Grammar Reference

The round Malayalam abugida: consonants carry an inherent 'a', vowel signs attach around them.

I can read basic Malayalam letters with their vowel signs.

ñān (I), nī/niṅṅaḷ (you), avan/avaḷ/atu (he/she/it), nammaḷ/ñaṅṅaḷ (we), avar (they).

I can use the personal pronouns and choose between nī and niṅṅaḷ.

āṇu equates (this IS my mother); uṇṭu states existence/possession (I HAVE a brother).

I can equate things with āṇu and express having with dative + uṇṭu.

Verb stem + -unnu covers all persons: pōkunnu = go/goes for everyone.

I can talk about everyday actions using verb stem + -unnu.

Subject - Object - Verb: the verb always closes the sentence.

I can build simple SOV sentences and questions without changing word order.

entu (what), āru (who), eviṭe (where), eppōḷ (when), eṅṅane (how), entukoṇṭu (why).

I can ask wh-questions and form yes/no questions with -ō.

One plural ending: -kaḷ. pūcca → pūccakaḷ (cats). Nouns stay singular after numbers.

I can form plurals with -kaḷ and keep nouns singular after numerals.

-il (in), -kku (to/for), -nṟe (of), -il ninnu (from): endings glue onto the noun.

I can use -il, -kku and -nṟe/-uṭe to mark place, recipient and possessor.

onnu, raṇṭu, mūnnu, nālu, añcu, āṟu, ēḻu, eṭṭu, onpatu, pattu.

I can count to ten and talk about prices and quantities.

All days end in -āḻca: tiṅkaḷāḻca (Mon) ... ñāyaṟāḻca (Sun).

I can name the days of the week and use innu, nāḷe and innale.