Tamil · Typing tool
Bamini keyboard: type Tamil, get Unicode
Type the way you learned on Bamini. You get Unicode Tamil that works in WhatsApp, Gmail, Word and every website, with no font to install.
Unicode Tamil (copy anywhere)
Dashed keys depend on position. Faded keys are not mapped by this font. Hold Shift on your keyboard to see the upper layer.
01 · How the layout works
Six rules cover almost everything.
Bamini is a typewriter-style layout: it is common for Tamil typing, especially in Sri Lanka. It stores Tamil as plain English letters inside the font, and signs are typed in the order they are drawn.
- 01
Most letters are one key
Lower-case keys give the consonants: f is க, g is ப, k is ம, j is த. The vowels அ ஆ இ ஈ are on m, M, comma and <.
fக
- 02
The pulli is the semicolon
Type the letter, then ; to remove its vowel: f; is க், g; is ப்.
jkpo;தமிழ்
- 03
ா ி ீ come after the letter
h, p and P add the sign after the consonant: fh is கா, fp is கி, fP is கீ.
fhகா
- 04
ெ ே ை come before the letter
Typed first, as the font draws them: nf is கெ, Nf is கே, if is கை.
Ntiyவேலை
- 05
ொ ோ ௌ wrap the letter
They are drawn on both sides, so you type two keys: nfh is கொ, Nfh is கோ, nfs is கௌ.
Nfhtpy;கோவில்
- 06
Shift gives ு forms
Capital consonant keys already carry ு: F is கு, K is மு, J is து. Some ூ forms have their own symbol key: $ is கூ, % is மூ.
Gj;jfk;புத்தகம்
02 · Key chart
Every key on the Bamini layout.
Generated from the same mapping the converter uses. For the full list, including combined letters, see the Bamini mapping chart.
Without Shift
- `ஹ
- =ஸ்ரீ
- qங
- wற
- eந
- rச
- tவ
- yல
- uர
- iை*
- oழ
- pி*
- [ஜ
- ]ஸ
- \ஷ
- aய
- sள
- dன
- fக
- gப
- hா*
- jத
- kம
- lட
- ;்*
- zண
- xஒ
- cஉ
- vஎ
- bடி
- nெ*
- mஅ
- ,இ
- /ஃ
With Shift
- $கூ
- %மூ
- ^டூ
- &ரூ
- *ழூ
- Qஞ
- Wறு
- Eநு
- Rசு
- Tவு
- Yலு
- Uரு
- Iஐ
- Oழு
- Pீ*
- {ஷு
- Aயு
- Sளு
- Dனு
- Fகு
- Gபு
- Jது
- Kமு
- Lடு
- Zணு
- Xஓ
- Cஊ
- Vஏ
- Bடீ
- Nே*
- Mஆ
- <ஈ
- >,
* Position-dependent: ெ ே ை are typed before the letter; ா ி ீ and the pulli after it.
03 · Practice
Common words, and their keystrokes.
Type the keys in the box above and check you get the word. Each pair was generated and checked by the converter when this page was built.
- தமிழ்jkpo;
- வணக்கம்tzf;fk;
- இலங்கை,yq;if
- யாழ்ப்பாணம்aho;g;ghzk;
- கொழும்புnfhOk;G
- தமிழர்jkpou;
- கல்விfy;tp
- பாடசாலைghlrhiy
- அரசாங்கம்murhq;fk;
- செய்திnra;jp
- நூலகம்E}yfk;
- மொழிnkhop
04 · FAQ
Questions about the Bamini keyboard
Is this the Tamil typewriter layout?
Bamini follows the arrangement of the Tamil typewriter, which is why typists trained on typewriters use it, and it is the layout most Sri Lankan Tamil publishing and typing courses assume. Different exams and offices name their own layouts, so practise on the exact layout the exam names.
Do I need the Bamini font installed?
No. This page turns your keystrokes into Unicode Tamil as you type, which displays everywhere with no special font. You only need Bamini installed if you copy the raw keystrokes into a document set in Bamini.
How do I type ொ, ோ and ௌ?
Bamini draws them on both sides of the letter, so they take two keys around the consonant: nfh is கொ, Nfh is கோ, nfs is கௌ. Type the first key, the letter, then the second key.
Why does the key show a dotted ◌?
Keys marked ◌ only make sense next to a letter, like ெ typed before it or ா typed after it. Their buttons have a dashed border on the on-screen keyboard.
Is this the same as Tamil99?
No. Tamil99 is a different keyboard layout that types Unicode directly. If you want that, use the Tamil99 keyboard on this site. This page is for Bamini, a legacy font layout.
Is my text sent anywhere?
No. Everything runs in your browser. The last text you typed is kept only in this tab’s session storage so a refresh does not lose it.