Vocabulary

First 100 Malayalam words for beginners

Do not learn random vocabulary first. Start with words you can use in family calls, food conversations, travel, questions and daily routines.

Keep learning:📄 Free starter pack (PDF)📅 Free 30-day course🎙 Speak with Reshmi: book a lesson
Open dictionary

The first 100 words

Each word is shown in the Malayalam script, a simple romanisation and English. Say each one aloud; for the polite request forms ending in -oo, lengthen the final vowel.

1 to 10: Family and home

MalayalamRomanisedMeaning
അമ്മammamother
അച്ഛൻachanfather
ചേച്ചിchechielder sister
ചേട്ടൻchettanelder brother
അനിയൻaniyanyounger brother
അനിയത്തിaniyathiyounger sister
അമ്മൂമ്മammummagrandmother
അപ്പൂപ്പൻappuppangrandfather
വീട്veeduhouse
കുടുംബംkudumbamfamily

11 to 20: Food and drink

MalayalamRomanisedMeaning
വെള്ളംvellamwater
ചോറ്chorurice
കഞ്ഞിkanjirice porridge
ചായchayatea
കാപ്പിkappicoffee
പഴംpazhambanana
മീൻmeenfish
കറിkaricurry
ഉപ്പ്uppusalt
പഞ്ചസാരpanchasarasugar

21 to 30: Questions and pointing

MalayalamRomanisedMeaning
എവിടെevidewhere
എന്താenthawhat
എപ്പോeppowhen
ആരാaarawho
എന്തിന്enthinuwhy
എങ്ങനെenganehow
ഇത്ithuthis
അത്athuthat
ഇവിടെividehere
അവിടെavidethere

31 to 40: Doing words

MalayalamRomanisedMeaning
വരൂvaroocome (polite request)
പോകൂpokoogo (polite request)
കഴിക്കൂkazhikkooeat (polite request)
കുടിക്കൂkudikkoodrink (polite request)
പറയൂparayoosay (polite request)
കേൾക്കൂkelkkoolisten (polite request)
കാണുകkaanukasee
അറിയുകariyukaknow
വേണംvenamwant
ഇഷ്ടംishtamlike

41 to 50: People

MalayalamRomanisedMeaning
ഞാൻnjanI
നീneeyou
നിങ്ങൾningalyou respectful
അവൻavanhe
അവൾavalshe
അവർavarthey
നമ്മൾnammalwe
എന്റെentemy
നിന്റെninteyour
നമ്മുടെnammudeour

51 to 60: Time

MalayalamRomanisedMeaning
ഇന്ന്innutoday
നാളെnaletomorrow
ഇന്നലെinnaleyesterday
രാവിലെravilemorning
ഉച്ചയ്ക്ക്uchakkunoon
വൈകിട്ട്vaikittuevening
രാത്രിrathrinight
ഇപ്പോipponow
പിന്നെpinnelater
ദിവസംdivasamday

61 to 70: Describing words

MalayalamRomanisedMeaning
നല്ലnallagood
മോശംmoshambad
വലിയvaliyabig
ചെറിയcheriyasmall
പുതിയputhiyanew
പഴയpazheyaold
ചൂട്chooduheat, hot
തണുത്തthanuthacold
എളുപ്പംeluppameasy
ബുദ്ധിമുട്ട്buddhimuttudifficult

71 to 80: Feelings and politeness

MalayalamRomanisedMeaning
സന്തോഷംsanthoshamhappiness, happy
ദുഃഖംdukhamsadness, sad
ദേഷ്യംdeshyamanger, angry
ഭയംbhayamfear
സ്നേഹംsnehamlove, affection
ക്ഷമിക്കണംkshamikkanamsorry
നന്ദിnannithank you
ദയവായിdayavaayiplease
ശരിshariokay
വേണ്ടvendaano need

81 to 90: Places and transport

MalayalamRomanisedMeaning
സ്കൂൾschoolschool
ജോലിjoliwork
കടkadashop
റോഡ്roadroad
ബസ്busbus
ഓട്ടോautoauto rickshaw
ആശുപത്രിaashupathri (people also say "hospital")hospital
ബാങ്ക്bankbank
എയർപോർട്ട്airportairport
സ്റ്റേഷൻstationstation

91 to 100: Numbers one to ten

MalayalamRomanisedMeaning
ഒന്ന്onnuone
രണ്ട്randutwo
മൂന്ന്moonnuthree
നാല്naalufour
അഞ്ച്anjufive
ആറ്aarusix
ഏഴ്ezhuseven
എട്ട്ettueight
ഒൻപത്onpathunine
പത്ത്pathuten

How to use these words

Pick 10 words, then make them into 10 small sentences. For example: I want water, where is the bus, I am going home, please say again, I like tea.

Go deeper with the family words, food words, the learner's dictionary and the question words guide.

Next step

Use these words with spoken Malayalam conversation patterns, then continue into the first week of Malayalam lessons.

Download starter pack

RRN
Written by Reshmi R Nair

Applied linguist and native Malayalam speaker · 15+ years teaching spoken Malayalam to English speakers and the Malayali diaspora · 3,000+ learners in 10+ countries. About me · Book a lesson

Want to actually speak Malayalam, not just look words up?

Live 1-to-1 lessons with Reshmi R Nair, a qualified Malayalam linguist. Spoken-first and taught in English — built for learners in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and the Gulf.

Book your first Malayalam lesson →