Tamil typing test
Sixty seconds of தமிழ் in Unicode. 234 of the most common words, scored on WPM and accuracy, with a per-key breakdown at the end.
Tab restarts Esc leaves the test results save to this browser only
The Tamil word list, measured
Every figure there is counted from the file this test types, not estimated. Words are drawn from the common pool at random and never repeat back to back, so no two runs are the same and there is nothing to memorise.
Characters and keyboards
Every word in this file is written in the Tamil script, 40 distinct characters in all. This is not a case of reaching for a few extra accent keys: without the matching layout active you cannot type any of it.
Tamil is written with combining marks: a vowel sign attaches to the consonant before it, so one shape on screen can take two or three keystrokes. Your character count runs ahead of what the line looks like, which is normal and not a scoring error.
What your score actually represents
Tamil words run 1.2 characters longer than English on average. That does not make your WPM lower, because WPM counts every five characters as one word rather than counting actual words. What it changes is how much text you produce: at 60 WPM you are typing about 48 real Tamil words a minute, against roughly 60 in English.
The formulas never change with the language: speed is correct characters divided by five per minute, accuracy is correct keystrokes over total keystrokes, and consistency comes from the variation in your per-second speed. All of them are written out on the typing metrics page.
Punctuation in Tamil
Switch the punctuation modifier on and sentences get a capital, commas and quotes inside them, and a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark at the end. The apostrophe possessive stays off: it is an English habit and would be wrong in Tamil.
Getting a fair reading
- Do one warmup run. Cold starts read five to ten WPM low in any language.
- Use the layout you actually type Tamil on day to day, not a borrowed machine.
- Hold 96% accuracy before you push for speed. Corrections cost more time than they save.
- The control bar switches to 15, 30 or 120 seconds and turns punctuation and numbers on.
If your speed is stuck, the bottleneck is usually finger placement rather than effort. The free touch typing course rebuilds it from the home row, and your runs here feed the trend on your stats page.
Other tests and languages
- Gujarati typing test Also written in its own script
- Telugu typing test Also written in its own script
- All languages Every language the test supports, 64 in all
- All typing tests Every duration, mode and layout
- Free typing certificate Download your result, no signup
- What is a good WPM? Where your number sits against real data
Questions people ask
Can I take a typing test in Tamil?
Yes. This page loads the Tamil word list before the test starts, so every word you type is a real தமிழ் word, not translated English. The common pool holds 234 of the most frequent words and the full file holds 572, averaging 5.2 characters each. The test runs 60 seconds by default and you can change the length in the control bar.
Do I need a special keyboard for the Tamil typing test?
This test uses Unicode text, which works with the InScript layout built into Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, or with Google Input Tools. Legacy font-mapped layouts such as Krutidev and Remington are not supported yet. The test never remaps your keys: it reads exactly the characters your operating system sends, so whatever layout you already type on is the one being measured.
Is a Tamil WPM score comparable to an English one?
The maths is identical: WPM is correct characters divided by five, per minute, and accuracy is correct keystrokes over total keystrokes. So the number means the same thing here as on the English test. The typing is not identical though. Tamil words run 1.2 characters longer, so the same WPM represents fewer actual words. Reaching for characters your layout buries, or a script where one glyph takes several keystrokes, pulls a score down without your technique changing. Compare yourself in Tamil against yourself in Tamil.
What is the longest word in the Tamil test?
நட்சத்திரம் at 11 characters, the longest in the common pool. The average is 5.2, so most of what you type is far shorter. Long words are worth noticing because a single mistake inside one costs the whole word in the WPM count.
Is this Tamil typing test free?
Yes. It is free, there is no account, and nothing is emailed to you. Results are written to your own browser storage, so your history lives on your device and you can review it on your typing stats page. If you need a document to show someone, take a run on the typing certificate page and download it there.