Two Nice Blogs

Vannakkam! Eppadi Irukkinga?

Hey Everyone, today I stumbled upon two Blog's I would like to tell you about!

http://history-of-hinduism.blogspot.com This is an awsome blog all about Hinduism history and Culture. As many Tamil speakers are Hindu, I thought this would be an interesting link for you. I use this site quite often and I really like it.

http://learning-tamil.blogspot.com/ this is also a great blog! It has some Tamil book reviews, grammar notes and reading exrecises very very great resource!


If I find more I will add them and if anyone has suggestions please tell me.

So Until nextLesson Enjoy some Music:

Video Tamil Lessons!

Hey Guys! I just wanted to tell you about some Tamil Lessons on youtube. This one I found is quite good and is all conversational! I hope you like them!

A Very Short Tamil Lesson

Vannakkam! Epadi irukkinga?

Hello Everyone, so as I promised today, I will be adding some more Tamil Lessons, to start with today I'm going to add a very short lesson, maybe it can be a little bit of a refressher for you. But I hope you like it and it will prove useful for you.But here are a couple of things before we learn the Vocabulary:

• There is now a Tamil Course on Itunes! Its called Learn Tamil by langauge reef. There is also many apps for Learning Tamil which are fairly useful. Some you must pay for and some are free! But Search in Itunes! If you are interested there is also music you can purchase on Itunes. One Aplication I have is : Desi Radio not only does it have Tamil but Hindi, Telugu, Urdu, Panjabi, Kannada and Malyalam. I believe this App is free, but its great!
• I would like you all to check this http://radiotime.com/Search.aspx?query=tamil it has many Tamil Radio stations you can listen to from India and around the world!I just found this site and I like it very much. I would recomend it to anyone.
• Also check out http://bbc.com/tamil for news and updates in Tamil, also has a news audio option.

Okay, so now that is out of the way. Let's focus on some Tamil Vocabulary. This are pretty useful words that may not prove useful now but in later lessons and in understanding Tamil, I think they are pretty imporant. So here they are-

Peeru-name, although we have learned this before in our basic phareses, I deciced to Include in this Vocabulary list. So the word is Peeru as is En Peeru Asin "My name is Asin".

Aama- yes

Niinga-You. Tamil like man other langaugs, has different words for you. This one Niinga means you in a polite way. As if you you were going to ask a stranger Niinga Vijay-aa? "Are you Vijay?"

Maanvaan-student

romba-very

Vaa!-Come! This a more abrupt way of saying "come!" Respectfully, you should say Vaanga which means more like "please come".

Konjam-little

Poo- go! Like the same as above, when being respectful, say Poonga

Ooyvu-rest

En-my

Edu-take!

konja neeram- sometime.

Inge-Here

I added this words on my Quizlet Account and you can acess them here: http://quizlet.com/1407082/colloquail-tamil-lesson-1-flash-cards/

*Quizlet is a Flashcard website allowing you to play games and take tests with the FlashCards! Very good site :)

These are some Grammar Point's you must remeber in Tamil.

1) In Tamil there can be verbless sentances. This mostly happens with "to be". For example, above I gave the example of En Peeru Asin which we know means, "My name is Asin," however, if we were literally translating this, it would be "My name Asin". Sort of sounds like Pidgen English, Right?

2) As you have probably read before, Tamil has cases. One of the Cases exsists in Possession. The suffix for this is -ooda. However it is commonly not used with pronouns and is optional when speaking. But you should at least know to regonize it.

Example:

Maanavanooda - students

oonga pustagam-your book

Okay, So I think this is Engough for now. I will be adding much more tommorow. So enjoy this lesson and I will be back tommorow posting more things Im hoping to get a Tamil reading lesson up and another grammar lesson up. Stay tuned!

Updates!!

Vannakkam! Epaddi irukkinga?

Sorry Everyone, I had forgot my password and now Im back on here! Dont worry, Im gonna have another lesson posted this week! =) Hope you will enjoy!!

Tamil Nadu Cuisine!

We all know that Indian food is quite yummy, but Tamil food for me is the best out of all Indian cuisine. So Today, Im going to teach you how to make two of my favorite dishes.

