Language experiment - learning Malayalam with short stories

Language experiment - learning Malayalam with short stories 

 You all know it’s very difficult to learn a new language. Often time we try to learn new language when we are working  or studying in a new city or just out of curiosity.

I am Malayali staying in a different city, with a different language speaking people. Obviously it is very difficult to understand what they are talking. At some point we either try to learn that language or just give up and speak only in English. In my opinion at least try before giving up. So as a first step what we need is to listen more and try to catch repeated words, at some point I bet you automatically learn the meaning of that word. This happens because we get familiarise with the word plus it’s repeating.

So here I am utilising this method of familiarisation plus repeating of the words to help you guys learning Malayalam. As I always say I am not a teacher but I like learning languages, As a native Malayalam speaker helping you guys is always a pleasure.

So let me do my language teaching experiment, So basically here I am going to tell a short story in English and Malayalam mixed, no rules applied. Try to memorize and repeat new words that you learn from the story.

Ramuvinte oru Divasam ( A day of Ramu) Part-1

Today Ramu wake up very early, Nere chennathu adukkalayilekku ( step directly to the kitchen).

• Nere-directly
• Chennathu- go to
• Adukkala -kichen
• Adukkalayilekku – to the kitchen

He clearly knows his mother and grandmother will be in kitchen cooking dosa, puttu or ottada (wheat based breakfast item usually grilled with in pan) or any other snacks.

Ramu ammumayodu chodichu : Ammumma innu Gothambu puttum undakki tharo. Pazhavum panchasarayum cherthu kazhikkaan nallathaanu.

Here Ramu is asking his grandma to make wheat puttu for him because he likes to eat it with banana and sugar.

• Ammuma- Grandmother
• Innu- today
• Gothambu- wheat
• Undakki tharo- can you make it
• Pazham – banana
• Panchasaara – sugar
• Cherthu- mix with
• Kazkhikkan – to eat
• Nallathaanu- it’s good

Ammuma Ramuvinodu thirichu paranju: athinentha undaakki tharaallo.

I think now some of you can guess what Ammumma replied ( Thirichu paranju). Of course agreed with Ramu’s request.

• Athinentha- no problem/ so what.
• Undakki tharaallo- will make it 

Then mother interfered the conversation.

Amma : Dosayum iddali yum okke undaakki vachirikkuayalle, ammumaye enthina nee budhimuttikkunnath.

She have already made dosa and iddali, why are you troubling her.

• Okke- so and all
• Undaakki vachirikkuayalle – made/ cooked
• Enthina- why
• Budhimuttikkunnath – troubling

Hearing this Ramu got upset and said: Enikk onnum venda and he just ran to the varantha.

• Ennik onnum venda – I don’t want anything

Seeing all this Ammumma said: avan kochalle, oru kutti puttu undaakkan entha paadu. Raamu pinangalle Njaan puttu undaakki tharaam.

(He is just a kid, it’s not difficult to make puttu. Raamu don’t get upset, I am making puttu)

• Kochu- small kid
• Puttu Kutti- vessel which is used for making puttu
• Entha- what
• Paadu- difficult
• Pinangalle- don’t get upset.

I am stopping this story here for now. I hope you enjoyed reading even though it’s a fraction of day in Raamu’s life. As you can see I used so many similar words and phrases which I hope helped you to memorise.

For now I am leaving, I am writing this at late at night. Please do write your comment whether it’s useful or not. Always open for improvements.

Thank you

Nanni, pinne kaanaam