▶ Hear it spoken by a native voice.
In short: In everyday spoken Malayalam you ask "how are you?" with സുഖമാണോ? (Sukhamaano?) — literally "are you well?". To reply you say സുഖമാണ് (sukhamaanu) — "I'm well." A very casual opener is എന്താ വിശേഷം? (entha vishesham?) — "what's up?".
Variations & related phrases
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| സുഖമാണോ? | Sukhamaano? | How are you? / Are you well? |
| എങ്ങനെ ഉണ്ട്? | Engane und? | How's it going? |
| എന്താ വിശേഷം? | Entha vishesham? | What's up? / What's new? |
| സുഖമാണ്, നന്ദി | Sukhamaanu, nandi | I'm well, thanks |
When & how to use it
Sukhamaano? is the safe, friendly default with almost anyone. With close friends, engane und? and entha vishesham? feel more relaxed. Add ട്ടോ (tto) at the end of replies for a warm, local touch.
Example sentences
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ഹായ്, സുഖമാണോ? | Haay, sukhamaano? | Hi, how are you? |
| സുഖമാണ്, നീ എങ്ങനെ ഉണ്ട്? | Sukhamaanu, nee engane und? | I'm well, how are you? |
Want to hear this used in a real conversation? Listen to Episode 17 - Weather & Small Talk in the free Listen & Learn library — every line has a Malayalam, romanised and English transcript.
Practise speaking it for real
These pages train your ear. A live 1-to-1 lesson with Reshmi trains your mouth — real-time correction only a teacher can give.
Book a lesson →Frequently asked questions
How do you say how are you in Malayalam?
You say സുഖമാണോ? (Sukhamaano?) — literally "are you well?" — the everyday way to ask how someone is.
How do you reply to Sukhamaano?
Say സുഖമാണ് (sukhamaanu) — "I'm well" — often followed by നന്ദി (nandi), "thanks."
What is a casual way to say what's up in Malayalam?
Use എന്താ വിശേഷം? (entha vishesham?) — "what's up / what's new?".
Is Sukhamaano formal or casual?
It is friendly and works everywhere — with strangers, shopkeepers and friends.