Tamil — free text-to-speech & real native pronunciation

Tamil Sounds Missing in English

Tamil Words That Trip People Up

• 🔊சொல்லு sˈollʉ the ல்ல is the plain (alveolar) l geminated
• 🔊ரஜினி ɹˈʌdʒini The ஜ is pronounced like the j in judge, not a softer or different sound.
• 🔊ப்ரியா pɹˈijaː The யா ending sounds like a long aː, not the English diphthong in 'ya'.
• 🔊த்ரிஷா tɹˈiʂaː The ஷ produces ʂ, a retroflex sh sound that English speakers often simplify to plain sh.
• 🔊ஸ்ரீதர் sɹˈiːdʌr The ஸ்ரீ begins with an English-like sr cluster followed by a long iː.
• 🔊ஆகஸ்ட் ˈaːɡʌsʈ The ஸ்ட் cluster is pronounced with a clear ʈ stop, not like English 'gust'.
• 🔊செப்டம்பர் sˈepʈʌmbʌr The ப்ட cluster creates a pʈ sequence that English speakers tend to simplify.
• 🔊அக்டோபர் ˈakɖoːbʌr The க்ட produces a kɖ sequence; the ட is a retroflex stop, not a normal d.
• 🔊நவம்பர் nˈʌvʌmbʌr The வம்பர் is pronounced with clear ʌ vowels, not like the English 'vember'.
• 🔊டிசம்பர் ɖˈisʌmbʌr The டி starts with a retroflex ɖ stop, unlike the English d in December.
• 🔊எக்ஸாம் ʲˈeɡsaːm The ஸாம் uses a long aː and the initial e is palatalized to ʲe.
• 🔊காலேஜ் kˈaːleːdʒ The ஜ் at the end is a clear dʒ sound, and the லே has a long eː vowel.

Hear the Difference

• 🔊மண் mˈʌɳ / 🔊மான் mˈaːn Contrasts retroflex ɳ versus alveolar n; English speakers merge both to a plain n and ignore the vowel length difference.
• 🔊தீ tˈiː / 🔊தீர் tˈiːr Contrasts short iː with added final r; English speakers often add an extra vowel or drop the r entirely.
• 🔊கூடு kˈuːɖʉ / 🔊கூட்டு kˈuːʈʈʉ Contrasts single retroflex ɖ versus geminated ʈʈ; English speakers merge the stops and ignore the length.
• 🔊செய் sˈej / 🔊சேய் sˈeːj Contrasts short e versus long eː before y; English speakers tend to use the same vowel quality for both.
• 🔊கண் kˈʌɳ / 🔊காண் kˈaːɳ Contrasts short ʌɳ versus long aːɳ; English speakers ignore both the vowel length and the retroflex nasal.