Why Learning Tamil Feels So Hard (And How to Fix It)

One of the biggest causes of confusion amongst Tamil learners today comes from not understanding which aspect of Tamil they want to learn.

Are you interested in reading and writing to understand literature, write letters or poetry, give speeches, or dive into advanced grammar?

Or are you interested in speaking with family and friends, being able to communicate when travelling, and understanding films?

Though it's all Tamil, there is a difference.

Today, the way we speak Tamil is different from the way we write it. The Tamil used for daily communication is a more relaxed version of the language with grammatical modifications.

This is why you'll often hear people distinguish between Formal (Written) Tamil and Spoken Tamil.

Now the gap in traditional Tamil schooling is that it focuses on Written Tamil and doesn't highlight the differences or variations in Spoken Tamil. This structure is great if you want to learn formal Tamil, or if you're a kid growing up in a community or the motherland with lots of opportunities to pick up speaking, but not when you're an adult learning Tamil for the purpose of daily communication.

Let me give you an example:

"They" in Tamil is அவர்கள் (avarkal).

But when we speak daily, we say அவெ (aveh) or அவங்க (avanga), based on the dialect you speak.

I've seen this exact word cause confusion amongst beginner Tamil speakers who've used videos or Tamil textbooks for the purpose of learning everyday spoken Tamil.

For those who live outside of our ancestral Tamil homelands and want to learn to communicate with others, the differences between formal and spoken Tamil NEED to be explained thoroughly.

Which means everyday Spoken Tamil needs to be taught to diaspora learners in detail, because whether we like it or not, Written Tamil and Spoken Tamil are not always the same.

After hosting 80+ community calls, tutoring students, and consulting with professors around the world, I've designed a structured Spoken Tamil Essentials course based on the diaspora's common struggles, confusions, and knowledge gaps.

This first level focuses on mastering the sounds of the Tamil alphabet to ensure pronunciations are solid, while exploring very basic grammar, differences between Written and Spoken Tamil, dialect variations, and the Tamil philosophies and worldview embedded within the language, all to set a strong foundation in your Tamil learning journey.

If you're serious about wanting to learn to speak Tamil confidently, sign up today.

Got questions? Send me an email (whatyoumissedintamilclass@gmail.com) I am happy to help.

Please note limited spots are available to ensure the best learning experience.