DesiLingo

Pronunciation guide

How to say “Sister” in Tamil

Say akkaa. Written அக்கா in Tamil.

அக்கா

Say it: akkaa

Formal notation: akkā

Syllable breakdown

Try saying the word one syllable at a time:

a·kkā

Speaking tips for this word

  • Long vowels (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū) take about twice as long as short ones. Hold the sound rather than clipping it short.

When to use it

"Akka" is elder sister; "thangai" (தங்கை) is younger sister.

Saying “Sister” in Tamil — frequently asked

How do you pronounce "Sister" in Tamil?

Say "akkaa" — broken into syllables: a-kkā. The native spelling is அக்கா.

What is the simplest way to say "Sister" in Tamil?

The most common Tamil word for "sister" is அக்கா, pronounced "akkaa". It works in everyday speech with no formality concerns.

Is "akkā" the same as "akkaa"?

Yes. "akkā" uses IAST notation with diacritics — the long lines (ā ī ū) mean "hold the vowel longer". "akkaa" is the same word written the way an English speaker might spell it phonetically.

Are there other ways to say "Sister" in Tamil?

Yes — common alternates include: Akka, Thangai. அக்கா is the most widely understood.

Want more context?

See the full Tamil word page for “Sister” →

Includes alternate translations, example sentences, related vocabulary and the word in cultural context.

⭐ 4.7 · 10,000+ Indian families

Learn 1,000+ Tamil words, phrases & lessons on the Bhasha app

Daily 5-minute lessons, audio from native speakers, progress tracking and 1,000+ words. Free to start — first 8 units unlocked, no card required.

  • ✓ Native-speaker audio
  • ✓ Offline lessons
  • ✓ Progress sync
  • ✓ Ad-free for kids
Get it on
Google Play