Core Words
Some Hindi words may already look or sound familiar because Tamil has related words that also came through Sanskrit. Use the filter to find them.
Showing 66 words
maata
அம்மா / மாதா
mother
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi माता and Tamil மாதா are related through Sanskrit. In Tamil, மாதா is mostly used in formal or religious settings.
pitaa
அப்பா / பிதா
father
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi पिता and Tamil பிதா are related through Sanskrit. பிதா is mostly used in formal Tamil.
maan
அம்மா
mom
bhaai
அண்ணன் / தம்பி
brother
bahan
அக்கா / தங்கை
sister
beta
மகன்
son
beti
மகள்
daughter
daadaa
தாத்தா
father's father
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
दादा means “father’s father”. It may remind you of Tamil தாத்தா because the words sound similar.
daadi
பாட்டி
father's mother
maamaa
மாமா
mother's brother
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi मामा and Tamil மாமா sound alike and have the same everyday meaning.
patni
மனைவி
wife
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi पत्नी and Tamil பத்தினி are related through Sanskrit. Tamil பத்தினி is mostly found in books or formal Tamil.
pati
கணவன்
husband
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi पति and Tamil பதி are related through Sanskrit. Tamil பதி is mostly found in books or formal Tamil.
parivaar
குடும்பம்
family
dost
நண்பன்
friend
mitra
நண்பன் / மித்திரன்
friend (mostly formal)
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi मित्र and Tamil மித்திரன் are related through Sanskrit. Both are more common in formal writing or speech than in everyday conversation.
shoonya
பூஜ்ஜியம் / சூனியம்
zero
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi शून्य means “zero”. Tamil சூனியம் is related through Sanskrit, but it often means “emptiness” or “nothingness”.
ek
ஒன்று
one
do
இரண்டு
two
teen
மூன்று
three
chaar
நான்கு
four
paanch
ஐந்து
five
chhah
ஆறு
six
saat
ஏழு
seven
aath
எட்டு
eight
nau
ஒன்பது
nine
das
பத்து
ten
bees
இருபது
twenty
pachaas
ஐம்பது
fifty
sau
நூறு
hundred
hazaar
ஆயிரம்
thousand
laakh
லட்சம்
hundred thousand
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi लाख and Tamil லட்சம் are related through Sanskrit and both mean one hundred thousand.
karod
கோடி
ten million
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi करोड़ and Tamil கோடி are related and both mean ten million.
sir
தலை
head
aankh
கண்
eye
kaan
காது
ear
naak
மூக்கு
nose
munh
வாய்
mouth / face
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Tamil முகம் is related through Sanskrit and means “face”. Everyday Hindi मुँह can mean “mouth” or “face”.
daant
பல்
tooth
haath
கை
hand
pair
கால்
leg / foot
pet
வயிறு
stomach
hriday
இதயம்
heart
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
This is a formal word for “heart”; in everyday Hindi you will often hear दिल (dil). Tamil இதயம் is related through Sanskrit.
rakt
ரத்தம்
blood
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
This is a formal word for “blood”; in everyday Hindi you will often hear ख़ून (khoon). Tamil ரத்தம் is related through Sanskrit.
shareer
சரீரம் / உடம்பு
body
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi शरीर and Tamil சரீரம் are related through Sanskrit and both mean “body”.
baal
முடி
hair
gardan
கழுத்து
neck
ungli
விரல்
finger
khaana
சாப்பாடு
food
roti
ரொட்டி
roti / flatbread
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Tamil ரொட்டி is a borrowed word that sounds very similar and has the same meaning.
chaaval
அரிசி / சோறு
rice
daal
பருப்பு
lentils
doodh
பால்
milk
paani
தண்ணீர்
water
jal
ஜலம்
water (mostly formal)
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi जल and Tamil ஜலம் are related through Sanskrit. Both are more common in formal writing or speech.
chaay
டீ / சாயா
tea
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Some groups of Tamil speakers say சாயா, which sounds similar to Hindi चाय.
namak
உப்பு
salt
cheeni
சீனி
sugar
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi चीनी and Tamil சீனி sound similar and both can mean white table sugar.
phal
பழம்
fruit
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi फल and Tamil பலன் are related through Sanskrit, but Tamil பலன் commonly means the result of an action.
sabzi
காய்கறி
vegetables
aam
மாம்பழம்
mango
kela
வாழைப்பழம்
banana
mithaai
மிட்டாய்
sweets
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi मिठाई and Tamil மிட்டாய் sound similar; Tamil மிட்டாய் commonly means “candy”.
masaalaa
மசாலா
spice mix
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi मसाला and Tamil மசாலா sound the same and have the same everyday meaning.
paapad
பப்படம்
papad
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi पापड़ and Tamil பப்படம் are related food words and may sound familiar.
ras
ரசம்
juice / flavour
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Tamil ரசம் is related through Sanskrit; the word can refer to juice or flavour.
bhojan
போஜனம் / உணவு
meal (mostly formal)
Tamil connection — this may look or sound familiar
Hindi भोजन and Tamil போஜனம் are related through Sanskrit. Tamil போஜனம் often refers to a meal or feast.