Learn Malayalam speaking online, one conversation at a time
Malayalam has a reputation for being hard: long words, fast speech, and a script with more letters than most. But speaking everyday Malayalam is very doable, and people from Kerala are delighted when a learner tries.
Whether you grew up outside Kerala and want to speak your family's language, are moving to Kochi for work, or have Malayali friends you'd like to surprise, here are the phrases, numbers and sounds to start with, a four-week plan, and video calls on Viaraa to practise.
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Why Malayalam sounds fast, and how to keep up
Malayalam joins words together. What English says in four words, Malayalam often says in one long word, with endings stacked on the end. To a new listener, a whole sentence can sound like a single word.
The trick is to listen for the endings. "-il" means in or at (veettil, at home), "-kku" means to or for (enikku, to me), and "-aano?" turns a sentence into a question (sukhamaano?, are you well?). Once you hear those, sentences start to break into pieces you can understand. And it's always fine to ask: "pathukke parayaamo?", could you say it slowly?
Ten Malayalam phrases for everyday life
- എത്ര?Ethra?How much?
- ഇവിടെ നിർത്തൂ.Ivide nirthoo.Stop here, please.
- മതി.Mathi.That's enough.
- എനിക്ക് കുറച്ച് മലയാളം അറിയാം.Enikku kurachu Malayalam ariyaam.I know a little Malayalam.
- മനസ്സിലായില്ല.Manassilaayilla.I didn't understand.
- ഒന്നുകൂടി പറയാമോ?Onnukoodi parayaamo?Could you say that again?
- ശരി.Shari.Okay.
- വെള്ളം വേണം.Vellam venam.I need some water.
- എവിടെയാണ്?Evideyaanu?Where is it?
- നന്ദി!Nanni!Thank you!
"Manassilaayilla" is long, but it's worth learning first: you'll use it a lot, and saying it in Malayalam makes people slow down happily.
The famous zha sound
The ഴ in കോഴിക്കോട് (Kozhikode) and in വഴി (vazhi, road) is a sound English doesn't have. Curl the tip of your tongue back towards the roof of your mouth and say a soft "r" and "l" at the same time. It's between the two.
Don't worry if it takes weeks to get right: people will understand you anyway. Ask your host to say words like pazham (banana) and mazha (rain) slowly, and copy her.
Numbers one to ten
| Number | Malayalam | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ഒന്ന് | onnu |
| 2 | രണ്ട് | randu |
| 3 | മൂന്ന് | moonnu |
| 4 | നാല് | naalu |
| 5 | അഞ്ച് | anchu |
| 6 | ആറ് | aaru |
| 7 | ഏഴ് | ezhu |
| 8 | എട്ട് | ettu |
| 9 | ഒമ്പത് | ombathu |
| 10 | പത്ത് | pathu |
A four-week plan
- 1Week 1, greetings and you: namaskaaram, sukhamaano?, your name, where you're from, what you do.
- 2Week 2, numbers and shopping: ethra?, mathi, kooduthal (too much) and the numbers one to ten.
- 3Week 3, getting around: valathu (right), idathu (left), nere (straight), ivide nirthoo (stop here).
- 4Week 4, your day: five minutes on what you did today, in short, simple sentences.
If you understand more than you speak, which is common for people who grew up hearing Malayalam at home, spend more time talking than listening. The words are already there; they just need practice coming out.
Practise speaking on Viaraa
On Viaraa you can video call hosts who speak Malayalam, one to one: women aged 18 or over who chose to host, each checked by our team. Tell her you're learning, and she can speak slowly, repeat, explain a word and let you switch to English when you need to.
Hosts aren't teachers and Viaraa isn't a course: it's real conversation, which is what turns understanding into speaking. Calls are paid per minute, from 3,000 coins a minute depending on the host, with no subscription, and Viaraa runs in your browser from anywhere. See our Malayalam video call page.
Common mistakes learners make
- Trying to say every long word perfectly: get the start and the ending right, and people will follow you.
- Using നീ (nee) with everyone: it's for close friends and younger people. Use നിങ്ങൾ (ningal) or a respectful name like chettan or chechi.
- Mixing up "venam" (want) and "venda" (don't want): they sound close but mean the opposite.
- Speaking too quietly: Malayalam is spoken clearly and confidently. Say it out loud.
This page is also available in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. See all the languages you can learn.
Questions, answered
Can I learn Malayalam speaking online for free?
You can start for free with the phrases, numbers and plan on this page. Practising on Viaraa video calls is paid per minute, and joining is free.
Is Malayalam hard to learn?
The script and long words take time, but everyday spoken Malayalam is very learnable with regular practice.
How do I say the zha sound in Malayalam?
Curl your tongue back towards the roof of your mouth and make a sound between a soft r and l, as in Kozhikode.
I understand Malayalam but can't speak it. What should I do?
Speak as much as you can, even badly. Short, regular conversations turn listening into speaking faster than anything else.
Are Viaraa's hosts Malayalam teachers?
No. They're people who speak Malayalam and enjoy talking, which makes calls good speaking practice. Viaraa isn't a course.
Keep reading
- Learn a languageSpeak Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam or Hindi: phrases, plans and video call practice.
- Malayalam video call appVideo call hosts who speak Malayalam, from anywhere, with nothing to install.
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- Tandem alternativeSpeaking practice in Indian languages, on video, with hosts who are online now.