Pronunciation guide
How to say “Brother” in Tamil
Say “annaṉ”. Written அண்ணன் in Tamil.
அண்ணன்
Say it: “annaṉ”
Formal notation: aṇṇaṉ
Syllable breakdown
Try saying the word one syllable at a time:
a·ṇṇaṉ
Speaking tips for this word
- Retroflex consonants (ṭ, ḍ, ṇ, ṣ) are pronounced with the tongue curled back, touching the roof of the mouth — different from English t/d/n/sh.
When to use it
"Annan" is elder brother; "thambi" (தம்பி) is younger brother.
Saying “Brother” in Tamil — frequently asked
How do you pronounce "Brother" in Tamil?
Say "annaṉ" — broken into syllables: a-ṇṇaṉ. The native spelling is அண்ணன்.
What is the simplest way to say "Brother" in Tamil?
The most common Tamil word for "brother" is அண்ணன், pronounced "annaṉ". It works in everyday speech with no formality concerns.
Is "aṇṇaṉ" the same as "annaṉ"?
Yes. "aṇṇaṉ" uses IAST notation with diacritics — the long lines (ā ī ū) mean "hold the vowel longer". "annaṉ" is the same word written the way an English speaker might spell it phonetically.
Are there other ways to say "Brother" in Tamil?
Yes — common alternates include: Annan, Anna, Thambi. அண்ணன் is the most widely understood.
Want more context?
See the full Tamil word page for “Brother” →Includes alternate translations, example sentences, related vocabulary and the word in cultural context.
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