▶ Hear it spoken by a native voice.
In short: "I don't know" is എനിക്ക് അറിയില്ല (enikku ariyilla), or simply അറിയില്ല (ariyilla). Don't mix it up with മനസ്സിലായില്ല (manassilaayilla), which means "I didn't understand."
Variations & related phrases
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| എനിക്ക് അറിയില്ല | Enikku ariyilla | I don't know |
| അറിയില്ല | Ariyilla | Don't know (short) |
| എനിക്ക് ഉറപ്പില്ല | Enikku urappilla | I'm not sure |
| ഒന്നൂടെ പറയാമോ? | Onnoode parayaamo? | Can you say it again? |
When & how to use it
Ariyilla = "I don't know (a fact)." Manassilaayilla = "I didn't understand (what was said)." Keep them separate and you'll sound much clearer.
Example sentences
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ക്ഷമിക്കണം, എനിക്ക് അറിയില്ല. | Kshamikkanam, enikku ariyilla. | Sorry, I don't know. |
| അത് എവിടെയാന്ന് അറിയില്ല. | Athu evideyaannu ariyilla. | I don't know where that is. |
Want to hear this used in a real conversation? Listen to Episode 24 - 'I'm Still Learning Malayalam' (Survival) 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 Dr. Reshmi trains your mouth — real-time correction only a teacher can give.
Book a lesson →Frequently asked questions
How do you say I don't know in Malayalam?
Say എനിക്ക് അറിയില്ല (enikku ariyilla) or just അറിയില്ല (ariyilla).
What's the difference between ariyilla and manassilaayilla?
അറിയില്ല (ariyilla) is "I don't know"; മനസ്സിലായില്ല (manassilaayilla) is "I didn't understand."
How do you say I'm not sure in Malayalam?
Say എനിക്ക് ഉറപ്പില്ല (enikku urappilla).
How do you politely say you don't know?
Add ക്ഷമിക്കണം (kshamikkanam), "sorry," before എനിക്ക് അറിയില്ല.