நிலா
nilā/nɪlɑː/
The English word 'moon' is translated into Tamil as நிலா (nilā). Wiktionary also lists திங்கள் (tiṅkaḷ) and நிலவு (nilavu).
Meaning: the natural satellite of planet Earth (noun)
Ways to say it
| Tamil | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| நிலா | nilā | /nɪlɑː/ | |
| திங்கள் | tiṅkaḷ | /t̪ɪŋɡɐɭ/ | rare |
| நிலவு | nilavu | /nɪlɐʋɯ/ | |
| மதி | mati | /mɐd̪iː/ |
The words in Tamil refer to the natural satellite of planet Earth.
Which one should you use?
nilā is the most common, everyday word used in conversation and songs. nilavu is a standard noun used in more formal or descriptive contexts than nilā. mati is a poetic or literary term often used in classical Tamil literature. tiṅkaḷ is an archaic or highly formal term that can also mean 'Monday' or 'month' in certain contexts.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /nɪlɑː/.
When do people say it?
The phrase நிலா நிலா ஓடி வா is the opening of a very famous nursery rhyme used to address the moon when speaking to children.
Did you know?
- While mati is often used to mean 'moon' in literature, it is also a common Sanskrit loanword meaning 'intellect' or 'wisdom'.
- The term nilā is a distant relative of the word for 'land' or 'earth' in some Dravidian linguistic contexts, due to shared Proto-Dravidian roots.
- The word திங்கள் is not only used for 'moon' and 'Monday' but also as a formal term for a 'month'.
Examples in context
- நிலா அழகாக இருக்கிறது.nilā aḻakāka irukkiṟatu.The moon is beautiful.
- வானத்தில் நிலா தெரிகிறது.vāṉattil nilā terikiṟatu.The moon is visible in the sky.
Example conversation
Karthik and Priya are looking at the night sky from their balcony.
- கார்த்திக் Karthikபிரியா, நிலாவை பார்!Priyā, nilāvai pā r!Priya, look at the moon!
- பிரியா Priyaஆமாம், நிலா மிகவும் பிரகாசமாக உள்ளது.Āmām, nilā mikavum pirakācamāka uḷḷatu.Yes, the moon is very bright.
- கார்த்திக் Karthikஎனக்கு நிலா என்றால் பிடிக்கும்.Eṉakku nilā eṉṟāl piṭikkum.I like the moon.
- பிரியா Priyaகார்த்திக், அது ஒரு அழகான காட்சி.Kārtik, atu oru aḻakāṉa kāṭci.Karthik, it is a beautiful sight.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “moon” translations and entries நிலா, திங்கள், நிலவு, மதி, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries திங்கள், நிலவு, நிலா, மதி, CC BY-SA 4.0.
