Malayalam learning roadmap: beginner to confident speaker

You can: greet people and say thank you naturally.

• സുഖമാണോ? (sukhamaano?): are you well?
• സുഖം, നന്ദി (sukham, nanni): I'm well, thanks

Focus on: the long and short vowels and the zh sound (listening plan).

You can: say who you are and where you are from.

• എന്റെ പേര് ___ ആണ് (ente peru ___ aanu): my name is ___
• ഞാൻ ലണ്ടനിൽ നിന്നാണ് (njaan londonil ninnaanu): I'm from London

Focus on: the -il ending for "in" and ninnu for "from".

You can: ask for things and ask simple questions.

• എനിക്ക് ചായ വേണം (enikku chaaya venam): I want tea
• കടയിൽ പാൽ ഉണ്ടോ? (kadayil paal undo?): is there milk at the shop?

Focus on: the enikku pattern and question words (sentence patterns, question words).

You can: say what you did and what you will do.

• ഞാൻ കഴിച്ചു (njaan kazhichu): I ate
• ഞാൻ നാളെ വരും (njaan naale varum): I'll come tomorrow

Focus on: past endings (-chu, -thu, -i) and the future -um, which is the same for every person.

You can: keep a five-minute call going with a relative.

• എല്ലാവർക്കും സുഖമാണോ? (ellaavarkkum sukhamaano?): is everyone well?
• ഒന്നുകൂടി പറയാമോ? (onnu koodi parayaamo?): could you say that again?

Focus on: listening at natural speed and the casual forms people really use (enthaa for enthaanu).

You can: talk about your day, your plans and your feelings, and follow a group conversation.

• ഇന്ന് ഒരുപാട് പണിയുണ്ടായിരുന്നു (innu orupaadu paniyundaayirunnu): I had a lot of work today

Focus on: linking sentences, reading the script, and regular correction from a teacher.