Learn Nouns in Tamil

In Tamil, there are no definite and indefinite articles as in English. However, we use oru(ஒரு) where the indefinite articles a and an are used where it denotes just one person or thing.

எனக்கு ஒரு பழம் வேண்டும். Yennakku oru pazham vendum.

I want a fruit.

எனக்கு ஒரு மாம்பழம் வேண்டும்.Yennakku oru maampazham vendum

I want a mango.

வேண்டும் - denotes the verb want.

எனக்கு ஒரு வளையல் வேண்டும்.

ஒரு ஊரில் ஒரு குரங்கு இருந்தது. oru ooril oru kurangu irundadu.

In a village there lived a monkey.

Tamil nouns are divided into உயர்திணை(uyarthinai) and அஃறிணை(agRinai)

Uyaithinai is classified into aanpaal(masculine) and penpaal(feminine) nouns.

Masculine nouns denote gods, and men only. for example, தேவன்(devan-god), இந்திரன்(indiran-god Indra), மனிதன்(manidan - man), மகன்(magan - son ), தம்பி(tambi - younger brother), குரு(guru - teacher).

Feminine nouns denote goddesses, and women only. தேவி(devi = goddess), இலட்சுமி=ilatchumi - goddess Lakshmi), மகள் (magaL - daughter), மனைவி(manaivi - wife)

அஃறிணை(agRinai)

These are nouns denoting animals and inanimate things all regarded as neuter. For example

நாய்(naay - dog), மரம்(maram - tree). Distinct words are often used to distinguish the sex of animals; but all such words are still regarded as neuter. For example pettai (பெட்டை)- hen.