Learning the Malayalam language might not be easy, but it’s worthwhile: it will help you explore the beautiful state of Kerala, make Malayali friends, and enjoy some of India’s best movies and books.
If you already know how to learn Malayalam and want to cut to the chase and read our reviews and recommendations on Malayalam language resources, check out these posts:
Learn Malayalam on your own. Explore study plan tips, grammar, vocabulary, resources, and answers to Malayalam learning FAQs here. Start learning now!
Table of Contents
Since one of the hardest things about learning Malayalam is finding good resources, we’ve listed some great books, movies, novels, and other local media for intermediate and advanced Malayalam learners and provided tips for creating your own Malayalam study schedule.
So whether you’re moving to Kochi, planning a vacation, or simply want to speak to your Kerala-born partner in their native language, read on – we’re about to share everything you need to get started.
A Quick Introduction to the Malayalam Language
Malayalam: the mountain language. Its name literally translates to “mountain region,” although its reach extends far beyond Kerala’s eastern highlands.
You’ll hear it spoken across the entirety of the state of Kerala, from the coastal plains with their sandy beaches and rice paddies to rugged mountain landscapes with deep gorges, coffee and tea plantations, and wild forests.
Plus, it has official status in the Mahé municipality of Puducherry and the Lakshadweep island group. In fact, in Malayalam, Lakshadweep means “hundred thousand islands” – although Britannica puts the figure at around three dozen.
You’ll also overhear Malayalam in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, alongside Tamil and Kannada, as well as in diaspora communities across India and the globe. Over 35 million people speak this language.
Athirappilly Falls, Pariyaram, Kerala. Credit: Rashi Raffi
It’s officially considered a Classical language of India, thanks to its long history of literary works. Early Malayalam literature is famed for the Pattu poetry movement, as well as erotic Manipravala poems that mix Sanskrit with Malayalam/Tamil. Meanwhile, the striking Kathakali theatrical dances represent Classical literature in a tradition that dates back centuries.
As a Dravidian language, Malayalam shares many features with other classical languages such as Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu, and has slightly less in common with languages such as Hindi and Urdu. It’s not entirely typical for a Dravidian language, however: you only conjugate verbs for tense, not person, number, or gender.
Several different dialects exist, reflecting regional, class, and caste differences. The formal, written language can also be significantly different from the Malayalam used in everyday speech.
There’s a tendency to respect written Malayalam more than its spoken counterpart. However, spoken Malayalam also boasts cultural richness. It’s the language of Mollywood movies, a thriving podcast scene, and catchy pop songs.
And, of course, it’s a living language: one that people utilize on a daily basis to catch up with family, make friends, go shopping, talk politics, scribble shopping lists and reminders, flirt, debate, advise, explain, and more. It’s constantly evolving and constantly in use.
Shopping at the market in Kerala. Credit: Ranjan Prabhat
How to Learn Malayalam
Apart from online classes, courses, apps, podcasts, and YouTube channels, there’s an abundance of local resources that could help supplement and advance your Malayalam language learning. We’ll look at a large range of textbooks, movies, and other local resources in this article. You can also try:
- Writing a journal
- Keeping a voice diary by recording yourself speaking in Malayalam every day (remember, nobody has to listen to it – not even you)
- Labeling things around your home in Malayalam
- Following Malayalam bloggers, influencers, and hashtags on social media
- Setting your phone, search engines, and social media accounts to Malayalam
- Speaking to yourself in Malayalam
- Writing shopping and to-do lists in Malayalam
- Joining Malayalam-language forums and Facebook groups
- Writing short stories or poetry
- Starting a Malayalam-language blog
Don’t make the mistake of trying to do everything, though. Not only will you risk exhausting yourself and resenting your studies, but that won’t be an effective use of your time. Instead, ask yourself these three questions:
Why Are You Learning Malayalam?
Is it because you want to travel through Kerala? Move there? Watch Mollywood? Speak with your Malayali partner in their native language? Stay in touch with an old friend who’s moved back to Thiruvananthapuram? Do business with a company in Kochi?
