Greetings & Formality
അഭിവാദനങ്ങളും മര്യാദയും
German splits 'you' into du (informal) and Sie (formal) — a distinction Malayalam speakers already navigate with nee vs. ningal. Start here before any other vocabulary.
Grammar Comparison
വ്യാകരണ താരതമ്യം
du vs Sie approx nee vs ningal
du (informal) / Sie (formal)
നീ (informal) / നിങ്ങൾ (formal)
Malayalam already marks respect by switching from the informal pronoun to the formal one for elders, strangers, and formal settings -- in fact, modern spoken Malayalam often avoids the informal form almost entirely outside close relationships, since it can sound blunt or even rude, leaning on the formal pronoun as the safe default. German draws a similar, slightly less strict line: use Sie with anyone you'd address formally in Malayalam, and du only with close friends, family, and children.
Vocabulary
വാക്കുകൾ
| German | Pronunciation | Malayalam | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hallo | HAH-loh | നമസ്കാരംnamaskaaram | Hello |
| Guten Morgen | GOO-ten MOR-gen | സുപ്രഭാതംsuprabhaatham | Good morning |
| Guten Abend | GOO-ten AH-bent | ശുഭ സന്ധ്യshubha sandhya | Good evening |
| Auf Wiedersehen | owf VEE-der-zayn | വീണ്ടും കാണാംveendum kaanam | Goodbye (formal) |
| Tschüss | chuess | പോയിട്ട് വരാംpoyittu varaam | Bye (informal) |
| Danke | DAHN-keh | നന്ദിnandi | Thanks |
| Bitte | BIT-teh | ദയവായിdayavaayi | Please |
| Ja | yah | അതെathe | Yes |
| Nein | nine | ഇല്ലilla | No |
| Wie geht's dir? | vee gates deer | സുഖമാണോ?sukhamaano? | How are you? (informal) |
| Mir geht's gut | meer gates goot | എനിക്ക് സുഖമാണ്enikku sukhamaanu | I'm doing well |