குழந்தை
kuḻantai/kʊɻɐnd̪ɐɪ̯/
The English word child is translated into Tamil as குழந்தை (kuḻantai). Wiktionary also lists மக (maka).
Meaning: son or daughter, someone's child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Tamil | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| குழந்தை | kuḻantai | /kʊɻɐnd̪ɐɪ̯/ |
| மக | maka | /maɡa/ /maɦa/ |
The term is used to refer to a son, a daughter or someone's offspring.
Which one should you use?
The form மக is used colloquially. Additionally, Kutti can be used to mean little one and Vava is an endearing term used to refer to babies with affection.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
மக is colloquial, while Kutti and Vava are informal terms.
How do you pronounce it?
kuḻantai (/kʊɻɐnd̪ɐɪ̯/)
Did you know?
- The word Kutti is frequently used to refer to animal offspring, such as puppies or kittens, as well as human children.
- The word குழந்தை is etymologically linked to the concept of softness or tenderness, sharing roots with words for 'soft' or 'mushy' things.
- The pronunciation of குழந்தை contains a special 'retroflex' sound in ḻ where the tongue curls back to touch the roof of the mouth.
Examples in context
- …மன்னன் மகவாகவே தோன்ற……The King born as a child…This sentence shows the use of மக in a context describing a king born as a child.
- அந்தக் குழந்தை நன்றாகச் சிரிக்கிறது.anthak kuzhandhai nandraaga sirikkiradhu.That child is smiling beautifully.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “child” translations and entries குழந்தை, மக, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries குழந்தை, மக, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
