In short: "Yes" in Malayalam is അതെ (athe) or, casually, ഉവ്വ് (uvvu) ("yeah"). "No" has two forms: അല്ല (alla) for "it's not (that)," and ഇല്ല (illa) for "there isn't / I don't."
Variations & related phrases
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| അതെ | Athe | Yes |
| ഉവ്വ് | Uvvu | Yeah (casual) |
| അല്ല | Alla | No / it's not |
| ഇല്ല | Illa | No / there isn't |
When & how to use it
The key trick: alla denies identity or quality ("it's not that one"), while illa denies existence or possession ("there isn't / I don't have"). In relaxed speech, uvvu is the everyday "yeah."
Example sentences
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ഇത് ശരിയാണോ? — അതെ. | Ithu shariyaano? — Athe. | Is this right? — Yes. |
| വെള്ളം ഉണ്ടോ? — ഇല്ല. | Vellam undo? — Illa. | Is there water? — No. |
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
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Book a lesson →Frequently asked questions
How do you say yes in Malayalam?
Say അതെ (athe), or casually ഉവ്വ് (uvvu).
How do you say no in Malayalam?
Use അല്ല (alla) for "it's not" and ഇല്ല (illa) for "there isn't / I don't."
What is the difference between alla and illa?
അല്ല (alla) denies identity/quality; ഇല്ല (illa) denies existence/possession.
What is the casual word for yeah in Malayalam?
It's ഉവ്വ് (uvvu).