Counting in Tamil: 1 to 100
ஒன்று இரண்டு மூன்று — numbers, clock time and market-ready counting.
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One to ten: ஒன்று (ondru), இரண்டு (irandu), மூன்று (moondru), நான்கு (naangu), ஐந்து (aindu), ஆறு (aaru), ஏழு (eezhu), எட்டு (ettu), ஒன்பது (onbadu), பத்து (patthu). Chant them in rhythm — Tamil numbers love rhythm — and they stick in days, not weeks.
Eleven to nineteen build on பத்து: பதினொன்று (11), பன்னிரண்டு (12), பதிமூன்று (13)... then the tens march: இருபது (20), முப்பது (30), நாற்பது (40), ஐம்பது (50), அறுபது (60), எழுபது (70), எண்பது (80), தொண்ணூறு (90), நூறு (100). Past twenty, glue tens to units — இருபத்து ஒன்று (21) — and count to a thousand (ஆயிரம்) without fear.
Money runs on numbers: the currency is the ரூபாய் (roobaai — rupee), and எவ்வளவு? (evvalavu — how much?) is the most useful sentence in Tamil Nadu. Listen for the number, repeat it back — ஐம்பது? (fifty?) — and your first Tamil transaction completes itself.
Time reuses numbers with மணி (mani — hour): இரண்டு மணி (two o'clock), ஐந்து மணி (five o'clock). இப்போது மணி என்ன? (ippodu mani enna — what time is it now?) is the question; half hours add அரை (arai — half). Numbers, money, clocks: one skill, three daily victories.
Words and phrases for this topic
| English | Tamil | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — one | ௧ — ஒன்று | ondru |
| 2 — two | ௨ — இரண்டு | irandu |
| 3 — three | ௩ — மூன்று | moondru |
| 4 — four | ௪ — நான்கு | naangu |
| 5 — five | ௫ — ஐந்து | aindu |
| 6 — six | ௬ — ஆறு | aaru |
| 7 — seven | ௭ — ஏழு | eezhu |
| 8 — eight | ௮ — எட்டு | ettu |
| 9 — nine | ௯ — ஒன்பது | onbadu |
| 10 — ten | ௰ — பத்து | patthu |
| 100 — hundred | நூறு | nooru |
| How much? | எவ்வளவு? | evvalavu |
| Three o'clock | மூன்று மணி | moondru mani |
Language, culture, and common traps
Practice: recall, then use
Use this quick recall drill for Counting in Tamil. Hide the script and romanisation columns; say the Tamil form for each cue before revealing its row, then check spelling and sound. The phrase-table speaker buttons provide a model when a matching browser voice is available.
- 1 — one
- 7 — seven
- Three o'clock
Context check. For Counting in Tamil, “Three o'clock” belongs to a particular setting. A common mistake is to treat an English gloss as universal; read the language-specific note above and ask a fluent speaker when local usage differs.
Check your recall: answer key
- ௧ — ஒன்று ondru — 1 — one
- ௭ — ஏழு eezhu — 7 — seven
- மூன்று மணி moondru mani — Three o'clock
Questions learners ask
Both, mixed freely — but learn international digits for daily life (prices, phones, buses all use them) and recognise Tamil digits (௦௧௨௩...) for temples, invitations and proverbs. The ancient digits survive in ceremony, not commerce.
Take the number, add மணி (mani — bell/hour): மூன்று மணி (three o'clock). Half past adds அரை (arai) — மூன்றரை மணி is half past three. One rule, every clock in Tamil Nadu.
எவ்வளவு? (evvalavu — how much?). Then listen for the number plus ரூபாய் (roobaai — rupees). Market Tamil is the fastest teacher there is.