Whatever your motivations are, they should direct your language studies. If you want to travel, you’ll need more hotel-related vocabulary than if you want to ask your partner about their day. When WhatsApping a friend, you can be more casual than with a client. And if you’re a Mollywood fan, you’ll need to work on your listening more than your speaking.
A Kathakali performance in Kochi. Credit: Mayur Nair
How Much Time Do You Have to Study Malayalam?
Some people can dedicate a couple of hours a day to studying a language. Others barely have 20 minutes spare, between work, university, family, the gym, and friends.
Speaking Malayalam is something you’ll benefit from throughout your entire life. So, it doesn’t matter if it takes you a little longer to learn it. Be realistic about how much time you can spend studying without becoming overwhelmed, demotivated, or simply exhausted.
Short, frequent study sessions are better than long weekly ones. Try to study more days than you take off, but don’t get stressed out if you’re studying less than you would like. What matters is that you’re keeping at it – not how many hours of language study you rack up.
That said, how much time you have to study will determine the best methods for you, as well as how many different activities you can take on. Speaking of which…
Kuttanad, Kerala. Credit: Thanuj Mathew
How Do You Learn Best?
Some people like to learn from a textbook. Others prefer apps, writing, or language exchanges.
Most people will likely learn best with one core activity or resource and a few supplementary ones. It’s easier to stay focused and motivated when you have that routine and structure. However, be careful not to neglect any of the key language skills: speaking, listening, writing, and reading.
The best resource for you might depend on where you are with your Malayalam studies. As a beginner learner, you could prefer a course or gamified app. When you reach the intermediate level, you might like to work with a teacher who creates their own learning materials.
So, try out a few different resources from this article to find out what works best for you. And if you find yourself getting into a rut, revisit the list – maybe it’s time to try something different or go back to a resource that was too challenging the first time around.
Kerala Backwaters. Credit: Dexter Fernandes
After all, everyone’s different. There’s no point in us telling you how we prefer to study, because chances are, that won’t work for you. Yet once you’ve worked out these three things – your goals, how much time you have, and how you like to study – you can create an effective, personalized study plan that will keep you on track and motivated.
Malayalam Alphabet at a Glance
Malayalam Alphabet (Simplified):
Vowels: അ (a), ആ (ā), ഇ (i), ഈ (ī), ഉ (u), ഊ (ū), ഋ (r̥), എ (e), ഏ (ē), ഐ (ai), ഒ (o), ഓ (ō), ഔ (au)
Consonants (sample): ക (ka), ഖ (kha), ഗ (ga), ച (cha), ട (ṭa), ഡ (ḍa), ത (ta), ദ (da), ന (na), പ (pa), ബ (ba), മ (ma), യ (ya), ര (ra), ല (la), വ (va), ശ (śa), സ (sa), ഹ (ha)
The Malayalam script has its roots in the ancient Brahmi script and consists of:
- 15 vowels
- 36 consonants
- Dozens of combined letter forms
- Written left to right
Notes:
- Vowels can be short (a) or long (ā)—“pala” (many) vs. “pāla” (milk).
- Consonants like ഴ (ḻ) are unique, with a retroflex “l” sound found only in Dravidian tongues.
- It’s a syllabic script—each character represents a consonant+vowel combo.
- Malayalam has one of the most extensive alphabets of Indian languages.
- Characters are rounded due to the historical use of palm leaves as writing material.
Learning to read Malayalam is challenging—but deeply rewarding for lovers of scripts (hi again).
Basic Malayalam Phrases for Beginners
Ready to jump into the Malayalam language? Here’s a starter kit to get you chatting:
- നമസ്കാരം Namaskaram – Hello
- സുഖമാണോ? Sukhamano? – How are you?
- എനിക്ക് സുഖമാണ് Enikku sukhamaanu – I’m fine
- നന്ദി Nandi – Thank you
- ദയവായി Dayavayi – Please
- ക്ഷമിക്കണം Kshamikkanam – Excuse me / Sorry
- അതെ / ഇല്ല Athe / Illa – Yes / No
- എനിക്ക് മലയാളം അറിയാം Enikku Malayalam ariyaam – I know Malayalam
- ഇത് എത്രയാണ്? Ithu ethrayaanu?– How much is this?
