You say இனிய பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துகள் ｢iṉiya poṅkal nalvāḻttukaḷ｣ to wish someone "Happy Pongal" in Tamil. It is the greeting for the Tamil harvest festival in mid-January.
இனிய பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துகள்
iṉiya poṅkal nalvāḻttukaḷ
Happy Pongal
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Word by word
In a conversation
- Speaker A
இனிய பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துகள்.
iṉiya poṅkal nalvāḻttukaḷ.
Happy Pongal.
- Speaker B
உங்களுக்கும் இனிய பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துகள்.
uṅkaḷukkum iṉiya poṅkal nalvāḻttukaḷ.
Happy Pongal to you too.
- Speaker A
நன்றி.
naṉṟi.
Thank you.
When to say it
Say இனிய பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துகள் on the day of Pongal, when you meet family, friends or neighbours. It works for everyone. It is polite enough for elders and warm enough for close friends, so you do not need a different form for different people. Many people also write it in messages and on cards in the days before the festival.
How to answer
The usual answer is to wish the same back. Add உங்களுக்கும், "to you too", at the start: உங்களுக்கும் இனிய பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துகள். With a close friend or a child, a short நன்றி, "thank you", with a smile is also fine.
How it is built
The phrase has three words. இனிய means sweet or pleasant. பொங்கல் is the name of the festival and of the dish cooked on the day. நல்வாழ்த்துகள் means good wishes. Many Tamil greetings for special days also end with நல்வாழ்த்துகள், so it is a good word to learn.
Related phrases
May the rice boil over
பொங்கலோ பொங்கல்