▶ Hear it spoken by a native voice.
In short: ചോറ് കഴിച്ചോ? (Choru kazhicho?) literally means "did you eat rice?" but it's really a warm way of asking "have you eaten? / are you okay?" — one of the most affectionate everyday Malayali greetings. Reply കഴിച്ചു (kazhichu) "I ate," or ഇല്ല (illa) "not yet."
Variations & related phrases
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ചോറ് കഴിച്ചോ? | Choru kazhicho? | Have you eaten? |
| കഴിച്ചോ? | Kazhicho? | Did you eat? (short) |
| കഴിച്ചു | Kazhichu | I ate / yes |
| ഇല്ല, ഇപ്പോ കഴിക്കും | Illa, ippo kazhikkum | Not yet, I'll eat now |
When & how to use it
In Kerala, food equals care — asking choru kazhicho? is how family, neighbours and even shopkeepers show affection. Put mole (dear, to a girl) or mone (dear, to a boy) in front to make it warmer.
Example sentences
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| മോളേ, ചോറ് കഴിച്ചോ? | Mole, choru kazhicho? | Dear, have you eaten? |
| ഉവ്വ്, കഴിച്ചു, നന്ദി. | Uvvu, kazhichu, nandi. | Yes, I ate, thanks. |
Want to hear this used in a real conversation? Listen to Episode 16 - Family & Home Talk 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 have you eaten in Malayalam?
Say ചോറ് കഴിച്ചോ? (choru kazhicho?) — literally "did you eat rice?", used as "have you eaten?".
Why do Malayalis ask if you have eaten?
It's a warm, caring greeting — in Kerala, offering and asking about food is a way of showing love.
How do you reply to choru kazhicho?
Say കഴിച്ചു (kazhichu) "I ate" or ഇല്ല (illa) "not yet."
What does mole and mone mean here?
മോളേ (mole) "dear" (to a girl/woman) and മോനേ (mone) "dear" (to a boy/man) add warmth.
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