Malayalam alphabet chart: free printable PDF
PDF · 2 pages · Malayalam · Free for personal and classroom use
A two-page Malayalam letters chart for children learning to read, especially those growing up outside Kerala. The swaraksharangal come with a familiar Malayalam word each, the vyanjanaksharangal are grouped the way teachers teach them, and the chillu letters have their own row. Free to print and share.
What's on the chart
Swaraksharangal (vowels), 15
- അaഅമ്മamma, mother
- ആaaആനaana, elephant
- ഇiഇലila, leaf
- ഈeeഈച്ചeecha, fly
- ഉuഉറുമ്പ്urumbu, ant
- ഊooഊഞ്ഞാൽoonjaal, swing
- ഋruഋഷിrishi, sage
- എeഎലിeli, mouse
- ഏaeഏണിaeni, ladder
- ഐaiഐശ്വര്യംaishwaryam, prosperity
- ഒoഒട്ടകംottakam, camel
- ഓoaഓണംonam, Onam festival
- ഔauഔഷധംaushadham, medicine
- അംamഅംഗംangam, part, limb
- അഃahദുഃഖംdukham, sorrow
Vyanjanaksharangal (consonants), 36
- കkaകാക്കkaakka, crow
- ഖkhaഖഡ്ഗംkhadgam, sword
- ഗgaഗണപതിganapathi, Ganapathi
- ഘghaഘടികാരംghatikaaram, clock
- ങngaമാങ്ങmaanga, mango
- ചchaചക്കchakka, jackfruit
- ഛchhaഛത്രംchhathram, umbrella
- ജjaജനൽjanal, window
- ഝjharare, appears only inside words
- ഞnjaഞണ്ട്njandu, crab
- ടtaപട്ടംpattam, kite
- ഠttaകഠിനംkathinam, hard
- ഡdaമണ്ഡലംmandalam, region
- ഢdharare, appears only inside words
- ണnaമണിmani, bell
- തthaതത്തthatha, parrot
- ഥtthaകഥkatha, story
- ദdaദീപംdeepam, lamp
- ധdhaധനംdhanam, wealth
- നnaനക്ഷത്രംnakshathram, star
- പpaപശുpashu, cow
- ഫphaഫലംphalam, fruit
- ബbaബാലൻbaalan, boy
- ഭbhaഭൂമിbhoomi, earth
- മmaമരംmaram, tree
- യyaയാത്രyaathra, journey
- രraരഥംratham, chariot
- ലlaലതlatha, creeper
- വvaവളvala, bangle
- ശshaശംഖ്shankhu, conch
- ഷshaഭാഷbhaasha, language
- സsaസൂര്യൻsooryan, sun
- ഹhaഹംസംhamsam, swan
- ളlaകിളിkili, bird
- ഴzhaമഴmazha, rain
- റraകറിkari, curry
Chillu letters, 5
- ൺnകൺkan, eye
- ൻnഅവൻavan, he
- ർrഅവർavar, they
- ൽlകൽkal, stone
- ൾlഅവൾaval, she
Who it's for
- Children aged 4 to 9 learning Malayalam letters for the first time
- Malayali families in the Gulf, the UK, the USA, Australia and Singapore
- Grandparents teaching over video calls
- Community Malayalam classes that need a one-page reference
How to use it
- 1Begin with the swaraksharangal. Say the letter, say the word, and let your child find the picture in their head: അ for amma, ആ for aana.
- 2Teach the vyanjanaksharangal row by row (ക ഖ ഗ ഘ ങ), a row a week. Children remember rows better than single letters.
- 3Point out letters that appear inside words, like ങ in മാങ്ങ, when you read together. They are easier to learn in a word than on their own.
- 4Add the chillu letters last. Pair each with a word your child already says: അവൻ, അവൾ, അവർ.
Questions parents ask
How many letters does Malayalam have?
This chart shows 15 swaraksharangal (vowels, including അം and അഃ), 36 vyanjanaksharangal (consonants) and 5 chillu letters. Teachers count the letters in slightly different ways, and children also learn vowel signs and conjunct letters later, so treat the chart as the starting set.
My child speaks Malayalam but can't read it. Where do we start?
Exactly here. Children who already speak the language pick up the letters quickly because every letter connects to a word they know. Ten minutes a day with the chart, then simple words, is enough to begin.
Why do some letters have no example word?
A few letters, such as ഝ and ഢ, rarely begin a word and appear mostly inside words borrowed from Sanskrit. Children meet them later, in reading, so the chart marks them rather than forcing an unusual word.
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