Pronunciation guide
How to say “Hello” in Tamil
Say “vanakkam”. Written வணக்கம் in Tamil.
வணக்கம்
Say it: “vanakkam”
Formal notation: vaṇakkam
Syllable breakdown
Try saying the word one syllable at a time:
va·ṇa·kkam
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.
Saying “Hello” in Tamil — frequently asked
How do you pronounce "Hello" in Tamil?
Say "vanakkam" — broken into syllables: va-ṇa-kkam. The native spelling is வணக்கம்.
What is the simplest way to say "Hello" in Tamil?
The most common Tamil word for "hello" is வணக்கம், pronounced "vanakkam". It works in everyday speech with no formality concerns.
Is "vaṇakkam" the same as "vanakkam"?
Yes. "vaṇakkam" uses IAST notation with diacritics — the long lines (ā ī ū) mean "hold the vowel longer". "vanakkam" is the same word written the way an English speaker might spell it phonetically.
Want more context?
See the full Tamil word page for “Hello” →Includes alternate translations, example sentences, related vocabulary and the word in cultural context.
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