- കക്കൂസ് എവിടെയാണ്? Kakkoos evideyanu? – Where is the bathroom?
- സുപ്രഭാതം Suprabhātham – Good morning
- ശുഭ രാത്രി Subha rathri – Good night
These phrases are your key to Kerala’s warmth—say “nandi” at a dosa stall, and watch the smiles unfold!
Where to Learn Malayalam: Language Resources
Malayalam Learning Apps
Whatever your goals are for learning Malayalam, apps can help you achieve them. Whether you want to learn the alphabet or build vocabulary apps are a straightforward way to get you started.
Ling
Ling is a gamified language-learning app with courses on over 60 different languages. Practice happens through short themed lessons, making for convenient and entertaining study time. It isn’t the most comprehensive resource out there, especially for more popular languages, but it can make a decent way to get started with a less common language.
See our Super-Detailed Ling Review
101 Script Writing App
Kannada 101, Tamil 101, Telugu 101, Marathi 101, Bengali 101: these are just some of the apps from developer Uma Loganathan. You can also download Arabic 101, Vietnamese 101, and even English 101 and German 101. If you’re learning these languages, though, we’d take a look at Write Me instead. We feel that the Write Me app is generally a more well-designed option, especially since it also tests you on your ability to match the right character to an audio recording. However, the Write Me app barely has any Indian languages, and that’s where the 101 series shines. The series has its flaws: like with most apps, you won’t learn how to join up characters. However, we think it’s a useful tool for beginners
See our Super-Detailed 101 Script Writing App Review
Anki
It is the go-to app for free (except on iOS) Spaced Repetition System (SRS) flashcards. It has a simple user interface with various features that more hard-core users can dive into if they choose. Your flashcards will appear according to your natural forgetting curve; the app will test you in increasingly spaced out intervals, with more difficult cards appearing more than once in a session, while easier cards spacing out over weeks — or even months and years. An SRS system is the most effective way to drive information into your long-term memory. The cards can sync between the web, desktop app, and mobile versions to keep your flashcards updated and with you at all times. You can add images and audio clips to your cards and change the text formatting (if you use it on your computer). One feature unique to Anki, as opposed to other SRS flashcard apps, is the “Cloze deletion” function, which allows you to block out parts of your card and create a “fill-in-the-blanks” type card format. If you want a resource for how to make effective flashcards, check out the book, FluentForever. The author leaves a whole section dedicated to understanding how to use your Anki deck to advance your skills quickly.
See our Super-Detailed Anki Review
PortalLearn
PortalLearn is an app that teaches 9 Indian languages and aims to help you learn these languages through interactive stories. The languages offered include Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Punjabi, Kannada, Marathi and Gujarati. With this app, you can dive into captivating narratives, learning vocabulary and grammar naturally through context. Through these interactive stories, you can grasp language concepts, making the learning process more enjoyable and effective. These interactive stories and lessons focus on helping you hone your listening, reading, and comprehension skills.
See our Super-Detailed PortalLearn Review
Bluebird Languages
Bluebird Languages has several types of lessons you can choose from, including a daily lesson, core vocabulary, essential verbs, creating sentences, powerful phrases, and conversation. Each topic seems to have a beginner, intermediate, and advanced lesson, although it’s not clear how advanced “advanced” is. In each lesson, an English-speaking narrator will ask you to listen to and repeat translations of various phrases. The recordings in each language seem to use native speakers’ voices, which is quite the feat considering they have lessons in over 160 languages.
See our Super-Detailed Bluebird Languages Review
Brainscape
Brainscape is a flashcard app that uses a Spaced Repetition System, also often referred to as ‘adaptive flashcards’, to help you memorize new vocabulary and facts. It has a team of scientists, engineers, and education experts working to optimize their program for effective learning. Brainscape is quite similar to Anki, but has a more modern and colourful interface. They also have Certified Classes, which are decks that seem to have been developed by experts in the chosen topic. The app adds what they call Intelligent Cumulative Exposure (ICE) to some of their Certified Classes; it seems to combine a Spaced Repetition System with gradually introducing new concepts, increasing the difficulty of the concepts, and providing context so you can build your own sentences.
