Colours are among the first words learners want, and they come up constantly in shops, at home and with children. This guide covers the main colours, how they change before a noun, and how to ask about colours. Each word comes with the Malayalam script, an easy romanised spelling and the English meaning.
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Real colloquial pronunciation, the way it’s actually said in Kerala.
The main colours
Niram means colour. Younger speakers often use English colour names, especially for orange, pink and purple.
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ചുവപ്പ് | Chuvappu | Red |
| നീല | Neela | Blue |
| പച്ച | Pacha | Green |
| മഞ്ഞ | Manja | Yellow |
| വെള്ള | Vella | White |
| കറുപ്പ് | Karuppu | Black |
| തവിട്ടുനിറം | Thavittuniram | Brown |
| ചാരനിറം | Chaaraniram | Grey |
| സ്വർണ്ണനിറം | Swarnaniram | Gold |
| ഓറഞ്ച് / പിങ്ക് | Orange / Pink | Orange / Pink |
Colours before a noun
Red and black change form before a noun; the others mostly stay the same.
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ചുവന്ന സാരി | Chuvanna saari | A red saree |
| കറുത്ത ഷർട്ട് | Karutha shirt | A black shirt |
| നീല ബാഗ് | Neela bag | A blue bag |
| പച്ച മുളക് | Pacha mulaku | Green chilli |
| വെള്ള മുണ്ട് | Vella mundu | A white mundu |
Asking about colour
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| എന്ത് നിറമാ? | Enthu niramaa? | What colour is it? |
| ഈ ഷർട്ട് എന്ത് നിറമാ? – നീല | Ee shirt enthu niramaa? – Neela | What colour is this shirt? – Blue |
| വേറെ കളർ ഉണ്ടോ? | Vere colour undo? | Is there another colour? |
| എനിക്ക് ചുവപ്പ് ഇഷ്ടമാ | Enikku chuvappu ishtamaa | I like red |
Shopping for clothes? See clothing in Malayalam and shopping phrases.
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 what colour in Malayalam?
“Enthu niramaa?” Niram means colour.
How do you say red saree in Malayalam?
“Chuvanna saari.” Before a noun, chuvappu becomes chuvanna and karuppu becomes karutha.
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