Greetings and introductions are the first five minutes of every conversation in Kerala. This guide puts them all in one place: how to say hello, good night and goodbye, how to ask someone's name, where they're from and what they do, and how to answer. Every phrase is everyday spoken Malayalam, with the script, an easy romanised spelling and the English meaning.
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Real colloquial pronunciation, the way it’s actually said in Kerala.
Hello and how are you
The standard hello is namaskaram, polite and fine at any time of day. In casual speech, though, Malayalis usually skip a formal hello and open with a question: sukhamaano? (how are you?) or enthaa vishesham? (what’s new?). A quick English “hi” is also everywhere.
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| നമസ്കാരം | Namaskaram | Hello / greetings (polite, any time) |
| ഹായ് | Haay | Hi (casual, with friends) |
| സുഖമാണോ? | Sukhamaano? | How are you? |
| എന്താ വിശേഷം? | Enthaa vishesham? | What’s new? / What’s up? |
| സുഖം / സുഖം തന്നെ | Sukham / Sukham thanne | I’m fine / I’m well |
| നിങ്ങൾക്ക് സുഖമാണോ? | Ningalkku sukhamaano? | Are you well? (polite) |
With elders or someone you’ve just met, open with namaskaram, often with palms pressed together. With friends, go straight to sukhamaano? or enthaa vishesham?
Good morning, good evening, good night
Formal time-of-day greetings exist, but in daily speech they’re rare. People use namaskaram, the English “good morning” or “good night”, or simply ask sukhamaano? At night, the warm family phrase is sukhamaayi urangoo, “sleep well.”
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| സുപ്രഭാതം | Suprabhaatham | Good morning (formal) |
| ശുഭസന്ധ്യ | Shubhasandhya | Good evening (formal, rarely spoken) |
| ശുഭരാത്രി | Shubharaathri | Good night |
| സുഖമായി ഉറങ്ങൂ | Sukhamaayi urangoo | Sleep well |
| നല്ല ഉറക്കം | Nalla urakkam | Sleep well (lit. good sleep) |
What’s your name? / My name is…
Peru means “name.” Use ninte (your, casual) with friends, peers and children, and ningalude (your, polite) with elders and strangers.
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| നിന്റെ പേര് എന്താ? | Ninte peru enthaa? | What’s your name? (casual) |
| നിങ്ങളുടെ പേര് എന്താ? | Ningalude peru enthaa? | What’s your name? (polite) |
| എന്റെ പേര് ജോൺ എന്നാണ്. | Ente peru John ennaanu. | My name is John. |
| ഞാൻ ജോൺ. | Njaan John. | I’m John. (casual) |
Nice to meet you
Santhosham means happiness, so kandathil santhosham is literally “happy to have seen you.” Reply with enikkum santhosham, “me too.”
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| കണ്ടതിൽ സന്തോഷം | Kandathil santhosham | Nice to meet you |
| പരിചയപ്പെട്ടതിൽ സന്തോഷം | Parichayappettathil santhosham | Glad to get to know you |
| എനിക്കും സന്തോഷം | Enikkum santhosham | Likewise / me too |
Where are you from? Where do you live?
Two different questions here. Evidunnaa? asks where someone comes from; evideyaa thaamasam? asks where they live now. Malayalis also love asking about your naadu, your hometown or native place. To say where you’re from, add -il ninnaanu (from) to the place.
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| എവിടുന്നാ? | Evidunnaa? | Where are you from? |
| ഞാൻ ലണ്ടനിൽ നിന്നാണ്. | Njaan Londonil ninnaanu. | I’m from London. |
| എവിടെയാ താമസം? | Evideyaa thaamasam? | Where do you live? |
| ഞാൻ കൊച്ചിയിലാ താമസം. | Njaan Kochiyilaa thaamasam. | I live in Kochi. |
| നാട് എവിടെയാ? | Naadu evideyaa? | Where’s your hometown? |
| എന്റെ നാട് തൃശ്ശൂരാ. | Ente naadu Thrissooraa. | My hometown is Thrissur. |
What do you do?
Joli means job or work. English job titles (teacher, engineer, doctor, nurse) are used as they are in everyday Malayalam.
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| എന്താ ജോലി? | Enthaa joli? | What’s your job? |
| എന്താ ചെയ്യുന്നേ? | Enthaa cheyyunne? | What do you do? |
| ഞാൻ ഒരു ടീച്ചർ ആണ്. | Njaan oru teacher aanu. | I’m a teacher. |
| ഞാൻ പഠിക്കുവാ. | Njaan padikkuvaa. | I’m a student / I’m studying. |
How old are you?
