Convenience Store

17 phrases · Malayalam with romanization, English and audio

  1. ഒരു ലിറ്റർ തണുത്ത വെള്ളം ഉണ്ടോ?

    Oru liṟṟar taṇutta veḷḷam uṇṭō?

    Do you have a chilled one-litre bottle of water?

    Usage

    The basic way to buy water at a Kerala neighbourhood shop (palacharakku kada). Room-temperature bottles are stacked outside and only the fridge holds cold ones, so always add "taṇutta" (cold)

    Grammar Note

    "Uṇṭō" is the existential verb "uṇṭ" plus the question particle "ō". Kerala's heat and humidity make dehydration easy, so every shop stocks water

  2. തണുത്തത് ഫ്രിഡ്ജിൽ ഉണ്ട്, സ്വയം എടുത്തോളൂ.

    Taṇuttat phriḍjil uṇṭ, svayam eṭuttōḷū.

    The cold ones are in the fridge — help yourself

    Usage

    Said by staff. In a Kerala shop the owner stays behind the counter while the fridge sits near the entrance on the customer's side — open it, take what you want, bring it over

    Grammar Note

    The "-il" suffix is the locative case ("in"). "Eṭuttōḷū" combines "eṭukkuka" (to take) with the permissive auxiliary "koḷḷuka", giving "go ahead and take it"

  3. അര കിലോ പരിപ്പ് തരുമോ?

    Ara kilō parippŭ tarumō?

    Could I have half a kilo of lentils?

    Usage

    In a Kerala shop rice, lentils, sugar and chillies are scooped from large tins and weighed out. Name the weight and the shopkeeper measures it into a paper bag

    Grammar Note

    "Tarumō" is the future of "taruka" (to give) with the question particle "ō", making a softer request than the imperative. Swap "parippŭ" for "ari" (rice) or "panchasāra" (sugar)

  4. എത്ര വേണം?

    Etra vēṇam?

    How much do you want?

    Usage

    Said by staff. Point at a loose-weighed item and you will be asked the amount. Answer "ara kilō" (500 g), "oru kilō" (1 kg) or "irunūṟŭ grām" (200 g)

    Grammar Note

    "Vēṇam" expresses need or desire and requires no subject. When replying, "ara kilō mati" (half a kilo is enough) using "mati" sounds natural

  5. കുറച്ചുകൂടി ഇടാമോ?

    Kuṟaccukūṭi iṭāmō?

    Could you add a little more?

    Usage

    Use it when the scale falls just short. Kerala shopkeepers routinely round up with an extra scoop, and this phrase usually gets you that top-up

    Grammar Note

    The "-āmō" ending asks about possibility or permission and softens a request. "Kuṟaccŭ" (a little) plus "kūṭi" (more) yields "a little more"

  6. QR സ്കാൻ ചെയ്ത് പൈസ കൊടുക്കാമോ?

    QR skān ceytŭ paisa koṭukkāmō?

    Can I pay by scanning the QR code?

    Usage

    UPI QR payment is universal in India, from street carts to tiny shops, with a printed QR taped to the counter. It requires an Indian bank account, though, so travellers mostly use cash

    Grammar Note

    "Ceytŭ" is the conjunctive participle of "ceyyuka" (to do), linking the two actions. "Koṭukkuka" means to give to someone else; when you are the recipient, use "taruka"

  7. QR സ്കാൻ ചെയ്യൂ, കാർഡ് എടുക്കില്ല.

    QR skān ceyyū, kārḍ eṭukkilla.

    Scan the QR code — we don't take cards

    Usage

    Said by staff. Small shops almost never have a card terminal — it is cash or UPI only, so travellers should carry small notes

    Grammar Note

    "-illa" is the verbal negative suffix: "eṭukkuka" (to take) plus "illa" gives "we do not accept". The lengthened imperative "ceyyū" softens the instruction

  8. അഞ്ഞൂറിന്റെ നോട്ടേ ഉള്ളൂ, ചില്ലറ ഉണ്ടോ?

    Aññūṟinṟe nōṭṭē uḷḷū, cillaṟa uṇṭō?

    I only have a 500-rupee note — do you have change?

    Usage

    ATMs dispense mostly 500-rupee notes while small shops hold little change. Asking before you buy saves being turned away at the counter

    Grammar Note

    The particle "-ē" marks exclusivity ("only"). "Uḷḷū" is the restrictive form of "uṇṭ" (there is); the frame "-ē ... uḷḷū" means "there is only X"

  9. ചില്ലറ ഇല്ല, കൃത്യമായി തരുമോ?

    Cillaṟa illa, kr̥tyamāyi tarumō?

    I have no change — can you give me the exact amount?

