How do I say 'How are you?' to my grandmother in Tamil?

Say 'Paatti, eppadi irukkeenga?' (பாட்டி, எப்படி இருக்கீங்க?). The -eenga ending is the respectful form; with elders always use neenga (நீங்க), never nee (நீ).

What do I call my grandparents in Tamil?

In Tamil Nadu, grandmother is பாட்டி (paatti) and grandfather is தாத்தா (thaatha). In Sri Lankan Tamil families you'll often hear அம்மம்மா (ammamma) for mother's mother and அப்பம்மா (appamma) for father's mother. Use whatever your family already uses.

How do you say 'I love you' to a grandparent in Tamil?

Most Tamil families don't say a literal 'I love you' to elders; it can sound like a film line. Affection usually shows through care: asking whether they've eaten, whether they took their medicine, and telling them you missed them (உங்கள ரொம்ப மிஸ் பண்ணேன், ungala romba miss pannen).

Is it OK to mix English into Tamil with grandparents?

Yes. Everyday spoken Tamil already borrows many English words (miss, phone, doctor, bus). Grandparents generally care far more that you're trying than about pure Tamil. Swap in Tamil words as you learn them.

Talking to Grandparents in Tamil: 20 Phrases That Matter

Here are 20 spoken Tamil phrases for talking with your grandparents, grouped by what you'll actually need: checking in on them, keeping a conversation going when your Tamil runs out, asking about their lives, food, and saying goodbye. Every phrase uses the respectful form, which is what you should use with any elder.

Two rules before the list:

Always நீங்க (neenga) ‘you (respectful)’, never நீ (nee) ‘you (familiar)’. With grandparents, the verb ends in -nga or -eenga: சொல்லுங்க (sollunga) ‘please tell (me)’, இருக்கீங்க (irukkeenga) ‘you are’. Using nee with an elder sounds rude, even from a grandchild.
These are spoken forms, the way people actually talk, not textbook Tamil. If your grandparents are Sri Lankan, some endings will differ; see the note near the end.

Start every sentence with what you call them: பாட்டி (paatti) ‘grandma’, தாத்தா (thaatha) ‘grandpa’, or your family's own word (many Sri Lankan families say அம்மம்மா (ammamma) ‘mother's mother’ or அப்பப்பா (appappa) ‘father's father’). Not sure what to call someone? The family words tool and our guide to Tamil family words cover every relative.

Checking in: the phrases that do the most work

In Tamil families, care is expressed through questions. These five carry a surprising amount of affection.

#	Tamil	Meaning
1	வணக்கம் பாட்டி!vanakkam paatti!Hello, grandma!	A respectful greeting, any time of day
2	எப்படி இருக்கீங்க?eppadi irukkeenga?How are you?	The standard polite "how are you"
3	சாப்பிட்டீங்களா?saappitteengalaa?Have you eaten?	Often how Tamil speakers say hello. Asking it shows you care.
4	உடம்பு எப்படி இருக்கு?udambu eppadi irukku?How's your health?	Literally "how is the body?"
5	மருந்து சாப்பிட்டீங்களா?marundhu saappitteengalaa?Did you take your medicine?	Tamil "eats" medicine: சாப்பிடு (saappidu) ‘eat’ works for both.

If they ask you எப்படி இருக்க? (eppadi irukka?) ‘how are you? (familiar)’, which is what an elder will say to you, answer:

#	Tamil	Meaning
6	நான் நல்லா இருக்கேன்.naan nallaa irukken.I'm well.	Add நீங்க? (neenga?) ‘and you?’ to bounce it back

Keeping the conversation going

Most heritage speakers understand more than they can say. These phrases keep the conversation in Tamil instead of collapsing into English the moment you get stuck.

#	Tamil	Meaning
7	கொஞ்சம் மெதுவா பேசுங்க.konjam medhuvaa pesunga.Please speak a little slowly.	The single most useful phrase for a learner
8	இன்னொரு தடவ சொல்லுங்க.innoru thadava sollunga.Please say it again.
9	இதுக்கு தமிழ்ல என்ன சொல்லுவாங்க?idhukku tamizhla enna solluvaanga?What's this called in Tamil?	Point at anything. Grandparents love this one.
10	எனக்கு கொஞ்சம் தான் தமிழ் தெரியும்.enakku konjam thaan tamizh theriyum.I only know a little Tamil.	Lowers the pressure for both of you
11	நான் தமிழ் கத்துக்கிட்டு இருக்கேன்.naan tamizh kaththukkittu irukken.I'm learning Tamil.	Expect delight, and corrections

A small tip: when you don't understand, say #7 or #8 instead of switching to English. It keeps you both in Tamil, and it tells them you're trying.

