Numbers

1. ഒന്ന്, രണ്ട്, മൂന്ന്

   Onnu, raṇṭu, mūnnu

   One, two, three

   Usage

   Basic counting in Malayalam

   Grammar Note

   Malayalam numerals are Dravidian. 1-9: onnu, randu, moonnu, naalu, anchu, aaru, ezhu, ettu, ombadu.

2. നാല്, അഞ്ച്, ആറ്

   Nālu, añcu, āṟu

   Four, five, six

   Usage

   Counting from four to six

   Grammar Note

   "Naalu" (four) has a short form "naal" before nouns. Malayalam numbers undergo sandhi (sound changes) in compounds.

3. പത്ത്, ഇരുപത്, നൂറ്

   Pattu, irupatu, nūṟu

   Ten, twenty, one hundred

   Usage

   Tens and hundreds in Malayalam

   Grammar Note

   "Irupatu" (20) = "iru" (two) + "patu" (ten). Malayalam uses a decimal system inherited from Dravidian languages.

4. ഒരു കിലോ

   Oru kilō

   One kilogram

   Usage

   Specifying quantity at a market

   Grammar Note

   "Onnu" (1, standalone) vs "oru" (pre-noun). "Oru" functions like an indefinite article before nouns in Malayalam.

5. ഇത് എത്ര ദിവസം?

   Itu etra divasam?

   How many days is this?

   Usage

   Asking about duration in days

   Grammar Note

   "Divasam" is from Sanskrit "divasa" (day). "Dinam" is also used. "Etra" is the quantity question word "how many/much".

6. പതിനൊന്ന്, പന്ത്രണ്ട്, പതിമൂന്ന്

   Patinonnu, pantṟaṇṭu, patimūnnu

   Eleven, twelve, thirteen

   Usage

   Counting from eleven to thirteen

   Grammar Note

   Malayalam teens are formed with "pati-" (10) prefix + unit. 12 (pantṟaṇṭu) is irregular. The numeral system is Dravidian, related to Tamil but distinct.

7. ഇരുപത്, അമ്പത്, നൂറ്

   Irupat, ampat, nūṟ

   Twenty, fifty, one hundred

   Usage

   Round numbers commonly used in pricing

   Grammar Note

   "Irupat" (20) = "iru" (2) + "pat" (10): a compound in the base-10 system. Malayalam numerals are decimal.

8. രണ്ട് കിലോ മത്തി

   Raṇṭu kilō matti

   Two kilograms of sardines

   Usage

   Buying fish by weight at the market

   Grammar Note

   "Matti" (sardine) is Kerala's most popular everyday fish. Weight + unit + noun is the standard order: "raṇṭu kilō matti" (two kilo sardines).

9. ഒരു ആഴ്ച

   Oru āḻca

   One week

   Usage

   Expressing a duration of one week

   Grammar Note

   "Āḻca" means week. Time expressions: "divasam" (day), "āḻca" (week), "māsam" (month), "varṣam" (year). Kerala follows the Malayalam calendar (Kollavarsham).

10. ആകെ എത്ര?

    Ākē etra?

    How much in total?

    Usage

    Asking for the total amount when shopping or dining

    Grammar Note

    "Ākē etra?" (total how much?) is a compact, essential shopping phrase. Short questions using just key content words are very effective in Malayalam.

11. എനിക്ക് ഇരുപത്തിയേഴ് വയസ്സായി

    Enikku irupattiyēḻu vayassāyi

    I'm 27 years old

    Usage

    How to answer when asked your age; the reply to "niṅṅaḷkku etra vayassāyi?"

    Grammar Note

    Malayalam states age as dative + numeral + "vayassāyi" (has become ... years). The answer keeps the same verb form as the question, replacing the interrogative "etra" with a numeral. "Irupattiyēḻu" is a compound of "irupatu" (20) and "ēḻu" (7).

12. ഈ വർഷം എനിക്ക് ഇരുപത്തിയെട്ട് വയസ്സ് തികയും

    Ī varsham enikku irupattiyeṭṭu vayassu tikayum

    I turn 28 this year

    Usage

    Saying what age you will reach this year

    Grammar Note

    Tikayuka (തികയുക) means to become full or be completed, also used of years elapsing. Example: 12 kollam tikaññāl (when twelve years are full). The future is tikayum (തികയും).

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