakkatthula) ATM enGa irukku?)

Eating

A table for one person/two people, please. 

oru maejai oru nabarukku allathu irandu paerukku, thayavusaithu

Can I look at the menu, please? 

naan intha menuvai parkkalama, thayavusaithu...

Can I look in the kitchen? 

intha samayyal arayyinai naan parkkalaamaa?...

Is there a house specialty? 

Ethavathu speciala irruka

I'm a vegetarian. 

Naan saivam

I don't eat pork. 

Naan pork/panrikari sappida maattaen.

I don't eat beef. 

Naan beef/maattukkari sappida maattaen

Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) 

Ennna koriva uthunga

fixed-price meal 

Allavu sapadu

à la carte 

à la carte (...)

breakfast 

breakfast

lunch 

lunch (...)

tea (meal) 

tea (...)

supper 

supper (...)

I want _____. 

Ennaku _____ venum

I want a dish containing _____. 

I want a dish containing _____. (...)

chicken 

chicken (...)

beef 

beef (...)

fish 

fish (...)

ham 

ham (...)

sausage 

sausage (...)

cheese 

cheese (...)

eggs 

eggs (muttai)

salad 

salad (pachai kaikari)

(fresh) vegetables 

pachai kaikari

(fresh) fruit 

pazham

bread 

bread (...)

toast 

toast (...)

noodles 

noodles (...)

rice 

satham

beans 

beans (...)

May I have a glass of _____? 

Ennakku oru glass ______ vennum.

May I have a cup of _____? 

Ennakku oru cup ______ vennum.

May I have a bottle of _____? 

Ennakku oru bottle ______ vennum.

coffee 

coffee (...)

tea (drink) 

tea (...)

juice 

juice (...)

(bubbly) water 

thanni

water 

thanni

beer 

beer (...)

red/white wine 

red/white wine (...)

May I have some _____? 

May I have some _____? (...)

salt 

uppu

black pepper 

mezhagu

butter 

vennai (This some times can be a insulting word.)

Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)

Excuse me, waiter? (...)

I'm finished. 

I'm finished. (...)

It was delicious. 

Rusiya irunthathu

Please clear the plates. 

Plate clear panirunga

The check, please. 

The check, please. (...)

Bars

Do you serve alcohol? 

Do you serve alcohol? (...)

Is there table service? 

Is there table service? (...)

A beer/two beers, please. 

A beer/two beers, please. (...)

A glass of red/white wine, please. 

A glass of red/white wine, please. (...)

A pint, please. 

A pint, please. (...)

A bottle, please. 

A bottle, please. (...)

_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. 

_____ and _____, please. (...)

whiskey 

whiskey (...)

vodka 

vodka (...)

rum 

rum (...)

water 

water (...)

club soda 

club soda (...)

tonic water 

tonic water (...)

orange juice 

orange juice (...)

Coke (soda) 

Coke (...)

Do you have any bar snacks? 

Do you have any bar snacks? (...)

One more, please. 

One more, please. (...)

Another round, please. 

Another round, please. (...)

When is closing time? 

When is closing time? (...)

Shopping

Do you have this in my size? 

Do you have this in my size? (...)

How much is this? 

How much is this? (...)

That's too expensive. 

That's too expensive. (...)

Would you take _____? 

Would you take _____? (...)

expensive 

expensive (...)

cheap 

cheap (...)

I can't afford it. 

I can't afford it. (...)

I don't want it. 

I don't want it. (...)

You're cheating me. 

You're cheating me. (...)

I'm not interested. 

I'm not interested. (..)

OK, I'll take it. 

OK, I'll take it. (...)

Can I have a bag? 

Can I have a bag? (...)

Do you ship (overseas)? 

Do you ship (overseas)? (...)

I need... 

I need... (...)

...toothpaste. 

...toothpaste. (paste'tu)

...a toothbrush. 

...a toothbrush. (...)

...tampons. 

...tampons. (...)

...soap. 

...soap. (...)

...shampoo. 

...shampoo. (...)

...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) 

...pain reliever. (...)

...cold medicine. 

...cold medicine. (...)

...stomach medicine. 

...stomach medicine. (...)

...a razor. 

...a razor. (...)

...an umbrella. 

...an umbrella. (...)

...sunblock lotion. 

...sunblock lotion. (...)

...a postcard. 

...a postcard. (...)

...postage stamps. 

...postage stamps. (...)

...batteries. 

...batteries. (...)

...writing paper. 

...writing paper. (...)

...a pen. 

...a pen. (...)

...English-language books. 

...English-language books. (...)

...English-language magazines. 

...English-language magazines. (...)

...an English-language newspaper. 

...an English-language newspaper. (...)

...an English-English dictionary. 

...an English-English dictionary. (...)

Driving

I want to rent a car. 

I want to rent a car. (...)

Can I get insurance? 

Can I get insurance? (...)

stop (on a street sign) 

stop (...)

one way 

one way (...)

yield 

yield (...)

no parking 

no parking (...)

speed limit 

speed limit (...)

gas (petrol) station 

gas station (...)

petrol 

petrol (...)

diesel 

diesel (...)

Authority

I haven't done anything wrong. 

I haven't done anything wrong. ("Naan oru thappum seya villai")

It was a misunderstanding. 

It was a misunderstanding. (...)

Where are you taking me? 

Where are you taking me? (Ennai enga kootitu poringe)

Am I under arrest? 

Am I under arrest? (Ennai kaithu seyringala)

I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. 

I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. (...)

I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. 

I need to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. (...)

I want to talk to a lawyer. 

I want to talk to a lawyer. (Naan oru vakeel kittai pesa vendum)

Can I just pay a fine now? 

Can I just pay a fine now? (Naan abaratham kattutaa?)

Learning more

• The Kannada Alphabet - Images of Kannada Alphabets with the pronunciation in English
• Basic sentences in Kannada
• Learn Kannada - Has a static as well as an interactive flash based tutorial