Malayalam letters, vowel signs and ഗുണിതം
Every vowel, consonant, chillu and special consonant — with its sound, every vowel-sign combination and a word to remember it by.
👆 Hover any letter to watch it being written · tap it to open all its animations in a new tab
✍️ How Malayalam is written
- Malayalam is written left to right →
- Every consonant already has a short 'a' in it: ക = ka
- A vowel sign changes that 'a': ക + ി = കി (ki)
- Some signs are written BEFORE the letter but said after it: െ േ ൈ (കെ = ke)
- Some signs wrap the letter on both sides: ൊ ോ ൌ (കൊ = ko)
- ് (chandrakkala) removes the vowel — and joins consonants into one shape: ക + ് + ക = ക്ക
- Chillu letters (ൻ ർ ൽ ൾ ൺ) are consonants with no vowel at all
🔤 Vowel signs on ക
written after
written after
written after
hangs below / after
hangs below / after
hangs below / after
written on the left
written on the left
written on the left
on both sides
on both sides
on both sides
Vowels (സ്വരങ്ങൾ) 13 letters
Each vowel has a full letter used at the start of a word, and a small sign used after a consonant.
| # | Letter | sign | On ക | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | അashort 'a' as in 'about' — every consonant already has it | — | — | അമ്മamma = mother |
| 2 | ആaalong 'aa' as in 'father' | ാ | കാ | ആനaana = elephant |
| 3 | ഇishort 'i' as in 'pin' | ി | കി | ഇലila = leaf |
| 4 | ഈeelong 'ee' as in 'see' | ീ | കീ | ഈച്ചeeccha = housefly |
| 5 | ഉushort 'u' as in 'put' | ു | കു | ഉറുമ്പ്uRumpu = ant |
| 6 | ഊoolong 'oo' as in 'moon' | ൂ | കൂ | ഊഞ്ഞാൽoonnjaal = swing |
| 7 | ഋru'ru' (a vowel 'r') | ൃ | കൃ | ഋഷിrushi = sage |
| 8 | എeshort 'e' as in 'pet' | െ | കെ | എലിeli = rat |
| 9 | ഏElong 'ae' as in 'they' | േ | കേ | ഏണിENi = ladder |
| 10 | ഐai'ai' as in 'eye' | ൈ | കൈ | ഐസ്aisu = ice |
| 11 | ഒoshort 'o' as in 'only' | ൊ | കൊ | ഒട്ടകംoTTakam = camel |
| 12 | ഓOlong 'o' as in 'go' | ോ | കോ | ഓടംOTam = boat |
| 13 | ഔau'au' as in 'out' | ൌ | കൌ | ഔഷധംaushadham = medicine |
Consonants (വ്യഞ്ജനങ്ങൾ) 36 letters
Every consonant already contains a short 'a'. Add a vowel sign to change it — this is ഗുണിതം.
Special consonants (കൂട്ടക്ഷരങ്ങൾ) 6 letters
Two consonants joined with ് (chandrakkala) into one shape.
Chillu (ചില്ലക്ഷരങ്ങൾ) 5
A consonant with no vowel at all, written as its own shape — usually at the end of a word.
Other marks 2
Signs added after a syllable.