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Lesson 20A2

Imperative (Commands)

ஏவல் வாக்கியங்கள்

English gives commands with the bare verb and no subject at all — a striking contrast to Tamil, which still marks who's being commanded through the verb ending itself.

Grammar Comparison

இலக்கண ஒப்பீடு

No subject, no ending — just the bare verb

English

Come here! (no 'you', no special ending — just the plain verb)

Tamil

இங்க வா! / இங்க வாங்க! — the verb ending itself still signals நீ vs நீங்கள்

Tamil commands still carry formality information in the verb ending itself — வா (informal) versus வாங்க (formal) — so the listener's status is grammatically marked even without saying நீ or நீங்கள் aloud. English commands drop the subject entirely and use the plain, unconjugated verb form with no ending at all, regardless of who you're speaking to — 'Come here!' works whether you're addressing a child or your boss. Politeness in English commands is added separately, with 'please' or a softer phrasing, not through a different verb form.

Vocabulary

சொற்கள்

EnglishPronunciationTamil
Come here!kum heerஇங்க வா!inga vā!
Sit down.sit downஉட்காரு.uṭkāru.
Please wait.pleez waytதயவுசெய்து காத்திரு.thayavuseydhu kāththiru.
Don't worry.dohnt WUR-eeகவலைப்படாதே.kavalaippaḍādhē.