What are Open Source LLMs for Tamil?
Open source LLMs for Tamil are large language models specifically designed or optimized to understand, generate, and process Tamil language text with high accuracy. Using advanced deep learning architectures and multilingual training data, these models translate natural language prompts in Tamil into meaningful responses, supporting tasks like conversation, translation, content creation, and reasoning. This technology allows developers and creators to build Tamil-language applications with unprecedented freedom. They foster collaboration, accelerate innovation in regional language AI, and democratize access to powerful language tools, enabling a wide range of applications from educational platforms to enterprise solutions serving Tamil-speaking communities worldwide.
Qwen3-235B-A22B
Qwen3-235B-A22B is the latest large language model in the Qwen series, featuring a Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) architecture with 235B total parameters and 22B activated parameters. This model supports over 100 languages and dialects with strong multilingual instruction following and translation capabilities, making it ideal for Tamil language processing. It demonstrates significantly enhanced reasoning capabilities and superior human preference alignment in creative writing, role-playing, and multi-turn dialogues.
Qwen3-235B-A22B: Premium Multilingual Excellence for Tamil
Qwen3-235B-A22B is the latest large language model in the Qwen series, featuring a Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) architecture with 235B total parameters and 22B activated parameters. This model uniquely supports seamless switching between thinking mode (for complex logical reasoning, math, and coding) and non-thinking mode (for efficient, general-purpose dialogue). It demonstrates significantly enhanced reasoning capabilities, superior human preference alignment in creative writing, role-playing, and multi-turn dialogues. The model excels in agent capabilities for precise integration with external tools and supports over 100 languages and dialects with strong multilingual instruction following and translation capabilities, making it exceptionally well-suited for Tamil language applications. SiliconFlow pricing: $1.42/M output tokens, $0.35/M input tokens.
Pros
- Supports over 100 languages including Tamil with strong multilingual capabilities.
- Dual-mode operation: thinking mode for reasoning and non-thinking mode for efficiency.
- 235B total parameters with efficient 22B activation via MoE architecture.
Cons
- Higher pricing compared to smaller models.
- Requires substantial computational resources for optimal performance.
Why We Love It
- It provides industry-leading multilingual support including Tamil with flexible reasoning modes and exceptional dialogue quality at competitive SiliconFlow pricing.
Meta-Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct
Meta Llama 3.1 is a multilingual large language model optimized for dialogue use cases, supporting Tamil among many languages. This 8B instruction-tuned model outperforms many available open-source chat models on common industry benchmarks. Trained on over 15 trillion tokens with supervised fine-tuning and reinforcement learning, it offers an efficient and cost-effective solution for Tamil language applications.
Meta-Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct: Efficient Tamil Dialogue Model
Meta Llama 3.1 is a family of multilingual large language models developed by Meta, featuring pretrained and instruction-tuned variants. This 8B instruction-tuned model is optimized for multilingual dialogue use cases and outperforms many available open-source and closed chat models on common industry benchmarks. The model was trained on over 15 trillion tokens of publicly available data, using techniques like supervised fine-tuning and reinforcement learning with human feedback to enhance helpfulness and safety. Llama 3.1 supports Tamil along with numerous other languages for text generation and dialogue, with a knowledge cutoff of December 2023. With its compact size and strong performance, it's an ideal choice for Tamil language applications requiring efficiency and accuracy. SiliconFlow pricing: $0.06/M output tokens, $0.06/M input tokens.
Pros
- Excellent multilingual support including Tamil language.
- Compact 8B parameters enable efficient deployment.
- Trained on 15T+ tokens with RLHF for quality responses.
Cons
- Knowledge cutoff at December 2023 may limit recent information.
- Smaller model size may affect performance on highly complex reasoning tasks.
Why We Love It
- It delivers exceptional multilingual Tamil dialogue capabilities in a compact, affordable package perfect for production deployments on SiliconFlow.
Qwen3-8B
Qwen3-8B is the latest large language model in the Qwen series with 8.2B parameters, offering exceptional value for Tamil language tasks. This model uniquely supports seamless switching between thinking mode and non-thinking mode, demonstrating significantly enhanced reasoning capabilities. It excels in human preference alignment for creative writing, role-playing, and multi-turn Tamil dialogues, while supporting over 100 languages and dialects with strong multilingual instruction following.
Qwen3-8B: Compact Powerhouse for Tamil Applications
Qwen3-8B is the latest large language model in the Qwen series with 8.2B parameters. This model uniquely supports seamless switching between thinking mode (for complex logical reasoning, math, and coding) and non-thinking mode (for efficient, general-purpose dialogue). It demonstrates significantly enhanced reasoning capabilities, surpassing previous QwQ and Qwen2.5 instruct models in mathematics, code generation, and commonsense logical reasoning. The model excels in human preference alignment for creative writing, role-playing, and multi-turn dialogues. Additionally, it supports over 100 languages and dialects including Tamil with strong multilingual instruction following and translation capabilities, making it an ideal choice for Tamil language applications requiring both efficiency and quality. SiliconFlow pricing: $0.06/M output tokens, $0.06/M input tokens.
Pros
- Supports 100+ languages including Tamil with strong capabilities.
- Dual-mode operation for flexible reasoning and efficient dialogue.
- Enhanced reasoning surpassing previous generation models.
Cons
- Smaller parameter count compared to flagship models.
- May require thinking mode for most complex Tamil reasoning tasks.
Why We Love It
- It combines cutting-edge multilingual Tamil capabilities with dual reasoning modes in a compact, highly affordable model perfect for diverse applications.
Best Open Source Tamil LLM Comparison
In this table, we compare 2025's leading open source LLMs for Tamil language processing, each with unique strengths. For premium multilingual capabilities, Qwen3-235B-A22B provides unmatched quality with 100+ language support. For efficient dialogue applications, Meta-Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct offers excellent Tamil performance with Meta's proven architecture. For the best balance of capability and affordability, Qwen3-8B delivers dual-mode reasoning in a compact package. This side-by-side view helps you choose the right model for your specific Tamil language AI goals. All prices are from SiliconFlow.
| Number | Model | Developer | Subtype | SiliconFlow Pricing | Core Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qwen3-235B-A22B | Qwen3 | Multilingual Reasoning | $1.42/M out, $0.35/M in | 100+ languages with dual-mode reasoning |
| 2 | Meta-Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct | meta-llama | Multilingual Dialogue | $0.06/M tokens | Efficient Tamil dialogue at scale |
| 3 | Qwen3-8B | Qwen3 | Multilingual Reasoning | $0.06/M tokens | Best value with thinking mode |
Frequently Asked Questions
Our top three picks for 2025 are Qwen3-235B-A22B, Meta-Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct, and Qwen3-8B. Each of these models stood out for their exceptional multilingual capabilities including Tamil language support, strong performance on dialogue and reasoning tasks, and unique approaches to serving Tamil-speaking communities with open source AI technology.
Our in-depth analysis shows several leaders for different Tamil dialogue needs. Meta-Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct is the top choice for efficient, cost-effective Tamil dialogue at scale with proven multilingual training. For creators who need advanced reasoning in Tamil conversations, Qwen3-8B offers dual-mode operation with thinking capabilities. For enterprise applications requiring the highest quality Tamil interactions, Qwen3-235B-A22B provides state-of-the-art performance with 100+ language support.