Plural formation is decided by how a noun ends. If an inanimate noun ends in a vowel, plural is formed by adding -kal. Those ending in -am end in -anŋal in plural.
ending | plural |
ë | ëkaļ |
a | akal |
i | ikal |
am | anŋal |
noun | plural |
bukkë(book) | bukkëkaļ |
ila (leaf) | ilakaļ |
patti(dog) | pattikal |
paŗam (plantain; fruit) | paŗaŋŋaļ |
If the noun is human, plural is formed by adding -márr
amma (mother) ammamárr
puθrran (son) puθrranmárr
Cases
Malayalam, like other Dravidian languages and Sanskrit, does not have prepositions, instead uses a set of cases to bring in senses such as location or transfer of an action.
Before delving into declensions, let me give an overview of what it will be like.
There are five main cases in Malayalam. All other cases can be derived from these five.
1. Possessive
It is Anna’s cat.
2. Objective case (direct object of a transitive verb)
This case is used when the noun is the object of some action.
She likes me.
There are two accusative cases in Malayalam, which I will call accusative and parlative (pardon me, I coined this word – etymology parlare , Latin, to speak)
3. Accusative
Indirect object of a transitive verb
I gave her a pen
4. Parlative
This is used when the transitive verb is
to speak, to tell, to ask, to shout etc.
I am speaking to her.
5. Dative
This case is used when the noun is given something.
I gave him a nice book.
Objective, Parlative, Dative, Locative and Possessive
Basic rules
Ending in a, i.
Objective + ye
Parlative + yódë
Dative + kkë
Locative + yil
Possessive + yude
Example
kada (shop)
Objective kadaye
Parlative kadayódë
Dative kadakkë
Locative kadayil
Possessive kadayude
kili (bird)
Objective kiliye
Parlative kiliyódë
Dative kilikkë
Locative kiliyil
Possessive kiliyude
Kai (hand)
Objective kaiyye
Parlative kaiyyinóde (those ending in ai takes this form)
Dative kaikkë
Locative kaiyyil
Possessive kaiyyude (+yinte instead of +yude in some cases)
Ending in u, ë
Objective + ine
Parlative + inódë
Dative + inë
Locative + il
Possessive + inte
Example
vídë (house)
Objective vídine
Parlative vídinódë
Dative vídinë
Locative víttil
Possessive vítinte
puzhu (worm)
Objective puzhuvine
Parlative puzhuvinódë
Dative puzhuvinë
Locative puzhuvil
Possessive puzhuvinte
Accusative
Accusative case is same as nominative (the noun without declension) if the noun is inanimate. Otherwise it is same as objective case.
ñán avanë oru pattikuttiye koduθu. (pattikutti puppy ; noun ending in 'i'. Accusative is same as objective as puppy is a living creature)
I gave him a puppy.