In short: The word for "food" is ഭക്ഷണം (bhakshanam). In everyday speech, ചോറ് (choru) ("rice") often stands in for "a meal / food". "To eat" is കഴിക്കുക (kazhikkuka).
Variations & related phrases
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ഭക്ഷണം | Bhakshanam | Food |
| ചോറ് | Choru | Rice / a meal |
| കഴിക്കാം | Kazhikkaam | Let's eat |
| വിശക്കുന്നു | Vishakkunnu | I'm hungry |
When & how to use it
Malayalis often ask choru kazhicho? ("did you eat?") as a caring greeting. Bhakshanam is the general word for food.
Example sentences
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ഭക്ഷണം കഴിച്ചോ? | Bhakshanam kazhicho? | Have you eaten? |
| നല്ല ഭക്ഷണം ആയിരുന്നു! | Nalla bhakshanam aayirunnu! | The food was great! |
Want to hear this used in a real conversation? Listen to Episode 11 - At a Restaurant in the free Listen & Learn library — every line has a Malayalam, romanised and English transcript.
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Book a lesson →Frequently asked questions
What is the Malayalam word for food?
Food is ഭക്ഷണം (bhakshanam); casually ചോറ് (choru) ("rice") often means "a meal".
How do you say let's eat in Malayalam?
Say കഴിക്കാം (kazhikkaam).
How do you say the food was great?
Say നല്ല ഭക്ഷണം ആയിരുന്നു! (nalla bhakshanam aayirunnu!).
How do you say I'm hungry?
Say വിശക്കുന്നു (vishakkunnu).