In short: The pronouns: ഞാൻ (njaan) I, നീ (nee) you (casual), നിങ്ങൾ (ningal) you (polite), അവൻ (avan) he, അവൾ (aval) she, അത് (athu) it, ഞങ്ങൾ / നമ്മൾ (njangal / nammal) we, അവർ (avar) they.
Variations & related phrases
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ഞാൻ · നീ | Njaan · Nee | I · You (casual) |
| നിങ്ങൾ | Ningal | You (polite) |
| അവൻ · അവൾ | Avan · Aval | He · She |
| നമ്മൾ · അവർ | Nammal · Avar | We · They |
When & how to use it
Use nee with friends and kids, but ningal (or a name + chettan/chechi) for elders and strangers - respect matters in Malayalam.
Example sentences
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ഞാൻ വരുന്നു. | Njaan varunnu. | I'm coming. |
| അവർ എവിടെയാ? | Avar evideyaa? | Where are they? |
Want to hear this used in a real conversation? Listen to Episode 24 - 'I'm Still Learning Malayalam' (Survival) in the free Listen & Learn library — every line has a Malayalam, romanised and English transcript.
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Book a lesson →Frequently asked questions
What are the pronouns in Malayalam?
Njaan (I), nee/ningal (you), avan (he), aval (she), nammal (we), avar (they).
How do you say I in Malayalam?
"I" is ഞാൻ (njaan).
What's the difference between nee and ningal?
Nee is casual "you" (friends, kids); ningal is polite "you" (elders, strangers).
How do you say we in Malayalam?
"We" is നമ്മൾ (nammal) or ഞങ്ങൾ (njangal).