Can you imagine going through life without knowing what time it is? It would be like stumbling through a Bollywood dance routine without any rhythm, or trying to eat a delicious South Indian meal with a fork and knife! Time is an essential aspect of our daily lives, and being able to tell it accurately can save us from being fashionably late or missing out on exciting events. So, if you’re planning on visiting the enchanting region of Kerala in India, mastering time and date in Malayalam are as crucial as knowing the secret ingredient in an authentic fish curry!
Whether you’re planning a trip to the picturesque backwaters of Alleppey or simply want to impress your Malayali friends with your time-telling prowess, we’ve got you covered. So, grab your imaginary watch and get ready to set it to ‘Malayalam mode’ as we dive into this language’s unique way of measuring time.
A little side note: Before diving headfirst into this article, I recommend you have a look at how to say numbers in this language. They are the backbone of everything we’ll learn today, so you should definitely check that out first.
Time And Date In Malayalam: Fundamental Vocabulary
Ok, now that we’ve learned how to say numbers, we’re ready to start learning how to tell time in this beautiful language. And we’ll start with a pretty big time measurement.
How To Write Malayalam Months
Just like the flavors of a spicy Malabar curry, the months in Malayalam have their own unique taste and charm. Understanding how to write and pronounce them correctly will not only help you keep track of the passing months but also immerse you in the rich cultural tapestry of Kerala.
- January – ജനുവരി (januvari)
- February – ഫെബ്രുവരി (februvari)
- March – മാർച്ച് (maarchu)
- April – ഏപ്രിൽ (aapril)
- May – മേയ് (mey)
- June – ജൂൺ (joon)
- July – ജൂലൈ (july)
- August – ഓഗസ്റ്റ് (augustu)
- September – സെപ്റ്റംബർ (seatembar)
- October – ഒക്ടോബർ (octaaabar)
- November – നവംബർ (navambar)
- December – ഡിസംബർ (dismbar)
The Malayalam Calendar is also used in this part of the world, and it is quite different from the English Calendar. Here is a table with the formation and pronunciation of the months in the Malayalam calendar.
| Duration | Malayalam Month | English Pronunciation |
| Mid-April to mid-May | മേടം | Meṭam |
| Mid-May to mid-June | ഇടവം | Eṭavam |
| Mid-June to mid-July | മിഥുനം | Mithunam |
| Mid-July to mid-August | കർക്കടകം | Karkaṭakam |
| Mid-August to mid-September | ചിങ്ങം | Chingam |
| Mid-September to mid-October | കന്നി | Kanni |
| Mid-October to mid-November | തുലാം | Thulam |
| Mid-November to mid-December | വൃശ്ചികം | Vrishchikam |
| Mid-December to mid-January | ധനു | Dhanu |
| Mid-January to mid-February | മകരം | Makaram |
| Mid-February to mid-March | കുംഭം | Kumbham |
| Mid-March to mid-April | മീനം | Meenam |
How To Write Years In Malayalam
By this point, I assume you’re already familiarized with Malayalam numbers, but either way, let’s discuss a bit more in detail how to form numbers in Malayalam:
- Base Characters: Malayalam numerals utilize a set of base characters representing digits from 0 to 9. These base characters are derived from the ancient Brahmi script and have distinct forms in Malayalam.
- Combining Characters: To form larger numbers, the base characters are combined in a positional system. For example, to represent the number 23, the characters for 2 and 3 are combined.
- Place Value: Malayalam numerals follow a place-value system similar to that of Arabic numerals. The position of a digit determines its value. The rightmost digit represents ones, the next digit represents tens, followed by hundreds, thousands, and so on.
In Malayalam, years are typically written using the traditional Indian numerals known as “Malayalam numerals.” These numerals differ from the standard Arabic numerals we use in English. Each numeral has its own unique form and holds a special place in Malayalam’s rich heritage.
| Number | Malayalam numeral | Malayalam | Pronunciation |
| 0 | ൦ | പൂജ്യം | Pūjyaṁ |
| 1 | ൧ | ഒന്ന് | Onnŭ |
| 2 | ൨ | രണ്ട് | Raṇḍŭ |
| 3 | ൩ | മൂന്ന് | Mūnnŭ |
| 4 | ൪ | നാല് | Nālŭ |
| 5 | ൫ | അഞ്ച് | Añjŭ |
| 6 | ൬ | ആറ് | āṟŭ |
| 7 | ൭ | ഏഴ് | ēḻŭ |
| 8 | ൮ | എട്ട് | Eṭṭŭ |
| 9 | ൯ | ഒമ്പത് | Ombadŭ |
| 10 | ൰/൧൦ | പത്ത് | Pattŭ |
Having this in mind, here are a few examples of years for you to practice and understand the way they are formed.