1.Masala Dosa

Ingredients:
1 cup plain rice.
1 cup parboiled rice.
1/4 cup white urad dal.
1/2 tsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds
1 /2 tsp soda bi carbonate
1/2 cup curds the batter.
10-12 tsps. ghee or oil as preferred
water for grinding


Instructions:
For masala:
2 large onions in vertical slices 2 large potatoes boiled and peeled 4-5 green chillies 1
tbsp. chopped coriander 8-10 cashews halved 1/2 tsp. each urad dal, cumin & mustard
seeds 2 tbsp. oil 1/4 tsp. turmeric salt to taste
Wash the rice and dal together. Add plenty of water and methi seeds. Allow to soak for 7-
8 hours or overnight. Re wash the rice by draining the water 2-3 times. Grind to a paste.
Rawa-like grains should be felt in Add soda bicarb and salt and mix well. Keep aside in a
warm place for 8-10 hours. Beat the curds well.
Add to the batter, add more water if required. The consistency of the batter should be
enough to thickly coat on a spoon when dipped. Heat the iron griddle or non-stick tawa
well. Pour a spoonful of batter in the centre, spread with the back of the spoon to a thin
round.
Pour a tsp. of ghee or oil over it. Spread chutney spread over dosa. Place a tbsp. masala
in the centre. Fold into triangle to cover masala. Remove with spatula when crisp. Serve
hot with chutney and/or sambar.
Chop potatoes coarsely. Chop green chillies. Heat oil, add cashews and brown lightly.
Add dal, seeds and splutter. Add chillies and onions. Fry till tender. Add turmeric, salt,
potatoes, coriander. Mix well.





2. Idli

Ingredients:
long grain rice 3 cups
uncle ben's par boiled rice 1/2 (half) cup
urad daal 1 cup
salt to taste
fresh coconut (half a coconut)
green chillies - 3 or 4
dhalia (dried chana/ kadalai paruppu) 1 tbsp
oil - 1 tbsp
mustard - 1/2 (half) tsp
curry leaves - 5-6 leaves

Instructions:
Soak both the rice in one container and the daal in another. Soak for 4 to 6 hours.
Grind the Urad Daal to a very fine paste.
Grind the rice separately and add to the Daal paste.
Add the salt and mix well and leave the batter in a warm place for about a day and half, till
the batter rises.
Pour the dough in the idli makers (if no idli maker - you can pour the dough into a flat
steel plate or bowl and steam it in a pressure cooker - no whistle please).
Steam for about 10 to 15 mins.
Serve yummy hot idlis.

Tamil Tv- A great way to practice Tamil!

Besides watching movies and listening to Music. Tamil Shows and Soaps are great to help your langauge skills. This reason is because the langauge used on tv is useually the most recent and soap's esspecailly arevery easy to follow and understand whats going on without knowing the language fully.

Kushboo Ruthra


Marma Desam



Follow : http://www.youtube.com/user/rajshritamil to watchfull epiosodes of tamil shows. Another good channel is Sun Tv.

Deal or No Deal-Tamil Style

Some more Tamil Music :) And movie Clips!

Vizhi Moodi


Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaya Them


PERAZHAGAN


Surya <3 <3

Tamil Alphabet

Hey everyone! I decided to post a lesson on the alphabet! Hope you enjoy :) I will update more soon.


அ a ஆ aa இ i ஈ ii

உ u ஊ uu எ e ஏ ee

ஐ ai ஒ o ஓ oo ஔ au

க் k ங் ng ச் ch ஞ் nj

ட் t ண் N த் TH ந் n ப் p

ம் m ய் y ர் r ல் l

வ் v ழ் z ள் L ற் R

ந்ன் nm ஸ் S ஷ் sh

ஹ் h ஜ் j ஸ்ரீ sri க்ஷ் kshi


Some Vocab also:
பெரிய periya(big)

வயதான vayathana(old)

சிறிய chiriya(small)

அழகான alakana(beautiful)

பச்சை pachchai(green)

நீலம் nilam(blue)

மஞ்சள் நிறம் manchaL niRam(yellow)

வெள்ளை vellai(white)

கருப்பு karuppu(black)

ஆரஞ்சுப் பழம் aranchup palam(orange)

ஊதா utha(purple)

இளஞ்சிவப்பு menchivappu(pink)

சிகப்பு chikappu(red)

Updates on My Tamil

As you all know, Im not a native speakr but Im also learning Tamil. I have gave up a little bit on it because of univeristy. But now I have taken on the challange of improving my Hindi and Persian. And from scartch Im learning Tamil and Bengali. One of myfavorite websites is having a game or I guess challenge of learning a language for a whole year without stopping and of course I have chosen Tamil, so it will, hopefully keep me motivated. I will updating this blog a lot more now, and I hope everyone enjoys more lessons.

