Languages.Org.Au - Tamil

Why learn Tamil

Tamil is spoken by approximately 78 million people and by about 68 million of these as their first language according to Vistawide's World Languages and Cultures page. Tamil language is described in Britannica a member of the Dravidian language family, spoken in India (particularly in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry) and is also an official language in Sri Lanka and Singapore. Tamil is also recognised as a classical language. There is a large community of Tamil speakers in Australia and in Canberra. For data based on the 2021 Australian Census, see the summary for language spoken at home in the ACT on the ".id - the population experts" website (select Show all under the table).

Links to Languages.Org.Au Tamil resources

Guides, online courses and tutorial resources for learners of Tamil

These are listed alphabetically.

Conversational Tamil – a series of simple lessons to learn to speak Tamil through English. Select the "Lessons" tab to explore the learning resources.
ilearn Tamil – Learn Tamil through English, with ten Tamil lessons; verbs; dictionaries; nouns in Tamil and English, calendar and important days; grammar.
Memrise Tamil – a range of options including Beginners Tamil Script, Beginners' Tamil, Basic Tamil Vocabulary, Intermediate and Advanced Tamil, 100 Tamil Verbs, A1 Tamil Course, Basic Tamil Words, and Colloquial Tamil.
How to learn Tamil – an introductory page with some tips on learning Tamil, including notes on the Tamil script, vowels and consonants, and recommendations on some useful materials and websites such as lessons from the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Texas at Austin, the Central Institute of Indian Languages and the government of Tamil Nadu's Virtual Academy.