See our Super-Detailed Brainscape Review
Forvo
Forvo’s mission is to improve spoken communication across cultures. Anyone can explore pronunciations of millions of words in over 390 languages with maps displaying where each speaker is from. The site also organizes popular categories and essential phrases for when you don’t have a specific word in mind. As a registered user, you can contribute to the site by pronouncing words or phrases in your native language or by requesting pronunciations in a specific language. You are also encouraged to vote on audio files in your native language to help others identify the best pronunciation. For those of you who enjoy using Anki, Forvo allows you to download mp3 files to use in your learning endeavours.
See our Super-Detailed Forvo Review
World Schoolbooks
World Schoolbooks is a language learning app that specializes in teaching high density and under-resourced languages. It aims to put a spotlight on the many important languages all around the world that get overlooked such as Bengali, Brahui, Kikuyu and many more. You have the option to learn languages with audio from your native language. Additionally, for the languages with audio, you can set your native language as the same one that you’re learning, the app will switch to immersion mode to keep you focused and reduce any distractions. The app incorporates quizzes and vocabulary games that work to test your vocabulary knowledge in a fun and engaging way.
See our Super-Detailed World Schoolbooks Review
Malayalam Alphabets App (Times Hunt)
The Malayalam Alphabets App by Times Hunt left us with mixed feelings. Let’s start with the positive: we think it’s a great way to practice writing the scripts. Unlike most apps, it teaches stroke number, order, and direction. This often isn’t intuitive, so apps that don’t break it down can leave you confused or with terrible handwriting. This app is also very child-friendly. Here’s the negative: it doesn’t contain any audio recordings of the scripts. You’ll have great handwriting but you won’t know how to pronounce what you’re writing. There aren’t any quizzes, either, so you never get to practice writing independently. There are also a few undeveloped ideas. For example, it teaches you some basic Malayalam vocabulary but doesn’t give you the option to practice writing them. We would still use this app. However, we think it’s best used alongside Malayalam Aksharamala (review). Alternatively, purchase a workbook and just use Malayalam Aksharamala.
See our Super-Detailed Malayalam Alphabets App (Times Hunt) Review
Learn Malayalam Alphabets Audio
The Learn Malayalam Alphabets Audio app from BigKnol is free and contains clear audio recordings. However, it’s not much use for learners. When you open the app, you’ll be able to access “vowels” and “consonants.” Each option takes you to a list of Malayalam symbols. Press the audio button to hear a recording of one. Alternatively, you can press the lightbulb button to see a picture of a word that is written with that symbol – sometimes. At other times, it will tell you “Ho! No Example!”. You don’t get to practice writing or even speaking the Malayalam script with this app, and there is no quiz or test, meaning that learning the symbols is up to you. In short, we just don’t see the point in using this app. There are far better alternatives available, such as Malayalam Aksharamala or Malayalam Alphabets.
See our Super-Detailed Learn Malayalam Alphabets Audio Review
uTalk
uTalk is a software program and mobile app offering learning material in over 140 languages. Its approach is based on learning keywords and phrases through gameplay. It covers a wide range of phrases, each spoken by a female and male native speaker, consequently offering listening and pronunciation practice. uTalk is most useful for beginners who want to get started in a language by learning key phrases. It could also be useful for intermediates looking to fill gaps in their vocabulary and pronunciation, but it does not offer any in-depth language instruction or grammar explanations. It’s also worth mentioning that for some languages, such as Basque, the occasional overly literal translation leads to small errors and unnatural phrasing creeping in. However, we haven’t seen instances in which this would result in you being misunderstood, and there’s no denying uTalk’s value for languages with fewer learning resources.
See our Super-Detailed uTalk Review
HiNative
HiNative is a Q&A app for language learners that want to have questions answered by native speakers. It’s available for iOS, Android and desktop, and it has over three million registered users. A free version is available that offers the basic features of the app.
