In short: The key question words: ആര് (aaru) who, എന്ത് (enthu) what, എവിടെ (evide) where, എപ്പോൾ (eppol) when, എന്തുകൊണ്ട് (enthukondu) why, എങ്ങനെ (engane) how, ഏത് (eth) which, എത്ര (ethra) how much/many.
Variations & related phrases
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ആര് · എന്ത് | Aaru · Enthu | Who · What |
| എവിടെ · എപ്പോൾ | Evide · Eppol | Where · When |
| എന്തുകൊണ്ട് · എങ്ങനെ | Enthukondu · Engane | Why · How |
| ഏത് · എത്ര | Eth · Ethra | Which · How much |
When & how to use it
Master these eight words and you can form almost any question. Most attach -aa in casual speech: evideyaa? ("where?"), aaraa? ("who?").
Example sentences
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| അത് ആരാ? | Athu aaraa? | Who is that? |
| നീ എപ്പോൾ വരും? | Nee eppol varum? | When will you come? |
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.
Practise speaking it for real
These pages train your ear. A live 1-to-1 lesson with Reshmi trains your mouth — real-time correction only a teacher can give.
Book a lesson →Frequently asked questions
What are the question words in Malayalam?
Aaru (who), enthu (what), evide (where), eppol (when), enthukondu (why), engane (how), eth (which), ethra (how much).
How do you say who in Malayalam?
Who is ആര് (aaru).
How do you say why in Malayalam?
Why is എന്തുകൊണ്ട് (enthukondu), casually എന്തിനാ (enthinaa).
How do you say where in Malayalam?
Where is എവിടെ (evide).