In short: To ask "where do you live?", say എവിടെയാ താമസം? (evideyaa thaamasam?). "Where are you from?" is എവിടെനിന്നാ? (evideninnaa?). To answer: ഞാൻ ___ ആണ് (njaan ___ aanu) ("I'm from ___").
Variations & related phrases
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| എവിടെയാ താമസം? | Evideyaa thaamasam? | Where do you live? |
| എവിടെനിന്നാ? | Evideninnaa? | Where are you from? |
| ഞാൻ കൊച്ചിയിലാ | Njaan Kochiyilaa | I live in Kochi |
| നാട് എവിടെയാ? | Naadu evideyaa? | Where's your hometown? |
When & how to use it
Thaamasam means "residence/living". Naadu ("hometown/native place") is a warm, very Malayali way to ask where someone is originally from.
Example sentences
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| എവിടെയാ താമസം? - ഞാൻ ലണ്ടനിലാ. | Evideyaa thaamasam? - Njaan Londonilaa. | Where do you live? - I live in London. |
| നാട് എവിടെയാ? | Naadu evideyaa? | Where's your hometown? |
Want to hear this used in a real conversation? Listen to Episode 7 - Meeting Someone New in the free Listen & Learn library — every line has a Malayalam, romanised and English transcript.
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Book a lesson →Frequently asked questions
How do you ask where do you live in Malayalam?
Say എവിടെയാ താമസം? (evideyaa thaamasam?).
How do you ask where are you from in Malayalam?
Say എവിടെനിന്നാ? (evideninnaa?).
How do you say I live in ... in Malayalam?
Say the place + -ilaa, e.g. ഞാൻ കൊച്ചിയിലാ (njaan Kochiyilaa).
What does naadu mean?
"Hometown / native place" - a warm way to ask where someone is from.