See our Super-Detailed HiNative Review
HelloTalk
HelloTalk is a mobile app for language learners interested in language exchange. It facilitates communication between native speakers and those learning their language with the use of built-in language tools. It also offers audio lessons in 10 languages as part of a separate subscription.
See our Super-Detailed HelloTalk Review
Speaky
Speaky is a social language-learning app for people interested in language exchange. It’s available for iOS, Android, and the web. Users can chat with other language learners, share photos, leave voice messages or even have voice calls. The basic features on Speaky are free to use, but access to more than five translations per day requires a subscription.
See our Super-Detailed Speaky Review
Other Malayalam apps to try:
- Language Curry
- Write Malayalam Alphabets
- Malayalam Alphabets
- Malayalam Alphabets
- Speak Malayalam 360
- Artham Malayalam Dictionary
- Olam Malayalam Dictionary
Malayalam Courses
If you learn best with guidance, then structured courses, live tutoring and personalized lessons can make a huge difference. Whatever style of learning you prefer, you’ll likely find something that caters to your learning needs.
Preply
Preply is an online educational platform that matches tutors with students. There are tutors on Preply offering instruction in a wide range of languages and other subjects. As a learner, you can find a tutor that works best for you by browsing their demo videos and filtering by price and rating. Each tutor’s teaching style is their own, but they all receive teacher trainings and resources to improve their style.
Exclusive 50% discount for ALR readers! Make sure to use our link to receive it.
See our Super-Detailed Preply Review
italki
italki is the most flexible and affordable place to find a tutor for the language you’re learning. They have a huge number of teachers offering classes to students of over 100 different languages. As a learner, you’ll be able to find a tutor that best fits your learning style, schedule, and personality. Teachers are able to set their own prices and make their own schedule.
See our Super-Detailed italki Review
Verbling
Verbling is an online language-class marketplace where you can take lessons with teachers of your choice. It has some student-friendly extra features, including a built-in online classroom, flashcards, homework calendar, and a filing system for lesson materials. There are also useful but disorganized forums where you can discuss languages, share writing for critique, and do free language drills and exercises.
The lessons are generally high quality and well structured, plus the filters make it easy to find teachers who specialize in everything from accent reduction to interview preparation.
However, it can be slightly pricier than alternatives, so if you’re on a tight budget, you may want to look elsewhere. It also has fewer languages than some of the bigger competitors, so it might not be a good choice if you want to study Azerbaijani, Khmer, or Yoruba.
See our Super-Detailed Verbling Review
Hindustani Tongue
Hindustani Tongue is a language resource that aims to make learning accessible and enjoyable for you. It has comprehensive courses in multiple Indian languages, including Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and English. Hindustani Tongue offers a comprehensive curriculum that covers all aspects of language learning, including grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural context. The courses are carefully designed to cater to all levels. The lessons are offered in video format, either individually or as a group. Whether you’re a beginner or advanced learner, Hindustani Tongue ensures that you find the program that best suits your learning needs and goals. With their structured curriculum, you can track your progress and see tangible results as you advance.
See our Super-Detailed Hindustani Tongue Review
Mango Languages
Mango Languages is a pretty good resource with numerous languages available along with their regional variations. It’ll work the best for beginners or for those interested in studying a few languages at the same time. Anybody past the intermediate level won’t find Mango Languages very useful.
See our Super-Detailed Mango Languages Review
Malayalam Mission
Malayalam Mission is an online course designed for children aged 9–16, although it will accept children aged 6+. It teaches reading, writing, and listening, and there’s an accompanying app (Google Play, App Store). The website is entirely in Malayalam, which can make registering for the course tricky. Go to this webpage, click the green button, and fill out the form. The course tells the story of a girl of Indian heritage visiting her grandparents in Kerala. She doesn’t have Malayalam as a native language, which allows students to learn alongside her as she navigates life in Kerala. The lessons have been designed by volunteer teachers. We haven’t been able to try out the course, as it requires you to be a child. However, we have used the app, which contains the textbooks as well as some supplementary reading and listening activities. We were impressed by the amount of free Malayalam material available and the child-friendly design and activities. That said, we would recommend studying it with the help of a parent or teacher, especially if you or your child is a complete beginner. Bear in mind that it assumes existing knowledge of the Malayalam script, and does not use any English.
