How it works
This Tamil alphabet chart prints the 12 vowels, அ to ஔ, the aytham ஃ and the 18 consonants, க் to ன், in order. Beside each letter is its spelling in Latin letters: a for அ, k for க்.
Read the full guide
Dot or no dot
A consonant with a dot over it is the bare sound: க் is k. Without the dot the letter carries the vowel a, so க reads ka. The chart prints both forms of all 18. The dot is called the pulli.
The chart in English letters
The spelling is ISO 15919, an international standard for writing Indian scripts in Latin letters. A line over a vowel marks the long one of a pair: a and ā, i and ī. Marks keep apart letters English has one of: ṅ, ñ, ṇ, n, ṉ and l, ḷ, ḻ.
- Each consonant joins with each of the 12 vowels. The second sheet shows all 12 on க, ka to kau.
- The Tamil alphabet chart blank comes two ways: write the Latin spelling beside each letter, or write the Tamil letters.
Questions and answers
How many letters are in the Tamil alphabet?
12 vowels, 18 consonants and one special letter, the aytham ஃ. Each consonant also joins with each vowel, which makes 216 combined letters and 247 in all. The chart prints the 31 basic letters.
What are the 12 Tamil vowels?
அ a, ஆ ā, இ i, ஈ ī, உ u, ஊ ū, எ e, ஏ ē, ஐ ai, ஒ o, ஓ ō and ஔ au. Five are short, five are long and two are diphthongs.
What are the 18 Tamil consonants?
க் k, ங் ṅ, ச் c, ஞ் ñ, ட் ṭ, ண் ṇ, த் t, ந் n, ப் p, ம் m, ய் y, ர் r, ல் l, வ் v, ழ் ḻ, ள் ḷ, ற் ṟ and ன் ṉ.
Is this a Tamil alphabet chart with English pronunciation?
It is a Tamil alphabet chart in English letters: each letter has its ISO 15919 spelling, so அ is a, ஆ is ā and க is ka. It prints no sound-alike English words.
What is ஃ in Tamil?
The aytham, written as three dots. It is counted as neither a vowel nor a consonant and is listed after the 12 vowels.