Writing Tamil words using PramukhIME is as easy as writing our names in English. For quick help, checkout the following image. This image shows which letter(s) will be typed when you press a particular key (combination). Press F9 (or your preferred Shortcut Key) to switch between currently selected language and last selected language.
Tamil typing help
Note: Typing is case-sensitive. Typing small "a" and capital "A" will yield different letters. Make sure "Caps Lock" key is not ON.
Quick Links: Vowel, Consonant, Additional Consonant, Vowel Sign, Digit, Additional Digit, Other, Symbol, Rule, Example

Vowel

= a
= aa/A
= i
= ee/I/ii
= u
= oo/U/uu
= e
= E/ae
= ai
= o
= O/oa
= au/ou/ow
அஂ = aM/a.n/a.m
அஃ = a:

Consonant

க் = k/kh/g/gh/c
ங் = NG
ச் = ch
ஜ் = j
ஞ் = NY/Gn/gn
ட் = t/d/T/D
ண் = N
த் = th/dh/Th/Dh
ந் = n/nh
ன் = nH
ப் = p/b
ம் = m
ய் = y
ர் = r
ற் = R
ல் = l
ழ் = z/zh
வ் = v/w
ஶ் = Sh
ஷ் = sh
ஸ் = S/s
ஹ் = h/H
ள் = L
க்ஷ் = ksh/x

Additional Consonant

ஃப் = ph/f
ஃஸ் = X
ஃஜ் = Z

Vowel Sign

= aa/A
ி = i
= ee/I/ii
= u
= oo/U/uu
= e
= E/ae
= ai
= o
= O/oa
= au/ou/ow
= aU (AU Length Mark)
= M/.n/.m (Anusvar)
= : (Aytham/Visarg)
Note: Dotted round symbol represents placeholder for consonant character

Digit

If the setting "Digit in English" is not set, Tamil and English digits are typed this way
= 0, = 1, = 2, = 3, = 4, = 5, = 6, = 7, = 8, = 9
0 = 0-, 1 = 1-, 2 = 2-, 3 = 3-, 4 = 4-, 5 = 5-, 6 = 6-, 7 = 7-, 8 = 8-, 9 = 9-

If the setting "Digit in English" is set, Tamil and English digits are typed this way
= 0-, = 1-, = 2-, = 3-, = 4-, = 5-, = 6-, = 7-, = 8-, = 9-
0 = 0, 1 = 1, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, 5 = 5, 6 = 6, 7 = 7, 8 = 8, 9 = 9

Additional Digit

= 1@ (Ten)
= 1* (One hundred)
= 1' (One thousand)

Other

= See example (Pulli/Viram)
= Dy (Naal/Day sign)
= Mo (Maatham/Month sign)
= Yr (Varundam/Year sign)
= Db (Patru/Debit sign)
= Cr (Varavu/Credit sign)
= Ab (Merpadi/As Above sign)
= Rs- (Rupai/Rupee sign)
= No (Enn/Number sign)
= | (Devanagari danda)
= || (Devanagari double danda)
= Rs (Indian Rupee sign)
= OM (Aum)
= +- (Swastika sign)
Zero Width Joiner = -- (2 Dashes)
Zero Width Non Joiner = --- (3 Dashes)
Note: Dotted round symbol represents placeholder for consonant character

Symbol

The English symbols [ ] { } ( ) < > - + / = ; . , ' " ? ! % \ _ & $ @ # ~ * ^ are transliterated into the same symbols.
Symbols : | have special meaning. You can type this way
: = :-

| = |-

These symbols will type Tamil characters first but if "-" will be followed, it will remove previously typed Tamil character and then type the symbol.

Rule

  1. Consonant is followed by vowel sign character to make a live consonant.
    Example
    க கா கி கீ கு கூ கே கெ கை கோ கொ கௗ கௌ கஂ கஃ
    ka kaa ki kee ku koo kE ke kai kO ko kaU kau kaM ka:
  2. Two or more consecutive consonants make consonant cluster. The last consonant takes the full form and all preceding consonants within cluster take half form
    Example
    ஸ்ரீ = sree

  3. Special consonant cluster forms (ligature) will be automatically created if it is available in the font. Look at the examples for clarification. All possible ligatures may not be given in the example. Try typing the consonant combinations according to ligature pronounciation and it will work. For example, try typing "vidhyaa", "viDyaa", "vidyaa" to get the correct ligature for "dy" in "vidyaa".
  4. Character "-" is followed by consonant will be transliterated as (Pulli/Viram)
    Example
    க் க்ஹ் த் ட்ஹ் ந் ந்ஹ் ழ் ழ்ஹ் ஷ் ஸ்ஹ்
    kh k-h th t-h nh n-h zh z-h sh s-h
  5. If two english characters are making one Tamil Vowel (i.e. ai, au), then "-" character is used to separate them into two different vowels.
    Example
    ஐந்து = ainthu

    அஇந்து = a-inthu

  6. Character "n" transliterates to "ந்" or "ன்" depending on the following rules
    Character(s) Transliterated to
    nh ந்
    nH ன்
    nk/ng ங்க்
    ngh ன்க்
    nj/nch ஞ்ச்
    nt/nd ண்ட்
    nth/ndh ந்த்
    ndr ன்ற்
    "n" in non first letter position ன்
    Else ந்
  7. Special rules for other character(s)
    Character(s) Transliterated to
    tr ற்ற்
    s (followed by vowel sign) ச்
    oi/aai/ei/oai ய்
    eo ியோ

Example

வணக்கம் = vaNakkam

நன்றி = nandri

ஸ்ரீ = sree

உணவு = uNavu

= ai

அஇ = a-i

= au

அஉ = a-u

நீங்க = neenga

நன்றி = nandri

மஞ்சு = manju

பந்தம் = bandham

நகர் = nhagar

நன்கு = nanghu

கேட்டு = kaettu