If you want to be able to read and write in Malayalam then the first step is learning the alphabet.
This can be daunting at first but with the right resources you’ll master it in no time.
This guide will give you the resources you need and tell you how to learn the Malayalam alphabet.
So, how much do you actually need to learn?
Table of Contents
How Many Letters Are There In The Malayalam Alphabet?
The Malayalam script is a Brahmic script made up of 15 vowels and 36 main consonants and a few other symbols.
This script is used to write the Malayalam language which is the main language used in Kerala, India.
The Malayalam alphabet is an abugida which means letters can be made up of a consonant and a vowel. This is different to English where each letter is either a consonant or a vowel. Some Malayalam letters do represent stand-alone vowels whereas some letters are made up of a consonant and a vowel sound.
For example, അ is pronounced ‘a’ and ത is pronounced ‘ta’.
This might sound complicated, but there are plenty of resources out there to help you learn the Malayalam alphabet. There’s lots of variety and different resources that meet different peoples needs.
Let’s have a look at some.
Learn The Malayalam Alphabet With Online Apps
There’s plenty of great online resources that will help you learn the Malayalam alphabet, many of which are completely free.
Memrise
Memrise is an online language learning app that uses fun games to help it’s users learn their chosen language.
They have a free Malayalam course that will teach you to recognise the Malayalam letters and the sounds they make. Skip to level 20 and 21 for the alphabet or do the full course to learn some vocabulary.
It’s really interactive and gradually introduces all the letters slowly so you have time to consolidate them all. There’s also plenty of opportunities to practice what you’ve learnt.
The only issue is that it doesn’t have sound so I’d suggest using another resource alongside it to ensure you have the correct pronunciation. The next resources are perfect for this.
Learn The Malayalam Alphabet Pronunciation Through Videos
YouTube is a fantastic resource for learning any language as there’s so many videos uploaded everyday from all around the world.
I’ve selected a few handy videos that you can use to help you learn the Malayalam alphabet.
Video Resource 1
This video by Millenium Animations is perfect for learning how to pronounce the letters of the Malayalam alphabet. It goes through each letter individually and then gives lots of example words that use the letters.
Check it out below:
Video Resource 2
The below video covers the Malayalam consonants. It goes over each letter and provides the pronunciation.
Check it out below:
Malayalam Alphabet Song
The below video is a super fun Malayalam alphabet song. It includes the pronunciation of each letter and an example word to show you how to use the letter.
Learn To Write Malayalam Letters With Worksheets And Books
Worksheets and workbooks are especially good for learning how to write Malayalam letters.
Malayalam Handwriting Book
You can use a Malayalam handwriting workbook, like this tracing book, to practice writing the letters. It has plenty of space in the workbook for you to trace the letters as well as space for you to write them yourself.
Malayalam Alphabet Reference Book
You can also get yourself a reference book, like this Malayalam alphabet book.
This book covers each letter in the Malayalam alphabet, discussing how to pronounce it and gives plenty of examples.
It is only available on Kindle. Don’t worry if you don’t have a Kindle, you can just download the Kindle app from the app store.
Malayalam Free Alphabet Worksheet
If you’re looking for a free resource, then check out the free PDF worksheets on the Language Reef. You’ll find the Malayalam sheets under the ‘Learn Malayalam Downloads’ heading.
They have a worksheet for vowels and one for consonants. You can print these out and practice writing the letters, the worksheet gives space to trace the letters and write them by yourself.
They also have worksheets to help you with stroke order.
Thanks for reading this guide on how to learn the Malayalam alphabet. I’ve covered a range of different resources for all different types of learners, hopefully you found something useful that suits your learning style.
If you found this post useful, you may also want to learn how to say I love you in Malayalam.
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