In short: Main colours: ചുവപ്പ് (chuvappu) red, നീല (neela) blue, പച്ച (pacha) green, മഞ്ഞ (manja) yellow, വെള്ള (vella) white, കറുപ്പ് (karuppu) black. To ask "what colour?": എന്ത് നിറമാ? (enthu niramaa?).
Variations & related phrases
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ചുവപ്പ് · നീല | Chuvappu · Neela | Red · Blue |
| പച്ച · മഞ്ഞ | Pacha · Manja | Green · Yellow |
| വെള്ള · കറുപ്പ് | Vella · Karuppu | White · Black |
| എന്ത് നിറമാ? | Enthu niramaa? | What colour? |
When & how to use it
Niram = colour. Ask enthu niramaa? ("what colour?") when shopping. Add the colour before a noun: neela shirt ("blue shirt").
Example sentences
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ഈ ഷർട്ട് എന്ത് നിറമാ? - നീല. | Ee shirt enthu niramaa? - Neela. | What colour is this shirt? - Blue. |
| എനിക്ക് ചുവപ്പ് ഇഷ്ടമാ. | Enikku chuvappu ishtamaa. | I like red. |
Want to hear this used in a real conversation? Listen to Episode 12 - At the Market 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
What are the colours in Malayalam?
Chuvappu (red), neela (blue), pacha (green), manja (yellow), vella (white), karuppu (black).
How do you say red in Malayalam?
Red is ചുവപ്പ് (chuvappu).
How do you ask what colour in Malayalam?
Say എന്ത് നിറമാ? (enthu niramaa?).
What is the Malayalam word for colour?
"Colour" is നിറം (niram).