See our Super-Detailed Malayalam Mission Review
Bhashafy Language Learning
Bhashafy Language Learning teaches Indian languages to beginners using immersive animations and illustrated stories to make your learning experience engaging and effective. The courses are available on Udemy and the languages offered include Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, with more to be added in the future. The courses have an immersive and interactive format with animated examples, vocabulary with images as well as high quality video and audio. Additionally, the courses incorporate the comprehensible input method of learning by using delightful stories and examples from Bollywood dialogues and songs after each lesson which utilize the concepts taught in an easy-to-follow manner.
See our Super-Detailed Bhashafy Language Learning Review
Udemy
Udemy is a helpful resource for learning Malayalam. You’ll find lots of hours of learning content available with a range of instructors. Each class has a money-back guarantee, but you also receive lifetime access to whichever courses you buy. The video format helps hone your listening and speaking skills, but many instructors offer written supplements, too.
If you’re looking for structured Malayalam courses, there are some great options online. Bhasha.io, Decode Malayalam and Langma International offer online Malayalam courses and walks you through reading, writing, and speaking. Akshharam and Bhoomi Malayalam Online both offer solid, beginner-friendly and kid-friendly lessons. You can also check out Language Reef, and Languages Home are perfect for self-paced learning.
Additional Resources for Learning Malayalam
Malayalam learning apps, lessons, or courses all work really well as main language learning resources. However, you should try surrounding yourself with other resources as you learn. Malayalam books, TV, movies, news, and music are great ways to expose yourself to how Malayalam is used in different registers.
Malayalam Textbooks and Reference Books
Textbooks can give your studies structure and break down topics into manageable chunks. What’s more, they typically include a variety of exercises. However, you’ll probably want to pair the textbook with language exchanges or classes so you can get enough speaking practice.
Spoken Malayalam for Absolute Beginners is comprehensive, covering everything from vocabulary and grammar. You’ll also have access to audio tracks to help you work on your speaking and listening skills. Malayalam Alphabet: Practice Workbook breaks down stroke order and direction. We like how the exercises ask you to write the alphabet smaller as the weeks go by. Malayalam Alphabet Tracing Book offers great writing practice by tracing Malayalam alphabets.
Dictionaries and phrasebooks are super helpful for learning Malayalam. Try the English–English–Malayalam Dictionary, Malayalam–English Dictionary, or the Malayalam-English Phrasebook for quick lookups, vocabulary, and common phrases.
Unfortunately, while there are several Malayalam textbooks available, there are more misses than hits.
divides students: most love it, but some consider it overrated, dull, or simply the best option available despite being not that great. Still, most Malayalam learners get on well with this book, and it’s affordably priced, so it would be our first pick. We’ve reviewed it in more detail, so check that out if you’re unsure. The authors have also published a follow-up textbook, .
Don’t make the mistake of purchasing by Krishna Gopal Vikal. This author has published similar textbooks for numerous textbooks, and most of them suffer from the same issues: poor print quality, bad structure, and errors. Perhaps it’s not surprising: he also published a book, Increase Your Height, that promises to help you gain 4–10 cm of stature through 15 minutes of exercise a day.
by C.L. Meenakshi Amma has received similar criticisms for its hard-to-read text and limited grammatical explanations.
In our opinion, lacks sufficient explanations. At times, it also suffers from confusing English phrasing. For example, “you are welcome” comes under the heading of greetings. If we had to guess, we would assume that it just means “Welcome!” as opposed to the standard English definition of a polite response to “thank you.”
Drilling Malayalam grammar with textbooks.
Malayalam Fiction Books
Modern-day Malayalam literature is hard-hitting and often touches on social issues. Start with some of these novels:
The magic realist by O. V. Vijayan is a much-loved Malayalam novel about a young man’s guilt and the natural world. Don’t be tempted by the English translation, The Legends of Khasak: it departs drastically from the original.
