Kerala Languages
Malayalam is the official language of Kerala but there are several other languages are spoken here. Malayalam is one of the languages of the Dravidian group of languages. In Kerala, there are 5 main region dialects of this language and it is spoken by 90 percent of Keralites. English and Tamil are the other languages spoken here. Because of foreign influence, the languages of Kerala have words from Latin, Sanskrit, Urdu and more.
Education is given a lot of importance in Kerala and almost everyone can communicate in English. If you know any of these languages conversing with the locals will not be a problem for you.
Malayalam Language
Belonging to the Dravidian family of languages, Malayalam is Kerala’s official language. This language is mainly spoken in Lakshadweep and Kerala and in some parts of the neighboring states such as Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Below given is a list of some basic Malayalam terms and phrases, so that you can easily converse with the locals of Kerala and can understand them better:
Few useful phrases in Malayalam
| English | Pronunciation in Malayalam |
| Hello | namasthe/namaskaram |
| Welcome | swaagatham |
| How are you? | sukhamalle? |
| Fine | sukham thanne |
| Glad to meet you | kandathil santhosham |
| What is your name? | perenthaa? |
| I am John? | jnaan John |
| Come in | akathekku varu |
| Sit down | irikku |
| Stop | nikku |
| Go forward. | mumpottu poku |
| Go back | purakottu poku |
| Go straight | nere pokuka |
| I want to get down here | ivide iranganam |
| Next stop | adutha stop |
| Listen | sraddhikhu |
| Please | dayavaai |
| Thank you | nanni |
| Goodbye | poyivaraam |
| I want | venam |
| Can you help me please? | onnu sahaayikkumo? |
| I agree | jnaan samathikkunnu |
| I disagree | jnaan yogikunnilla |
| Good | nannayirikkunnu |
| Congratulations | abhinandanangal |
| I request you | jnaan apekshikkunnu |
| Thanks a lot | valare upakaram |
| Excuse me/sorry | kshamikkanam |
| I apologise | jnaan mappu chothikkunnu |
| Let's go | namukku pokam |
| How much will it cost? | ithinu enthu vila varum? |
| Is this water good for drinking? | e vellam kudikkan kollamo? |
| Can I make a phone call from here? | Onnu phone cheyyan pattumo? |
| Where can I hire a taxi? | evide taxi kittum? |
| Where does this road go? | e road evidekku pokum? |
| I have no money. | ente kayyil paisa illa |
| Don't speak so fast? | ithra vegathil samsarikkaruthe |
| When do you go back? | ningal thirichu pokum? |
| Come back again? | veendum varika |
| Zero | poojyam |
| One | onnu |
| Two | randu |
| Three | moonhu |
| Four | naalu |
| Five | anchu |
| Six | aaru |
| Seven | ezhu |
| Eight | ettu |
| Nine | onpathu |
| Ten | pathu |
