Language/Malayalam/Grammar/Nouns-and-Adjectives
As a Malayalam language teacher for 20 years, I have come across students struggling with the basic rules of forming and using nouns and adjectives in Malayalam sentences. This lesson will break down the concepts and provide relatable examples to make it easier for you to understand.
Understanding Nouns in Malayalam
Nouns are words that indicate a person, place, thing, or idea. In Malayalam, nouns are formed using a base word, which is usually a verb, and the suffix "-ടി" ("-ti") or "-ക്ക്" ("-kku").
Examples of Base Words and Noun Forms:
| Base Word | Noun Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| പുസ്തകം (pustakam) | പുസ്തകത്തി (pustakatti) | book |
| മലയാളി (malayali) | മലയാളിക്ക് (malayalikk) | Malayali |
| കപ്പ് (kappu) | കപ്പുകള് (kappukal) | cups |
Note that the base words can be verbs in Malayalam, which makes it easier to identify nouns in sentences.
Nouns also have grammatical gender in Malayalam, either masculine or feminine. This gender is determined by the ending of the word. Masculine nouns usually end with "-ന്" ("-n"), while feminine nouns end with "-മാര്" ("-mār").
Examples of Masculine and Feminine Nouns:
| Masculine Noun | Feminine Noun | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| പാപം (pāpam) | പിടിച്ചു (piṭiccu) | sin |
| പിന്നെ (pinnē) | വിവാഹം (vivāham) | marriage |
| സ്കൂള് (skūl) | പെണ്കുട്ടി (peṇkuṭṭi) | girl |
It is important to remember the gender of the noun as it will affect the use of adjectives and verbs in the sentence.
Understanding Adjectives in Malayalam
Adjectives are words that modify or describe a noun. In Malayalam, adjectives come after the noun they modify and agree with the gender of the noun.
Examples of Adjectives:
| Noun | Adjective | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| മോന് (mōn) | നല്ല (nalla) | good boy |
| മലയാളി (malayali) | വലിയ (valiya) | big Malayali |
| പുസ്തകം (pustakam) | പുതിയ (puthiya) | new book |
Adjectives in Malayalam also change according to the noun's case, which is determined by its function in the sentence (subject, object, possessive, etc.).
Examples of Noun Cases with Adjectives:
| Noun | Adjective in the Nominative Case | Adjective in the Accusative Case | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| പുസ്തകം (pustakam) | നല്ല (nalla) പുസ്തകം | നല്ല (nalla) പുസ്തകം കണ്ടെത്തി | good book |
| മാവേലി (māveli) | നല്ല (nalla) മാവേലി | നല്ല (nalla) മാവേലി പ്രണയം പിടിച്ചു | good Maveli (a mythical king in Kerala) |
| കപ്പ് (kappu) | നല്ല (nalla) കപ്പ് | നല്ല (nalla) കപ്പുകള് കണ്ടെത്തി | good cups |
Lastly, in Malayalam, there are possessive adjectives that change according to the gender and number of the noun they modify. These are used differently from the regular adjectives.
Examples of Possessive Adjectives:
| Noun | Possessive Adjective | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| എന്റെ വീട് (enṭe vīṭ) | എന്റെ (enṭe) | my house |
| നിങ്ങളുടെ പേര് (niṅṅaḷuṭe pēr) | നിങ്ങളുടെ (niṅṅaḷuṭe) | your name |
Putting It All Together
Now that we have covered the basics of nouns and adjectives, let's look at some examples of how they are used in sentences:
| Malayalam | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| എന്റെ പുതിയ പുസ്തകം നോക്കി (enṭe puthiya pustakam nōkki) | en-te pu-thi-ya pus-tak-am nōk-ki | Look at my new book. |
| അവളുടെ വിവാഹം നടന്നു (avaḷuṭe vivāham naṭanna) | a-va-ḷu-ṭe vi-vā-ham na-tan-na | Her marriage took place. |
Remember to pay attention to the gender and case of the noun and the agreement of the adjective in the sentence.
With practice, using nouns and adjectives in Malayalam sentences will become second nature to you. Keep practicing and don't be afraid to make mistakes. In the next lesson, we will cover present tense verbs in Malayalam.
Related Lessons
- Questions
- How to Use Have
- Conditional Sentences
- How to Use Be
- Give your Opinion
- Subject Pronouns
- 0 to A1 Course
- Adjectives
- Direct and Indirect Speech
- Conditional Mood
Sources
- Malayalam grammar - Wikipedia
- moreadjectives - Learn Malayalam Grammar
- Malayalam Grammar - 17 Lessons