Vaikom Muhammad Basheer’s is another classic. It tells the story of a prisoner who falls in love with a woman he cannot see. You can also watch the movie.
The 2008 novel by Benyamin resonated so strongly with Malayalis that it has already been reprinted over 50 times. It tells the story of a man who is trapped and enslaved after moving from Kerala to Saudi Arabia in search of work, and his attempt to escape.
K. R. Meera’s award-winning explores caste, capital punishment, and women’s rights in this story of a hangwoman. It’s a dark and powerful novel.
Checking books out of the library.
YouTube for Malayalam Language Learning
If you’re diving into Malayalam, YouTube can be very helpful. We recommend starting with Fluent in Malayalam which covers basic Malayalam grammar, vocabulary and phrases. Learn Malayalam with EliKutty is another awesome pick, teaching everything from alphabets and how to pronounce them to grammar. Jinta’s Malayalam Classes is beginner-friendly and walks you through everyday words and phrases.
While English with Jintesh doesn’t teach Malayalam, it teaches English through Malayalam, which makes it a great way to strengthen your Malayalam vocabulary and comprehension skills. And if you want something to listen to while running errands or making your daily commute, Malayalam Podcasts are more suitable.
Malayalam Movies and TV
Ready to challenge your listening comprehension with Malayalam-language movies and TV? You’re in for a treat: Mollywood, aka Malayalam cinema, is one of the most popular in India and for good reason.
Even so, we would recommend easing into watching Malayalam movies and series with children’s videos. You can find plenty on YouTube. Pebbles Live has a Malayalam Stories playlist. (It also has some hour-long videos on learning Malayalam through English, but we’re not convinced by the structure or effectiveness of them.) Malayalam Fairy Tales, MagicBox Malayalam, and Malayalam Kids have plenty to choose from, too.
When you’re ready for movies designed for adults, give Ustad Hotel a go. It’s the story of a young chef torn between his professional ambitions and his troubled relationship with his father.
Speaking of cooking, The Great Indian Kitchen explores gender roles within the family. It was an immediate success – and conversation starter – on its release in 2021, with viewers describing it as raw, beautiful, and real.
If you like crime dramas, try the slow-burning Drishyam. It proved so popular that it was reshot in six other languages shortly after the launch.
Want something that will make you good about the world? Adaminte Makan Abu looks at the sacrifices an elderly Muslim couple in Kerala make to perform the Hajj. Viewers praised its touching depiction of humanity, and it won numerous awards.
For something more traditionally feel-good, watch Bangalore Days. It tells the story of three twenty-something cousins who reunite after one of them gets married.
Premam won viewers over with an age-old story: that of a young man looking for love. Expect plenty of humor along the way.
Netflix and study with Malayalam movies.
Music, News, and Other Resources for Learning Malayalam
Music won’t replace flashcards and courses, but it’s a great way to further immerse yourself in the Malayalam language and even pick up some new words and phrases. Just make sure you know exactly what they mean before you try them out, otherwise, you could accidentally sound corny, overly poetic, or offensive.
Spotify has an official Latest Malayalam playlist. There are also lots of user-made ones, such as Malayalam Sad Songs, Malayalam Hot Hits, and Malayalam Love Songs. If you don’t want to use Spotify, Radio Mango caters to Malayalis and has been running since 2007. You can listen to it online.
Do you read the news most days? Try reading it in Malayalam. This will introduce you to new vocabulary and keep you up to date on what’s happening in Kerala – along with how that affects you. Plus, you’ll always have a good conversation starter.
Of course, each news site has its own editorial slant, not to mention writing style. Try a few out to see which you get on best with. Here are a few options:
As you read the news and listen to music, you’re bound to come across words you don’t know. We’ve already mentioned the Readlang Google Chrome plugin that will translate words and add them to flashcard decks for you. You can also use Malayalam English Dictionary and Olam dictionary. And if in doubt, look up the word’s pronunciation on Forvo.
Kozhikode, Kerala. Credit: Arun Geetha Viswanathan
Don’t let Malayalam’s reputation for being a difficult language put you off. Once you start, you’ll find there are many great resources that will help you in your journey to becoming a fluent speaker.