Vayassu means age or years. Asking a child their age is one of the warmest ways to start chatting with a Malayali family.
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| നിനക്ക് എത്ര വയസ്സായി? | Ninakku ethra vayassaayi? | How old are you? (casual, e.g. to a child) |
| നിങ്ങൾക്ക് എത്ര വയസ്സായി? | Ningalkku ethra vayassaayi? | How old are you? (polite) |
| എനിക്ക് മുപ്പത് വയസ്സായി. | Enikku muppathu vayassaayi. | I’m thirty years old. |
Goodbye and see you later
There’s no everyday word for “goodbye.” Malayalis say “see you” instead, using the pattern [time] + kaanaam: pinne kaanaam (see you later), naale kaanaam (see you tomorrow). Add tto or ketto at the end to sound friendly. A casual English “bye” is also very common.
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| പിന്നെ കാണാം | Pinne kaanaam | See you later |
| വീണ്ടും കാണാം | Veendum kaanaam | See you again |
| നാളെ കാണാം | Naale kaanaam | See you tomorrow |
| അപ്പോ കാണാം | Appo kaanaam | See you then |
| ശരി, പിന്നെ കാണാം ട്ടോ! | Sheri, pinne kaanaam tto! | Okay, see you later! |
Take care
When someone heads off, especially at night or on a journey, Malayalis say sookshichu pokane, “go carefully.” It’s one of the kindest things you can say at a parting.
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| സൂക്ഷിക്കണേ | Sookshikkane | Take care |
| സൂക്ഷിച്ച് പോകണേ | Sookshichu pokane | Go safely / take care on the way |
| ശുഭയാത്ര | Shubhayaathra | Have a good journey |
| പിന്നെ കാണാം, സൂക്ഷിക്കണേ! | Pinne kaanaam, sookshikkane! | See you later, take care! |
Thank you, please, sorry and welcome
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| നന്ദി | Nandi | Thank you |
| വളരെ നന്ദി | Valare nandi | Thank you very much |
| ദയവായി | Dayavaayi | Please (formal; in speech, a polite tone or “-aamo?” does the job) |
| ക്ഷമിക്കണം | Kshamikkanam | Sorry / excuse me |
| സ്വാഗതം | Swaagatham | Welcome |
Among family and close friends, Malayalis rarely say nandi; warmth is shown through tone and actions. With shopkeepers, hosts and anyone who helps you, a sincere nandi is always appreciated.
Polite and casual “you”
Malayalam has two everyday forms of “you”: nee (casual, for friends, younger people and children) and ningal (polite, for elders and strangers). They change shape in questions: ninte / ningalude (your), ninakku / ningalkku (to you). If in doubt, use the polite form. Nobody minds being treated with respect.
Put it together: a first conversation
A: Namaskaram! Sukhamaano? — Hello! How are you?
B: Sukham thanne. Ningalude peru enthaa? — I’m fine. What’s your name?
A: Ente peru Anna ennaanu. Ningalo? — My name is Anna. And you?
B: Njaan Rajan. Kandathil santhosham. Evidunnaa? — I’m Rajan. Nice to meet you. Where are you from?
A: Njaan Londonil ninnaanu. Enikkum santhosham! — I’m from London. Nice to meet you too!
B: Sheri, pinne kaanaam. Sookshichu pokane! — Okay, see you later. Take care!
Hear greetings in real conversations in the free Listen & Learn audio library, then follow the free 30-day spoken Malayalam course to keep going.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say hello in Malayalam?
The polite hello is “namaskaram” (നമസ്കാരം), used at any time of day. Casually, people open with “sukhamaano?” (how are you?) or “enthaa vishesham?” (what’s new?).
How do you say goodbye in Malayalam?
There’s no everyday word for goodbye. Say “pinne kaanaam” (see you later), “veendum kaanaam” (see you again) or “naale kaanaam” (see you tomorrow).
How do you say good night in Malayalam?
“Shubharaathri” (ശുഭരാത്രി) means good night. To family, “sukhamaayi urangoo” (sleep well) sounds warmer.
How do you ask someone’s name in Malayalam?
Politely, “ningalude peru enthaa?”; casually, “ninte peru enthaa?” Answer with “ente peru ___ ennaanu” (my name is ___).
How do you say nice to meet you in Malayalam?
Say “kandathil santhosham” (കണ്ടതിൽ സന്തോഷം). The reply is “enikkum santhosham”, meaning me too.
How do you say take care in Malayalam?
Say “sookshikkane”, or when someone is leaving, “sookshichu pokane” (go safely).
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