Language/Malayalam/Grammar/Adjectives

Malayalam Grammar - Adjectives

Hi Malayalam learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about adjectives in Malayalam Grammar. Adjectives are words used to describe or modify nouns or pronouns. We will learn about different types of adjectives, their position and agreement with the noun they describe.

Types of Adjectives

In Malayalam, like in many other languages, adjectives are classified into different types based on their characteristics.

Attributive Adjectives

Attributive adjectives are adjectives that directly modify the noun they describe. They come before the noun and are usually not separated from the noun using punctuation. For example:

Malayalam	Pronunciation	English
പൂന്തോൽ	Pūntōl	Red dress
കുറഞ്ഞ	Kuṟaṇñə	Small book
മികച്ച	Mikcchə	Good food

Predicative Adjectives

Predicative adjectives, as the name suggests, appear in a predicate after a linking verb like "ഉണ്ട്" (uṇṭŭ) to modify the subject of the sentence. For example:

Malayalam	Pronunciation	English
നല്ല	Nallə	He is good
നിറഞ്ഞ	Niṟañña	The glass is full
സന്തോഷം	Santōṣam	I am happy

Limiting Adjectives

Limiting adjectives are those that limit or specify the noun being described. For example:

Malayalam	Pronunciation	English
അലകൾ	Ala-kəl	Some flowers
എന്തെങ്കിലും ഒരു	Enteŋkilum oru	Any one
എണ്ണയുള്ള	Eṇṇayuḷḷə	Two boys

Interrogative Adjectives

As the name suggests, these adjectives are used while asking questions. For example:

Malayalam	Pronunciation	English
ഇത് എന്താണ്?	Itħ en'thān?	What is it?
സമ്മതിച്ചുള്ള എത്ര	Sammatcccuḷḷə etra	How many agreed?

Position of Adjectives

In Malayalam, the adjective normally appears before the noun. The adjective usually follows the noun in cases such as in poetry or when a specific need calls for it. For example:

• മനസ്സിലാക്കിയ കവിത || Manassilakkia kavitə || A poem kept in the heart

Adjective Agreement

When using adjectives in a sentence, it is important to remember to make the adjective agree in gender, number, and case with the noun.

• Gender: In Malayalam, there are two genders, masculine and feminine. To agree with the noun, the adjective should have the corresponding gender ending, "-an" for masculine and "-a" for feminine. For example:

Malayalam	Pronunciation	English
പുലരുകൾക്ക് വളർത്തൽ സമ്മതിക്കുന്നു	Pularkəł-kku vaḷarttal sammatcccuñña	Flowers (masculine noun) grow well
പൂക്കളിൽ നിറഞ്ഞ	Pūkkəlıŋ niṟañña	Flowers (feminine noun) are colourful

• Number: Adjectives should also match the number of the noun they describe. If the noun is singular, the adjective should also be singular, and if the noun is plural, the adjective should be plural. For example:

Malayalam	Pronunciation	English
ഏറ്റവും ചെറിയ കൂട്	Eṛṟavum ceṟiya kūṭŭ	The smallest group
വലിയ സ്കൂളുകൾ	Valiya skūḷu-kəl	Big schools

• Case: Just like in any other noun, the adjectives must match the appropriate case to agree with the noun being described. For example:

Malayalam	Pronunciation	English
സുന്ദരം കാണിക്കുന്ന	Sundaram kāṇikkunna	Beautiful (masculine adjective) sees the boy (masculine noun)
സുന്ദരിക്കുന്ന	Sundarikkuñña	Beautiful (feminine adjective) sees the girl (feminine noun)

Adjectives in Context

Here is a dialogue to highlight the usage of adjectives in Malayalam:

• Person 1: ഞാൻ പുലർത്തിയ വിവാഹവിവരങ്ങൾ ഒന്നും കണ്ടില്ല. (Njān pularttiya vivāhavivaraṅṅəḷ on̄ṇum kaṇṭilla.) (I have not seen any wedding invitations.)
• Person 2: കണ്ണാക്കുന്നത് അരികുകളും കാര്യവസ്തുക്കളും തന്നെ. (Kaṇṇākkun̄natʰ arikukəḷuṃ kāryavastukkuḷŭ tañṇe.) (They are seeing only the rice and household items.)
• Person 1: തീയതി ആഗസ്റ്റ് ആണോ? (Tēyatʰi āgassṟ āṇŏ?) (Is the date in August?)
• Person 2: അതു മൂന്നു ആഗസ്റ്റ് ആണ്. (Atʰu mūnnu āgassṟ āṇŭ) (That is the third of August.)

Conclusion

Adjectives are an important part of any language's grammar. To improve your Malayalam and make your speech more descriptive and nuanced, understanding adjectives is crucial. Remember to practice, practice, and practice some more. To improve your Malayalam Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

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Now that you've completed this lesson, don't stop learning! Check out these related topics: Malayalam Grammar → Advanced Sentence Structures ..., Malayalam Grammar → Basic Sentence Structure → Word Order, Nouns & Nouns and Adjectives.

Other Lessons

• Give your Opinion
• Future Tense
• How to Use Have
• How to Use Be
• Conditional Mood
• Plurals
• Nouns
• Pronouns
• Negation

Sources

• moreadjectives - Learn Malayalam Grammar
• Types of Adjectives | English Grammar| Explanation in Malayalam ...