Numbers are one of the most useful things to learn early — for shopping, prices, time and age. Here are Malayalam numbers with simple Romanised pronunciation so you can start counting today.
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Real colloquial pronunciation, the way it’s actually said in Kerala.
Numbers 1–20
| # | Malayalam | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ഒന്ന് | onnu |
| 2 | രണ്ട് | randu |
| 3 | മൂന്ന് | moonnu |
| 4 | നാല് | naalu |
| 5 | അഞ്ച് | anchu |
| 6 | ആറ് | aaru |
| 7 | ഏഴ് | ezhu |
| 8 | എട്ട് | ettu |
| 9 | ഒമ്പത് | onpathu |
| 10 | പത്ത് | patthu |
| 11 | പതിനൊന്ന് | pathinonnu |
| 12 | പന്ത്രണ്ട് | panthrandu |
| 13 | പതിമൂന്ന് | pathimoonnu |
| 14 | പതിനാല് | pathinaalu |
| 15 | പതിനഞ്ച് | pathinanchu |
| 16 | പതിനാറ് | pathinaaru |
| 17 | പതിനേഴ് | pathinezhu |
| 18 | പതിനെട്ട് | pathinettu |
| 19 | പത്തൊമ്പത് | patthonpathu |
| 20 | ഇരുപത് | irupathu |
Tens: 30–100
| # | Malayalam | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | മുപ്പത് | muppathu |
| 40 | നാല്പത് | naalpathu |
| 50 | അമ്പത് | ampathu |
| 60 | അറുപത് | arupathu |
| 70 | എഴുപത് | ezhupathu |
| 80 | എണ്പത് | enpathu |
| 90 | തൊണ്ണൂറ് | thonnooru |
| 100 | നൂറ് | nooru |
How counting works
After 20, Malayalam combines the tens with the units in a regular way (similar to "twenty-one, twenty-two"). Once you know 1–10 and the tens, you can build everything in between. For example, 21 is irupatti onnu, 35 is muppatti anchu.
Quick tips
- Master 1–10 first — they're the building blocks.
- Then learn the tens (irupathu, muppathu…).
- Practise with real prices next time you shop or see a bill.
Keep going
Want to use numbers in real sentences (prices, age, time)? Grab the free 100 Essential Malayalam Phrases or book a trial lesson. New here? Start with the beginner's guide.
Counting from 11 to 100: the patterns
Once you know 1–10, larger numbers follow clear, repeating patterns. The teens build on patthu (ten), and the tens (20, 30, 40…) each have a base form that you simply add units to. Learn the bases below and you can produce any number up to 100 without memorising each one.
| Number | Malayalam | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | ഇരുപത് | irupathu |
| 30 | മുപ്പത് | muppathu |
| 40 | നാല്പത് | naalpathu |
| 50 | അമ്പത് | ampathu |
| 60 | അറുപത് | arupathu |
| 70 | എഴുപത് | ezhupathu |
| 80 | എണ്പത് | enpathu |
| 90 | തൊണ്ണൂറ് | thonnooru |
| 100 | നൂറ് | nooru |
To make numbers like 21 or 35, the tens base combines with the unit — for example irupatti onnu (21), muppatti anchu (35). The join sound (‘-i’) is regular, so the same trick works across all the tens.
Where you'll use numbers most
Numbers are among the most practical Malayalam you can learn because they appear everywhere in daily life: prices while shopping (ethra? — how much?), phone numbers, ages, dates, telling the time, and counting people or items. Practising them early pays off faster than almost any other vocabulary set.
A simple way to drill them is to say prices aloud when you shop, read out any numbers you see during the day, and count everyday objects in Malayalam. Because the patterns repeat, a little daily practice quickly turns into confident, automatic counting.
Frequently asked questions
How do you count from 1 to 10 in Malayalam?
Onnu (1), randu (2), moonnu (3), naalu (4), anchu (5), aaru (6), ezhu (7), ettu (8), onpathu (9), patthu (10).
Are Malayalam numbers hard to learn?
No — the first ten are the foundation, and larger numbers follow clear patterns. With a little practice you'll handle prices, dates and counting comfortably.
How do I say 100 in Malayalam?
One hundred is "nooru." Tens like 20 (irupathu), 30 (muppathu) and 50 (ampathu) follow regular patterns that are easy to pick up.
Why learn Malayalam numbers early?
Numbers come up constantly — shopping, prices, time, phone numbers — so learning them early makes everyday Malayalam far more practical.
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