And when you’re able to follow Mollywood movies, read the untranslated version of Aadujeevitham, and make your Malayali friends laugh at your jokes, you’ll realize that this beautiful language is worth the effort.
Challenges of Learning Malayalam
Learning Malayalam has its quirks, but they’re worth savoring:
- Script Learning Curve: The 51-letter alphabet looks intricate, but its patterns click with practice.
- Long Words: Malayalam loves compound words, and they can get impressively long.
- Pronunciation: Retroflex consonants and nasalized sounds take some practice—but are so fun to master!
- Word Order: Malayalam uses a subject-object-verb (SOV) structure, unlike English’s SVO. It’s a historical twist I love puzzling out.
Tea gardens in Munnar, Western Ghats, Kerala. Credit: Vivek Kumar
Why Malayalam is Worth Learning
Why learn Malayalam? It’s a feast for the mind and soul.
Learning Malayalam is your passport to a culture of poetry, hospitality, layered history, and unbeatable coconut chutneys. Whether you want to explore Kerala’s lush landscapes, understand Malayalam films without subtitles, or simply connect with people in their native tongue, this language is an invitation into a rich, warm, and welcoming world.
It’s not just about the grammar or the script—it’s about showing respect for a culture, connecting with locals, and discovering a whole new way to see the world. And for someone who lives for food, stories, and unexpected similarities between languages, Malayalam language learning is a dream come true.
Ready to dive in?
Related Posts
If you found this article useful, you might also like:
- From Courses to Kollywood: How to Learn Tamil at Home
- How to Learn Kannada, From First Words to Fluency
- Mastering Urdu and Nastaliq: A Comprehensive Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Malayalam hard to learn?
Malayalam is often considered challenging due to its complex pronunciation and long words, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to learn. Consistent practice, small goals, and steady motivation make the biggest difference. With the right mindset, the language becomes far more approachable and rewarding.
What is the best way to learn Malayalam?
The best way to learn Malayalam is through a structured language course—online or in person that teaches grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural context. These courses offer guided lessons tailored to your learning level and goals. For faster progress, join online forums, social media groups, or local meetups to practice with other learners and native speakers. Combining structured study with real-world interaction provides a balanced, effective path to mastering Malayalam.
What is the easiest way to learn Malayalam?
The easiest way to learn Malayalam is through daily immersion by integrate the language into your everyday life. Write journals, shopping lists, or to-do lists in Malayalam to reinforce vocabulary and sentence structure. Follow Malayalam bloggers and social media hashtags to naturally absorb the language while scrolling. Try writing short stories or poetryto boost your writing skills, even if they’re simple. This consistent, low-pressure exposure helps build fluency in a natural and enjoyable way.
How to speak Malayalam?
To speak Malayalam effectively, start by learning the Malayalam script, as there’s a strong link between written and spoken forms. Focus on pronunciation rules: initial vowels use full forms, while middle vowels use dependent forms. Also, consonants default to an “a” sound unless modified by a dependent vowel or the crescent-shaped “virama” to silence it. Keep in mind that informal spoken Malayalam often differs from textbook grammar, so combine structured learning with exposure to native conversation for natural fluency.
How long does it take to learn Malayalam?
Malayalam is a Category 4 language, meaning English speakers typically need about 2,200 hours to reach proficiency. If you speak related Dravidian languages like Tamil or Kannada, you may progress faster thanks to shared grammar and vocabulary. Malayalam also has many loanwords from Sanskrit, English, and Portuguese, which can make learning easier. Overall, your pace depends on your language background, consistency, and immersion.
How to learn Malayalam fast?
To learn Malayalam quickly, focus on active conversation and immersive exposure. Join language exchange programs or connect with native speakers online to boost your speaking skills. Engage with online forums, social media groups, or local meetups for regular practice and support. Supplement this with Malayalam movies, TV shows, and music to improve listening, pronunciation, and cultural understanding. Consistent interaction with both native content and speakers accelerates fluency and builds real-world language skills fast.
Does Duolingo have Malayalam?
No, Duolingo does not currently offer a Malayalam course.