Food is at the heart of Kerala life, and food Malayalam is some of the most rewarding you can learn. This guide covers the everyday food and drink words, then the phrases you’ll use at every meal: I’m hungry, have you eaten, let’s eat, it’s delicious, water please, ordering tea, and saying you’re vegetarian. Everything is everyday spoken Malayalam, with the script, an easy romanised spelling and the English meaning.
🔊 Hear it spoken — tap play
Real colloquial pronunciation, the way it’s actually said in Kerala.
Everyday food and drink words
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ഭക്ഷണം | Bhakshanam | Food |
| ചോറ് | Choru | Cooked rice; also “a meal” |
| കറി | Curry | Curry |
| മീൻ | Meen | Fish |
| കോഴി / ചിക്കൻ | Kozhi / Chicken | Chicken |
| ഇറച്ചി | Irachi | Meat |
| മുട്ട | Mutta | Egg |
| പച്ചക്കറി | Pachakkari | Vegetables |
| പഴം | Pazham | Banana; also fruit |
| പാല് | Paalu | Milk |
| ഉപ്പ് | Uppu | Salt |
| പഞ്ചസാര | Panchasaara | Sugar |
| എരിവ് | Erivu | Spiciness (chilli heat) |
| വെള്ളം | Vellam | Water |
| ചായ / കാപ്പി | Chaaya / Kaapi | Tea / Coffee |
I’m hungry / I’m thirsty
Feelings like hunger are expressed with enikku (to me): literally “to me, it hungers.” Casually, people drop enikku and just say vishakkunnu.
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| എനിക്ക് വിശക്കുന്നു | Enikku vishakkunnu | I’m hungry |
| നല്ല വിശപ്പുണ്ട് | Nalla vishappundu | I’m really hungry |
| എനിക്ക് ദാഹിക്കുന്നു | Enikku daahikkunnu | I’m thirsty |
| എന്തെങ്കിലും കഴിക്കണം | Enthenkilum kazhikkanam | I need to eat something |
Have you eaten? (Choru kazhicho?)
Choru kazhicho? literally means “did you eat rice?”, but it’s really one of the most affectionate things a Malayali can ask: a way of saying “are you okay? I care about you.” Grandparents ask it on every phone call.
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ചോറ് കഴിച്ചോ? | Choru kazhicho? | Have you eaten? |
| ഭക്ഷണം കഴിച്ചോ? | Bhakshanam kazhicho? | Have you had food? (a little more formal) |
| ഉവ്വ്, കഴിച്ചു | Uvvu, kazhichu | Yes, I’ve eaten |
| ഇല്ല, ഇപ്പോ കഴിക്കും | Illa, ippo kazhikkum | Not yet, I’ll eat now |
Let’s eat / please eat
Malayali hosts keep serving until you stop them, so mathi (enough) is as useful as kazhikkaam (let’s eat).
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| നമുക്ക് കഴിക്കാം | Nammukku kazhikkaam | Let’s eat |
| വരൂ, കഴിക്കാം | Varoo, kazhikkaam | Come, let’s eat |
| കഴിച്ചോളൂ | Kazhicholoo | Please eat / help yourself |
| ഒന്നൂടെ കഴിച്ചോളൂ | Onnoode kazhicholoo | Have some more |
| മതി, മതി! | Mathi, mathi! | Enough, enough! (I’m full) |
| വയറ് നിറഞ്ഞു | Vayaru niranju | I’m full (lit. my stomach is full) |
It’s delicious
Complimenting the food is the quickest way to a Malayali cook’s heart. Ruchi means taste; adipoli and kidilan are the everyday slang for “awesome.”
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| നല്ല രുചി! | Nalla ruchi! | Really tasty! |
| അടിപൊളി! | Adipoli! | Awesome! |
| കിടിലൻ! | Kidilan! | Brilliant! / Top-class! |
| നല്ല ടേസ്റ്റ് ആയിരുന്നു | Nalla taste aayirunnu | It was really tasty |
| ഈ കറി അടിപൊളി! | Ee curry adipoli! | This curry is awesome! |
Water: asking for and offering it
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| വെള്ളം വേണം | Vellam venam | I want water |
| കുറച്ച് വെള്ളം തരാമോ? | Kurachu vellam tharaamo? | Could I have some water? |
| തണുത്ത വെള്ളം | Thanutha vellam | Cold water |
| ചൂടുവെള്ളം | Chooduvellam | Hot water |
| വെള്ളം കുടിക്കൂ | Vellam kudikkoo | Drink some water |
In many Kerala homes and restaurants you’ll be served warm jeerakavellam (cumin water) or chukkuvellam (dry-ginger water) instead of plain water. It’s safe and traditional; enjoy it.
