Malayalam is the language of Kerala, the southwestern state of India. Malayalam has both Dravidian and Sanskrit roots. The closest relative to a living language is Tamil (Dravidian), but many words have versions derived from Dravidian and Sanskrit. The sound repertoire includes the repertoire of both language groups.
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Why Learn Malayalam?
There are many reasons why someone wants to learn Malayalam. Maybe your parents and grandparents are from Kerala, and they didn’t grow up to speak a language, but they want to. You may be a student of South Indian history. You may be thinking of living there for a while. Maybe you like Malayalam movies!
In some case, you just got married a Malaysian man and want to communicate with his family. You also want to understand the language well so that you can grow up knowing both Malayalam and English to speak Malayalam when you have children.
How difficult is Malayalam?
Malayalam is renowned for being challenging to learn, especially due to its long words and sometimes complex pronunciations, such as zh for words like pazham and mazha.
But don’t let it put you off learning this musical language. After all, there is no easy language. And when you focus on your achievements rather than your challenges, you will find that learning Malayalam does not seem difficult.
Successful language learning often results in staying motivated rather than choosing an “easier” language. So, divide your learning of Malayalam into smaller goals and celebrate your success. For example, you might want to have a 5-minute conversation, then a 20-minute conversation, and then an hour of conversation.
And keep in mind that it doesn’t matter how long it takes to learn Malayalam. The important thing is that you are working towards your goals.
Tips to learn the Malayalam language
Malayalam is a Dravidian language and is spoken throughout India, Kerala, and Lakshadweep. Malayalam uses an alphabet in its written form and does not consist solely of individual characters. This means that once you learn the alphabet, you will be able to read and pronounce Malayalam write you meet without the need to memorize hundreds of words. Take your time studying. Things you’ll need
- Books
- Flashcards
- Internet access software You Computer
- Create a set of flashcards or use pre-made flashcards online. Opinion words you are already familiar with, as well as the words you do not yet know. To improve your reading and writing skills, be sure to use the actual word Malayalam and not just the English pronunciation of the word on your flashcards.
- Practice writing and reading the alphabet. Learning the Malayalam alphabet will increase your vocabulary by allowing you to read and pronounce new words you may encounter in your daily life. Spend more time working on vowel pronunciation, which is critical in correctly pronouncing Malayalam words.
- Study Malayalam websites to learn about culture, food, linguistic trends, and fun facts. Many websites are completely dedicated to the Malayalam language and offer tips and tricks for new learners.
- Practice speaking Malayalam with a pen pal or friends. Even if no one nearby speaks Malayalam, you can use a website to find a friend online who is fluent in the language. Practice writing via email and speaking via invoice chat. One of the main benefits of practicing with a real person is that you improve your speaking skills and your ability to listen to and understand Malayalam grammar. You can find local Malayalam speakers through local message boards or organized meeting websites, such as meetup.com, that offer people the opportunity to meet and chat in Malayalam.
- Meet with a language teacher to hone your Malayalam accent and pronunciation skills. Many colleges and universities in the US do not offer Malayalam courses, but language instruction is often offered through private tutors and classes. Visit language tutoring websites like school language teachers.com or visit your local library.
- Purchase software or an audio course designed to hone your Malayalam skills. You can find Malayalam software in the language section of many bookstores or through specialized online stores. Follow the instructions that appear in the software and study each day for the best results.
Why are you learning Malayalam?
Do you want to travel to Kerala? Would you like to move there? Do you see Molly Wood? Do you speak your native language with your Malaysian partner? Are you in contact with an old friend who has returned to Thiruvananthapuram?
Do you do business with a company in Kochi?
Whatever your motives, they should guide your language learning. If you desire to travel, you’ll need more hotel-related vocabulary words than if you want to ask your partner about the day. Sending Whatsapp to a friend makes you more casual than a client. And if you’re a Mollywood fan, you’ll have to focus more on listening than on speaking.
How long do you need to study Malayalam?
Some people can spend hours a day studying a language. Others have only 20 minutes to spare between work, college, family, gym, and friends.
Speaking Malayalam is something you will benefit from throughout your life. So it doesn’t matter if it takes a little longer to learn. Think realistically about how much time you can spend studying without being overwhelmed, discouraged, or exhausted.
Short, frequent study sessions are more beneficial than long weekly sessions. Try to study more than you need to. However, don’t feel stressed if you study less than you want. The important thing is not how many hours of language learning you spend, but sticking to it.
That said, the length of time you have to study determines the best way for you and the number of different activities you can do.
How do you learn better?
Some people like to learn from textbooks. Some people like apps, writing, and language exchange.
Most people may best learn with basic activities or resources and some add-ons. It’s simpler to stay focused and motivated when you have that routine and structure. However, be careful not to neglect your major language skills such as speaking, listening, writing, and reading.
The best resources for you may depend on where you are studying Malayalam. As a beginner, you may prefer a course or game app. Once you reach the intermediate level, they encourage you to work with your teacher to create your learning materials.
Therefore, try several different resources in this article to find the one that works best for you. And if you find yourself rutted, revisit the list. It may be time to try something else or go back to an initially too difficult resource.
After all, they are all different. It doesn’t make sense to tell you how you like to study. Because it’s likely to go wrong for you, however, once you understand your goals, time, and learning methods, you can create an effective and personalized learning plan to keep things going and motivated.
