In short: To say "what's up? / what's new?", say എന്താ വിശേഷം? (entha vishesham?). With close friends, എന്താ ഡാ? (entha da?) (to a male) / എന്താ ഡീ? (entha di?) (to a female).
Variations & related phrases
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| എന്താ വിശേഷം? | Entha vishesham? | What's up? / What's new? |
| എന്താ ഡാ? | Entha da? | What's up, man? (to a male) |
| എന്താ ഡീ? | Entha di? | What's up, girl? (to a female) |
| പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ഒന്നുമില്ല | Pratyekichu onnumilla | Nothing much |
When & how to use it
Entha vishesham? is the warm everyday opener after a greeting. Reply with pratyekichu onnumilla ("nothing much").
Example sentences
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ഹായ്! എന്താ വിശേഷം? | Haay! Entha vishesham? | Hi! What's up? |
| ഒന്നുമില്ല, പഴയത് പോലെ. | Onnumilla, pazhayathu pole. | Nothing, same as usual. |
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 Dr. Reshmi trains your mouth — real-time correction only a teacher can give.
Book a lesson →Frequently asked questions
How do you say what's up in Malayalam?
Say എന്താ വിശേഷം? (entha vishesham?).
How do you say what's up to a friend in Malayalam?
Say എന്താ ഡാ? (entha da?) (to a male) or എന്താ ഡീ? (entha di?) (to a female).
How do you reply nothing much in Malayalam?
Say പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ഒന്നുമില്ല (pratyekichu onnumilla).
Is entha vishesham casual?
Yes - it's a friendly, everyday opener used with almost anyone.