| Year | Malayalam numerals | Malayalam | Pronunciation |
| 2020 | ൨൦൨൦ | രണ്ടായിരത്തി ഇരുപത് | Randayirathi irupathu |
| 1985 | ൧൯൮൫ | ആയിരത്തി തൊള്ളായിരത്തി എൺപത്തിയഞ്ച് | Aayirathi thollaayirathi enpathiyanju |
| 1776 | ൧൭൭൬ | ആയിരത്തി ഏഴ് വേട്ടപ്പട്ടി സെബന്റി ആറ് | Aayirathi ezhu vettappatti sebti aat |
| 2022 | ൨൦൨൨ | രണ്ടായിരത്തി ഇരുപത്തിരണ്ട് | Randayirathi irupathirandu |
| 1999 | ൧൯൯൯ | ആയിരത്തി തൊള്ളായിരത്തി തൊണ്ണൂറ്റി ഒമ്പത് | Aayirathi thollaayirathi thonnootti ombathu |
| 1950 | ൧൯൫൦ | ആയിരത്തി തൊള്ളായിരത്തി അമ്പത് | Aayirathi thollaayirathi ambathu |
How To Write The Days Of The Week In Malayalam
Understanding how to express the days of the week in Malayalam will allow you to navigate the rhythm of daily life in Kerala. Let’s dive into this chapter and uncover the names of the days of the week in Malayalam.
Days of the Week in Malayalam:
- Sunday – ഞായർ (Nyāyar)
- Monday – തിങ്കളാഴ്ച (Thingalāzhcha)
- Tuesday – ചൊവ്വ (Chovva)
- Wednesday – ബുധൻ (Budhan)
- Thursday – വ്യാഴം (Vyāzham)
- Friday – വെള്ളി (Velli)
- Saturday – ശനി (Shani)
Knowing the names of the days of the week in Malayalam will assist you in planning your activities, understanding cultural events, and engaging in conversations about schedules and routines.
How To Write The Date In Malayalam
Writing a date in Malayalam couldn’t be easier: you just have to write the date with Malayalam numerals for the numbers and the month’s name in Malayalam. As easy as that! Here is a little summary:
- Day: Begin by writing the day of the month using the Malayalam numerals we discussed earlier.
- Month: Write the name of the month in Malayalam using the appropriate characters we covered in the previous chapters.
- Year: Complete the date by writing the year using the Malayalam numerals and combining characters as necessary.
For example, to write the date “May 16, 2023” in Malayalam, you would write it as “൧൬ മേയ് ൨൦൨൩” (mey pathinaat, randayirathi irupathi moonnu).
How To Tell Time In Malayalam
First of all, let me teach you a new word: സമയം (sanaram), which means time in Malayalam. In Kerala, the preferred format for telling time is the 12-hour clock system. Whether you’re strolling through the scenic landscapes of Munnar or exploring the bustling streets of Kochi, understanding how to tell time in Malayalam will keep you in sync with the vibrant rhythm of life.
Telling time in Malayalam is also a very easy process: you just say the time exactly as you read it. For example, to say the time 1:30 in Malayalam, you will simply say “one thirty,” or നൂറ്റിമുപ്പത് (nootimuppathu). You can also include the words for hours and minutes and say “one hour and thirty minutes”, or ഒരു മണി മുപ്പത് മിനിറ്റ് (oru mani muppathu minittu).
When telling the time, there are a few terms that are helpful, not only to say it correctly but also to speed up this process:
- Hour – മണിക്കൂർ (manikkoor)
- Minute – മിനിറ്റ് (minittu)
- O’clock – മണി (mani)
- Second – രണ്ടാമത് (randaamathu)
- Noon – ഉച്ച (ucha)
- Midnight – അർദ്ധരാത്രി (ardharaathri)
- Afternoon – ഉച്ചകഴിഞ്ഞ് (uchakazhinju)
- Morning – രാവിലെ (ravile)
- Evening – വൈകുന്നേരം (vaikunneram)
- Night – രാത്രി (raathri)
But how do we build our time sentence? We saw that in Malayalam we just tell the time as we read it, but here are a few tips for you to become a master at telling the time:
- Hours: Start by stating the hour using the appropriate numeral in Malayalam. For example, to say “2 o’clock,” you would say രണ്ട് മണി (randu mani).
- Minutes: To indicate the minutes, use the word “മിനിറ്റ്” (minit). For instance, if it’s 2:30, you would say രണ്ട് മണി അഞ്ചു മിനിറ്റ് (randu mani anchu minit). Additionally, you can add the word കഴിഞ്ഞ് (after) between the hour and the minutes to say “[minute] past [hour],” like 12:10 or പന്ത്രണ്ടുകഴിഞ്ഞ് പത്തു മിനിറ്റ് (panthrandukazhinju pathu minittu) – “ten minutes past twelve.”
- Expressing “Half Past”: When it’s half past the hour, you can use the phrase അര (ara). For example, 8:30 would be expressed as എട്ടര (ettara).
- “Quarter Past”: To indicate a quarter past the hour, use the phrase കാൽ (kaal). For instance, 4:15 would be നാലേകാലിന് (naalekaalinu).
- “Quarter To”: To indicate a quarter to the next hour, the term മുക്കാൽ (mukkaal) is used. This term has a somewhat awkward translation to English, as it literally means “three-quarters-past.” So, in this case. 5:45 would be “അഞ്ചേമുക്കാലിന്” (anchemukkaalinu).
How To Ask For The Time In Malayalam
But how should we ask for the time in Malayalam? This has a really easy answer: use the sentence എത്രയാണ് സമയം? (ethrayaanu samayam?)!
That’s All, Folks – Continue Learning Malayalam With Ling App
Mastering the art of telling time in Malayalam opens the door to cultural immersion and seamless communication in Kerala. So, why stop here?
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