Adding Suffixes
Adding suffixes
Adding suffixes is one of the most important things in Thamil
grammar. The rules for adding suffixes will be used in a large majority
of the remaining lessons. The rules presented below aren't all the
rules, but they are the more commonly used ones.
- suffix addition rules
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- If the suffix begins in a vowel sound and the word ends
in an இ, ஈ, ஏ, or ஐ,
insert a ய் in between.
- If the suffix begins in a vowel sound and the word ends
in an அ, ஆ, ஊ, ஒ, ஓ, or ஔ, insert a வ்
in bewteen.
- If the suffix begins in a vowel sound and the word ends
in an உ sound, and...
- If the word is made of 2 short letters, insert a வ்
in between.
- If the word is not made of 2 short letters, drop
the -உ and add the suffix.
- If the suffix begins in a vowel sound and the word is
made of 2 short letters, with the 2nd letter being a consonant, then
double the 2nd letter and add the ending.
- Otherwise, join the word and suffix as they are.
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So far, we've come across 2 instances of adding suffixes. The first
time was forming a question. Not coincidentally, each sentence ended in
a consonant, so the last rule was used. Then came present tense verbs, where a
verb suffix was added to "verb root + கிற்/க்கிற்".
Since கிற் and க்கிற் both end in a
consonant, the last rule was used again.
These rules for adding suffixes will always apply unless otherwise
specified.
Compound Subjects
Now let's try examples using the ending for compound subjects.
- Compound Subjects
- For each member of a compound subject, the suffix -உம்
is added to each word.
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Since compound subjects refer to more than 1 person or thing, the
subject thus becomes plural.
Suffix examples:
- தம்பியும் தங்கையும் கொடுக்கிறார்கள் = "Younger brother
and younger sister give."
- தம்பி -ய் -உம் = தம்பியும்
- தங்கை -ய் -உம்= தங்கையும்
- அம்மாவும் நானும் உட்கார்கிறோம் = "Mother and I sit."
- அம்மா -வ் -உம் = அம்மாவும்
- நான் -உம் = நானும்
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- நானும் மாடும் ஓடுகிறோம் = "The bull and I run."
- நான் -உம் = நானும்
- மாடு -உம் = மாடும்
- நீயும் பசுவும் பார்க்கிறீர்கள்= "You and the cow
see."
- நீ -ய் -உம் = நீயும்
- பசு -வ் -உம்= பசுவும்
- ஆணும் பெண்ணும் உட்கார்கிறார்கள் = "The male and the
female sit."
- ஆண் -உம் = ஆணும்
- பெண் -உம் = பெண்ணும்