Gerunds vs. Infinitives
-ing வடிவம் vs to + வினைச்சொல்
After certain verbs, English demands the -ing form; after others, it demands 'to' plus the verb — and the choice is dictated purely by the first verb, not by any consistent underlying logic.
Grammar Comparison
இலக்கண ஒப்பீடு
Memorize per-verb, since there's no reliable rule
I enjoy swimming. (enjoy + -ing) vs. I want to swim. (want + to + verb)
தமிழில் வினைச்சொல் இரண்டாக பிரிக்கப்படாது — ஒரே வடிவம் அனைத்து சூழலிலும் பயன்படும்
Tamil doesn't split its verb forms this way — the equivalent construction stays consistent regardless of which main verb precedes it. English forces a binary choice after certain verbs (enjoy, avoid, finish take -ing; want, decide, hope take to + verb), and unfortunately the choice has to be memorized verb by verb, since no consistent underlying logic predicts it. Build a running list as you encounter each new verb, rather than searching for a rule that will explain all of them at once.
Vocabulary
சொற்கள்
| English | Pronunciation | Tamil |
|---|---|---|
| I enjoy swimming. | eye en-JOY SWIM-ing | எனக்கு நீச்சல் பிடிக்கும்.enakku nīchal piḍikkum. |
| I want to swim. | eye wont too swim | எனக்கு நீச்சல் அடிக்கணும்.enakku nīchal aḍikkaṇum. |
| She finished cooking. | shee FIN-isht KOOK-ing | அவள் சமைச்சு முடிச்சிட்டா.avaḷ samaichu muḍichiṭṭā. |
| He decided to leave. | hee di-SY-did too leev | அவன் போக முடிவு செஞ்சான்.avan pōga muḍivu senjān. |