Greetings and politeness in Malayalam
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on. Play the ten Malayalam words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Malayalam phrases in this lesson
- നമസ്കാരംna-mas-KAA-ram
- Hello
- സുപ്രഭാതംsoo-pra-BHA-tam
- Good morning
- ശുഭ സന്ധ്യSHU-bha SAN-dhya
- Good evening
- വിടVI-da
- Goodbye
- പിന്നെ കാണാംPIN-ne KAA-naam
- See you
- ദയവായിda-ya-VAH-yee
- Please
- നന്ദിNAN-dee
- Thank you
- സാരമില്ലsaa-ra-MIL-la
- You're welcome
- ക്ഷമിക്കണംksha-MIK-ka-nam
- Sorry
- ഒന്ന് വഴി തരുമോ?ON-nu VA-zhi tha-RU-mo
- Excuse me
- കണ്ടതിൽ സന്തോഷംKAN-da-thil san-THO-sham
- Nice to meet you
The respectful greeting, with palms together. Among younger people, ഹലോ (ha-LOH) is everywhere.
A formal Sanskrit-origin greeting. You will hear it on the radio and in schools. In casual speech people often just say "Good morning" in English.
Formal. In daily life നമസ്കാരം (na-mas-KAA-ram) covers the evening.
A simple farewell. Many Keralites also say "bye bye" or just "bye" in English, especially in cities like Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram.
Literally "see you later". വിട (vi-DA) is formal and sounds final.
Literally "with kindness." Placed before the verb in a request. In very casual speech people often drop it entirely and soften requests through tone instead.
The standard word for thanks. Kerala culture values understatement, so a simple "നന്ദി" goes a long way with a genuine smile.
Literally "it doesn't matter", the everyday reply to thanks and to apologies.
The apology, for a mistake or a bump.
Literally "could you give way a moment?". To call someone, people say ചേട്ടാ (CHET-taa), older brother, or ചേച്ചീ (CHECH-chee), older sister.
Literally "happy to have seen you".