    Usage

    Said by staff. Running out of change is routine in Kerala shops; if they cannot make it up you may get sweets worth the difference, so hoard 10- and 20-rupee notes

    Grammar Note

    "Illa" negates existence and is the counterpart of "uṇṭ". The suffix "-āyi" turns adjectives into adverbs: "kr̥tyam" (exact) becomes "kr̥tyamāyi" (exactly)

  10. കവർ വേണ്ട, എന്റെ കയ്യിൽ ഉണ്ട്.

    Kavar vēṇṭa, enṟe kayyil uṇṭ.

    I don't need a bag — I have my own

    Usage

    In Kerala a carry bag is called a "kavar" (cover). The state enforces strict single-use plastic rules and assumes you bring a cloth bag — say this while holding out your own

    Grammar Note

    "Vēṇṭa" is the negative of "vēṇam" (to want) and is the go-to word for declining. Possession is expressed locatively: "enṟe kayyil uṇṭ" (it is in my hand)

  11. കവറിന് അഞ്ച് രൂപ കൂടുതൽ ആകും.

    Kavaṟinŭ añcŭ rūpa kūṭutal ākum.

    The bag costs five rupees extra

    Usage

    Said by staff. Bag charges run five to ten rupees depending on the shop. Decline with "vēṇṭa" (not needed) or accept with "śari" (fine)

    Grammar Note

    The "-inŭ" suffix is the dative ("for / to"). In price talk "ākum" (it becomes) is the natural verb corresponding to "it costs"

  12. പഴയ പത്രത്തിൽ പൊതിഞ്ഞു തരുമോ?

    Paḻaya patrattil potiññu tarumō?

    Could you wrap it in newspaper?

    Usage

    Wrapping fried snacks, dry goods and fragile items in newspaper is long-standing practice in Kerala shops — a welcome way to avoid plastic

    Grammar Note

    "Potiññu tarumō" pairs a conjunctive participle with "taruka" (to give) to form the benefactive "will you do it for me?". "Patram" can mean both newspaper and leaf; context makes it newspaper here

  13. ചെറിയ പാക്കറ്റ് ഉണ്ടോ?

    Ceṟiya pākkaṟṟŭ uṇṭō?

    Do you have a small sachet?

    Usage

    Shampoo, hair oil, detergent and tea come in single-use sachets costing a few rupees, usually hanging on strings from the ceiling — ideal for a short trip

    Grammar Note

    "Ceṟiya" is the attributive form of "ceṟut" (a small one). Malayalam adjectives precede the noun and do not inflect for case

  14. പാക്കറ്റിൽ എഴുതിയ വില എത്രയാണ്?

    Pākkaṟṟil eḻutiya vila etrayāṇŭ?

    What is the price printed on the packet?

    Usage

    Every packaged good in India carries a printed Maximum Retail Price, and charging above it is illegal. Tourist areas sometimes add a markup, so point at the print and check

    Grammar Note

    "Eḻutiya" is the past relative participle of "eḻutuka" (to write), modifying the noun. "Etrayāṇŭ" combines "etra" (how much) with the copula "āṇŭ"

  15. കാലാവധി തീയതി ഒന്ന് നോക്കാമോ?

    Kālāvadhi tīyati onnŭ nōkkāmō?

    Could you check the expiry date?

    Usage

    Stock turns over slowly in small shops, and Kerala's heat and humidity spoil goods fast. Worth asking about milk, curd and snacks

    Grammar Note

    "Onnŭ" literally means "one", but placed before a verb it becomes an adverb softening a request, much like "just" in English

  16. നാളെ പൈസ തന്നാൽ മതിയോ? ഞാൻ ഇവിടെ അടുത്താണ് താമസം.

    Nāḷe paisa tannāl matiyō? Ñān iviṭe aṭuttāṇŭ tāmasam.

    Can I pay tomorrow? I'm staying nearby

    Usage

    Neighbourhood shops keep a credit ledger for regulars — "udhaar" in Hindi, "kaṭam" in Malayalam — settled at month's end. A traveller who becomes a familiar face can sometimes ask too

    Grammar Note

    The "-āl" ending marks a conditional ("if"). "Matiyō" is the question form of "mati" (it suffices), so the whole means "would it be enough if…?" — an indirect way of asking permission

  17. തീർന്നു പോയി, വൈകുന്നേരം വരും.

    Tīrnnu pōyi, vaikunnēram varum.

    We're sold out — it'll come in this evening

    Usage

    Said by staff. Small shops hold little stock and milk, eggs and bread often sell out by midday. Follow up with "eppōḷ varum?" (when will it arrive?)

    Grammar Note

    The "-nnu pōyi" construction uses "pōkuka" (to go) as an auxiliary marking completion with a sense of irreversibility — "it has gone and finished"

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