▶ Hear it spoken by a native voice.
In short: Malayalam has no single word for "goodbye" used in daily life — instead people say പിന്നെ കാണാം (pinne kaanaam), "see you later," or വീണ്ടും കാണാം (veendum kaanaam), "see you again." A quick casual "bye" in English is also extremely common.
Variations & related phrases
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| പിന്നെ കാണാം | Pinne kaanaam | See you later |
| വീണ്ടും കാണാം | Veendum kaanaam | See you again |
| നാളെ കാണാം | Naale kaanaam | See you tomorrow |
| സൂക്ഷിച്ച് പോകണേ | Sookshichu pokane | Take care (when someone leaves) |
When & how to use it
Pinne kaanaam is the warm, natural way to part with almost anyone. Add ട്ടോ (tto) for friendliness. When someone is leaving, സൂക്ഷിച്ച് പോകണേ (sookshichu pokane) — "take care" — is a kind thing to say.
Example sentences
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ശരി, പിന്നെ കാണാം ട്ടോ! | Shari, pinne kaanaam tto! | Okay, see you later! |
| സൂക്ഷിച്ച് പോകണേ. | Sookshichu pokane. | Take care on your way. |
Want to hear this used in a real conversation? Listen to Episode 1 - A Day in Malayalam in the free Listen & Learn library — every line has a Malayalam, romanised and English transcript.
Practise speaking it for real
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Book a lesson →Frequently asked questions
How do you say goodbye in Malayalam?
In daily life Malayalis say പിന്നെ കാണാം (pinne kaanaam), "see you later," rather than a formal goodbye.
How do you say see you tomorrow in Malayalam?
Say നാളെ കാണാം (naale kaanaam).
How do you say take care in Malayalam?
Say സൂക്ഷിച്ച് പോകണേ (sookshichu pokane) when someone is heading off.
Do Malayalis just say bye?
Yes — a casual English "bye" is very common, often mixed with pinne kaanaam.