Home›Lesson Plans›World Languages›Tamil · Grade 10

Tamil Commands (Imperative)

Tenth graders give commands and instructions in Tamil (kattalai) — podu! (போடு, add!), ser! (சேர், add/join!), kalakku! (கலக்கு, mix!), kudi! (குடி, drink!). In Tamil the verb root alone is a command. They order the steps to make a cup of Tamil chai (tea).

Grade 10Commands (Imperative)50 minutes1 class periodACTFL / World LanguagesExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
Start the Lesson
Assign or share this lesson
Share to Google Classroom Share to Microsoft Teams

Copy link works with Canvas, Schoology, Moodle and any other LMS — paste it in as a resource or assignment.

Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Learn the imperative.
  • ✓Give commands.
  • ✓Order the steps.
  • ✓Explain how to do something.
Essential Question

podu! ser! kudi! How do you give instructions and commands in Tamil?

0
Lesson Phases
0
Vocabulary Terms
0
Standards Aligned
0
Interactive Task
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Tea Recipe

Project this and have students put the tea-making commands in order.

🍵 Put the commands in order — make Tamil chai!Try it
Tap “Boil the water” first!
The Lesson · Language Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Speak · Reflect)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Do This!

6 min

How do you tell someone to do something in Tamil?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say “kel!” (listen!).
  • Ask how commands work.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Wonder.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Commands

12 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Model podu, ser, kudi.
  • Note the verb root is a command.
  • Send students to Order the Recipe.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Note it.
  • Order it.
3

Practice — Practice

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Give 3 commands.
  • Say each step.
  • Command a partner (politely!).

🎒 Student Actions

  • Give.
  • Say.
  • Command.
4

Speak — Speak

13 min

Students speak.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Explain the recipe with commands.
  • Give a classroom instruction.
  • Teach a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Explain.
  • Give.
  • Teach.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a command.
  • Give one instruction.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Give it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (Intermediate-Low).

ACTFL
Communication 1.3

Presentational: give instructions.

ACTFL
Communication 1.2

Interpretive: follow commands.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.1

Compare command forms.

ACTFL
Cultures 2.1

Explore Tamil tea/food culture.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Command cards with pictures.
  • Add -unga to be polite.
  • Model with gestures.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with kudi & kel.
  • Order two at a time.
  • Use pictures.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add “vendaam” (don’t) for negatives.
  • Write a recipe in commands.
  • Give directions with commands.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🍵Command cards
  • 💻Order the Tea Recipe
  • 📖Recipe strip
  • 📓Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

kattalai (கட்டளை)imperative / commandspodu (போடு)add! / put!ser (சேர்)add! / join!kalakku (கலக்கு)mix!kudi (குடி)drink!kel (கேள்)listen!paar (பார்)look!vaa (வா)come!
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is the imperative used for?
Giving commands and instructions.
QUESTION 2
How do you say “drink!” in Tamil?
kudi!
QUESTION 3
What does “kel!” mean?
Listen!

Reflect: commands.

Have students write three commands in Tamil to make or do something. A printable Tamil commands sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Tamil CommandsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
0

Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Tamil CommandsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Tamil CommandsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: kalakku (கலக்கு), kattalai (கட்டளை), kel (கேள்), kudi (குடி), paar (பார்), podu (போடு), ser (சேர்), vaa (வா)
  1. come!
  2. mix!
  3. drink!
  4. listen!
  5. add! / join!
  6. look!
  7. add! / put!
  8. imperative / commands

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is the imperative used for?
  2. How do you say “drink!” in Tamil?
  3. What does “kel!” mean?
Answer key — Part A: 1) vaa (வா) · 2) kalakku (கலக்கு) · 3) kudi (குடி) · 4) kel (கேள்) · 5) ser (சேர்) · 6) paar (பார்) · 7) podu (போடு) · 8) kattalai (கட்டளை)
Part B: 1) Giving commands and instructions. 2) kudi! 3) Listen!