Malayalam alphabet for beginners: vowels, consonants and vowel signs
Quick answerMalayalam is written left to right with 13 common vowels (സ്വരങ്ങൾ) and 36 consonants (വ്യഞ്ജനങ്ങൾ). Every consonant already carries a short 'a' (ക = ka); a small vowel sign changes it (കാ = kaa, കി = ki). Chillu letters such as ൻ write a consonant with no vowel, and chandrakkala (്) removes the vowel or joins consonants into one shape.
Vowels and their signs
Each vowel has a full letter, used at the start of a word, and a sign, used after a consonant:
| Vowel | Sound | Sign | On ക |
|---|---|---|---|
| അ | a | — | ക ka |
| ആ | aa | ാ | കാ kaa |
| ഇ | i | ി | കി ki |
| ഈ | ee | ീ | കീ kee |
| ഉ | u | ു | കു ku |
| ഊ | oo | ൂ | കൂ koo |
| ഋ | ru | ൃ | കൃ kru |
| എ | e | െ | കെ ke |
| ഏ | E | േ | കേ kE |
| ഐ | ai | ൈ | കൈ kai |
| ഒ | o | ൊ | കൊ ko |
| ഓ | O | ോ | കോ kO |
| ഔ | au | ൌ | കൌ kau |
Consonants in their rows
Capital letters in the transliteration mark sounds made with the tongue curled back (T, D, N, L) or long vowels (E, O). zh is the special Malayalam sound in മഴ (mazha, rain).
| Row | Letters | Sounds |
|---|---|---|
| k-row | ക ഖ ഗ ഘ ങ | k kh g gh ng |
| ch-row | ച ഛ ജ ഝ ഞ | ch chh j jh nj |
| T-row (tongue curled back) | ട ഠ ഡ ഢ ണ | T Th D Dh N |
| th-row (tongue on the teeth) | ത ഥ ദ ധ ന | th thh d dh n |
| p-row | പ ഫ ബ ഭ മ | p ph b bh m |
| others | യ ര ല വ ശ ഷ സ ഹ ള ഴ റ | y r l v S sh s h L zh R |
Three ideas that unlock reading
- The built-in 'a': a consonant on its own is read with 'a' — മരം is ma-ram (tree).
- Signs can sit on the left: െ േ ൈ are written before the consonant but said after it — കെ is ke.
- No vowel at all: chillu letters (ൻ ർ ൽ ൾ ൺ) and the chandrakkala (്) remove the vowel — അവൻ is avan (he), പൂവ് is poovu (flower).
Frequently asked questions
How many letters are there in Malayalam?
Commonly 13 vowels and 36 consonants, plus the chillu letters, the signs ം and ഃ, and many joined consonants (കൂട്ടക്ഷരങ്ങൾ).
Which direction is Malayalam written?
Left to right.
Why is കെ written with the sign first?
The sign െ sits on the left of the consonant, so it is written first even though it is said after the consonant.
Is there a chart of every consonant with every sign?
Yes — that chart is called ഗുണിതം. Letterstroke's Malayalam letters page shows and animates all of it.