Tea and coffee
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ചായ | Chaaya | Tea |
| കാപ്പി | Kaapi | Coffee |
| കട്ടൻ ചായ | Kattan chaaya | Black tea |
| കടുപ്പത്തിൽ | Kaduppathil | Strong |
| പഞ്ചസാര കുറച്ച് | Panchasaara kurachu | Less sugar |
Ordering at a tea shop
Kerala’s tea shops (chaayakkada) serve tea with snacks like parippu vada (lentil fritters) and pazham pori (banana fritters). Call the server chetta (brother).
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ചേട്ടാ, ഒരു ചായ | Chetta, oru chaaya | Brother, one tea |
| രണ്ട് ചായ, ഒരെണ്ണം കടുപ്പത്തിൽ | Randu chaaya, orennam kaduppathil | Two teas, one strong |
| കഴിക്കാൻ എന്തുണ്ട്? | Kazhikkaan enthundu? | What is there to eat? |
| ഒരു പരിപ്പ് വടയും | Oru parippu vadayum | And a parippu vada |
| എത്രയായി? | Ethrayaayi? | How much is it? |
I’m vegetarian / not spicy, please
English “vegetarian” is understood everywhere. Many Kerala dishes contain fish, so it’s worth saying meen venda too.
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ഞാൻ വെജിറ്റേറിയൻ ആണ് | Njaan vegetarian aanu | I’m vegetarian |
| ഇറച്ചിയും മീനും വേണ്ട | Irachiyum meenum venda | No meat or fish |
| വെജിറ്റേറിയൻ എന്തുണ്ട്? | Vegetarian enthundu? | What vegetarian food is there? |
| എരിവ് കുറച്ച് മതി | Erivu kurachu mathi | Not too spicy, please |
Spices and cooking ingredients
Kerala is the home of black pepper and cardamom, and most curries start with coconut, curry leaves and mustard seeds sputtering in coconut oil.
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ഉപ്പ് | Uppu | Salt |
| മുളക് | Mulaku | Chilli |
| കുരുമുളക് | Kurumulaku | Black pepper |
| മഞ്ഞൾ | Manjal | Turmeric |
| ഇഞ്ചി | Inji | Ginger |
| വെളുത്തുള്ളി | Veluthulli | Garlic |
| ഉള്ളി | Ulli | Onion |
| തേങ്ങ | Thenga | Coconut |
| വെളിച്ചെണ്ണ | Velichenna | Coconut oil |
| കറിവേപ്പില | Kariveppila | Curry leaves |
| കടുക് | Kadugu | Mustard seeds |
| ജീരകം | Jeerakam | Cumin |
| ഏലക്ക | Elakka | Cardamom |
| അരി | Ari | Rice (uncooked grain) |
| ഉപ്പ് കൂടുതലായോ? | Uppu kooduthalaayo? | Is there too much salt? |
| തേങ്ങ ചിരകി വെച്ചോ | Thenga chiraki vecho | Grate the coconut |
Put it together: at the table
Host: Choru kazhicho? — Have you eaten?
You: Illa, nalla vishappundu! — Not yet, I’m really hungry!
Host: Varoo, kazhikkaam. Meen curry undu. — Come, let’s eat. There’s fish curry.
You: Aahaa, nalla ruchi! Adipoli! — Wow, really tasty! Awesome!
Host: Onnoode kazhicholoo. — Have some more.
You: Mathi, mathi! Vayaru niranju. Nandi! — Enough, enough! I’m full. Thank you!
Shopping for food? See the Malayalam shopping phrases. Meeting the family? Start with the greetings & introductions guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “I’m hungry” in Malayalam?
Say “enikku vishakkunnu” (എനിക്ക് വിശക്കുന്നു). “I’m thirsty” is “enikku daahikkunnu”.
What does “choru kazhicho” mean?
Literally “did you eat rice?”, it means “have you eaten?” and is an affectionate way of asking how someone is. Reply “uvvu, kazhichu” (yes, I’ve eaten).
How do you say “delicious” in Malayalam?
Say “nalla ruchi!” (really tasty). Slang favourites are “adipoli!” and “kidilan!”
What is “water” in Malayalam?
Water is “vellam” (വെള്ളം). To ask for some, say “kurachu vellam tharaamo?”
How do you say “I’m vegetarian” in Malayalam?
Say “njaan vegetarian aanu”, and add “irachiyum meenum venda” (no meat or fish).
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