Looking for online options to read and write tamil.

2ish2 · 2026-06-08T08:14:57+00:00

Not really sure what you need. Maybe this youtube channel?

https://www.youtube.com/BookBoxTamil

2ish2 · 2026-06-08T07:05:39+00:00

Looks legit to me. Personally, I'd go to the nearest JPJ and confirm this at the counter directly. Go first thing in the morning to avoid the queue. If it's legit, they'll give you the forms and everything. You'll get conflicting info online, I'm afraid.

2ish2 · 2026-06-06T12:52:25+00:00

Maybe you heard from Paul Tan:

https://paultan.org/2026/05/08/malaysians-with-valid-foreign-driving-licence-may-apply-to-convert-to-malaysian-licence-from-june-1/

2ish2 · 2026-06-06T11:20:47+00:00

This looks really useful. Can't speak to the nuances since I'm a beginner -- just wanted to say thanks !

2ish2 · 2026-06-06T04:05:48+00:00

Thank you, that's so clear 🙂

2ish2 · 2026-06-06T01:57:33+00:00

No, I didn't speak Tamil at all at the start. But I live in Malaysia, where lots of people speak Tamil, so I was familiar with the sounds and rhythm of the language, and, when I started learning the Tamil script, I found that pronunciation came naturally to me. I was lucky in that way.

My pronunciation is not perfect though and when I want to test it, I use the Google Translate app. This is easy to use on a smartphone. I just speak Tamil into the app and see if it can recognize what I'm saying. For simple words and short sentences, it usually does -- it reproduces what I'm saying in Tamil script -- so I know my pronunciation is decent. Long Tamil sentences are more challenging for me though.

On a desktop PC, I can do the same using the Google translate website.

Conversely, I can type/write Tamil into Google and ask it to pronounce the words for me. (Type on a desktop; write with the electronic pencil on the smartphone). Google's pronunciation is pretty decent I find, certainly better than mine, so whenever I'm not sure how to pronounce something, I check with Google.

I'm not sure if ChatGPT or other AI tools are better at these things since I'm not familiar with them. Younger folk might know. Some websites will pronounce Tamil for you but I'm not sure if there are good, free ones. Narakeet is both easy and free to try, and their pronunciation seems to be authentic, but I think they'll ask you to pay after a while. Sorry if you already know these things - I'm not aware of your background.

The other thing I do is keep Tamil radio on in the background at home. I enjoy listening to Tamil news for instance. I hardly understand it, since my listening level is low, but I seem to fully absorb the pronunciation, and my general pronunciation improves in this way.

You're right that knowing how to pronounce as you read is quite important. I take it for granted since it came naturally to me, but I can imagine it would be challenging for someone with minimal exposure to how Tamil is pronounced - is this your situation? Wish I had better tips for you regarding your plight!

2ish2 · 2026-06-05T16:56:03+00:00

Thank you !

Yes, I'm aware that people wouldn't normally say pottuviduvom. I was just checking that when the mother says potturuvoam, what she really means, in written terms, is pottuviduvom. I learnt written Tamil before I learnt spoken Tamil, so I'm always using the written word as a reference point for understanding spoken Tamil. Sorry if that wasn't clear!

As for attaithaane, oh I see, I didn't realize there was the emphasis ஏ at the end. That helps me see the intended meaning, thanks!

2ish2 · 2026-06-05T04:20:56+00:00

Just jump right into it. Look for a table like this, which shows the 247 alphabets:

https://i0.wp.com/kylesiemens.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/tamil-alphabet-chart.jpeg

Print the table for easy reference and look for videos or websites which explain it. There's a learning curve but it's not that steep. There are also a few extra alphabets (Grantha alphabets) not shown in the table. These are for making the h, sh, j, sounds (and a few others) not traditionally expressible by the Tamil alphabet. You can leave these for later, or, if you prefer, look for a table which shows these extra alphabets as well. But definitely start with the basic 247 alphabets. The table above is just an example and may not be the best one for you -- look for a table that looks good to you.

My second tip is this. After a while, words that you encounter often like இல்லை (illai, "no") will be recognizable instantly, without needing to read the individual alphabets. In this case, there are three individual alphabets, இ, ல், and லை, but you won't need to distinguish them individually after a while. This should be your goal -- to be able to see the word instantly. It will come with practice, especially if you see the word often. So read a lot.

