Flalingo

Free Tamil pronunciation checker

Free Tamil Pronunciation Test: check every word you say

Read five short Tamil sentences aloud, with a Latin transliteration under each one, or type any word you want to check. You get a score for every word, an overall score with accuracy, fluency and completeness, and a list of words to practise first.

Sentence 1 of 5

Read this aloud:

நான் காலையில் காபி குடிப்பேன்.

Pronunciation: Nāṉ kālaiyil kāpi kuṭippēṉ.

Listen for: Short and long vowels (nāṉ, kālai, kuṭi)

Tap to record

Your recording is sent securely for scoring and is not stored by Flalingo.

Scores come from a standard native-speaker model for this language, so regional accents may score a little lower.

How to check your Tamil pronunciation

Each sentence in this Tamil pronunciation test is built around something learners find hard: short and long vowels, double consonants, the ழ sound, the two r sounds and the retroflex ṇ and ḷ. Read it aloud and a speech model trained on native Tamil speakers compares every word you say with the text.

You get an overall score from 0 to 100, plus accuracy, fluency and completeness. Every word gets its own score, so you can see which ones sound off and start there. You can also type your own Tamil text in Tamil script, up to 160 characters, and check it the same way.

How the test works

  1. Read five sentences aloud

    Each sentence is short and built around sounds that learners of this language find hard. You can also type your own text, up to 160 characters, or tap one of the hard words to try.

  2. AI scores every word

    A speech-assessment model trained on native speakers compares what you say with the text. It scores accuracy, fluency and completeness from 0 to 100, and gives every word its own score.

  3. Get your report

    Each word is coloured by how close it was, and you see a short list of words to practise first. Record a sentence again to check your progress, then share your score with a friend.

The hardest Tamil sounds for learners

  • Short and long vowels

    Tamil has short and long pairs for most vowels, and length changes meaning: கல் kal (stone) and கால் kāl (leg), பல் pal (tooth) and பால் pāl (milk). Long vowels are held about twice as long. A short u at the end of a word is said with unrounded lips, close to 'uh': அது atu.

  • Double consonants and voicing

    Tamil script has one letter for each consonant position, and the sound depends on where it stands. At the start of a word or when doubled, a stop is voiceless: அப்பா appā, பக்கம் pakkam. A single stop between vowels becomes voiced or softer: ட in படம் paṭam sounds like d, த in அது atu like the th in 'this', and க in பகல் pakal like a soft h or g. Doubled consonants are held a little longer.

  • The ழ sound

    ழ ḻ, often written zh in English, as in 'Tamizh', is a sound few languages have. Curl your tongue tip far back toward the roof of the mouth without touching it and let the air flow over it, somewhere between an American r and an l: தமிழ் tamiḻ, மழை maḻai (rain), வாழைப்பழம் vāḻaippaḻam (banana). In some regions it is said like ள ḷ in everyday speech, but the careful sound is valued.

  • The two r sounds

    ர r is a single light tap of the tongue (ராமு Rāmu, ஒரு oru). ற ṟ is a stronger trill or a harder tap. Doubled, ற்ற sounds close to 'ttr' or a strong 'tt' in many accents: ஆற்றில் āṟṟil (in the river), வெற்றி veṟṟi (victory). Keep them apart, because they separate words like அரை arai (half) and அறை aṟai (room).

  • Retroflex ṇ and ḷ

    Tamil has three letters for n and three for l. ண ṇ and ள ḷ are retroflex: the tongue tip curls back and touches the roof of the mouth (மாணவர் māṇavar, பள்ளி paḷḷi). ந n and ன ṉ are said with the tongue near the upper teeth, and ல l is a plain l. Compare வலி vali (pain), வளி vaḷi (air) and வழி vaḻi (way).

What your pronunciation score means

ScoreLevelWhat it means
90–100ExcellentYour words are clear and close to a native speaker. Try longer or harder sentences to keep improving.
75–89GoodEasy to understand. A few words still stand out, so practise them one at a time.
60–74FairMostly understandable, but people may ask you to repeat some words. Start with the words in your practice list.
0–59Needs workSome words may be misunderstood. Slow down, practise the flagged words on their own, then say them in short phrases.

Frequently asked questions

How accurate is this Tamil pronunciation checker?

It uses a speech-assessment model trained on native Tamil speakers. The model lines up your recording with the text, scores every word for accuracy and rates your fluency and completeness. It is a good guide to which words sound off, but it is not a teacher, so look for words that get flagged again and again rather than worrying about one low score.

Which Tamil does the test use?

Scores are based on standard Tamil as spoken in India. Spoken Tamil differs a lot from the written language, and this test asks you to read the written text, so say each word as written rather than in a colloquial form. Sri Lankan Tamil and some regional accents may score a little lower on some words.

How can I improve my Tamil pronunciation?

Start with the words the test flags most often and find the sound behind them: vowel length, ழ, the retroflex ṇ and ḷ or the two r sounds. Practise minimal pairs out loud (வலி, வளி and வழி), record yourself and compare with native audio. Reading aloud for ten minutes a day works better than one long session a week.

Is the Tamil pronunciation test free?

Yes. The test and the word checker are free and you don't need an account. To keep it free for everyone, there is a small daily limit on checks.

Is Tamil pronunciation hard?

Tamil script is regular, but a few sounds need practice: ழ, the retroflex ṇ and ḷ, the two r sounds and the way one letter can be voiced or voiceless depending on its position. Tamil has no aspirated consonants, so don't add a puff of air to k, t or p. Practise minimal pairs and read aloud every day.

Do I need to read Tamil script to take the test?

It helps, but you don't have to. Every sentence has a Latin transliteration under it to help you read aloud. The test always scores you against the Tamil text, so if you type your own text into the checker, type it in Tamil script.

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