நேற்று
nēṟṟu/neːrːɯ/
The Tamil word for "yesterday" is நேற்று (nēṟṟu).
நேற்று is used to refer to the day before today as a noun or to indicate that an action occurred on that day as an adverb.
Meaning: day before today (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective form of yesterday is நேற்றைய (nēṟṟaiya), which is used to modify a noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /neːrːɯ/. The romanization is nēṟṟu.
Did you know?
- In ancient Sangam literature, temporal markers like நேற்று were often tied to specific landscapes or 'thinai' to set the mood of a poem.
- While நேற்று refers to 'yesterday', its linguistic relative in Telugu, నేడు (nēḍu), actually means 'today'.
- The retroflex letter ற் in நேற்று requires you to curl your tongue back to touch the roof of your mouth, a physical movement that does not exist in standard English.
Examples in context
- நேற்று நான் உங்கள் வீட்டிற்கு வரலாம் என்று நினைத்தேன்.I thought of coming to your house yesterday.This sentence shows how to use நேற்று to describe a past thought.
- நீ நேற்று பிறந்தவன்You were just born yesterday.This sentence uses நேற்று to describe someone's recent birth.
- நேற்று மழை பெய்தது.nētru maḻai peytatu.It rained yesterday.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing the weather in a park.
- விஜய் Vijayநேற்று வானம் மிகவும் அழகாக இருந்தது.nētru vāṉam mikavum aḻakāka iruntatu.The sky was very beautiful yesterday.
- திவ்யா Divyaஆம், நேற்று காற்றுவும் வீசியது.ām, nētru kāṟṟuvum vīciyatu.Yes, it was windy yesterday too.
- விஜய் Vijayதிவ்யா, இன்று வானிலை எப்படி இருக்கும்?divyā, iṉṟu vāṉilai eppaṭi irukkum?Divya, how will the weather be today?
- திவ்யா Divyaஇன்று வெயில் அதிகமாக இருக்கும் என்று நினைக்கிறேன்.iṉṟu veyil atikamāka irukkum eṉṟu niṉaikkiṟēṉ.I think it will be very sunny today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yesterday” translations and entries நேற்று, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries நேற்று, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