Tamil Resource Links

Many people have asked me to put up some links of what sites I use to Learn Tamil. So I have made a post about it. Here are some great resources for learning Tamil.

http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/plc/tamilweb/

http://www.tamilo.com/learn-tamil-education-57.html

http://tamilo.com/Learn_Tamil/alphabet.pdf

www.tamilvu.org
-This one is my favorite and the best :)

Enna solla pogirai

Lyrics&Translation

Illai Illai solla oru ganam podhum
It just takes a moment to say "No"

Illai endra sollai thanguvadhendraal
To actually come to terms with it

Innum Innum enakkor janmam vendum
I need another birth

Enna solla pogirai?
So what are you going to say?

Sandhana thendralai jannalgal dhandiththal Nyayamaa, Nyayamaa?
Isn't it unfair of the windows to punish the breeze that carries the
fragrance of sandalwood?

Kadhalin kelvikku kangalin badhilenna mounamaa, mounamaa?
Is silence the reply of the eyes to my question of love?

Anbae endhan kaadhal solla, nodi ondru podhumae
My love, it would just take a moment to express my love

Adhai Naanum meippikka thaane, oru aayul vendumae
But to actually prove it, I need a lifetime


Idhayam oru kannadi
The heart is a mirror

Unadhu bimbam veezhndhadhadi
Your image fell on it

Idhu dhaan un sondham idhayam sonnadhadi
"She is the one for you!", said my heart!

Kannadi bimbam katta
To tie that image

Kayirondrum illayadi
There is no rope available

kannaadi oonjal bimbam aadudhadi
The image is therefore swaying in the glass swing

Nee Ondru solladi pennae!
Just utter one word my girl!

Illai, Nindru kolladi kannae!
Or just wait and kill me!

Endhan vaazhkkaiye unadhu vizhi vilimbil
My entire life is hanging by the edges of your eyes

Ennai thuraththaadhey, uyir karaiyeradhey
Don't drive me away, my life would remain unfulfilled!



Vidiyal vandha pinnalum
Even after it has dawned

Vidiyadha iravu edhu?
Which is the night that is yet to dawn?

Poovasam veesum un koondhaladi
Your tresses that carry the fragrance of flowers

Ivvulagam irunda pinnum
Even after the world is plunged in darkness

Irulaadha baagam edhu
Which is the part that is still bright?

Kadhir vandhu paayum undhan kangaladi
Your radiant eyes of course!

Pala ulaga azhagigal koodi
Several great beauties could come together

Un paadham kazhuvalam vaadi
And painstakingly wash your feet

En thalir malare, innum thayakkamenna?
My young blossom, why hesitate still?

Ennai puriyaadhaa? Idhu vaazhava saava?
Haven't you yet understood me? Is this life or death?

Lesson 2: Basic Pharses in Tamil

Here are some survial words to get you around in Tamil :)

Good Morning!
Kaalai Vanakkam

Good Evening!
Maalai Vanakkam

Welcome! (to greet someone)
Varugai!

Thanks
Nandri

How Are You?
Eppati irukkinga? (or) Nalamaa?

I'm Fine, Thanks!
Nallaa irukéan! (or) Nalam! , Nandri!

And You?
Nienga?

Good/ So-So.
Sari

Thank You (Very Much)!
Romba Nandri

You're Welcome! (answering "thank you")
Paravaa illa

Hey! Friend!
Alo! Nanbaa!

I Missed You So Much!
unnai nehachi romba yengi poi vittean

What's New?
Enna seithi?

Nothing Much
Onnum illai

Good Night!
Iravu vanakkam

See You Later!
Apram paarkalame!

Good Bye!
Poittu varén!

Lesson1: Personal Pronouns

I'm going to start with personal Pronouns and I am not going to use the Tamil Script so you can pronounce it.

Naan-I
Avan-He
Aval-She
Nee-You
Athu-It

Some Examples in Sentances:
Naan porean(I go)
Avan poraan(He goes)
Aval nethu pearundhu valiya vandha(She came by bus yesterday)
Unga peru enna? What's your name?

Welcome to Learn Tamil

Hello Everyone and welcome to Learn Tamil. I have made this blog to help other learners of Tamil and share my experiences learning Tamil. I will do my best to help you with learning this beautiful but difficult language . So for some background on Tamil, it is the official language of India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. It has 66 million native speakers and was the called the first classical language of India. Tamil is part of the Dravidian family of languages and is written in the Tamil Script. I am going to try to post links, music and media to help with learning Tamil. I will also put up some lessons! I hope you enjoy this site! Also many people ask me, who do I want to learn Tamil? The answer is simply because I think Tamil is an extremely beautiful language and I love Tamil music, Tamil movies and Tamil culture