Understanding Tamil Nouns: Gender and Number Explained for English Speakers

Introduction to Tamil Nouns

In Tamil, nouns are words that name people, places, things, or ideas. Like in English, Tamil nouns have characteristics such as gender and number, which affect how they are used in sentences. Understanding these features is essential for mastering Tamil grammar.

Gender in Tamil Nouns

Tamil nouns are classified into three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. This classification influences verb conjugation and adjective agreement.

Masculine Gender

Masculine nouns typically refer to male beings or entities considered masculine. For example, அப்பா (appa) means 'father'.

Feminine Gender

Feminine nouns refer to female beings or entities considered feminine. For example, அம்மா (amma) means 'mother'.

Neuter Gender

Neuter nouns refer to objects, animals, or abstract concepts without a specific gender. For example, பூ (pū) means 'flower'.

Number in Tamil Nouns

Tamil nouns can be singular or plural. The plural form is usually created by adding suffixes to the singular noun.

Forming Plurals

Common plural suffixes include -கள் (-kaḷ) and -ங்கள் (-ṅkaḷ). For example, மரம் (maram) means 'tree', and மரங்கள் (maraṅkaḷ) means 'trees'.

Examples of Gender and Number in Tamil Nouns

Summary

Tamil nouns have gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and number (singular, plural). Recognizing these helps in proper sentence construction and communication.