Rules and Grammar Flashcards
What does a basic form of a Malayalam verb end in?
It’s always ends in -ka
When speaking in Malayalam where does the verb go in the sentence?
The verb goes at the end of the sentence
Instead of: I ate pizza
It would be: I pizza ate
Do speakers of Malayalam and English use present tense verbs in the same way?
No. English speakers use present tense to talk about their daily habits. For example, I eat my breakfast or I run to my house. While people who speak Malayalam use these verbs to talk about what is happening in that exact moment.
How to you change a basic verb into the simple present form?
Add -nnu
For example: nokkuka turn into
nokkunnu
How do they use the future tense?
Similarly to English, Malayalam speakers use future tense for prediction and (well things in the future). Though the also use it for daily habits (like how we use present tense)
How do you change basic verbs into future tense?
Add -m
For example: nadakkuka turns into
nadakkum
What happens if you add -aam instead of -m for future tense?
If you do, so, you will turn “I will” (with the verb) to “I shall”.
What is one reason why you wouldn’t use ninnal (you formal) to address family?
It’s it very distant, you can use their name or position instead
When asking someone’s name in English you ask: are you Arjun? How do you do it in Malayalam?
Just like if you were to say his name:
Ninnal Arjun ano?
(Pronoun, Subject, Verb)
Do people use the he/she pronouns a lot?
No. Most of the time you don’t. You instead use their name or title, for example you would say where is Mom not where is she
Do you have to conjugate for gender or number?
Nope
When asking a question does the word order change? For example, where is she from? And she is from America
No. The only difference when asking a question is that you say the question word (like where, when, what, how) for example Aval evide ninnaanu is similar word structure as Aval Americayil ninnaanu
Often Malayalam shortens aanu to…
a. For example evide aanu turned into evideya
In Malayalam there are two types of l sounds, one where your tongue ends in the back of your mouth and another where you tongue ends in the front of your mouth. Where do you place your tongue for Ningal? What about Americayil?
Your tongue is placed in the back for ningal and your tongue is placed in the front for Americayil (and all the other locative endings)
What is the difference ruse of nammal and njangal (we)
Nammal is inclusive. For example if I were talking to someone and saying “we are going to Kerala”. But Njangal is exclusive, for example talking to someone and saying “we (referring to my sister and I) are going to Kerala”
