Signification
Instruction to open a window.
Contexte culturel
Windows are often decorated with 'Kolam' (rice flour patterns) on the sills during festivals to welcome prosperity. In coastal areas, windows are kept open almost all day to catch the sea breeze, but closed tightly during the monsoon. Ancient Tamil houses had 'Salagam'—small lattice windows—instead of the large Portuguese-style 'Jannal'. It is common to close windows during an eclipse to prevent 'harmful rays' from entering the food and home.
The 'En' trick
Add '-en' to 'thirungal' (thirungalen) to sound like a native speaker making a polite suggestion.
Mosquito Alert
In South India, opening windows at dusk without a mesh is a recipe for a mosquito invasion!
Signification
Instruction to open a window.
The 'En' trick
Add '-en' to 'thirungal' (thirungalen) to sound like a native speaker making a polite suggestion.
Mosquito Alert
In South India, opening windows at dusk without a mesh is a recipe for a mosquito invasion!
Vastu Shastra
Many people prefer opening East-facing windows in the morning for positive energy.
Formal Writing
In formal writing, always include the 'th' (த்) between 'Jannalai' and 'thira'.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct case marker for 'Jannal'.
ஜன்னல்___ திற. (Open the window.)
The accusative case marker '-ai' (ஐ) is needed because the window is the object of the action.
Choose the polite version to say to your teacher.
How do you ask a teacher to open the window?
The suffix '-ungal' makes the verb formal and respectful.
Complete the dialogue in a hot room.
A: அறை மிகவும் வெப்பமாக இருக்கிறது. B: ஆமாம், நான் ______.
If the room is hot (veppam), the logical action is to open the window.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Which phrase fits a rainy day?
On a rainy day, you would usually 'close' (moodu) the window, not open it.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Formal vs Informal
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesஜன்னல்___ திற. (Open the window.)
The accusative case marker '-ai' (ஐ) is needed because the window is the object of the action.
How do you ask a teacher to open the window?
The suffix '-ungal' makes the verb formal and respectful.
A: அறை மிகவும் வெப்பமாக இருக்கிறது. B: ஆமாம், நான் ______.
If the room is hot (veppam), the logical action is to open the window.
Which phrase fits a rainy day?
On a rainy day, you would usually 'close' (moodu) the window, not open it.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, 'Salagam' and 'Vayil' exist in literature, but 'Jannal' is the only one used in daily life.
Technically yes, but people usually say 'Open pannu' or 'Thira' for the screen/app.
Because the window is the object being acted upon, so it needs the accusative case marker '-ai'.
தயவுசெய்து ஜன்னலைத் திறக்குமாறு கேட்டுக்கொள்கிறேன். (Dayavu seidhu jannalai thirakkumaru kettukolgiren.)
Yes! 'Kadaiyai thira' means to open the shop for business.
The opposite is 'moodu' (மூடு), which means 'close'.
Yes, in poetic contexts, it can mean revealing a secret or a truth.
No, 'J' is a Grantha character used for loanwords. Ancient Tamil didn't have the 'J' sound.
In very casual spoken Tamil, the '-ai' is sometimes dropped, but it sounds uneducated.
ஜன்னல் திறந்து இருக்கிறது. (Jannal thirandhu irukkiradhu.)
Expressions liées
கதவைத் திற
similarOpen the door
ஜன்னலை மூடு
contrastClose the window
ஜன்னல் ஓரம்
builds onBy the window / Window seat
திரையை விலக்கு
similarPull the curtain
காற்றோட்டம்
specialized formVentilation