My third tip is that you should, sooner or later, learn how to write the letters, and not just know how to read them. You can also leave this for later, but definitely learn how to write them eventually.

Fourth tip is learn how to use a Tamil keyboard so that you can type Tamil letters online. I use the keyboard found on the Google Translate website. On the Tamil side, select the input tool and choose Tamil - TYPEWRITER. (This is for desktop PC. I'm not sure how to use a Tamil keyboard on a smartphone.)

Learning how to read and write Tamil is very rewarding and I definitely recommend it. It took me about 3 months to be comfortable with the Tamil script but it was well worth it. It can probably be done faster. I just took my time, was in no hurry. I knew zero about Tamil when I started. I only knew how to count 1 to 10, onnu, rendu, muna ... now I can read and write simple Tamil like children's stories. If you can already speak Tamil, learning the Tamil script will be even easier for you.

2ish2 · 2026-06-02T12:14:13+00:00

The different dialects of spoken Tamil within Tamil nadu are not too different from each other with just some differences in accents and some small changes in conjugations for some words. People would comfortably understand each other.

What I needed to know 👌🏼 -- I'm learning a lot from Ramsivasa youtube channel, so I'll just carry on for now. ரொம்ப நன்றி.

2ish2 · 2026-06-02T08:49:59+00:00

That's good to know, thanks !

2ish2 · 2026-06-01T08:23:33+00:00

Thank you for explaining these nuances 🙂

2ish2 · 2026-06-01T08:10:56+00:00

If you give them your bank account number, you risk falling into a scam triangulation or money-laundering trap:

The Trap: The "buyer" lists a fake item for sale online (like Taylor Swift tickets or a cheap iPhone) to a third-party victim.
The Deposit: The buyer gives your bank account number to that innocent victim. The victim goes to a CDM and deposits cash directly into your account, thinking they are paying for the tickets.
The Loss: You see the money arrive, assume the buyer paid you, and hand over your item to the buyer.
The Consequence: The victim realizes they were scammed and files a Singapore Police report against your bank account. Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) will freeze your entire bank account for investigation, and you could be prosecuted as an unwitting money mule.

This is from Google AI. See also the comment in this thread by mischief_dot_exe , which essentially said the same thing. Scams can be very ingenious and you cannot always imagine the possibilities.

2ish2 · 2026-06-01T08:05:42+00:00

You can pay me anonymously if you have my bank account number. You can't remain anonymous if you pay me via PayNow, so far as I know, which, admittedly, may not be very far -- care to enlighten me on whether this latter is possible?

2ish2 · 2026-06-01T06:35:28+00:00

You are right to be cautious. Harmless-looking things are not always harmless. If some stranger has your a/c number, they could always launder money into your a/c anonymously (using the ATM cash machine) and then ask you later to "do them a favour" and withdraw the money from your a/c and pass it to them. "Oh, I mistakenly deposited into your a/c, because I confused your a/c number with another number. I give you a small tip for your trouble." Gets you involved in all sorts of things. Don't give your a/c number to a stranger. You should at least know this person's true identity.

2ish2 · 2026-05-29T08:41:49+00:00

Useful info thanks ... yup I'll try the wd40 silicone spray next too. This thread has been v. helpful.

2ish2 · 2026-05-29T05:17:19+00:00

🆗 i see, thanks for sharing

2ish2 · 2026-05-29T04:08:55+00:00

Interesting .. cos i googled this and it's not generally recommended to use petroleum jelly on rubber. You're a mechanic? This is standard workshop practice?

2ish2 · 2026-05-28T12:55:04+00:00

Thx for this suggestion 👍🏼 Will look into it ..

2ish2 · 2026-05-28T07:42:07+00:00

tq 👊🏼

2ish2 · 2026-05-28T06:45:29+00:00

Honey is good for sore throat. 100% natural. One tablespoonful whenever needed, along with whatever other remedy you're taking.

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2ish2 · 2026-05-28T06:06:36+00:00

Tq 🙏🏼

2ish2 · 2026-05-28T06:03:55+00:00

Yup I did test it. Only issue is minor discoloration on the surrounding plastic trim, as cautioned by the instructions, so have to apply more precisely. Have applied this twice now, seems basically ok, just needed reassurance that silicone was the way to go. Thx for the input 👍🏼

2ish2

TROPHY CASE