ஆனால்
āṉāl/ɑːnɑːl/
The English word "but" can be translated into Tamil as ஆனால் (āṉāl).
ஆனால் is used as a conjunction to mean 'but' (e.g., 'I went, but he didn't'), it is distinct from the word used for 'except' in a subtractive sense.
Meaning: except (conj)
Which one should you use?
The related form ஆனாலும் (āṉālum) is often used to mean 'nevertheless' or 'even so' to show a concession.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ɑːnɑːl/ (āṉāl).
Did you know?
- If you want to say 'but' to express a strong contradiction, you might use இருந்தாலும் (iruntālum), which literally means 'even if it is'.
- The structure of ஆனால் is a combination of the participle ஆன (āṉa) and the instrumental suffix -ஆல் (-āl).
- In spoken Tamil, people often swap ஆனால் for the word ஆனா (ānā) by dropping the final consonant. This makes the sentence sound much more casual and rhythmic in daily conversation.
Examples in context
- எல்லாம் நன்றாக இருந்தது, ஆனால் ஒரு சிறிய குறை உள்ளது.ellam nandraaga irundhadhu, aanal oru siriya kurai ulladhu.Everything was good, but there is one small flaw.
- நான் முயன்றேன், ஆனால் வெற்றி பெறவில்லை.naan muyandren, aanal vetri peravillai.I tried, but I did not succeed.
Example conversation
Arun and Kavitha are discussing a movie.
- கவிதா Kavithaஇந்த படம் மிகவும் நீளமாக இருக்கிறது.Intha padam migavum nīlamāga irukkirathu.This movie is very long.
- அருண் Arunஆம், ஆனால் கதை நன்றாக இருக்கிறது.Ām, āṉāl kathai naṉrāga irukkirathu.Yes, but the story is good.
- கவிதா Kavithaஎனக்கு இசையும் பிடித்திருந்தது.Enakku isaiyum pidiththirunthathu.I also liked the music.
- அருண் Arunநிச்சயமாக, இசை மிகச்சிறப்பு.Nichayamāga, isai migachchirappu.Definitely, the music is excellent.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ஆனால், CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ஆனால், CC BY-SA 4.0.