Hear it in real TamilWatch a 20-second clip with tap-to-translate captions and see how Bumi will work.

Asking about their lives

This is the part you'll be glad you did. Grandparents' stories are often the thing heritage learners most want to understand, and the questions are simple.

#	Tamil	Meaning
12	நீங்க சின்ன வயசுல எப்படி இருந்தீங்க?neenga chinna vayasula eppadi irundheenga?What were you like when you were young?	சின்ன வயசுchinna vayasuchildhood, "small age"
13	நீங்க எந்த ஊர்ல வளந்தீங்க?neenga endha oorla valandheenga?Which town did you grow up in?	ஊர் (oor) ‘hometown’ matters a lot in Tamil culture
14	அம்மா சின்ன வயசுல எப்படி இருந்தாங்க?amma chinna vayasula eppadi irundhaanga?What was Mum like as a kid?	Swap in அப்பா (appa) ‘Dad’ as needed
15	அந்த கதைய சொல்லுங்க.andha kadhaiya sollunga.Tell me that story.	When they start one, this keeps it going

You won't understand every word of the answer. That's fine. Listen for names, places and family words, and ask #8 when you lose the thread.

Food: the safest topic in any Tamil home

#	Tamil	Meaning
16	ரொம்ப நல்லா இருக்கு!romba nallaa irukku!It's really good!	Say it about their cooking. Often.
17	இத எப்படி பண்றீங்க?idha eppadi panreenga?How do you make this?	An excellent way to get a long answer full of everyday words
18	போதும், வயிறு நிறைஞ்சிடுச்சு.podhum, vayiru nirainjiduchchu.Enough, I'm full.	You will need this. It may not work.

Saying goodbye

#	Tamil	Meaning
19	உடம்ப பாத்துக்கோங்க.udamba paaththukkonga.Take care of your health.	A warm, very natural sign-off with elders
20	போயிட்டு வரேன்.poyittu varen.Bye (literally "I'll go and come back").	How everyone says bye. Nobody says just போறேன் (poren) ‘I'm going’; you always say you'll come back

On the phone, add அப்புறம் கூப்பிடுறேன். (appuram kooppiduren.) ‘I'll call you later.’

What about "I love you"?

You can say it, and some families do, but in many Tamil homes a literal "I love you" to a grandparent sounds like a line from a film. Affection usually travels through the care questions above. One thing that does land, and that people genuinely say:

உங்கள ரொம்ப மிஸ் பண்ணேன். (ungala romba miss pannen.) ‘I missed you so much.’

Yes, that's an English word in the middle. Spoken Tamil borrows freely from English ("miss", "phone", "doctor"), and using the words people actually use will make you sound more natural, not less. For more on how Tamil expresses affection, see how to say hello, thank you and I love you in Tamil.

If your grandparents speak Sri Lankan Tamil

Jaffna and other Sri Lankan Tamil varieties are closer to written Tamil in some ways, and the polite endings sound different. You'll often hear the fuller எப்பிடி இருக்கிறியள்? (eppidi irukkiriyal?) ‘How are you? (Sri Lankan, polite)’ instead of eppadi irukkeenga?, and many everyday words differ too. The phrases above will be understood everywhere, but if your family's Tamil is Sri Lankan, ask them to say each one their way and copy that. It's also a good conversation starter in itself.

How to actually use these

Pick three phrases per visit or call, not twenty. #2, #3 and #9 are a strong start.
Write them in your phone in Tamil and English letters. If you need to check a spelling, paste the Tamil into the transliterator.
Let them correct you. Grandparents are usually the most patient Tamil teachers you'll ever have, and being corrected by them is part of the point.
Listen to how they actually say things. Their Tamil may differ from what you read here, in accent, in words, and in how much English they mix in. Theirs is the version that matters for your family. For more on why spoken Tamil differs from the books, read spoken vs written Tamil, and for a broader everyday set, see 50 everyday spoken Tamil phrases.