Weather & Climate

1. இன்று மிகவும் வெப்பமாக இருக்கிறது, இல்லையா?

   Iṉṟu mikavum veppamāka irukkiṟatu, illaiyā?

   It's hot today, isn't it?

   Usage

   Weather conversation in Tamil-speaking regions

   Grammar Note

   Tamil is a classical Dravidian language. "-aga" is an adverbializing suffix. SOV word order

2. மழை பெய்யும் போல் இருக்கிறது

   Maḻai peyyum pōl irukkiṟatu

   It looks like it will rain

   Usage

   When rain clouds gather

   Grammar Note

   "Pol" is a postposition meaning "like/seems". "Peyyum" is the future tense form

3. புயல் வருகிறது

   Puyal varukiṟatu

   A cyclone is approaching

   Usage

   Warning about an approaching cyclone

   Grammar Note

   "Varugiradhu" is the present tense (-kiṟatu). Tamil has rich verb conjugation

4. இன்று வானிலை குளிர்ச்சியாக இருக்கிறது

   Iṉṟu vāṉilai kuḷircciyāka irukkiṟatu

   It's cool today

   Usage

   Comment on cool weather

   Grammar Note

   "Vaanilai" = "vaan" (sky) + "nilai" (state/condition). Means weather

5. வானிலை முன்னறிவிப்பு சொல்லுங்கள்

   Vāṉilai muṉṉaṟivippu colluṅkaḷ

   Please tell me the weather forecast

   Usage

   Politely asking for the weather forecast

   Grammar Note

   "-ungal" is the honorific imperative suffix. "Munnarivippu" = advance notification

6. சன்ஸ்கிரீன் தடவ வேண்டுமா?

   Caṉskirīṉ taṭava vēṇṭumā?

   Do I need to apply sunscreen?

   Usage

   Ask on sunny days

   Grammar Note

   "Vendum" = need/must. Tamil borrows many words from English

7. குடை எடுத்துச் செல்ல வேண்டுமா?

   Kuṭai eṭuttuc cella vēṇṭumā?

   Should I bring an umbrella?

   Usage

   Before going out in uncertain weather

   Grammar Note

   "Edhuthu sella" = "take and go" — a compound verb. Tamil forms compound verbs using converbs

8. வறண்ட பருவம் எப்போது?

   Vaṟaṇṭa paruvam eppōtu?

   When is the dry season?

   Usage

   Travel planning question

   Grammar Note

   "Paruvam" is the Tamil word for season. "Eppodu" = when (question adverb)

9. மழைக்காலம் எப்போது?

   Maḻaikkālam eppōtu?

   When is the rainy season?

   Usage

   Ask about the monsoon season

   Grammar Note

   "Mazhaikkaalam" = "mazhai" (rain) + "kaalam" (time/period). South India has two monsoons

10. வெயில் மிகவும் கடுமையாக இருக்கிறது

    Veyil mikavum kaṭumaiyāka irukkiṟatu

    The sun is really strong

    Usage

    Exclamation about intense sunshine

    Grammar Note

    "Veyil" is the Tamil word for sunshine. "Kadumaiyaga" = intensely/harshly

11. மழை

    maḻai

    Rain

    Usage

    Rain; used when checking whether a trip or a service is still on

12. பனிப்பொழிவு

    paṉippoḻivu

    Snowfall

    Usage

    Snowfall; pani alone means fog or dew. It never snows in Tamil Nadu, so this comes up when talking about the north or hill stations

13. காற்று

    kāṟṟu

    Wind

    Usage

    Wind; the same word also means air, so keep it in a weather context

14. வெயில்

    veyil

    Sunshine

    Usage

    The beating sun; in Tamil, fine weather is normally described by the strength of the sunshine

15. மேகமூட்டம்

    mēkamūṭṭam

    Cloudy

    Usage

    An overcast sky; the same word is used in weather forecasts

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