Tamil numbers, written and spoken.

Type any number up to 99,99,99,999 to get the Tamil words, the Tamil numeral and the way people actually say it.

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Spoken

Tamil numeral

Written (formal)

Traditional numerals

Tamil numbers 1 to 100

Zero: பூஜ்ஜியம் (poojjiyam). Also சுழியம் (suzhiyam, pure-Tamil word used in modern textbooks) and பூச்சியம் (poochchiyam, Sri Lankan usage). In speech many people simply say ஸீரோ (seero, "zero").

1–10

11–20

21–30

31–40

41–50

51–60

61–70

71–80

81–90

91–100

TipOnce you know 1 to 10 and the tens (இருபது irubadhu 20, முப்பது muppadhu 30, நாற்பது naarpadhu 40…), the rest follows one rule: the tens word takes a linking ending and the unit is added, often fused into one word, as in இருபத்தைந்து (irubaththaindhu), 25.

Hundreds, thousands, lakhs and crores

  • இருநூறுirunooru200 · two hundred
  • முந்நூறுmunnooru300 · three hundred
  • நானூறுnaanooru400 · four hundred
  • ஐந்நூறுainnooru500 · five hundred
  • அறுநூறுarunooru600 · six hundred
  • எழுநூறுezhunooru700 · seven hundred
  • எண்ணூறுennooru800 · eight hundred
  • தொள்ளாயிரம்thollaayiram900 · nine hundred
  • ஆயிரம்aayiram1,000 · one thousand
  • இரண்டாயிரம்irandaayiram2,000 · two thousand
  • மூவாயிரம்moovaayiram3,000 · three thousand
  • ஐந்தாயிரம்aindhaayiram5,000 · five thousand
  • பத்தாயிரம்paththaayiram10,000 · ten thousand
  • ஒரு இலட்சம்oru ilatcham1,00,000 · one lakh (100,000)
  • பத்து இலட்சம்paththu ilatcham10,00,000 · ten lakh (1,000,000 = one million)
  • ஒரு கோடிoru kodi1,00,00,000 · one crore (10,000,000 = ten million)
  • பத்துக் கோடிpaththuk kodi10,00,00,000 · ten crore (100 million)
  • நூறு கோடிnooru kodi1,00,00,00,000 · one hundred crore (one billion)

First, second, third

Add -ஆவது (-aavadhu) to the cardinal with the same vowel fusion: இரண்டு → இரண்டாவது (irandaavadhu, second), ஐந்து → ஐந்தாவது (aindhaavadhu, fifth). "First" is முதல் (mudhal) / முதலாவது (mudhalaavadhu). Adjective-like -ஆம் (-aam): இரண்டாம் வகுப்பு (irandaam vaguppu, second grade).

  • முதல்mudhalfirst
  • இரண்டாவதுirandaavadhusecond
  • மூன்றாவதுmoondraavadhuthird
  • பத்தாவதுpaththaavadhutenth

How to use it

  1. Type a numberPrices, ages, years: anything from 0 up to 99,99,99,999 (Indian grouping).
  2. Read three formsThe formal written words, the Tamil numeral, and the shorter spoken form you will hear.
  3. Learn the patternScroll to the 1 to 100 table: once you know 1–10 and the tens, the rest follows a rule.

Counting 1 to 10 in Tamil

  1. ஒன்று (ondru) ‘one’ (spoken: ஒண்ணு (onnu))
  2. இரண்டு (irandu) ‘two’ (spoken: ரெண்டு (rendu))
  3. மூன்று (moondru) ‘three’ (spoken: மூணு (moonu))
  4. நான்கு (naangu) ‘four’ (spoken: நாலு (naalu))
  5. ஐந்து (aindhu) ‘five’ (spoken: அஞ்சு (anju))
  6. ஆறு (aaru) ‘six’
  7. ஏழு (ezhu) ‘seven’
  8. எட்டு (ettu) ‘eight’
  9. ஒன்பது (onbadhu) ‘nine’ (spoken: ஒம்பது (ombadhu))
  10. பத்து (paththu) ‘ten’

Spoken Tamil shortens most of them: you'll hear onnu, rendu, moonu far more often than the written forms. The converter above shows both.

How bigger numbers are built

Tens have their own words, and a number like 25 is the tens word plus the unit: இருபத்தைந்து (irubaththaindhu) ‘twenty-five’. Hundreds and thousands work the same way, and large numbers are grouped the Indian way, in lakhs (இலட்சம் (ilatcham) ‘100,000’) and crores (கோடி (kodi) ‘10,000,000’).

Everyday life mostly uses ordinary digits: prices, phone numbers and years are written 0–9, and people often read phone numbers and years digit by digit, or in English. The Tamil numerals (௧ ௨ ௩…) still appear on clocks, signs and in formal writing.

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

Guides for this tool

Spoken Tamil · 9 min 50 Basic Tamil Phrases for Everyday Spoken Tamil 50 basic Tamil phrases the way people actually say them in Chennai, with Tamil script, transliteration, meaning and when to use each one. Start learning · 10 min Learn Tamil Through English: A 30-Day Beginner Roadmap A day-by-day 30-day plan to learn Tamil through English: sounds, 150 core words, basic sentences, the script and daily listening, about 20–30 min a day.

Questions, answered

How do you count to 10 in Tamil?

ondru, irandu, moondru, naangu, aindhu, aaru, ezhu, ettu, onbadhu, paththu. In everyday speech most of them shorten: onnu, rendu, moonu, naalu, anju, aaru, ezhu, ettu, ombadhu, paththu.

Do people still use Tamil numerals like ௧ ௨ ௩?

Rarely in daily life: prices, phone numbers and dates are written with ordinary digits. Tamil numerals still appear on some signs, clocks, temple inscriptions and in formal or decorative writing, so they are worth recognising.

What is a lakh and a crore?

Tamil, like other Indian languages, groups large numbers as thousands, lakhs (1,00,000 = one hundred thousand) and crores (1,00,00,000 = ten million). The converter shows numbers with this grouping.

Why are there two answers for some numbers?

Written Tamil and spoken Tamil differ. The converter shows the formal written words and, where it is different, the shorter form people say out loud.

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